BMW Motorrad France 99 title hopes dashed in Qatar

A hard fought second place in today's 8 Hours of Doha, the final race of the 2011 Endurance World Championship, wasn't quite enough to see Team BMW Motorrad France 99 crowned as the 2011 Endurance World Champions, as third place for SERT saw them retain the title by just four points. Having dominated practice and qualifying, Sébastien Gimbert, Erwan Nigon and Damian Cudlin were confident of fighting for the win aboard the BMW S1000RR in Qatar today. Unfortunately, their hopes were cruelly dashed just 12 laps into the race when Katsuyuki Nakasuga crashed and collected race leader Gimbert on his way to the gravel trap. Four minutes lost to repairs in the pits meant that Team BMW Motorrad France 99 rejoined the race in 24th position. Nigon immediately started the fight back that would see the #99 BMW S1000RR progress rapidly through the field to eventually take the chequered flag in second place, trailing race winners Yamaha GMT94 by just 30 seconds. But those 30 seconds proved the difference between title glory and intense disappointment for Team BMW Motorrad France 99. Finishing second in the standings in only their first full season in the Endurance World Championship was little consolation for Team BMW Motorrad France 99, who were effectively eliminated from what promised to be an epic title fight very early in the race. Sébastien Gimbert: Pilot Bleu
"I'm disappointed, obviously, but I'm also proud of what we did today. I was comfortable at the front of the race when Nakasuga pushed too hard and took us both out. What he was trying to do I have no idea, and I don't think he did either. It was a risk he shouldn't have taken. It would have been easy to have given up then, to have left the bike, closed the pit box doors and just called it a day. But we didn't. Instead, we fought back and we came within 30 seconds of winning the championship. That is something for me, Erwan, Damian and the whole team to be proud of." Erwan Nigon: Pilot Vert "What can I say? I'm disappointed, but this is racing. Sometimes you enjoy good luck and sometimes you endure bad luck. Today we had some luck of the bad kind, but we did our best to recover and only missed out on a dream comeback by the narrowest of margins. I'd like to say a big thank you to my teammates, Sébastien and Damian, who never gave up today, to BMW, Michelin and everyone in the team for their support and to Michael Bartholemy, for the faith and confidence he's shown in me this year." Damian Cudlin: Pilot Rouge
"After Sébastien was t-boned by Nakasuga in the first hour of the race we regrouped, pushed on and came within 30 seconds of winning the world championship title. After 72 hours of racing this season, we lost out by just half a minute. How crazy is that? I'm bummed. There's nothing else to say really, except thanks to everyone who made this season possible." Michael Bartholemy: Team Principal "My feeling is one of frustration rather than disappointment. If Nakasuga came to the Endurance World Championship looking to make a name for himself then he certainly achieved that today. We fought back after the crash, lapping two or three seconds faster than anyone else on track for most of the race, but it wasn't quite enough and we lost out by just 30 seconds at the end. We are vice-world champions in only our first full season in the championship, but that really is little consolation. We were here to win, not finish second. I'd like to congratulate our riders; Sébastien Gimbert, Erwan Nigon, Damian Cudlin and Hugo Marchand, all of whom have done a fantastic job this season. Thanks also to BMW Motorsport and to Michelin, whose unstinting support allowed us to come here to Qatar still with a shot at the title. I'd also like to congratulate SERT on retaining the championship title. I hope we'll be back next year to do battle with them once again." Marcel Driessen: Director, BMW Motorrad France "I am super proud of my young team. To come back from 23rd position after the crash to finish second, just 30 seconds behind the race winner, illustrates just how exceptional our team and our riders are. We missed out on the ultimate prize by the narrowest of margins today but ending our first full season as vice-champions, in a series so closely contested that we've had five different winners in as many races, is an achievement I'm justifiably proud of."