BMW Motorrad France Team Thevent ended the season as EWC vice-champions for the second year in succession, after taking a hard fought third place in this weekend's 24 Heures Moto at Le Mans and putting a European motorcycle on the podium for the first time in this prestigious race.
Sébastien Gimbert, Damian Cudlin, Erwan Nigon and Hugo Marchand arrived at Le Mans trailing the championship leaders by 19 points and well aware that a win was required in the 35th edition of the 24 Heures Moto if they were to stand even the slimmest chance of wresting the world title away from SERT at the final hour.
The Le Mans weekend started well, with Gimbert, Cudlin and Nigon securing pole position for the second time in as many years aboard the #99 BMW S1000RR. However, after a solid opening relay by Cudlin, a low speed crash for Gimbert less than two hours into the race left the team chasing a gap to the leaders that, ultimately, proved impossible to close.
As the two leading teams battled it out at the front of the field, the BMW Motorrad France riders focused on making up places with each relay, eventually moving up to third place just before the sun reappeared across the Bugatti circuit this morning.
The BMW teammates were forced to continue pushing hard during the next three relays, as they defended against a concerted challenge from Yamaha GMT94 for the final place on the podium. With just two hours of the race left to run the pace and consistency that has been evident all weekend paid dividends, with the #99 BMW pulling a gap on the pursuers before taking the chequered flag in third place.
While the team and the riders were happy to end the season with a podium at the Endurance World Championship's showcase event, there was also disappointment that their title challenge had been thwarted so early in the final race, just as it was last year in Qatar.
Damian Cudlin:
"I'm pleased to be on the podium; it's better than a poke in the eye with a sharp stick, but obviously we wanted to win the race and the championship today. However, the guys who beat us here did so fair and square, so it's down to us to up our game just a little more. We've come second in the championship twice now, which is pretty good for a new team. With a bit of work in the off-season, and the same level of support we have now, there's no reason why we shouldn't challenge for the championship again next year."
Erwan Nigon:
"It's all over and we finished third, putting a European bike on the podium at Le Mans for the first time in it's 35 year history in the process, so I'm pretty happy with that. It wasn't an easy race. A lot of riders crashed, a lot of bikes ended broken and the conditions were quite difficult, but we still finished on the podium, which is good. But our first objective was the title and we're again second, which is not quite as good. However, it shows our potential and it makes me even more motivated to come back next year to fight once again for the title, only this time even harder.
Sébastien Gimbert:
"I'm happy to be on the podium here at Le Mans, but also a little disappointed not to have been able to fight for the win and the championship this weekend. I was pushing hard to catch the Kawasaki and Suzuki on my first relay, but then I lost the front after passing a slower rider. We lost some time in the pits as a result, but I was able to find my rhythm quickly once back on track, only for the safety car to come out. As first relays go, it wasn't an easy one. From then on we were chasing, but we just couldn't close the gap to the leaders and had to settle for a place on the podium. We've been second in the championship for two years now, so there is only one way for us to go next season."
Michael Bartholemy: Team Principal
"If you'd offered me a podium finish at Le Mans when we started this project then I'd have happily taken it. But we've come a long way since the start, establishing ourselves as one of the main contenders for the championship, and our expectations have increased as a result. Finishing on the podium in the biggest race of the season is an achievement, but we came here to fight for the championship and, once again, we stumbled at the final hurdle. I couldn't have asked any more of the team. They did a fantastic job here this weekend, as they have done at every race this season. We knew they were going to have to push hard and take risks if we were to win, and that's exactly what our riders did here. It didn't work out as planned, but I think the fight back to third place illustrates just how strong a rider line up we have. I'd like to say a big thank you to BMW Motorrad France, to Michelin and to my co-principals, Volker Scheck and Jeff Souren, without whom none of this would have been possible. Congratulations to SRC Kawasaki for the win today and to SERT for once again winning the championship. Will we be back next year to try again to beat them? You'd better believe it!"
Marcel Driessen: Director BMW Motorrad France
"For me it's been a day of mixed feelings. We came to Le Mans with the conviction that we could win and maybe even come away with a world championship title too, but our hopes were dashed with the crash early in the race. But the team and the riders didn't let their heads drop and fought back to secure a podium in the biggest race of the year. Our BMW S1000RR is also the first European motorcycle to finish on the podium in the 24 Heures Moto at Le Mans, and that makes me very proud. In fact, this weekend has been a very successful one for BMW. Team Penz13-Kraftwerk were crowned Superstock World Cup Champions today, while Jörg Steinhausen and Gregory Cluze took their BMW S1000RR powered outfit to second place in the Sidecar World Championship yesterday. A very good weekend indeed."
Communication team theevent - www.thevent.eu -