24 Hours of Le Mans (motorcycle race)

The 24 Heures Motos (often called in English the 24 Hours of Le Mans motorcycle race) is a motorcycle endurance race held annually since 1978 on the Bugatti Circuit, Le Mans, Sarthe, France. The race is organized by the Automobile Club de l'Ouest (ACO) and is part of the Endurance FIM World Championship.

History

When the Bol d'Or moved from Bugatti Circuit to Circuit Paul Ricard at the end of 1977, the ACO created the 24 Heures Moto.[1] The race became one of "the classics" of endurance racing along with the 24 Hours of Liège, the 8 Hours Of Suzuka, and the Bol d'Or.

At the end of 2001, the three 24 Hour classic races (Le Mans, Liège and the Bol d'Or) withdrew from the Endurance World Championship to create the Master of Endurance. Le Mans returned to the Endurance FIM World Championship in 2006.

Race weekend format
Thursday

Free practice sessions, 1st qualifying practice sessions (in groups) and night practice sessions

Friday

2nd qualifying practice sessions (in groups), superpole

Saturday

Warm-up session. 3.00 PM Le Mans start. NOTE: The traditional Le Mans start, abolished in 1970 for automobiles, is still used for motorcycles.

Sunday

3.00 pm, finish of the race followed by the prize-giving ceremony

Winners
Year Riders Bike
Rider 1 Rider 2 Rider 3
1978 Jean-Claude Chemarin Christian Léon Honda
1979 Jean-Claude Chemarin Christian Léon Honda
1980 Marc Fontan Hervé Moineau Honda
1981 Jean-Claude Chemarin Christian Huguet Kawasaki
1982 Pierre-Étienne Samin Dominique Pernet Suzuki
1983 Gérard Coudray Jacques Cornu Sergio Pellandini Kawasaki
1984 Dirk Brand Henk Van der Mark Suzuki
1985 Bernard Millet Guy Bertin Philippe Guichon Suzuki
1986 Alex Vieira Gérard Coudray Patrick Igoa Honda RVF750
1987 Alex Vieira Jean-Michel Mattioli Jean-Louis Battistini Honda
1988 Alex Vieira Jean-Michel Mattioli Christophe Bouheben Honda RVF750
1989 Alex Vieira Jean-Michel Mattioli Roger Burnett Honda
1990 Alex Vieira Jean-Michel Mattioli Stéphane Mertens Honda
1991 Philippe Monneret Bruno Bonhuil Rachel Nicotte Yamaha
1992 Terry Rymer Carl Fogarty Michel Simul Kawasaki
1993 Adrien Morillas Brian Morrison Wilfried Veille Kawasaki Ninja ZX-7R
1994 Adrien Morillas Jean-Louis Battistini Terry Rymer Kawasaki
1995 Alex Vieira Rachel Nicotte Brian Morrison Honda RC45
1996 Jehan D'Orgeix Piergiorgio Bontempi Brian Morrison Kawasaki
1997 Doug Polen Juan-Éric Gomez Peter Goddard Suzuki
1998 Bertrand Sebileau Thierry Paillot Igor Jerman Kawasaki
1999 Bertrand Sebileau Steve Hislop Chris Walker Kawasaki
2000 Sébastien Charpentier William Costes Sébastien Gimbert Honda
2001 Christophe Guyot Sébastien Scarnato Nicolas Dussauge Suzuki
2002 Jean-Michel Bayle Sébastien Gimbert Nicolas Dussauge Suzuki
2003 Brian Morrison Philippe Dobé Vincent Philippe Suzuki
2004 Stéphane Chambon Keiichi Kitagawa Warwick Nowland Suzuki
2005 David Checa William Costes Sébastien Gimbert Yamaha
2006 Olivier Four Frédéric Protat Daniel Ribalta-Bosch Honda
2007 William Costes Guillaume Dietrich Max Neukirchner Suzuki GSX series
2008 William Costes Guillaume Dietrich Barry Veneman Suzuki
2009 Gwen Giabbani Steve Martin Igor Jerman Yamaha
2010 Julien Da Costa Olivier Four Grégory Leblanc Kawasaki
2011 Julien Da Costa Olivier Four Grégory Leblanc Kawasaki
2012 Julien Da Costa Freddy Foray Grégory Leblanc Kawasaki
2013 Grégory Leblanc Fabien Foret Nicolas Salchaud Kawasaki
2014 Vincent Philippe Anthony Delhalle Erwan Nigon Suzuki
2015 Vincent Philippe Anthony Delhalle Étienne Masson Suzuki
2016 Grégory Leblanc Matthieu Lagrive Fabien Foret Kawasaki
2017 Mike Di Meglio David Checa Niccolò Canepa Yamaha
2018 Joshua Hook Freddy Foray Alan Techer Honda CBR
2019 Jérémy Guarnoni David Checa Erwan Nigon Kawasaki

By manufacturer
Wins Manufacturer
14 Kawasaki
12 Suzuki
12 Honda
4 Yamaha

See also

References
  1. "22 and 23 April 1978" (in French). Lemans.org. Archived from the original on 15 October 2008. Retrieved 2008-10-25.
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