Baldassarri moves up to WorldSBK with GMT94 Yamaha
Lorenzo Baldassarri will step up to WorldSBK in 2023 with three-time FIM Endurance World Champions and FIM Supersport World Championship front-runners GMT94 Yamaha.
FIM Sport News
Nigon hangs up the racing leathers weeks after dramatic EWC Bol d’Or victory
Erwan Nigon, part of the Viltaïs Racing Igol team that won last month’s 100th-anniversary Bol d’Or, has announced his retirement. The 39-year-old, whose standout career also included winning the 2018-19 FIM Endurance World Championship for SRC Kawasaki France, still plans to be involved in the sport following a hugely successful 25-year stint behind the handlebars. Ad “The emotion is intense, talking about [retirement] gives me shivers,” Frenchman Nigon said.
Early EWC calendar announcement builds on “positive momentum”
François Ribeiro, Head of Discovery Sports Events, promoter of the FIM Endurance World Championship, said publishing the 2023 as quickly as possible following the completion of the 2022 season was “very important”. The four-event calendar for the 2023 EWC season was unveiled yesterday, less than one month after the curtain came down on a thrilling 2022 title chase, which went down to the wire in the season-deciding Bol d’Or.
Four of the best! 2023 EWC calendar follows a winning formula
Preparations for the 2023 FIM Endurance World Championship are officially underway following the publication of the official calendar for the new season. Featuring four flagship races – the 24 Heures Motos, 24H SPA EWC Motos, Suzuka 8 Hours and Bol d’Or – the calendar has been approved by the Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme (FIM).
Pain but real gains for Team Moto Ain in EWC
Team Moto Ain’s talented trio of Claudio Corti, Corentin Perolari and Isaac Viñales might have endured Bol d’Or pain but the squad’s performance in the deciding round of the 2022 FIM Endurance World Championship underlined the gains it continues to make. After qualifying fifth at Circuit Paul Ricard – its best result in the EWC so far – Team Moto Ain held sixth after the points-paying eight-hour mark having run in fifth for a time.
How “strong” EWC showings helped Fores earn World Superbike return chance
Xavi Fores will return to the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship for the season-deciding events in Argentina, Indonesia and Australia after his “strong” performances in the FIM Endurance World Championship were taken into account. The 37-year-old, who battled for victory in the EWC-counting Bol d’Or last month riding for ERC Endurance-Ducati, has been called up to ride a Ducati Panigale V4 R for the BARNI Spark Racing Team, starting with the Argentine event from 21-23 October.
Kovacs praised as Maco completes 20th EWC season with top-six Bol d’Or finish
Maco Racing completed its 20th season in the FIM Endurance World Championship with sixth place in the 100th-anniversary Bol d’Or last month. With young Hungarian Bálint Kovács joining Enzo Boulom and Anthony West as a last-minute replacement for the team’s new recruit Camille Hedeline, the Slovak team overcame a delay in the third hour due to a technical issue, another technical problem and a crash to complete the top six. Ad Team owner Martin Kuzma said: “Our plan was to get as many points as possible and move up in the final ranking.
Hanika insists YART EWC team will “come back stronger”
Karel Hanika came up with the perfect response to YART – Yamaha Official Team EWC’s early exit from the 100th-anniversary Bol d’Or last month. Hanika and team-mates Niccolò Canepa and Marvin Fritz arrived at Circuit Paul Ricard hoping to lead YART to the FIM Endurance World Championship for Teams. Instead, an early technical issue wrecked the Austrian squad’s title hopes and left it sixth in the final standings, prompting Hanika to target future success.