F.C.C TSR Honda France Win 2021 12 Hours of Estoril
Rennie Scaysbrook | July 19, 2021
Former Endurance World Champions F.C.C TSR Honda France has taken victory in the 2021 12 Hours of Estoril in Portugal. Team riders Josh Hook, Yuki Takahashi and Mike di Meglio coasted home a lap clear of the raging battle for second place, which eventually went to the Webike SRC Kawasaki France Trickstar team of Jérémy Guarnoni, Erwan Nigon and David Checa, who were leading comfortably with one and a half hours remaining when they ran out of fuel. The Kawasaki team however got back on track and bested the BMW Motorrad World Endurance Team of Javier Forés, Markus Reiterberger and Kenny Foray by just under a second at the finish.
Fourth went to the VRD Igol Experiences team of Florian Alt, Florian Marino and Nico Terol ahead of Moto Ain with riders Randy de Puniet, Robin Mulhauser and Roberto Rolfo in fifth.
There was plenty of drama at Estoril as race leaders BMW Motorrad World Endurance Team, Yoshimura SERT Motul and then YART–Yamaha Official EWC Team crashed before the halfway point of the race.
SERT’s Xavier Simeon and Tati Team Beringer Racing Kawasaki’s Morgan Berchet collided in spectacular fashion at the nine hour point, ruling the Kawasaki outfit out of the race while Simeon managed to get his Suzuki back to the pits for repairs. The World Champions would eventually come home in 17th.
Josh Hook (center) bought the #5 Honda over the line to take the 12 Hours of Estoril race victory.
Berchet, who went to give a helping hand to Xavier Simeon, stunned by his fall, was awarded the Anthony Delhalle EWC Spirit Trophy for his gesture.
Sixth overall and the first Superstock winner, BMRT 3D Maxxess Nevers Kawasaki, won after a lengthy duel with National Motos, which only ended when Honda National Motos ran out of fuel. National Motos held on to second place in the Superstock category ahead of Team 18 Sapeurs-Pompiers CMS Motostore Yamaha, who climbed back to third following a crash early on.
In the championship, Webike SRC Kawasaki France Trickstar leads on 87 points to F.C.C TSR Honda France’s 82 with the BMW Motorrad World Endurance Team third on 80. Round three of the 2021 Endurance World Championship is the Bol d’Or 24 Hour at Paul Ricard on September 18-19.
