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2011
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THE 8 HOURS OF DOHA - QATAR 2010
SERT
REPORT
MONSTER YAMAHA AUSTRIA ON THE PODIUM
Mandy Kainz - Team Manager Notable by their absence were the Yamaha Biker’s Days Team who did not travel to Qatar to fight for the 2010 Superstock World Endurance title.
ALEX CUDLIN'S REPORT
Immediately after
joining the team, Alex began his winning streak, claiming victory in the opening
race at the Le Mans 24 Hour in France. Cudlin and Team Qert then led the World
Cup series from that point on, racing in the 8 hour in Spain and again in France
for the Bol Dor 24 Hour, and then finally in the last race in Qatar. Cudlin went
into the final race with an 11 point lead and knew to win his first World Cup,
he would need a strong podium finish. Cudlin and Team QERT then produced one of
the best races of the season, rising to the pressure from the other teams to
claim victory by one lap in the 8 hour race, culminating in the top prize of the
2010 World Cup. Alex's 2010 form has shown big results, contesting and winning the Endurance World Cup and finishing 2nd in the Qatar International Road Racing Championship. Alex has contested a total of 16 races with a staggering 13 podium finishes, culminating in a World Title, making 2010 a year to remember for the likeable Aussie. "I have a lot of people to thank, but the biggest thanks goes to QMMF for what they have done for me this year. They helped me in moving my racing career forward and to now have this World Cup is in huge part due to them. Also, a big thanks goes to my family, who have followed me all over the world in support of helping me to chase my dream and thank you to my girlfriend Amy, who has stood behind me every step of the way. It has been an emotional ride throughout my career, but the injuries from crashes and the times that I would rather forget all pale into insignificance when I look at the Gold Medal I am now holding as the Champion. It's worth all the hard work & effort."
DAMIAN CUDLIN'S REPORT
The race became a scrap between the two teams for the majority of the race, as 3rd placed YART couldn’t maintain the searing pace at the front and steadily dropped further behind. However with just 50 minutes of the race to go, disaster struck the luckless BMP squad as Gimbert suffered a fall avoiding a back marker’s accident. The extensive damage to the 99 BMW was repaired with lightning speed, although it was not enough to claim the podium result the team so desperately craved, and despite an inspiring late surge from Erwan Nigon the team finished in a disappointing 6th place. “It’s certainly not the way we wanted to end our World Endurance season; luck just hasn’t been on our side at all this year” Cudlin admitted. “But we did prove once again that we were the fastest team at the race track, and as soon as the tide swings our way a bit we are going to win races. It’s just a matter of time.” The BMP Elf 99 BMW Team scored 3 pole positions and 4 fastest laps in their debut WEC season, proving they will be a force to be reckoned with, should lady luck be a little kinder to them in 2011. “Endurance is a hard game and the saying ‘to finish first, first you have to finish’ doesn’t ring any truer then in this sport… but if it was easy then anybody could do it. The team has done an incredible job in their debut season and I can’t wait to see them in action again in 2011.” ...AND THIRD ON THE PODIUM, RMT21 FROM GERMANY...
RACE FINISH
There was a tight battle developing towards the very end of the race for the third place. The Honda RMT 21 Racing Germany with Viktor Kispataki, Didier Van Keymeulen and Arie Vos took the best from Kawasaki Bolliger Switzerland with Horst Saiger, Patric Muff and Roman Stamm. The private Swiss team came to Doha with the championship lead, but the nine points advantage over SERT was not enough to preserve the title hopes. However, Bolliger Team Switzerland scored a well-deserved second place at the 2010 Qtel FIM Endurance World Championship. The Suzuki AM Moto
Racing Competition finished in fifth place, this result almost feeling like a
victory for this private French team who dedicated the great result to Raphaël
Chèvre, one of their rider, still recovering from serious injuries at the latest
Bol d’Or. For the team BMW BMP Elf 99, this race ended in another
disappointment. Sébastien Gimbert, Erwan Nigon and Damian Cudlin have been
battling against SERT all race long; however, a crash towards the end deprived
them from a promised podium. BMP Elf 99 finished in sixth place, ahead of the
Suzuki RAC 41 City Bike, delayed after having repaired a puncture. In eighth
place, the Suzuki Qatar Endurance Racing Team 1 of Anthony Delhalle, Alex Cudlin
and Mashel Al Naimi won the Superstock class ahead of Team Motor Events with
Baptiste Guittet, Vincent Bocquet and
MID RACE Fourth on the starting grid, RMT 21 Racing Germany is doing a great race so far with Victor Kispataki, Didier Van Keymeulen and Arie Vos. After a difficult season, Stéphane Molinier, Jérôme Tangre and David Brière on the Suzuki Team 18 Sapeurs Pompiers could take a rewarding revenge in Qatar. The Suzuki AM Moto Racing is also in a good pace with Fabrice Auger, Etienne Masson and Louis Bulle. With Horst Saiger, Patric Muff and Roman Stamm, the Kawasaki Bolliger Team Switzerland is in seventh position and can still believe about the world title. They are ahead of the Yamaha Folch Endurance and the Suzuki Qatar Endurance Racing Team I, first Superstock machine, ahead of the Team Suzuki Motor Events and Suzuki Qatar Endurance Racing Team II. After suffering a puncture, the RAC 41 City Bike did a great come back to gain places on the classification sheet. The Suzuki RT Racing Motovirus was in the top 10 but has been delayed after a collision with the Suzuki of Team R2CL. Amongst the favourites, the Yamaha France GMT 94 Ipone is missing from the leading group. David Checa crashed after a few laps. Towards mid-race, a second crash has relegated the Yamaha Ipone at the back of the pack, 23 laps behind the leaders. A few teams had already to retire. Well placed on the starting grid, the Yamaha of Team X-One retired after crashing during the second hour of the race. Same consequences for the team BK Maco Moto Racing, with a broken engine due to a coolant leak, and the Suzuki III and IV of Qatar Endurance Racing Team also suffered from engine breakdowns. The 8 Hours of Doha, the final race of the hotly contested 2010 Qtel FIM Endurance World Championship, will be decisive for the attribution of the 2010 crown and the FIM Superstock World Cup. The great final will be held on the Losail racetrack on Saturday November 13. Two teams could be crowned the Qtel FIM Endurance World Champions: the Kawasaki Bolliger Team Switzerland, who has been leading the standings since the second race of the season in Albacete, and the Suzuki Endurance Racing Team. Winner at Albacete and Bol d'Or but absent in Suzuka and forced to retire at Le Mans, the SERT is nine points behind Bolliger, regularly in the points and second in Albacete and Bol d'Or. For this duel with the Swiss private team, the French official team is consolidating its riders’ line. Sylvain Guintoli, Alstare Suzuki rider in the Superbike World Championship, will be with Vincent Philippe and Freddy Foray on SERT Suzuki replacing William Dietrich, considered not recovered 100% after his serious crash in the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Bolliger is defending his chances with his usual trio of Horst Saiger, Patric Muff and Roman Stamm. Behind them, the podium places
will be hotly contested. In order of standings after four events, we find the
Suzuki RT Moto Virus and RAC 41 - City Bike and the Yamaha Folch Endurance YMES.
But there is also In Superstock, there are many
contenders for the FIM World Cup. The Suzuki of Qatar Endurance Racing behind.
Team Motors Events (Suzuki), the LTG 57 (Yamaha), Team X-One (Yamaha), Team
Endurance Moto 45 (Suzuki) and MCS Ipone Racing (Suzuki) could still
mathematically win the 2010 FIM World Cup. The first qualifying session will
take place on Thursday November 11. The start of the race, played semi
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