With the Suzuka 8-Hours completed, it is time to crown a winner in the FIM Endurance World Championship, and that winner is the F.C.C. TSR Honda France team.
The Japanese outfit went into the FIM EWC series finale just 10 points ahead of its nearest rival, the GMT94 Yamaha squad, which meant the series crown was still up for grabs heading into the Japanese round.
Suzuka isn’t a normal Endurance World Championship round, however, as there are a number of one-off teams that can steal points from the FIM EWC regulars, which made the 10-point deficit a tough challenge for the French team to overcome.
With circumstances playing into F.C.C. TSR Honda’s hands quite well, and the endurance team having the added benefit of being on Bridgestone tires, the tire of choice at Suzuka (eight of the top ten Suzuka finishers were using Bridgestones), victory was nigh.
Finally getting to taste the bubbly at Suzuka, F.C.C. TSR Honda became the first Japanese team ever to win the FIM Endurance World Championship, thanks to the riding of Josh Hook, Freddy Foray, and Alan Techer.
Final Standings from the 2017/2018 FIM Endurance World Championship:
Pos | Team | Bike | Country | FMN | FRA | FRA | SVK | GER | JPN | Total |
1 | F.C.C. TSR Honda France | Honda | JPN | MFJ | 37 | 58 | 21 | 30 | 25.5 | 171.5 |
2 | GMT94 YAMAHA | Yamaha | FRA | FFM | 60 | 31 | 24 | 21 | 22.5 | 158.5 |
3 | Honda Endurance Racing | Honda | GBR | ACU | 42 | 40 | 19 | 8 | 18 | 127 |
4 | WEPOL Racing by penz13.com | BMW | GER | DMSB | 43 | 38 | – | – | – | 81 |
5 | MERCURY RACING | BMW | CZE | ACCR | 29 | 19 | 15 | 7 | 10.5 | 80.5 |
6 | Suzuki Endurance Racing Team | Suzuki | FRA | FFM | 33 | 8 | 14 | 11 | 13.5 | 79.5 |
7 | NRT48 | BMW | GER | DMSB | 32 | – | 17 | 19 | 3 | 71 |
8 | TEAM SRC KAWASAKI FRANCE | Kawasaki | FRA | FFM | – | 27 | 12 | 24 | – | 63 |
9 | Bolliger Team Switzerland | Kawasaki | SUI | FMS | 4 | 35 | 13 | 1 | 0 | 53 |
10 | Tati Team Beaujolais Racing | Kawasaki | FRA | FFM | 21 | 10 | 5 | 13 | – | 49 |
11 | YAMAHA FACTORY RACING TEAM | Yamaha | JPN | MFJ | – | – | – | – | 45 | 45 |
12 | Junior Team LMS Suzuki | Suzuki | FRA | FFM | 11 | 18 | – | 14 | – | 43 |
13 | MOTO AIN | Yamaha | FRA | FFM | – | 22 | 4 | 15 | – | 41 |
14 | Red Bull Honda with Japan Post | Honda | JPN | MFJ | – | – | – | – | 36 | 36 |
15 | Kawasaki Team GREEN | Kawasaki | JPN | MFJ | – | – | – | – | 31.5 | 31.5 |
16 | YART – YAMAHA | Yamaha | AUT | AMF | – | – | 30 | – | – | 30 |
17 | No Limits Motor Team | Suzuki | ITA | FMI | 9 | 2 | 6 | 12 | – | 29 |
18 | S-PULSE DREAM RACING IAI | Suzuki | JPN | MFJ | – | – | – | – | 28.5 | 28.5 |
19 | Yamaha Viltaïs Experiences | Yamaha | FRA | FFM | – | 5 | 11 | 10 | – | 26 |
20 | 3ART- MOTO TEAM 95 | Yamaha | FRA | FFM | – | 24 | – | – | – | 24 |
21 | Honda Asia-Dream Racing | Honda | JPN | MFJ | – | – | – | – | 21 | 21 |
22 | MACO RACING Team | Yamaha | SVK | SMF | – | 3 | 0 | 17 | – | 20 |
23 | KYB MORIWAKI MOTUL RACING | Honda | JPN | MFJ | – | – | – | – | 19.5 | 19.5 |
24 | Motobox Kremer Racing #65 | Yamaha | GER | DMSB | 5 | 3 | 0 | 9 | – | 17 |
25 | YOSHIMURA SUZUKI MOTUL RACING | Suzuki | JPN | MFJ | – | – | – | – | 16.5 | 16.5 |
26 | Team 33 Accessoires – Louit Moto | Kawasaki | FRA | FFM | 16 | – | – | – | – | 16 |
27 | Team KAGAYAMA U.S.A | Suzuki | JPN | MFJ | – | – | – | – | 15 | 15 |
28 | Team R2CL | Suzuki | FRA | MUL | 6 | 9 | – | – | – | 15 |
29 | Gert56 German Endurance Racing Team | BMW | GER | DMSB | – | 7 | 8 | – | – | 15 |
30 | WSB-Endurance | Kawasaki | GER | DMSB | – | 8 | 7 | – | – | 15 |
31 | Aviobike | Yamaha | FRA | FFM | 8 | 0 | 0 | 6 | – | 14 |
32 | MOTOTECH EWC TEAM | Honda | BEL | FMB | – | 5 | 3 | 5 | – | 13 |
33 | BMW Motorrad39 | BMW | JPN | MFJ | – | – | – | – | 12 | 12 |
34 | TECMAS – BMW | BMW | FRA | FFM | 5 | 7 | – | – | – | 12 |
35 | ATOMIC 68 | Suzuki | FRA | FFM | – | 1 | 10 | – | – | 11 |
36 | sarazin motorsport by hall moto 02 | Yamaha | FRA | FFM | 10 | – | – | – | – | 10 |
37 | Wójcik Racing Team | Yamaha | POL | PZM | – | – | 9 | 0 | 0 | 9 |
38 | BMW?Financial?Services?135 | BMW | JPN | MFJ | – | – | – | – | 9 | 9 |
39 | Mistresa with ATJ Racing | Honda | JPN | MFJ | – | – | – | – | 7.5 | 7.5 |
40 | AMSS-TRB VIDRA TEAM SERBIA | Yamaha | SRB | AMSS | 7 | – | – | – | – | 7 |
41 | Team 18 Sapeurs Pompiers | Kawasaki | FRA | FFM | – | 6 | – | – | – | 6 |
42 | Titanium Power Racing with HOOTERS | Yamaha | JPN | MFJ | – | – | – | – | 6 | 6 |
43 | TEAM FRONTIER | Honda | JPN | MFJ | – | – | – | – | 4.5 | 4.5 |
44 | Team LRP Poland | BMW | POL | PZM | – | 0 | – | 4 | – | 4 |
45 | Exteria Eko Racing Team | BMW | SVK | SMF | – | 0 | 1 | 3 | – | 4 |
46 | ENERGIE ENDURANCE 91 | Kawasaki | FRA | FFM | 3 | 0 | 0 | – | – | 3 |
47 | Team April Moto Motors Events | Honda | FRA | FFM | 1 | 0 | 2 | – | – | 3 |
48 | Rac 41 | Honda | FRA | FFM | – | – | – | 2 | – | 2 |
49 | GIRLS RACING TEAM | Yamaha | FRA | FFM | 2 | 0 | – | – | – | 2 |
50 | Team SuP Dream Honda | Honda | JPN | MFJ | – | – | – | – | 1.5 | 1.5 |
51 | Zuff Racing Team | Honda | SUI | FMS | 1 | 0 | – | – | – | 1 |
52 | National Motos | Honda | FRA | FFM | 1 | – | – | – | – | 1 |
Source: FIM Endurance World Championship