French tyre giant Michelin are set to make a return to the FIM Endurance World Championship after several years of absence, with a home racing debut at the 24 Heures Motos at Le Mans next month.
Michelin have partnered with several teams including reigning champions Webike SRC Kawasaki France Trickstar and superstock title holders Moto Ain.
The French tyre maker has considerable experience within the championship, previously running its own research team (Michelin Power Research Team), while in 2014 they worked alongside GMT94 as they secured the world title.
The recent growth of the championship, driven by the active work of Eurosport Events and the FIM, have spurred Michelin on to become involved once again. A of the other decisive factors was the introduction of a cap on the number of tyres that can be run at each race. This regulation change from the FIM has provided the series with a new role, and Michelin see that it has in turn made the series an even more valuable high-tech lab for tyre development.
Firstly, this fiercely competitive and demanding series will allow Michelin to showcase the quality of its tyres, and notably their grip and the consistency from the first to the last stint, a key factor for any team competing for the title.
The remainder of the 2019/2020 season will see Michelin work with some of the FIM EWC’s foremost teams, including Webike SRC Kawasaki France Trickstar who have made the decision to race on Michelin rubber for the first time. They will also be supplying the works Ducati team, ERC Endurance.
Michelin’s flagship partner in the Superstock class (SSK) will be Moto Ain, winner of the FIM Superstock World Cup last season, and current championship leader for the 2019 / 20 season.
Matthieu Bonardel, Director, Michelin Motorsport commented:
“Michelin is delighted to be back in the EWC, beginning with the 24 Heures Moto at Le Mans at the end of August. Our aim is to build on the FSBK and ESBK Supersport and Superbike titles we claimed last year to work with the professional and amateur riders who compete in the Endurance World Championship. Michelin staff will attend all the races to work hand-in-hand with our partners, and we wish them all the very best of luck.”
