GMT94 Yamaha Racing takes EWC title with Dunlop tyres in Japan
- GMT94 Yamaha Racing wins title after three wins from five
- Suzuki Endurance Racing Team finishes second in Championship
- KRP SanyoKogyo & RS-Itoh wins Dunlop Independent Trophy top prize
The final round of the FIM Endurance World Championship (EWC) season took place in Japan this weekend, with GMT94 Yamaha Racing claiming the title on Dunlop tyres at the Suzuka 8 Hours. This is the first Endurance World Championship that Dunlop has secured with Yamaha following many with Suzuki, Honda and Kawasaki.
The only non-Dunlop challenger for the title ultimately failed to score enough at Suzuka to overturn the points advantage that GMT94 and the Suzuki Endurance Racing Team (SERT) held going into the race. GMT94 Yamaha was one point behind SERT before the race began with the race deciding the champion and runner-up between the two Dunlop-shod teams.
An early accident for the Suzuki team decided the outcome, although GMT94 Yamaha didn’t have a perfect race with a contentious 30 second stop-and-go penalty costing valuable time. GMT94’s penalty cost a top-ten finish, crossing the line 11th while SERT took 18th place among local squads with Suzuka-bespoke machinery. Honda Endurance Racing finished 43rd following an accident and clutch issue which cost time for repairs. Dunlop-shod EWC series contender EVA RT Webike Trick Star finished in a points-scoring 14th.
More Dunlop-yellow podium caps went to the KRP SanyoKogyo & RS-Itoh Kawasaki team which finished second in the Superstock class and claimed the top Dunlop Independent Trophy (DIT) prize of €4000. Fellow DIT podium teams were Clever Wolf Racing & 3ART in second with HKC & IMT Racing in third, both riding Yamahas.
Roland Wozniak, International Event Manager, Dunlop Motorsport
“Many congratulations to GMT94 Yamaha on their win and our first together. SERT and GMT94 were the teams fighting it out again, but it has not been a foregone conclusion. It’s also great to have a battle between the tyre manufacturers that lasts through the full season. GMT94 did a great job for us taking three of the five wins this season with SERT taking the Bol d’Or as well. Through the season we have had nine out of 15 podiums altogether so it has been a good year and already we are working with our teams for another successful season in 2017/18.”
The 2017/18 EWC season begins with the Bol d’Or which takes place on 16th/17th September at the Circuit du Castellet in southern France.