The very eventful 12 Hours of Estoril has shaken up the provisional standings of the 2021 FIM Endurance World Championship. Webike SRC Kawasaki France Trickstar have taken the lead in the race for the world title ahead of F.C.C. TSR Honda France, who won the race in Portugal, and BMW Motorrad World Endurance Team.
The 12 Hours of Estoril was more exciting and suspenseful than anyone could have forecast. The qualifications singled out YART–Yamaha Official EWC Team, BMW Motorrad World Endurance Team and Yoshimura SERT Motul as the favourites to win in Portugal. The three factory teams did indeed take the lead in the race for a while, but all three crashed and lost their chance of winning at Estoril.
Following the series of crashes involving the leaders, Webike SRC Kawasaki France Trickstar took the lead, but after running out of fuel just under two hours from the finish, Kawasaki handed over command of the race to F.C.C. TSR Honda France.
The end of the race was hotly disputed as teams fought to claim a spot on the podium behind the factory Honda. Webike SRC Kawasaki France Trickstar and BMW Motorrad World Endurance Team finished within the same second and appeared in that order on the podium.
VRD Igol Experiences, who were solidly installed in the Top 5 for the entire race, hung on to 2nd place for a long time but eventually gave in 3 laps from the end under pressure from the experienced Webike SRC Kawasaki France Trickstar and BMW Motorrad World Endurance Team. All of this has shaken up the 2021 FIM Endurance World Championship standings.
Four teams within 11 points of each other
Second at the 24 Heures Motos and the 12 Hours of Estoril, Webike SRC Kawasaki France Trickstar go to the top of the provisional world standings with a short lead. After a tough race at Le Mans, the win at Estoril enables F.C.C. TSR Honda France to shoot up to second place in the provisional standings, 5 points behind the Kawasaki team. Third in the first two races of the season, BMW Motorrad World Endurance Team are also third in the world standings, 7 points behind the leader. Yoshimura SERT Motul, who topped the rankings after their win at Le Mans, are now in fourth place, 11 points behind Kawasaki.
The first independent team and the first Yamaha in the classification, VRD Igol Experiences hold on to fifth place, 26 points behind the leader. They are ahead of ERC Endurance-Ducati, who finished seventh at Estoril following a crash, and YART–Yamaha Official EWC Team, who were unlucky once again after withdrawing at Le Mans.
Duel in Superstock
In the FIM Endurance World Cup, the gap has narrowed between National Motos, the winner at Le Mans, and BMRT 3D Maxxess Nevers, the winner at Estoril. There are now only two points separating the two teams, who are far ahead of Team 33 Louit April Moto, No Limits Motor Team, Pitlane Endurance 86, Energie Endurance 91, Team 18 Sapeurs-Pompiers CMS Motostore (who have jumped from 20th to 7th place in the standings thanks to their 3rd-place finish in the Superstock class at Estoril) and Slider Endurance. Falcon Racing and Players round off the Top 10, but are 70 points behind the leader in the class.
The next race is the Bol d’Or on 18 and 19 September with a maximum of 55 points available for the win.
