From a press release issued by FGSport Group:

2002 World Endurance Champions the Zongshen Team of China will take part in the Zhuhai 6 Hour round of the World Endurance Championship. There are also several other interesting entries already confirmed for what will be one of the biggest races of the year.

Zongshen Team took first and second places in the 2002 World Endurance Championship, with at least one of their two bikes on the podium at every round of the series except Suzuka. They looked set to repeat this achievement in 2003. The Zongshen 1 bike won four of the first five rounds last year; their poorest result a third place at Assen when victory went to the Zongshen 2 bike. A run of bad luck at Suzuka and Oschersleben put paid to their championship hopes, and the team moved on to the World Superbike Championship for 2004. The full Zongshen rider line-up has not been confirmed, but it will include World Superbike competitors Warwick Nowland and Piergiorgio Bontempi, and former World Endurance Champion Stephane Mertens.

Amongst other entries already confirmed are Alf’s Motorcycles, Macau Team, Ducati Hong Kong, Arlen Ness and local teams Wan Li Da, Dee Team and Xichao Dachang Foshan Hong Xing. This will be a challenging event for the permanent teams who are competing in the full championship; it will be the first time they have seen the circuit and they will be travelling with smaller pit crews than normal. Could we be in for a surprise from one of the wildcard entries?

Massive crowds are expected to attend the Zhuhai 6 Hour race, which takes place on the 2nd of May during the Chinese May Day holiday season. With the full weight of the race organisers, circuit officials and local government backing the event, we could well be about to see the biggest World Endurance race of the year.


More, from another press release issued by FGSport Group:

In the Assen 500 opening race of the 2004 World Endurance Championship eventual winners Suzuki Castrol and second placed Yamaha GMT94 enjoyed a race-long fight for the lead, and we can expect more of the same at Zhuhai. Some of the leading teams experienced problems with set-up before the race or with reliability during it, and they will be hoping to have made improvements before rolling out onto the track in China.

Practice and qualifying for the 6 hour race take place on Friday the 30th April and Saturday 1st May, with the race starting at 1:00pm on Sunday the 2nd May and running into the early evening. Supplementary practice sessions are being held on Thursday the 29th, and these will be vital for the permanent teams who have had to airfreight their entire race operations to China; if parts are needed that haven’t been packed, they will have to be begged, borrowed or manufactured on the spot. Few of the thirty teams entered for the race will have seen the circuit before, so the pressure will be on the riders to quickly learn the circuit and find a good bike set up.

Success in the six hour race will depend as much on pit strategy as on all-out speed. All of the teams are expected to make at least five fuel and tyre stops, with the some of the faster bikes requiring more. Most teams have also entered three riders for this race, rather than the minimum of two. The weather for the race is expected to be good, although thunderstorms are predicted for nearby Hong Kong on race day.

Warwick Nowland, World Endurance Champion in 2000 and 2002 will ride for the Zongshen Team of China at the Zhuhai 6 Hour race: “For me, this race is very special. 4 years ago I joined the Zongshen Team and no one had ever heard of the Zongshen name. It has been a great experience to be a part of the team’s growth and to return to the home of Zongshen and take part in this historic event is something I am very proud of. I am looking forward to it. I am always out to beat GMT Yamaha and of course my Le Mans winning team, Suzuki France. It will be a great fight!”