From a press release issued by FGSport Group:

Yamaha GMT94 have won the Zhuhai 6 Hours round of the FIM World Endurance Championship after a race long battle with Suzuki Castrol Suzuki Castrol had lead the race constantly from the first half hour until a crash dropped them out of the lead with less than ten minutes to go, after a final splash-and-dash fuel stop. Second place went to Suzuki Zongshen Team 81 and third to Yamaha Endurance Moto 38.

Both Yamaha GMT94 and Suzuki Castrol made less than perfect starts, and the opening laps were dominated by a battle between Suzuki Zongshen 81, Yamaha Phase One Endurance and Yamaha Endurance Moto 38. Phase One briefly took the lead before Suzuki Castrol and GMT94 caught and passed them.

Yamaha GMT94 riders David Checa and William Costes pressurised Suzuki Castrol’s Vincent Phillipe, Olivier Four and Matthieu Lagrive for the next five and half hours, proving able to match them on lap times but unable to stay out on track as long between fuel stops. The Suzuki’s better fuel consumption looked set to give them an unbeatable advantage over the Yamaha until the crash in the final laps allowed GMT94 through into first place.

The battle for second third and fourth place was just as closely fought; Yamaha Endurance Moto 38 caught and passed Kawasaki Bolliger with only minutes to spare. Yamaha Austria finished fifth and Suzuki Castrol held onto sixth place.

Rider Quotes

David Checa, Yamaha GMT94, first place: “I didn’t know I was in the lead at the end of the race. In the last relay we know that we have a little problem with the gear box, and when I saw the board telling me to go slow I thought maybe it was because of that or the tyres. It wasn’t until I was going up the stairs to the podium that Christophe told me that we had won. At Assen I gave one hundred percent and we finished second and here again I pushed all the time so to finish first was unbelievable. This season I hoped to win with GMT94 so I am very happy.”

William Costes, Yamaha GMT94, first place: “It feels very good to win because this was the first race for everyone here. The track was very good but the weather was difficult and we only had two riders; I feel very good but very tired. The R1 is very good. We have made a lot of improvements to the chassis and now we must work on the efficiency of the engine.”

Stephane Mertens, Suzuki Zongshen Team, second place: “Second place feels good for me, but most importantly for Zongshen – and for Michel Marqueton the race organiser who did very well in world endurance and has now proved that he can organise a race in China. Zongshen have done a fantastic job and I’m proud to give them this present of second place.”

The first international motorsport event to be held in the People’s Republic of China has been a great success for all involved, bringing new levels of competitiveness into the country and broadening the horizons of the World Endurance Championship teams.


More, from a press release issued by Team Suzuki:

CRASH RUINS SUZUKI ENDURANCE WIN

A crash in the closing stages of the World Endurance Championship in Zhuhai, China halted Team Castrol Suzuki’s chances of increasing its series lead.

The French SERT trio of Vincent Phillipe, Olivier Four and Matthieu Lagrive had kept their Suzuki GSX-R1000 ahead at the five-hour mark until disaster struck, allowing Yamaha GMT94 and Zongshen 81 Suzuki through.