Eurosport Events, the promoter of the FIM EWC, announced its new format in August for the 2016-2017 season calendar. It will kick off on 17-18 September 2016 on the Paul Ricard circuit with the Bol d’Or and finish at Suzuka in July 2017.  

The 24 Heures Motos will stick to their original date in 2017: 15-16 April.  

This mythic endurance race for motorbikes is one of the events that all the riders and manufacturers dream of winning. The major players will be present: Suzuki, Yamaha, Kawasaki, Honda and BMW whose bikes will be run by works and private teams guaranteeing the highest possible level of competition.  

The 2016 24 Heures Motos was marked by the victory of the no. 11 Kawasaki ridden by Leblanc-Lagrive-Foret giving the Japanese make the record for the number of victories in the Sarthe event with 13! Gregory Leblanc became only the second rider to have won the biggest endurance race for motorbikes five times.  

In the other two categories Yamaha triumphed in the Superstock category with the no. 36 bike entered by the Team 3Art Yam’Avenue, while the no. 45 Metiss clinched victory in the Experimental class.  

In the 2017 24 Heures Motos the SRC Kawasaki managed by Gilles Staffler will be out to defend its title won at Le Mans, but the team will have a tough battle on its hands against all the top-line competitors in world endurance motorbike racing who will be out to make headlines in this mythic event.  

But over and above the on-track action, all the spectators and motorbike fans will be able to enjoy a weekend as festive as it will be sportsmanlike thanks to the entertainment and activities laid on by the ACO during the 24 Heures Motos.  

The curtain came down on the 2016 FIM EWC at the Oschersleben 8 Hours and the crown went to the Suzuki Endurance Racing Team (SERT) who won their 15th World Endurance Championship title. The new season will kick off this weekend on the Paul Ricard circuit with the Bold’Or.   

The full calendar of the 2017 ACO events will be announced at a later date.