FIM ENDURANCE:

The 2009 Qtel FIM Endurance World Champion crown has already been given to the Yamaha Austria Racing Team. So has the 2009 FIM Superstock World Cup to the Qatar Endurance Racing Team. However, the runner-up teams still have great expectations from the final round on the Losail racetrack in Qatar. Thirty points are up for grabs for victory and, if YART and QERT are still seen as the favourites in their own classes, their competitors surely won’t miss the last chance to improve their championship standings.

In the Qtel FIM Endurance World Championship, the runner-up position is still open. There is only a six points margin between the Suzuki RT Racing Team Moto Virus, the Suzuki Team 18 Sapeurs Pompiers and the Kawasaki of Bolliger Team Switzerland. So the three of them can still expect to be the 2009 vice-champion. Behind them, the Yamaha Amadeus X-One and the Suzuki No Limits can also make a good impression and significantly improve their championship position with a podium in Doha. Amadeus X-One is offering a ride to Alessandro Polita, a World Superbike Italian rider who had previously great results in Superstock 1000.

We’ll also have to deal with experienced, yet unlucky teams. The Honda Michelin Power Research Team, who is currently in sixteenth place in the championship, is still a strong contender for a Doha victory. The Yamaha BK Maco Moto Racing, who scored a third place last year in Doha, will do their best to end the season on a positive note. Same applies to the Suzuki AM Moto Racing Competition and the Yamaha Phase One Endurance which, to pair with Pedro Vallcaneras in Doha, signed two British Superbike riders: Glen Richards and second of the 2009 BSB, James Ellison. On the Honda RMT 21 Racing Germany, we’ll see Arie Vos and Warwick Nowland next to Olivier Depoorter.

A Yamaha Austria Cup Team will be at the starting line with the best three Austrian riders from the 2009 Yamaha R6 Cup. In the Superstock class, the championship second place is still open for the Suzuki Endurance Moto 45, the favourite, and the Kawasaki Cordoba Patrimonio de la Humanidad, which is doing very well for their first world endurance season, and the Yamaha LTG 57 Zone Rouge. The QERT, winner of the FIM Superstock World Cup, will also have the support of two Junior QERT machines, raced by the best Qatari riders. Free practices will start on Thursday, 12th of November in the morning on the Losail racetrack, and the qualifying session will take place in the afternoon. The start of the 8 Hours of Doha will be given on Saturday 14th of November at 1 pm (GMT + 3) for a nocturnal arrival at 9 pm.