SERT extends endurance lead

From Team Suzuki

Defending World Endurance Champions Suzuki Endurance Racing Team have extended their lead in the 2008 championship by taking victory at the 6 Horas Nocturnas de Albacete in Spain.

Vincent Philippe, Julien Da Costa and Guillaume Dietrich raced their GSX-R1000 to a two-lap victory ahead of Spanish privateers Josep Sarda, Kenny Noyes and Bernat Martinez of the Suzuki Catala team and Bolliger Switzerland's David Morillon, Patric Muff and Horst Saiger.

For a long time Yamaha Austria Racing Team was a contender for the podium, but ended up in fourth place after Steve Martin and Igor Jerman crashed. However, YART managed to stay ahead of Endurance Moto 38 and Qatar Endurance Racing Team IJT.

The Suzuki of QERT IJT finished in sixth place and first in the Superstock class. The team is now leading the Superstock FIM World Cup.

The race had a high number of crashes due to ongoing heavy rainfall. During six hours, the teams had to face a cold rain, unusual for this time of the year in Spain, and the safety car was brought out for two laps due to the bad weather.

The next event of the Qtel FIM Endurance World Championship will be the 8 Hours of Suzuka in Japan on July 27.

Provisional Results
1. SERT (Suzuki GSX-R1000) 177 laps
2. Suzuki Catala (Suzuki GSX-R1000) 175
3. Bolliger Team Switzerland (Kawasaki) 175
4. Yamaha Austria Racing (Yamaha) 173
5. Endurance Moto 38 (Yamaha) 172
6. Maco Moto 38 (Yamaha) 171
7. Team Kawasaki France (Kawasaki) 171
8. RT Racing Team Motovirus (Suzuki GSX-R1000) 170
9. YMES Folch Endurance (Yamaha) 170
10. RMT 21 Racing Team (Honda) 170