Yoshimura SERT Motul finished second at the 2026 24 Heures Motos, a race in which consistency and experience paid off.
Sixty teams set off on the Bugatti Circuit in sunny weather in front of 76,700 spectators. The stage was set for a Le Mans showdown.
From sixth on the start grid, Gregg Black demonstrated his talent by moving up to second place right from the first corner. He battled it out with the leading trio of riders throughout his stint before handing over to his teammates, Etienne Masson and Dan Linfoot, who then built on this strong start by staying in the top four, despite some minor ECU issues.
Conditions were tricky, with varying levels of riding skill and a track temperature that fluctuated as the sun came out, but this didn’t stop Masson from bettering his personal best three times during his second stint. As night fell, the #12 Suzuki GSX-R1000R was running in the top three and had secured eight bonus points after eight hours of racing.
The Yoshimura SERT Motul riders rode consistently during the night on the Bugatti Circuit, maintaining a high pace and demonstrating their considerable track experience. The technical team ensured quick pit stops. As dawn broke, the riders overcame the challenges of a cold track with tricky grip conditions and remained at the front of the field.
Consistently strong, the team secured second place by mid-morning on Sunday, with their direct rivals hampered by crashes and engine failures. The Yoshimura SERT Motul riders maintained their pace until the end of the race. Effective race management, both technically, and in terms of riding, proved to be the deciding factor.
The team will line up at the start of the Spa 8 Hours motorcycle race in second place in the 2026 FIM EWC championship, with a total of 48 points. The second round of the season is scheduled for the 6th of June at the Belgian circuit.
Yohei KATO – team director
“This second-place finish brings a mix of immense pride with a slight disappointment. Drawing on the lessons learned from last year, we opted to manage our pace in the opening stages. However, from the halfway point onwards, we were able to unleash our true potential and successfully hunt down the leaders. The riders, the machine, and the entire crew performed exceptionally well, executing our strategy to perfection. It is unfortunate that a few minor issues ultimately kept us from our goal. That said, a second-place finish is by no means a bad result. I want to express my deepest gratitude to our three riders for their outstanding efforts. Le Mans is essentially our team’s second home, so we will just have to save that victory for next year. Thank you to everyone for your incredible support.”
Damien SAULNIER – team manager
“We finished second, and even though we wanted to win, it’s a very, very good result. I’m happy and the team is pleased with the outcome. Last year, we finished 6th on this circuit and missed out on the title by a single point. This year, we finished 2nd in the 24 Hours. The championship has got off to a much better start than last year. So overall, I’m extremely pleased with the weekend. The team is bringing trophies home, which is obviously a delight. It’s been a brilliant weekend. We had a few minor issues, which perhaps cost us the win. Nothing too serious, and the whole team will be working flat out in Japan with Yoshimura and Suzuki to find solutions. After all, that’s racing. I’m happy with the result.”
Gregg Black
“It is always great to be on the podium here in Le Mans. Last year was a bit more difficult for us, so we’re happy. Of course, we’d like to win the race, however, our on-track performance was sound.It was quite difficult in the start of the race, in the hot conditions. But then in the evening we felt comfortable on the bike. We lost a bit of time in the pits because we had a few electronic and mechanical issues during one of our stints.
Etienne Masson
I’m pleased with this result. The race was tricky at times, with 60 competitors on the track and a few minor technical issues, but this is the 24 Hours of Le Mans – a race that comes down to consistency and endurance. We’ve made it onto the podium. In three weeks’, time at Suzuka, we’ll be testing the new bike, which they’ve been working on over the last few months. The initial feedback from the test riders is positive.”
Dan Linfoot
I did enjoy the race. It’s two years since I’ve raced here in Le Mans. We didn’t have a plan – just an easy run through the practices and the qualifying. As usual, the team worked really hard and they gave us a good base for the race. We had a strong race, despite too many mechanical issues and time lost in the box. We are happy for our second place. It’s a lot more points than this time last year and we can move on to the next three races.
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