The Michelin clan puts his strengths behind his best contender, BMW Motorrad France 99. The official Belgian team starts from pole position at the 8 Hours of Doha, this afternoon, to try to get in Qatar its first world title. BMW Motorrad France 99 sits nine points behind the Suzuki Endurance Racing Team, ten times and current world champion. BMW is racing here for victory, but also needs to keep the Suzuki away from a final second place to be crowned 2011 World Champion.

On the starting grid like during the warm up this morning, the Michelin clan did his best to maximise the distance between the BMW Motorrad France 99 and the Suzuki Endurance Racing Team, which is running on Dunlop. Michelin's strategy also lies on the two official Yamahas, to deprive the Suzuki from accessing the podium. Yamaha Racing France GMT 94 Ipone and Monster Yamaha YART are sharing that mission and outperformed again the Suzuki Endurance Racing Team during the warm up this morning. The two Yamahas are also racing for a 2011 championship third place.

During the qualifications yesterday, the BMW Motorrad France 99 proved once again their domination by clocking the pole position in 1'59.928 at the average time of their three riders, close to the best lap time scored by Ben Spies (1'59.041), during the 2009 FIM Superbike world championship .

In the Superstock class, the German BMW of Van Zon Boenig Motorsportschool Penz13 RT confirms its ambition for the victory. In this class, the 2011 FIM World Cup winner title is goes to the French Suzuki of Team Motors Events Bodyguard AMT.

The start is scheduled at 1 pm local time (GMT +3) for this semi-nocturnal race, and the finish is at 9 pm.

Follow the 8 Hours of Doha race live with "live timing" from Saturday 10:00 am GMT on FIM-LIVE.COM


A 52 minutes highlights programme of the 8 Hours of Doha will also be broadcast next week on several TV channels around the world:

Speed Channel – Australia
TV Meridiano – Venezuela
Sport TV - Portugal
Moto TV – Italy
ESPN – EMEA
Eurosport
FIM TV

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After four hours of racing, Yamaha Racing France GMT 94 Ipone leads the race on the Losail racetrack in Qatar. The French official Yamaha managed to hold back the Suzuki Endurance Racing Team, trying to win an eleventh world title. At mid-race, the SERT leads his direct competitor, the BMW Motorrad France 99 and the Monster Yamaha YART.

There was some high tension on the track already from the start. Vincent Philippe made the holeshot and led the first lap for the Suzuki Endurance Racing Team but each lap the leadership changed constantly by the efforts from Yamaha Racing France GMT 94 Ipone, Monster Yamaha YART and BMW Motorrad France 99.

BMW Motorrad France 99 was seen as the arch-favourite but were involved in a dramatic moment, which took place during the ninth lap. A collision between Sébastien Gimbert on the BMW Motorrad France 99 and Katsuyuki Nakasuga on the Monster Yamaha YART sent the two leading machines at the back of the pack. Back on track with a bang, the Austrian
Yamaha and the Belgian BMW started from the tail end, with a one lap deficit.

The Honda TT Legends find themselves again in the top 5, thanks to great race management of their pit stops. The British Honda leads the Spanish Yamaha of YMES Folch Endurance. Bolliger Team of Switzerland, after a great start despite a crash this morning at the warm up, lost all the benefits of a great race due to some fuel injection problems.

In the Superstock class, the podium spots changed frequently according to the pits frequent stops between Yamaha DG Sport and the three Suzuki of Team Motors Events Bodyguard AMT, Qatar Endurance Racing Team and MCS Racing Ipone.

Some of the Superstock favourites have seen all their hopes for victory vanish from the very early stages of the race. Suzuki AM Moto Racing Compétition had some fuel injection problems from the second lap and just retired, the Suzuki No Limits Motor Team crashed and BMW from Van Zon Boenig Motorsportschool Penz13 RT, after a great start, lost ground after a fuel shortage.

The feminine team from Qatar Endurance Racing Team II continuous to round the circuit consistently, to find themselves in a very credible sixteenth place overall. The sunset just came over Doha and the arrival is scheduled at 9 pm (GMT + 3).