FIM Endurance World Championship
| Category | Motorcycle racing |
|---|---|
| Country | International |
| Inaugural season | 1960 |
| Constructors | (Suzuki, Yamaha, BMW, Honda, Kawasaki) |
| Tyre suppliers | Dunlop, Pirelli |
| Riders' champion | Lucas Mahias |
| Teams' champion | Suzuki Endurance Racing Team |
| Makes' champion | Yamaha |
| Official website | www.fimewc.com |
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Endurance World Championship ( EWC) is the premier worldwide endurance motorcycle racing championship. The championship season consists of a series of endurance races (with a duration of eight, twelve or twenty-four hours) held on permanent racing facilities. The results of each race are combined to determine three World Championships, riders, teams and manufacturers. Until 2016, the championship is held on a yearly basis, but in order to take advantage of the winter break in MotoGP and Superbikes season, since September 2016 it runs from September to July, with the European races being held between November and February.
The long distance races appeared almost at the same time of the invention of the internal combustion engine at the end of the 19th century, with races being held between major cities such as Paris-Rouen in 1894, Paris-Bordeaux, Paris-Madrid and others. In those years cars and motos raced together, competing for speed (fastest time) or regularity (achieving a certain objective time). These races on open roads where very dangerous, and the successive fatal tragedies (such as 1903 Paris-Madrid) move the race to roads closed to normal traffic (before the creation of real racing circuits) led to the separation of cars and motos, and the long distance races turning into rallies
The Bol d’Or (most famous and prestigious Endurance race) was held for the first time in 1922 on the circuit of Vaujours, near Paris (a beaten-earth road circuit used since 1888 for 24-hour competitions for bicycles). Other endurance races were created after World War II, such as 24 Hour Race in Warsage (Belgium) in 1951, the 500 Miles of Thruxton in 1955, the 24 Hours of Montjuich in Barcelona in 1957, and the 24 hours of Monza (Italy) in 1959.. At the beginning, most races were held over 24 Hours, but soon shorter races were introduced, defined in terms either of distance (500 Miles, 1000 Miles, and much later even 200 Miles) or of time (12 Hours, 8 Hours or 6 Hours).
The series was founded in 1960 as the FIM Endurance Cup. Initially it was made up of four races: Thruxton 500, 24 hours of Montjuïc, 24 hours of Warsage and the Bol d'Or.
The Bol d’Or was not held between 1961 and 1968, while the 1000 km of Paris, was held twice on the circuit of Monthléry. In the first decade, the FIM EC races were held essentially in Great Britain, Italy and Spain – the three countries with more riders
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