ACTION BIKE RACING 24 Heures du Mans 2007

April 21 & 22, 2007 – 30th 24 hours of Le Mans motorbike race
A positive experience in many ways in spite of a frustrating epilogue

The 24 hours of Le Mans were the first experience in endurance world championship for the new Action Bike Racing-Unisson team. It was an occasion to get answers to all the questions a new team will ask itself: how will it work, since it is made of experienced men who haven’t had the chance to work together?

The Action Bike Racing-Unisson team
Photo : D. Denis

Moreover, something else remained unknown for the team: the Action Bike Racing concept which is to “help young pilots with a strong potential to improve”. This is why 2 inexperienced pilots coming from the Promosport branch in the team – Lionel Braun (3rd pilot) and Cyril Brivet (4th pilot) – were to be part of the adventure along with two more experienced pilots, Sébastien Prulhière and Josexto Sainz.
It was a gamble on the future, though. The SUZUKI GSX-R K7 and the parts got there late, and the team was not able to take part in the pre-trials. Our two young pilots could only have 3 20-minute running series on the Circuit Carole on the Friday before.
How will Lionel run, when he’s never ridden a 1000 motorbike, and never run a 24-hour race, which implies driving at night – all that on brand new Michelin tyres, surrounded by cream of the crop world endurance champions ? Yet Stéphane Gallis, the advising pilot remained confident.

The team pitched in and took advantage of the occasion to use for the first time the new trailer that is to be used in the Promosport French Cups. A great number of fans came to support the team, including the ever friendly members of the GSXR.com team.

The new trailer dedicated to the pilots’ comfort in endurance and in Promosport
Photo : D. Denis

Lionel Braun - Photo : D. Denis

The free trials

It became obvious that the pilots had not done enough trials. The lap times were below average: the best lap was done in 1.45.6, sending our n°75 down to the 35th position. Briefings, analyses and new tunings were necessary for the qualifications.

The qualifications

The new tunings quickly turned out to work wonders. The pilots achieved some homogenous lap times (Sébastien (who was extremely fast!): 1.42.6, Josexto: 1.43.4, Lionel: 1. 43.4), which allowed for our motorcycle to reach the 19th position on the departure line (5th in Superstock), which was more in keeping with our initial goals.

Sébastien Prulhière - Photo : D. Denis

Josexto Sainz - Photo : D. Denis

Lionel Braun - Photo : D. Denis

The race

Sébastien, the fastest of the pilots, was quite logically the first to run and passed the motorbike on very smoothly to Lionel. The motorcycle was then 16th on the general chart, and 2nd in Superstock. Josexto took over after the tyres and the brake pads were changed.

After less than a lap, the front wheel locked, and Josexto went straight on before making a slight fall. He needed to go back to the pits to have this quickly fixed in a yet very serene atmosphere. The motorcycle went back into the race in 42nd position, and steadily crept up to the 29th. At the end of the 12th hour, we were told successively by the screen that a motorcycle had just broken its engine, spilling oil over the track, and that a motorcycle had run over it and fallen. It was number 75!

Sébastien raced back with a very damaged motorcycle from the “Garage Vert” to the pits, but after quickly taking the pieces down, Jean-Marc Adam, the technical manager could only confirm our first impression: the trailing arm was broken, the yoke was totalled, and the engine had burst…

Jean-Marc waited for Olivier, the race direction manager, to give his conclusions, and a very disappointed (to say the least) Olivier had to announce to the race management that the team was withdrawing, after having of course congratulated the whole crew.

In spite of this frustrating epilogue, we shouldn’t forget the great number of good points we came upon during this 24-hour race. The team proved to work very well together, and to show a great amount of solidarity during the rough patches we went through.

Heads up to Jean-marc Adam’s technical crew and the great spirit of togetherness they displayed for their first endurance race. He gave us the proof of his great experience.
Heads up to the pilots, Sébastien Prulhière, Josexto Sainz and Lionel Braun, as well as Cyril Brivet (as the 4th pilot, he performed very well during the trials) who all fulfilled their part of the contract.

Lionel’s spotless performance, which was achieved thanks to Stéphane Gallis’ training and to Alain Mébrouk’s care, and thanks to the vote of confidence from the whole team – all this shows that we were right about the Action Bike Racing concept. In a country and in an environment where risk-taking is kept down to a minimum, Action Bike Racing does intend to give real opportunities to its most talented young pilots by allowing them to run at the highest level as soon as possible.

Finally, we wish to thank all our sponsors, including Michelin, who joined us for this event, who trusted us, and without whom none of this beautiful adventure in endurance racing would have been possible.