In April 2026, the “Le Mans 24-Hour Motorcycle Endurance Race,” the opening round of the FIM World Endurance Championship (EWC), kicked off at the traditional Bugatti Circuit. With a total of 60 teams gathered for this event, F.C.C. TSR Honda France secured a strong qualifying position in 4th. However, the details of their qualifying session went beyond a mere time attack; the team thoroughly focused on “riding to win the race.”

The 49th “24 Heures Motos,” serving as the opening round of the 2026 EWC season, will be held at the Bugatti Circuit in Le Mans, France, widely known as the sanctuary of motorcycle endurance racing. A record-breaking 60 teams have entered the event on this 4.185 km circuit.

For this season, F.C.C. TSR Honda France has undergone a major restructuring of its team. As for the riders, Alan Techer and Corentin Perolari continue from last season, while John McPhee newly joins the squad. Additionally, Spanish rider Jordi Torres accompanies the team as the reserve rider. A major organizational shift has also been implemented within the team crew, with more than half of the members being either newcomers or taking on different roles. Led by Masakazu Fujii, the team further strengthened its unity after gaining a positive feeling during the pre-season test two weeks ago, and they head into the opening round with a bike setup significantly altered from last season.

During the first qualifying session on Thursday, the three riders focused on race pace rather than outright lap times while still securing strong positions near the top.
・John McPhee: 1:36.901 (9th)
・Alan Techer: 1:35.741 (7th)
・Corentin Perolari: 1:35.845 (5th)

During the second qualifying session on Friday, they raised their game even further. Corentin Perolari was particularly impressive; heading out onto the track after Alan Techer suffered a minor crash, he clocked a 1:34.418 to take second place, showcasing his speed with a composed ride. In the end, the team’s average time came to 1:35.006, securing them 4th on the grid along with 2 championship points.

The final race will start on Saturday, April 18, at 22:00 JST (15:00 local time). It is expected to be a more fiercely contested race than in previous years. Thank you all so much for your passionate support!

【Riders & Machine】

・Rider Blue / Alan TECHER
・Rider Yellow / Corentin PEROLARI
・Rider Red / John MCPHEE
・Machine / HONDA CBR1000RR-R Fireblade（#5/TSR-EWC Spec 2026 model）

【Team comments】

Alan Techer

We had a few minor issues and a crash towards the end of the session, so the qualifying result wasn’t exactly what we aimed for. As a rider, I always want to be on the front row. However, the race is tomorrow. I feel really good about our race pace. Corentin set an incredibly great lap time, and John was also good. We are heading into the race with plenty of confidence.

Corentin Perolari

Yesterday, we focused on confirming our race pace. Alan had a minor crash toward the end of the session, but fortunately, it wasn’t anything serious. Because of that, I ended up going out on the track with the bike in race specification, and the feeling wasn’t bad at all. I think it was highly positive that I managed to clock into the 1 minute 34 second range within just three laps. We don’t know who will start the race yet, but John was also riding well. I believe our consistency is coming together, so we are in a positive state heading into the final race.

John Mcphee

We had a truly productive session all the way from free practice through to qualifying. With every lap, my understanding of the bike and the tires deepened, and our coordination as a team came together well. Last night, I experienced night practice for the first time. Riding at night with the headlights on was a completely new experience in my life, and I really enjoyed it. Today, I also used the soft tires for the first time. Of course, the other two riders still have a stronger pace, but the tire feeling was good and gave me plenty of confidence. I managed to improve my lap time, but the most important thing now is to focus on the final race. A 24-hour long-haul race is a completely brand-new experience for me, and that is exactly why I am so excited. I am looking forward to seeing what kind of result we can achieve.