On April 18–19, 2026, in front of a crowd of 76,700 spectators, the 49th “24 Heures Motos” took place at the Bugatti Circuit in Le Mans as the opening round of the 2026 FIM EWC World Championship. Starting from 4th on the grid, F.C.C. TSR Honda France faced challenging situations during the race, but they persevered, keeping their eyes firmly on the front, and fought through to the finish of the 24-hour race.

On the 18th, when the race got underway, Corentin Perolari made a sharp start at 15:00 local time, quickly surging into the lead and maintaining a strong pace. The early stages of the race unfolded smoothly, with Alan Techer delivering a steady stint, while John McPhee, making his 24-hour race debut, showed solid progress through his riding. Thanks to Corentin Perolari’s strong performance, along with a level of commitment that belied a newly formed team structure, the Honda CBR 1000RR-R Fireblade (#5) secured third place. However, the deployment of the safety car due to another bike’s engine trouble cost them the advantage they had built up.

Subsequently, F.C.C. TSR Honda France, which had been locked in a battle for the podium, suffered a crash following a collision, completely turning the tide of the race. Forced into lengthy repairs, they returned to the track in 30th position, 28 laps behind the leader. Despite this, the three riders refused to give up and began a fierce charge through the field. To reward the passion of the mechanics and the entire team crew, they maintained a highly competitive pace with an even sharper level of focus.

Around dawn, Corentin Perolari clocked the fastest lap of the race with a 1:35.698. Despite several electrical system alerts during the race, F.C.C. TSR Honda France recovered their positions, breaking back into the top 15 by mid-morning on the 19th.

However, towards the end of the race, another 28-minute safety car period was deployed, denying them further opportunities to recover positions. In the end, the team crossed the finish line 9th in the EWC class and 12th overall, earning 13 points. Combined with the qualifying points, their total of 15 points from this opening round does not fully reflect the potential the team demonstrated early in the race. Nevertheless, it once again proved the speed of the three riders and the performance of their Bridgestone-equipped machine.

While harboring feelings of frustration, the team is already aiming their sights on the “8 Hours of SPA Motos,” which will be held at the circuit in Belgium on June 5–6, 2026. Thank you all for your passionate support.

【Final Results of the EWC Round 1: Le Mans 24-Hour Motorcycle Endurance Race】

・Finished 9th in the EWC class / 11th in the championship standings

【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

This was not the result we had hoped for. However, I believe we definitely had the pace, and we had a great team with three strong riders. Corentin was extremely fast throughout the race. I think we proved that the bike is both fast and stable. Unfortunately, there was a minor crash, which made it a tough time for everyone on the team, but it was still important to finish the race and bring home points. The championship consists of only four rounds, but it is a long battle. Next up is Spa. It is a circuit that suits Corentin well, and John also demonstrated his speed, so we have good elements in place heading into the next round. First up is the test at Suzuka scheduled for May, and then the race at Spa—our goal is victory.

Corentin Perolari

We started from 4th on the grid, and with a great start, I was able to build a 10 to 15-second lead in the first stint. I kept a consistent pace throughout the stint and even recorded the fastest lap of the race. However, during the night stint, I collided with another rider, which caused a massive loss of time. The mechanics worked incredibly hard and repaired the bike in just 15 minutes. I had some pain in my elbow, so I skipped one stint, but after that, I regained my pace all the way to the finish. We never gave up until the end, and my teammates rode really fast and consistently. That crash is frustrating, but that’s racing. Bringing home points is the most important thing. There are still three races left, and it is crucial that we keep pushing without giving up.

John Mcphee

I have finished my first Le Mans 24-hour race. It was a truly amazing experience. First of all, I want to express my heartfelt gratitude to the entire team. Everyone worked flat out this past week to give me the best possible opportunity. The crash was unfortunate, but that is part of the game in a race this long. Both of my teammates were incredibly fast. The Honda CBR1000RR-R Fireblade was amazingly reliable, and I gained a lot of experience in understanding the bike, the Bridgestone tires, and the overall package. In terms of riding without any mistakes, I am satisfied with my own performance. During the night session, I clocked my personal best lap, which was just 0.5 seconds off the fastest lap of the race. While there is still room for improvement, I believe we have established a great starting point. If we continue working together like this, I am confident we can fight for the victory at Spa.