The FIM Endurance World Championship is arguably one of the toughest championships in the world. Not only is the field completely packed with A-list competitors, but this championship also travels to some very physically demanding circuits and is the ultimate test of man and machine.

For the 2018/2019 season Yamaha's assault on the Endurance World Championship will be led by the YART Yamaha Official EWC Team who, with Niccolò Canepa, Broc Parkes and Marvin Fritz, have one of the strongest rider line ups in this year's championship

Yamaha has also recently announced an extended support program in the FIM Endurance World Championship. Open to private teams racing in both the EWC and Superstock classes, the extended support program has already proved popular with existing competitors. French teams Yamaha Viltais Experience, 3ART Moto Team 95 and Moto Ain were quick to commit to the program, as were Team Wepol Racing from Germany and the Maco Racing Team from Slovakia.

The 2018/2019 FIM Endurance World Championship runs from September 2018 to late July 2019 and consists of five rounds; the Bol d'Or, the 24 Heures Moto at Le Mans, the 8 Hours of Slovakia Ring, the 8 Hours of Oschersleben and the Suzuka 8 Hours.

During endurance races it’s all about consistency. The teams are usually made of three riders who each ride stints before handing the bike over to one of their teammates. Their aim, rather than riding the fastest times, is to ride as many laps as possible, without making any mistakes that would cost them valuable time as they would have to repair the bike.

Racing for eight, twelve or twenty-four hours straight is not only challenging for the riders, but also the bikes. The circuits on the 2018/2019 EWC calendar have very fast corners and hard braking points. When riding for so long, it’s easy to lose concentration, but losing focus for even a second could mean the end of their title chase.

If that isn’t making life for the riders hard enough, on top of that Suzuka’s hot and humid conditions make it hard for the riders to preserve their energy, whilst Le Mans, Paul Ricard, Slovakia Ring, and Oschersleben's changeable weather means anything is possible.

2018/2019 FIM EWC CALENDAR

September 15/16 - Bol d’Or (24 h) / Paul Ricard - France
April 20/21 - 24 Heures Motos / Le Mans – France
May 11 - 8 Hours of Slovakia Ring - Slovakia
June 8 - 8 Hours of Oschersleben - Germany
July 28 - Suzuka 8 Hours - Japan