"I think I'm getting too old for this kind of thing!", Sylvain Guintoli's declaration at the finish of the 45th edition of the 24-hour Le Mans race may surprise you, as the victory seemed so easy and logical for the team. Franco-Japanese reigning world endurance champion.

But contrary to appearances "we had a fairly small margin over our opponents. And the pace was very high" explains the Frenchman who, at 39, also sometimes takes the handlebars of the MotoGP Suzuki as a test rider.

As proof, the time of 1min 36sec 195/1000 achieved by his teammate Gregg Black, absolute record in motorcycle endurance racing at Le Mans.

To be compared to Fabio Quartararo's time on the same 4.185 km route in the Sarthe, but with his Yamaha M1 last year during the Grand-Prix de France: 1min 33sec 048/1000.

The Suzuki N.1 and the Yamaha N.7, in the fight during the 24 Hours of Le Mans motorcycle, April 17, 2022 JEAN-FRANCOIS MONIER AFP

The gap is not very big, while the endurance machines are very far from the technological development of the prototypes, overpriced, used in MotoGP.

Starting in second position on the grid, the crew formed by the French riders Gregg Black, Sylvain Guintoli and the Belgian Xavier Siméon never left the trio of leading machines and patiently built their victory.

The winners completed 840 laps and edged the N.7 Yamaha of Austrian team Yart, relegated by one lap.

The Honda N.5 of the TSR France team took third place on the podium 14 laps behind the victorious Suzuki, while the red Yamaha of the Team 18 Sapeurs Pompiers team finished in 4th place scratch and first of the Superstock category, reserved for motorcycles closest to production models.

Eventful race

The SERT Suzuki, defending champion and 2021 endurance world champion, was able to take advantage of the misadventures of the Honda N.5 (mechanical problems and fall), the retirement of the BMW N.37 (engine failure) and the setbacks of the Ducati N.6 (fall and mechanical problems).

The Yart, which had qualified for the third consecutive year on pole position, managed to catch up, without breaking its engine unlike last year, after having completely missed its start.

The race was marked by numerous interventions by the safety car, right up to the last minutes of these 24 Hours.

The most significant took place one lap after the start, following a collision between the BMW N.74 and the Yamaha N.96 in the hands of Bradley Smith, who came from the motorcycle Grands Prix.

The British rider underwent check-ups in a hospital in Le Mans, but his state of health did not cause concern according to his Moto Ain team.

The return of the spectators, in the stands as well as in the campsites of the circuit, allowed this biker meeting to find its very special atmosphere, all under a bright sun and mild weather.

The crowd of spectators during qualifying for the 24 Hours of Le Mans motorcycle, April 15, 2022 JEAN-FRANCOIS MONIER AFP

With this victory, Suzuki equals Kawasaki's record -14 titles on the Le Mans circuit- and takes the lead in the 2022 world endurance championship. Next meetings: the return of the 24 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps in June, in Belgium, and the centenary edition of the Bol d'Or at the Paul Ricard circuit in mid-September.

Not forgetting the Suzuka 8 Hours in August, an unmissable round for Japanese manufacturers.

© 2022 AFP