From MotoGP to EWC through MotoE. Xavier Simeon will spend more time on the track than the just 5 races scheduled for MotoE as he will return to Endurance World Championship thanks to Yamaha Viltais Pierret Experiences. After the hard times lived last year in MotoGP, the Belgian has decided to restart his career in FIM EWC, with one of the most ambitious teams on the field.
BACK TO ENDURANCE – 29-year-old Simeon had already raced in Endurance World Championship in 2008, when he took part in 24 Heures Motos du Mans as Suzuki Endurance Racing Team reserve rider. Back then, Simeon was a Superstock 1000 FIM Cup front rider with Alstare Suzuki, but also that EWC appearance was positive. “Despite Yamaha Viltais being a rookie in EWC class (they used to race in Superstock, ed), they’re very ambitious for the future“ – said Simeon, boasting one championship title in European Superstock 600 (2006, with Suzuki Alstare) and one in Superstock 1000 FIM Cup (2009, with Ducati Xerox Junior Team) – “and so I’ve decided to accept their offer and to provide them the experience I gained in Moto2 and MotoGP. On my side, I will count on a very ambitious team and I’m sure they’ll try their best to give a competitive bike. Furthermore, I’m very happy with joining Yamaha family“. The Belgian will contest both inaugural MotoE season (5 rounds) and the remainder of 2018/2019 FIM EWC (24 Heures Motos du Mans, 8 Hours of Oschersleben, 8 Hours of SlovakiaRing and Suzuka 8 Hours), as there’s no clash between the two championships.
HIGH HOPES – The rider from Etterbeek will spend his first full season in Endurance World Championship with Yamaha Viltais Pierret Experiences, the winners of 2016/2017 FIM Endurance World Cup (trophy reserved to EWC Superstock teams). The French team have just moved to EWC class and Simeon will share their Yamaha R1 machine with former Moto3 and Moto2 competitor and Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup champion Florian Alt. The remaining two riders are yet to be announced.
Translated by Alessandro Palma