YART Yamaha Clinches Back-to-Back Victory at Le Mans

The dramatic race sees BMW suffer setbacks as Yamaha secures sixth win at the 2026 24 Heures Motos Le Mans, Bugatti Circuit. 

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The 49th edition of the 24 Heures Motos concluded at the Bugatti Circuit Le Mans with YART Yamaha Official EWC Team claiming a hard-fought victory. The win marks Yamaha’s second consecutive triumph at Le Mans following their 2025 success, and their sixth overall victory at the iconic endurance race.

Despite starting from pole position, the YART Yamaha team, featuring riders Karel Hanika, Marvin Fritz and Tati Mercado, had a challenging start, dropping out of the top five in the opening laps. The team spent much of the night working their way back through the field in what proved to be a demanding race under varying conditions.

BMW Setback Opens Door for Yamaha

The turning point came at dawn, when the leading BMW Motorrad World Endurance Team encountered multiple issues.

After dominating the first 16 hours of the race, the BMW #37 machine, ridden by Markus Reiterberger, Steven Odendaal and Michael Van der Mark, suffered a series of setbacks, including a crash, a penalty and a late mechanical problem.

These incidents dropped BMW out of contention, allowing YART Yamaha to take control and manage a comfortable lead of several laps until the finish.

Podium Finishers Battle Through Challenges

Second place went to Yoshimura SERT Motul on the Suzuki #12, with riders Gregg Black, Etienne Masson and Dan Linfoot overcoming technical issues to secure valuable championship points.

Third place was claimed by Kawasaki Webike Trickstar, whose consistent and reliable performance allowed them to capitalise on rivals’ misfortune.

Retirements and Tough Race for Rivals

Several teams faced difficulties during the race. The Elf Marc VDS Racing Team/KM99 Yamaha, which showed early promise, retired due to engine failure.

Meanwhile, F.C.C. TSR Honda France suffered an early crash and, despite returning to the race, could only manage a 12th-place finish.

Winners in Other Categories

In the Superstock category, Champion-Hert Powered by MRP secured its first-ever victory, finishing ahead of No Limits Honda and TRT27 AZ Moto.

The Production class saw Legacy Competition take top honours on the Yamaha #96, followed by GreenTeam 42 Lycée Saint Claire 42 Kawasaki, while Mana-au Competition impressed with a podium finish in its debut.

The 2026 edition of the 24 Heures Motos once again delivered drama and endurance racing at its finest, with Yamaha emerging victorious after a race defined by resilience, reliability and strategic execution.