Australia’s reigning Endurance World Champion Josh Hook and his TSR Honda squad scored a victory in the Oschersleben 8 Hour earlier this month, lifting the team to third in the 2018-2019 championship with just one round left to run.
Despite Hook and his teammates Freddy Foray and Mike Di Meglio finding themselves eight laps down at one point, the reigning champs used patience and experience to claw their way back to the lead, in a race where the lead changed 45 times.
Hook and the F.C.C. TSR Honda squad make the perfect start to their title defence in the opening round, taking a hard-fought win in a drama-filled Bol D’or 24 Hour. Hook crossed the line at Paul Ricard circuit just 54 seconds ahead of compatriot Broc Parkes on his YART Yamaha after 24 hours of racing.
It wasn’t as easy going for the Honda squad in Le Mans in April, however. After two crashes, the team brought their heavily damaged bike across the finish line in 35th position, garnering only three championship points and tumbling from first to sixth in the title standings, handing the championship lead to Team SRC Kawasaki France.
Hook and the team found themselves back on the podium for the third round at the Slovakia Ring. After experiencing brake problems in the early part of the race, the team found itself in last position, three laps down on the leading bike. With a gutsy ride the F.C.C. TSR Honda France team fought its way back into third place, setting a new lap record in the process and elevating themselves to fifth in the championship.
Now just 23 points behind championship leaders, Team SRC Kawasaki France, the squad heads to Japan for the Suzuka 8 Hour over 26-28 July where the 2018-2019 title will be decided.
TEST: PETE VORST
