Racing: Steve Martin wins world endurance title

Aussie Steve Martin has won the 2009 world endurance title after a 14th place finish in the Bol'dor 24-hour race at Magny-Cours in France, but it certainly wasn't a hassle-free crowning.

Sitting in a solid fourth place after 21 hours, the Yamaha Austria Racing Team (YART) YZF-R1 Martin was sharing with Gwen Giabbani and Igor Jerman then began developing a chronic overheating problem, followed by electrical gremlins.

With no chance of completing another three hours straight, the YART machine then returned to the pits for an extended period, and only ventured back out to complete the last lap - and hence classification as an official finisher.

YART completed 713 laps in the 24-hour, and one of them was the fastest lap of the race -- 1:41.487. Suzuki Endurance Racing Team (SERT) was the start to finish winner, churning out 815 laps in the grinding marathon from GSR Kawasaki (808) and the Suzuki-mounted 18 Sapeurs Pompiers.

YART's lowly finish was still good enough for them to claim the world title with one round to spare. YART has now moved to 114pts, ahead of SERT, Sapeurs Pompiers and RT Racing Suzuki all on 57.

“I feel ecstatic for the team, for Yamaha and all our technical partners," said Martin. "I want to say thank you for making my dreams come true.

"It’s fantastic to win with one race in hand so we can go to Qatar and really enjoy it with the pressure off.

"Big thanks to my fellow riders as well, it’s been a pleasure racing with them this year.”

Only 15 teams finished the Bol'dor, with Aussie siblings Alex and Damian Cudlin caught up in the massive attrition on their British-entered Phase One Yamaha.

Martin is now the third Aussie to win a world endurance title behind Peter Goddard (197) and Warwick Nowland (2000/2002).

Click on the following link for results in the 2009 Bol'dor 24-hour.