Firefighters' Team 18 renews its challenge for Endurance 2026

Team 18 Sapeurs Pompiers, the team of firefighters from across the Alps, is an institution in Endurance: they will be there in 2026 as well.

The motorcycle Endurance World Championship features several distinctive teams. If you will, the most curious outfit remains the firefighters’ team. Exactly: since the early 2000s, the Team 18 Sapeurs Pompiers has competed in the FIM EWC, through various management changes. It is a squad linked to the French Fire Brigade, able to achieve prestigious milestones over a quarter-century of history while proudly carrying their signature red livery.

As mentioned, Team 18 Sapeurs Pompiers CMS Motostore (its current name) is in every respect the team of the French firefighters. Founded in 2000, that same year it made its debut at the Bol d’Or with a Yamaha, starting from the principle that "endurance is a team sport, just like the work of firefighters". Since then, Team 18 has essentially always competed in the Endurance World Championship, finishing second in 2009 (with Suzuki), only behind YART Yamaha.

After a brief stint in the (now defunct) European Superstock 1000 and a sabbatical year in 2020, from 2021 onward Team 18 has been fully back in endurance motorcycle racing, simultaneously returning to Yamaha (in place of Kawasaki) with support from the national branch. A choice that delivered, in 2022, the Endurance World Cup title for the Superstock class to the squad led by Yannick Bureau with the #18 R1, then entrusted to Hugo Clere, Baptiste Guittet, and Philipp Steinmayr.

Third and fourth in the championship over the past two years, for 2026 Team 18 Sapeurs Pompiers has all the credentials to target the FIM Endurance World Cup in the Superstock class with the red #18 Yamaha R1 and a refreshed rider lineup. With Enzo De La Vega gone (moving to Kawasaki Webike TRICKSTAR as fourth rider), Baptiste Guittet and Maxim Pellizotti have been confirmed. The double new addition comes with multi-time Spanish Champion Marc Alcoba (arriving from Slider Endurance) and Hugo De Cancellis, a familiar face from the (now defunct) World Supersport 300, who also boasts some Endurance World Championship experience.

While awaiting the 24 Hours of Le Mans scheduled for next April, Team 18 Sapeurs Pompiers will undertake an initial seasonal outing on the Iberian Peninsula from February 23 to 25 with this quartet.