Javier Del Amor and J.Juan, enrolled for the second consecutive year in the Suzuki Català-No Limits, they could not repeat the victory achieved in 2012 in the 19th edition of the 24 Hores de Catalunya Motociclisme, a vital fixture that is disputed in the Montmeló Circuit (Barcelona) since 1995.
Test rider for the Team J.Juan Javier Del Amor must wait another year to try and win for the second time the 24 Hores de Catalunya Motociclisme. And, unfortunately, other mechanical problems throughout this edition finally forced the Suzuki Català-No Limits, six-time winner and defending champion, to leave while still in full battle for second place with a total of 589 laps completed so far.
Del Amor, the best of the four drivers in the practice day on Saturday, was chosen to start the race at three in the afternoon. As soon as the flag was lowered it showed that choosing him had been more than successful. Not surprisingly, the ex-MotoGP started like a shot and took the lead rapidly. However, before being relieved and after holding an arduous and intense battle with his nearest rival, the J.Juan test driver had to cede the lead.
However, it was when Del Amor dismounted from the bike that the problems really started for the Suzuki Català-No Limits. Moreover, in just half an hour the defending champion had to go through the box twice. At their first stop, because of an oil sensor; whilst the second and unexpected stop in the pit lane was to change the rear wheel of the Suzuki GSX-R 1000 and thus put an end to pressure problems which the pilot was experiencing on the track in those moments.
As a result, the team dropped from second place to 38th place while the second hour of the race still hadn’t even been reached.
Far from losing his cool and with everyone still ahead, Del Amor and his racing mate Victor Casas and the Frenchmen Greg Junod and Gwen Giabbani gradually began to climb up the ranking . And so, from hour to hour, every lap, the Suzuki Català was climbing places in the ranking and after midnight it was back to second place after midnight; at two in the morning and after 11 hours of racing.
But unfortunately, misfortune once again struck. This time in the form of falling. At a quarter to five o’clock in the morning the second Spanish team member went down in the La Moreneta area. After being substituted, the pilot returned to box with the bike in a very bad condition, so that the repair work, despite its speed, cost the Suzuki Català three laps and a return to track in third place. However, once again, Del Amor and his companions made it, they made up the difference and just after nine o’clock were back in second position.
From that time, and still with five hours of racing ahead, there was cut and thrust between the Suzuki Català-No Limits and their nearest challengers for second place on the podium. But on the stroke of half past ten this struggle ended abruptly and suddenly for the current champion when the breakdown of the motorcycle engine itself forced him to withdraw permanently from the race, having completed so far a total of 589 laps.