After returning to France prematurely following the injury he sustained on the Dakar, Matthieu Lagrive is back home resting. In a month’s time, he should be fighting fit for another year of action with GMT 94 in the French Superbike (Supersport class) and Endurance World Championships.

Yamaha Austria Racing Team (YART) has announced its plans for 2012. The 2009 EWC champions will once again contest the entire series with a Michelin-equipped Yamaha R1 and its familiar trio of riders, namely Gwen Giabbani, Igor Jerman and Steve Martin. This threesome will receive the support of Japan’s Katsuyuki Nakasuga after April’s Bol d’Or. Steve Plater will be the team’s reserve rider for the Bol d’Or and Le Mans.

There haven’t been any changes at either GMT 94 or BMW Motorrad France, with both squads registered for the complete Endurance World Championship in association with Michelin, and with the same rider line-ups. That means Kenny Foray, David Checa and Matthieu Lagrive will be back on the N°94 Yamaha, with the N°99 BMW still in the hands of Sébastien Gimbert, Erwan Nigon and Damian Cudlin, plus Hugo Marchand as fourth rider.

SERT has introduced a new livery for 2012. After lengthy talks with YART, Vincent Philippe has finally signed for his 10th year with the Suzuki team, where he will be joined by Anthony Delhalle. No details have yet been released concerning the third rider.

Two-time Le Mans winners Kawasaki SRC will be back for the calendar’s two 24-hour fixtures (Bol d’Or, Le Mans), but only the names of Julien Da Costa and Grégory Leblanc have yet been revealed.

The FIM (Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme) has confirmed a five-round calendar for the series. As in 2011, it will start with the Bol d’Or, while the night-time Doha 8 Hours will take place in June. The final round will be early-September’s Le Mans 24 Hours. (click here for details of calendar)

Erwan Nigon, who will contest the IDM (Internationale Deutsche Motorradmeisterschaft) with BMW and Michelin, has teamed up with Dutchman Arie Vos at Team Van Zon – alpha Technik, which is managed by Werner Daemen.

BMW, Erwan Nigon, GMT 94, Matthieu Lagrive, SERT, YART