Suzuki Endurance Racing Team will defend its World Endurance Championship crown at this weekend's final round at Le Mans in France without Anthony Delhalle after the French rider crashed in practice earlier this week and broke his leg in two places.

SERT Team Manager Dominique Meliand has drafted the team's fourth rider, Australian Alex Cudlin, into the main squad to support Vincent Philippe and Julien Da Costa on the Suzuki GSX-R1000 for the Le Mans 24 Hour event; where the current championship leaders aim for a 13th World Championship victory.

A total of 60 teams have entered the fourth and final round of the 2013 FIM World Endurance Championship with SERT holding a narrow 13-point lead over Monster Energy YART, who are fielding AMA Superbike rider Josh Hayes alongside regular riders Broc Parkes and Igor Jerman. And with more than 30 points available to the race winner, the title could be clinched by any of three teams; with Yamaha France GMT 94 in third place on 60 points.

The French Team R2CL Suzuki squad, currently joint fourth in the standings and in with a shot of the overall podium, has recruited Tyco Suzuki's International Road Racer Guy Martin into the team to ride the GSX-R1000 alongside Dylan Buisson, Gwen Giabbani and Jimmy Storrar.

Suzuki interest is also high in the Superstock class with just 11 points separating current series leaders Penz13.com Franks Autowelt BMW and the Suzuki-mounted Team Motors Events April Moto. But with Guillaume Dietrich back in the saddle of the Junior Team LMS Suzuki GSX-R1000, the title looks like going down to the wire.

First practice sessions start this afternoon (Thursday) with final qualifying taking place on Friday to determine the starting positions. Saturday's Le Mans 24-Hour gets underway 15:00hrs (GMT +2).