YART Yamaha sensational at Spa to cut Yoshimura SERT’s EWC lead to one point

June 9, 2024

Yamalube YART Yamaha EWC Official Team banished the memories of its 24 Heures Motos fall by standing tall in the 8 Hours of Spa Motos, netting its second consecutive victory in the FIM Endurance World Championship at Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps.

Living up to its billing as an all-out sprint for EWC glory, the 8 Hours of Spa Motos quickly developed into a thrilling strategic battle. While the YART team had the ultimate pace, its level of fuel consumption was such that it had to make one more pitstop than its rivals and had to push to the maximum as a result.

That kept the victory fight firmly alive at the iconic Belgian venue until the final hour when Suzuki-powered Yoshimura SERT Motul, the winner at Le Mans in April, was effectively forced to concede first place to its rival, the 2023 EWC champion team, albeit by a slender margin of 40.145s.

Heading to the 45th Coca-Cola Suzuka 8 Hours Endurance Race in Japan next month, YART is one point adrift of Yoshimura SERT Motul, such is the close nature of the competition in the EWC.

In the Dunlop-supplied Superstock category there was a maiden victory for Aviobike by M2 Revo and the Aprilia brand. However, by finishing second, National Motos Honda extends its advantage in the FIM Endurance World Cup ranking. Team 33 Louit April Moto completed the Superstock podium.

Starting with Honda power in the EWC for a second time, Tati Team Beringer Racing made it two Spa podiums in three attempts in third place followed by Honda Viltaïs Racing and F.C.C. Honda France. After a troubled outing, F.C.C. Honda France demoted Team Bolliger Switzerland for position in the closing moments of the race. Honda Viltaïs Racing could have finished higher up the order had it not lost in the pits while a faulty component was replaced. However, its capture of fourth place was aided when Kawasaki Webike Trickstar retired from third due to a mechanical failure.

Lining up in pole position, riders Niccolò Canepa, Marvin Fritz and Karel Hanika excelled for the Austria-based YART team with Fritz completing the weekend as the new Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps lap record holder following his qualifying heroics on Friday when he bettered Hanika’s previous benchmark time of 2m18.845s by clocking a 2m18.551s best.

“When we came here for the testing on Thursday we saw it would be tough because we knew we would need a bit more fuel and one more pitstop in the race than our competitors,” Fritz explained. “For sure in qualifying we were super-fast and to have the new lap record at Spa is amazing. But we knew the race would be tough and our only chance was from the beginning to put the pressure on all the others. Niccolò started amazing and me and Karel continued like Niccolò started and pushed every lap, we had to but we made it made it perfect and the team did amazing job, everyone giving 110 per cent. Everyone deserved this victory.”

YART Team Manager Mandy Kainz said: “In reality this race was a pre-Suzuka and we were running close to a Suzuka-spec, but with a bit more safety because the track is very demanding. So we decided for a strategy to be aggressive. We consolidate a bit in the first hour but if we would have to push we could push, which we could adjust with power. So we gave a little bit more extra power than usual to the bike and the guys used it perfect. Also, the Bridgestone tyres performed very, very good and the bike was the perfect package.”

BMRT3D Maxxess Nevers, which included Belgian riders Loris Cresson and Vincent Lonbois in its line-up, placed seventh in Formula EWC followed by Motobox Kremer Racing, Maco Racing Team and KM 99. Florian Marino was in fourth for KM 99 but a fall at Les Combes after 15 minutes wrecked the Yamaha team’s hopes of home success.

BMW’S EARLY EWC SUCCESS HOPES DASHED
Markus Reiterberger capitalised from the superior top speed of his BMW Motorrad World Endurance Team entry to sweep into first place along the long Kemmel straight on the opening lap. While the Belgian outfit soon dropped out of the ultimate fight for victory, it was forced to retire its #37 entry due to a persistent oil leak, which contributed to Sylvain Guintoli’s crash on the exit of the second part of the Bruxelles right-hander at 16h20.

F.C.C. TSR HONDA FRANCE DUO BATTLE BACK IN BELGIUM
F.C.C. TSR Honda France hit trouble for the second event in a row. Initially unable to start his bike, Alan Techer mounted an impressive recovery when he did get going to the extent he was leading after 42 minutes during the first pit stops. But a crash for Josh Hook through the Campus right-hander after one hour 10 minutes proved to be another costly setback with two lengthy pitstops required to restore the #5 machine to full working order, which allowed the fightback to fifth place to begin. With Mike Di Meglio unable to race through injury, Hook and Techer were praised for competing as a duo.

APRILIA POWERS AVIOBIKE BY M2 REVO TO DOUBLE EWC GLORY
A first Aprilia-powered Superstock category win was also the first for Aviobike by M2 Revo, which relied on San Marino’s Luca Bernardi and Italian Kevin Calia to ride as a pair after Francesco Cocco was unable to start. The Italian team headed National Motos Honda and Team 33 Louit April Moto after an exciting battle for FIM Endurance World Cup honours.

Calia said: “Winning the race is always good. Last year we win the Bol d’Or with Team 33. At the end of the year I believed a lot in the Aprilia project and it start well. In Le Mans we were close to the podium but at the end of the race we did some mistake and were unlucky. Unlucky is part of endurance but sometimes you need to be lucky to gain the result. I’m disappointed Francesco couldn’t ride and I hope he gets well soon. We went with a strong strategy, Luca and me both did double stints. The race was so close with the #55, they were so fast during the race and also in the box. So a big shoutout for them. But we are very happy with this victory for all the team.”

Team 18 Sapeurs Pompiers CMS Motostore finished fourth with Team Slider Endurance and pole-sitting Team Étoile next up. ADSS97 charged to seventh as it made it up for recent DNFs.

3ART Best of Bike came back from a crash nearing the hour mark to finish eighth with Honda No Limits also hitting back from a fall to finish as the next best permanent Superstock team behind DDB Lux-Moto Racing and one place ahead of JMA Racing Action Bike.

Honda No Limits was in the Superstock podium places when Lorenzo Gabellini crashed at Les Combes while attempting to pass the Wójcik Racing Team EWC Honda. It followed an unscheduled pitstop for Johan Nigon to allow the Italian outfit to repair a technical issue earlier in the race.

TRT27 AZ Moto showed promise, particularly in the early stages when Tom Ward was in the Superstock podium battle. But a mechanical issue forced the Honda-powered squad’s exit at 15h45.

Chromeburner-RAC 41-Honda also failed to go the distance due to a mechanical failure. Starting second and leading at one stage, Wójcik Racing Team STK’s challenge ended when Danny Webb crashed heavily at 16h25 exiting the Pouhon Double Gauche section.

WHAT’S NEXT? The 45th Coca-Cola Suzuka 8 Hours Endurance Race forms Japan’s round of the FIM Endurance World Championship from 19-21 July. For the first time, the legendary event counts for the Superstock-based FIM Endurance World Cup.

SUZUKA TYRE SUPPORT PACKAGE IN PLACE FOR EWC SUPERSTOCK STARS
Superstock teams contesting the 45th Coca-Cola Suzuka 8 Hours Endurance Race will benefit from a tyre support package offered jointly by FIM Endurance World Championship promoter Warner Bros. Discovery Sports and Dunlop, the official tyre supplier to the Superstock category. Through the arrangement, 10 sets of tyres will be provided free of charge to each Superstock team heading to Japan for the third event of the EWC season from 19-21 July.

Through the arrangement, 10 sets of tyres will be provided free of charge to each European Superstock team heading to Japan for the third event of the EWC season from 19-21 July.

Wim Van Achter, Motorsport Manager, Dunlop Motorcycle Europe, said: “As the official tyre supplier to the Superstock-based FIM Endurance World Cup we know only too well the level of loyalty and commitment among the teams. We’re therefore very pleased to provide this incentive to assist their participation in the highly prestigious Suzuka 8 Hours.”

Jean-Baptiste Ley, Head of Motorsport at Warner Bros. Discovery Sports, said: “We’re very conscious of all the extra effort the Superstock teams are making as they prepare to contest the Suzuka 8 Hours for the first time. With this in mind and given it’s the first time the Suzuka 8 Hours will count towards the FIM Endurance World Cup, we’ve worked closely with our partners at Dunlop to offer this fantastic incentive. We really hope it will encourage as many teams as possible to take part.”

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or visit the official Endurance World Championship website fimewc.com