Press release
1013KB
june 13, 2021 - Yamaha Racing
Retirement Ends YART Victory Hopes in Le Mans
YART Yamaha’s #lemans 24 hours came to an early end after a mechanical failure in the tenth hour finished their race while running in second place. However, despite a strong showing in the first half of the race, the team have secured 14 FIM #endurance World championship points.
With temperatures rising, Karel Hanika got YART’s 2021 season underway, but after an issue off the line he found himself down the order in 15th. The race was quickly disrupted following a first corner incident for the Wojcik #racing Team and this allowed the Czech rider to recompose himself before charging back through the field. The former Red Bull Rookies Cup Champion carved his way through the pack and quickly found himself back inside the top ten by the end of the opening ten minutes. Five minutes later and Hanika was inside the top five and continued his push for the podium places.
Setting the fastest lap of the race, the 25-year-old continued to push and moved up to third place before picking off the Tati Team Beringer #racing Kawasaki at Garage Vert to take second place. With a 2.7 second gap ahead of him, Hanika pushed on and caught the leading bike by the end of his opening stint.
With the number seven R1 now in the hands of Marvin Fritz, the German rider emerged back on track right behind the SERT bike, where he stayed for the duration of his stint. Keeping the team well within contention, Fritz pulled into the pits, and it was the turn of the experienced Niccoló Canepa. A vital pit stop for the YART squad saw the Italian take the lead of the race but couldn’t hang on as his stint went on. Struggling with rear grip due to the hotter temperatures, the official Yamaha team kept calm and ticked off the laps while keeping themselves within reach of the race lead.
Approaching the four-hour mark, Hanika was back onboard the R1 and closed the time lost during the pit stop. Following the SERT bike, the Czech rider pounced to take the lead, and a titanic battle with Gregg Black began. Hanika grabbed the lead but gave it up by pitting a lap earlier than his rival. In a comfortable second place, the YART team continued to push on and secured themselves nine extra points at the eight-hour mark.
However, YART’s hunt for a victory came to a dramatic end at the tenth hour as Marvin Fritz pulled the R1 into the pit. A heroic effort by the team saw the engine stripped and rebuilt within an hour, but with too much damage, the team was forced to retire from the race.
Despite the retirement, YART were able to secure 14 championship points in #lemans and are determined to carry their race-winning pace into the second round of the season in Estoril, Portugal, on July 17th.
Moto Ain also retired from the season-opening #event. The Yamaha squad had been running inside the top five, but a crash for Randy de Puniet saw their podium charge come to an end.
Karel Hanika – YART Yamaha Official #ewc Team
“We are disappointed with this outcome, it’s difficult to accept it. Up until the issue the feeling was not bad. It wasn’t perfect because we were struggling with the rear grip due to the high temperatures, but despite this we could follow our place to keep as close to first as possible. Our plan was to really attack in the night because we know we were strong at that point but unfortunately, we can’t show our potential. I’m very sad for the whole team but I know we’ll be back in Estoril to make a strong result.”
Marvin Fritz – YART Yamaha Official #ewc Team
“I don’t know what to say, it’s like a never-ending story. Last year we finished fourth and this year we were so strong in practice, and we had pole. We knew our strongest point would be in the night because our tyres and bike was working well in night practice, so we knew this would be our strongest point. We struggled in the day a bit more than we expected but even before the technical issue we was catching SERT by half a second to a second a lap and was in a good place for the night running. Karel, Niccoló and I have done a good job this week, the team has done an amazing job and we deserve so much more. The championship will be hard because we lose a lot of point in the 24-hour races but we’re already focussed to do as best as we can in Estoril and recover some points.”
Niccoló Canepa – YART Yamaha Official #ewc Team
“It’s really frustrating to be out of the race this early. I was fast, didn’t make any mistakes and I felt strong, but we didn’t get what we deserve. The race was going to plan, the conditions was hotter than we expected so and we struggled a bit more. But despite that the gap was still so close for a 24-hour race! We knew that we were just starting our time, the pace in night practice was half a second quicker than our rivals so we knew we had something extra. It’s a shame but there’s nothing we can do. There’s no regret because we rode a good race, and we just need to focus on Estoril. We need to try and win some races now because when you lose a 24-hour race in such a short season, the championship is over.”
Mandy Kainz – YART Yamaha Official #ewc Team, Team Manager
“Our plan was to control the race and follow Suzuki because we were struggling a little bit more with the conditions. We knew that our time would come with the colder conditions, and we proved that in warm up too. But suddenly, we couldn’t use the pace we had in the night after a technical issue with the engine ended our race. We will now look forward to Estoril, we need to arrive in the best shape possible and win, that is the goal.”
2588dfe9bad3ae5485a8019ecc7538838595e4977060ec1e01661084fccb565c
3986x2657, 943KB
Related news |
||
|
|
|
september 13, 2023
|
august 03, 2023
|
june 14, 2023
|
|
24-hour Bol d’Or race marks season finale in the 2023 FIM Endurance World Championship.BMW Motorrad World Endurance Team in third ... |
Suzuka. This weekend, the BMW Motorrad World Endurance Team and the FIM Endurance World Championship (FIM EWC) are in Asia. Round ... |
Spa-Francorchamps. The BMW Motorrad World Endurance Team is returning to the scene of its greatest success to date. This weekend, ... |
Download all 
You might be interested in |
||
|
|
|
april 14, 2023
|
september 18, 2022
|
september 18, 2022
|
|
BMW Motorrad World Endurance Team competing in the FIM Endurance World Championship 2023 with the new BMW M 1000 RR +++ Markus Rei... |
The Viltais #racing Igol and Wojcik #racing #ewc Teams secured a sensational 1-2 for Yamaha at the 100th Anniversary Bol d’Or whil... |
The finale of this season’s FIM Endurance World Championship (FIM EWC), the 85th staging of the Bol d’Or at Le Castellet (FRA), be... |
Italian 
Download all 
Share
Share via mail 
Automotive
Sport
Events
Art&Culture
Design
Fashion&Beauty
Food&Hospitality
Technology
Nautica
Racing
Excellence
Corporate
OffBeat
Green
Gift
Pop
Heritage
Entertainment
Health & Wellness