YART Yamaha End Le Mans Pre-Test Second Fastest in Preparation for Title Defence
The reigning FIM Endurance World Champions, Yamalube YART Yamaha EWC Official Team’s Niccolò Canepa, Karel Hanika, Marvin Fritz, and Reserve Rider Robin Mulhauser, kicked off their title defence in style by enjoying a successful two days at the official Le Mans 24 Heures Motos Pre-Test, finishing second on the combined times with a 1:36.157.
After being crowned the 2023 FIM Endurance World Champions in sensational fashion after a dramatic season finale at the Bol d’Or, the YART Yamaha team got straight to work in preparation to defend their title in 2024.
The Austrian squad retains the same rider lineup this year that saw them lift their second FIM Endurance World Championship (EWC) crown last season, adding to their title from 2009. The only change is former rider Max Neukirchner joining the team as a replacement for Crew Chief Andrew Pitt, with the Australian focusing on his role as Jonathan Rea’s Crew Chief in the Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK Official Team.
Kicking off the year in style, the team decided to enter the Daytona 200 in the US in March. They made a spectacular debut, with Hanika finishing fifth and Fritz sixth at the legendary US endurance race despite it being the first time the team had competed on an R6. Unfortunately, Canepa had to miss the race due to a crash in practice that dislocated his right shoulder, with the Italian working hard to recover in time for the Pre-Test.
Getting back on the Bridgestone-shod EWC YART R1, Hanika, Mulhauser, and Fritz took part in a productive two-day private test at the Automotodrom Grobnik in March, with Hanika setting a new lap record at the Rijeka circuit. After missing that outing due to his injury, Canepa re-joined the team for the official Pre-Test at the 4.185-kilometre Bugatti Circuit in Le Mans despite still not feeling 100%.
Before the test got underway, the team revealed their new livery for 2024, which sees them swap their iconic #7 for the #1 plate as they aim to secure back-to-back EWC titles. The team has a good record at Le Mans and will be looking to claim their third successive podium after finishing second in the last two editions of the race. Hanika also holds the EWC lap record at the circuit of 1:34.878, set in qualifying in 2022.
During the two days, the entire team worked hard on finding the right bike setup for the race, doing longer runs on used tyres, and using the two bikes available to them in an EWC test to ensure they are as prepared as possible for the season-opening race, despite the weather having a say in proceedings.
Rain on both days restricted the riders’s dry track time but also allowed them to find a good wet setup for the bike, as the team showed good pace, whatever the conditions. The fastest times of the test came during the dry final session on Wednesday afternoon. All three main riders lapped in the 1:36s before Fritz set a 1:36.157 to secure second place on the combined timesheets after the team completed 298 laps over the two days.
With pre-season testing now complete, the Yamalube YART Yamaha EWC Official Team begin their title defence at the opening round of the 2024 FIM Endurance World Championship, the Le Mans 24 Heures Motos, on the 18th-21st of April.
Marvin Fritz
Yamalube YART Yamaha EWC Official Team
“We had a great test. The weather forecast before we arrived was not great, but in the end, we managed to make the most of the track time and did lots of long runs in both the wet and dry. We didn’t even try and set a fast lap time; we just focused on race pace, fuel consumption, and the feeling with the bike. It was great to have Niccolò back, and he was immediately fast despite missing the Rijeka test due to his injury. Also, the number one plate looks amazing on our bike. Now we have two weeks to train and prepare, and we are confident that we will be ready for the opening race of the season.”
Karel Hanika
Yamalube YART Yamaha EWC Official Team
“We had some tricky weather conditions over the two days, but this is usual for Le Mans. It meant we did not quite get to do as many laps as we would have liked, but still, we managed to try a few different things on the two bikes. Every year, there are some very small changes to the track and its surface, so it was also about re-adapting to the track. The grips levels were not great after the rain, but we found a good setup in both the wet and the dry, and despite a small crash for myself, overall, I think we did some excellent work. We spent most of the test riding on used tyres to work on our race pace, and everyone in the team did a great job. Now, we need to stay focused to make the most of our potential, and I am looking forward to the first race of the season.”
Niccolò Canepa
Yamalube YART Yamaha EWC Official Team
“I am incredibly happy about this test. After the crash at Daytona, my shoulder was dislocated, and I was in a lot of pain and could not train. Nothing was broken, but it was sore and swollen, so I worked hard with the physio to try to be ready, but I was unsure if I would be able to ride at all over these two days. In the end, I did over 100 laps during the test, including a long run, and I was delighted with my times. I have 15 days to try and recover even more before the race, and while I know I will not be at 100%, I will work hard to be in the best shape possible. The bike feels great; my teammates were fast, and the whole team worked really hard, so we are ready to start the season.”
Robin Mulhauser
Yamalube YART Yamaha EWC Official Team – Reserve Rider
“It was a really useful test, despite the weather. The track conditions were constantly changing, but this is the kind of weather you can get during the race, so even though we did not have a huge amount of dry track time, we made the most of it. We were competitive in the wet and the dry, and our focus was less on testing parts and more on doing long runs to work on our race pace. We still have some work to do, but honestly, it was a great test, and we can’t wait to get racing.”
Mandy Kainz
Yamalube YART Yamaha EWC Official Team – Team Manager
“It has been a very productive pre-season. While the weather was not ideal for this test, there is a good chance it will rain during the race, so it allowed us to work on our setup in both the wet and dry conditions. After missing the Rijeka test, it was great to have Niccolò back after his injury at Daytona, and he was immediately fast. The whole team worked really well over the two days; we focused on long runs and completed almost 300 laps despite the rain, so we have prepared as well as we can and feel ready to begin our title defence.”
