The Yamalube YART Yamaha EWC Official Team of Marvin Fritz, Karel Hanika, and Leandro Mercado extended their FIM Endurance World Championship (EWC) lead after finishing second in a dramatic 8 Hours of Spa Motos at Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps.
After qualifying second on Friday, YART added four points to their championship total and arrived on the grid with a 17-point advantage at the top of the standings. With dry conditions greeting the riders for the start of Saturday’s eight-hour race, the reigning champions were focused on building on their strong start to the season and continuing their impressive recent record at Spa.
The Belgian round has become a particularly strong venue for YART in recent seasons, with the team winning the 24-hour edition in 2023, taking victory again in 2024 when it switched to an eight-hour format, and finishing third last year in mixed conditions on their way to the 2025 EWC title. Their second-place finish this season made it four consecutive podiums for the Austrian squad at Spa.
After a tricky start that saw Hanika drop from second to tenth off the line, the Czech rider responded immediately, producing an excellent recovery ride to climb to sixth within the opening 20 minutes before moving up to fourth by the half-hour mark, just 1.9s from the lead.
Hanika continued to push hard throughout the opening stint before pitting from fourth after 45 minutes, with Fritz taking over the Bridgestone-shod #1 Yamaha R1 in fifth. The German quickly moved into the podium fight, and by the 75-minute mark, he was part of a superb four-bike battle for the lead, with the leading group separated by just over a second.
Fritz then climbed to second before handing the R1 over to “Tati” Mercado, who delivered a composed stint to keep YART firmly in the fight at the front. With conditions beginning to shift and the race developing into a strategic test, the Argentine kept the pressure on and made sure the team stayed firmly in the victory hunt before handing back to Hanika.
With the weather changing constantly, the second half of the race became increasingly unpredictable. Heavy rain arrived shortly after one of Fritz’s stops, forcing YART back into the pits just one lap later, while the team were later caught in another chaotic period when Hanika switched from wets to slicks on a drying track, only for the rain to return almost immediately.
At one stage, the constantly changing conditions triggered three pit stops in just 20 minutes, but YART remained calm and executed each stop cleanly, adapting to whatever the race threw at them. With Crashes, delays, and strategy calls all affecting others around them, Hanika, Fritz, Mercado, and the team focused on consistency, mistake-free riding, and making the best possible decisions in a rapidly changing situation.
Despite the difficulty of judging tyre choice and timing throughout the race, YART kept the pressure on while also managing the championship picture. They eventually crossed the line second after 192 laps, 1:16.079 behind the winners, securing 24 more points, extending their championship lead to 22 points, and securing a fourth consecutive podium at Spa. The result means YART leave Belgium with 91 points after two rounds, adding to their victory at Le Mans.
There was frustration for the Belgian-based Elf Marc VDS Racing Team/KM99 squad at their home round. Randy de Puniet, Florian Marino, and Bo Bendsneyder made a strong start from sixth on the grid and were running well inside the top five before a technical issue cost them significant time. The #99 Yamaha R1 later lost further ground after a crash and eventually finished 29th overall, 22 laps down.
There was further success for Yamaha across the classes, as Team 18 Pompiers Igol CMS Motostore secured a Superstock podium by finishing ninth overall and third in SST on the #18 Yamaha, while Motobox Kremer Racing by 321 took victory in the Production category after finishing eighth overall on the #65 Yamaha.
The FIM Endurance World Championship now heads to Japan for Round 3, the Suzuka 8 Hours, which takes place from 3 to 5 July.
8 Hours of Spa Motos Race Results
Marvin Fritz – P2 – 192 Laps
Yamalube YART Yamaha EWC Official Team
“What an up and down race. The weather was crazy, and anything could have happened, but the team did an incredible job. The weekend started well, and we improved the bike and worked a lot on the setup. Unfortunately, I had two big crashes, one on Thursday in the rain and one on Friday in qualifying in the dry, so I want to say a big thank you to the team because they rebuilt the bike and made it perfect for the race. Karel did an amazing job, Tati did an amazing job, and the pit stops were the fastest. In the rain and mixed conditions, we were on a different level and were able to close the gap to the winners. We came here to score as many points as possible, and with second in the race and the qualifying points, we have extended our championship lead. I am really happy about that. Now, bring on Suzuka.”
Karel Hanika – P2 – 192 Laps
Yamalube YART Yamaha EWC Official Team
“We are super happy. It was a truly difficult race, but we did a good job. In the dry conditions, the leaders may have had a little more than we did, but we were not far behind. It was difficult because we were losing time in the first sector and on the back straight, but we kept pushing and tried to stay close. The strategy was good, although in the mixed conditions it became really tricky. I had one stint where I was in the pits three times, and it felt like we were always on the wrong tyre because the conditions kept changing against us. But everyone did a good job, all the riders and the whole team. For two races in a row, we have not made one mistake, and I am really proud of that. I am proud of Marvin, Tati, and all the guys who prepared the bike. We were not far from winning again, and now we need to keep going like this. Next is Suzuka, and we cannot wait.”
Leandro Mercado – P2 – 192 Laps
Yamalube YART Yamaha EWC Official Team
“I am really happy with the result. Second place is very important for us and for the championship, and we scored good points. It was not an easy race because the conditions kept changing, and at some points we were a little unlucky. But I think we did the maximum, and this is what is important for the championship. Marvin and Karel did an amazing job, and the whole team worked so hard to make sure we extended our lead in the overall standings. Now we have to think about Suzuka.”
Mandy Kainz
Yamalube YART Yamaha EWC Official Team – Team Manager
“This was an incredibly difficult race, but the team did an excellent job. All three riders were superb, showing great pace in the ever-changing conditions and not making a single error all race. The weather made the strategy almost impossible at times, especially when the rain kept coming and going, but the riders stayed calm, the pit stops were excellent, and the team made no mistakes. To finish second here, after winning Le Mans, is a very strong result for the championship and continues our excellent run at Spa. We have extended our lead; the R1 worked well in all conditions, and everyone in the team can be proud of the job they have done. Now the focus moves to Suzuka.”
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