YOSHIMURA SERT CONSOLIDATES ENDURANCE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP LEAD
Yoshimura SERT Motul put in a solid and consistent performance at the 8 Hours of Spa Motos to finish second, earn valuable championship points, and maintain its FIM Endurance World Championship lead.
Having won the opening round of the 2024 FIM EWC season at Le Mans, Yoshimura SERT Motul went into the 8 Hours of Spa Motos with a nine-point championship advantage. Determined to maintain its lead, the Franco-Japanese team put in a strong qualifying session which saw the team qualify in third.
The team’s holeshot supremo, Gregg Black, blasted from third place on the starting grid to lead into the first corner. He quickly settled into a fast race pace that allowed him to fight at the front of the race with the four best teams in the field. Etienne Masson and Dan Linfoot kept the Suzuki GSX-R1000R pinned at a high pace throughout their stints, maintaining the team’s strong position.
Yoshimura SERT Motul is renowned for its efficient and rapid pit stops and the crew didn’t disappoint at Spa. Super-quick turnarounds between riders, allowed them to keep in touch with the leading team.
Tyre grip was an issue with rising track temperatures, however, Yoshimura SERT Motul worked brilliantly to avoid the many pitfalls on the Belgian track.
Yoshimura SERT Motul secured second place on the podium at the 8 Hours of Spa Motos. The team left the Belgian event with 88 points and continues to lead the championship.
The next round of the 2024 FIM EWC season will take place at in Japan for the famous Suzuka 8-Hour from the 19th to the 21st of July.
Yohei KATO – team director
“I’m happy with the result, but frustrated nonetheless, because we gave everything, we had to win knowing that YART had one more pit stop to make. We did everything we could to maintain a gap of less than 40 seconds, but we were struggling because of the heat, and we were losing time. Apart from that, we rode a solid race and that’s the most important thing.”
Damien SAULNIER – team manager
“It was an intense week. We’re still aiming for victory, however, in this fast race, where our main rivals were very competitive, we set ourselves the target of a podium finish – mission accomplished. Our riders were fast, and we made the most of the pitstops. We’re building our season around winning the title. It’s a great result and I’m very satisfied. This result means we can go to Suzuka still leading the championship. It’s important for the team and for Yoshimura.”
Gregg BLACK – rider
“We’ve finished 4th here twice. Our goal this year was clearly to finish on the podium. Of course, a win is always what we want, but the championship remains our priority, so we didn’t want to give everything and then take too many risks. We made a good start, but the track conditions weren’t particularly favourable. The bike worked really well, and the team did a great job in the pits. We didn’t miss much. We finished just 40 seconds behind the winners, which really isn’t much over an 8-hour race.”
Etienne MASSON – rider
“To be honest, I’m a bit frustrated because second place on the podium isn’t a bad place, but it’s not the first! We showed our performance during qualifying. In the race, the hot conditions didn’t allow us to get a good feeling on the bike, but we kept hanging on. And at the end of the race, we were faster and very consistent. We didn’t need much to win. We still put in a good performance, and I think we’ll show our strength at the next race in Suzuka.”
Dan LINFOOT – rider
“We had a good race and took another 27 points in the championship, so we’re still in the lead. That’s the good point. Of course, we came here to win but the gap between us and the winning team was quite small and so we should be proud of this podium position. Consistency was key and we’re going to keep on working to improve our performance. I feel good in the team and on the bike. Now we’re focusing on the next tests and the race at Suzuka.”
