| Yamaha Continues Endurance Quest at Oschersleben |
With the spectacular race at Suzuka Circuit fresh in their memories, Yamaha sets out to once again display the incredible potential of the YZF-R1 at the third 2015 FIM Endurance World Championship round held at the Motorsport Arena Oschersleben, Germany, on 19-22 August.
Yamaha's regular endurance teams, reigning World Champions GMT94 Yamaha and Monster Energy Yamaha Austria Racing Team (YART), are ready to take center stage at the 18th edition of the German Speedweek this Saturday for the eight-hour race.
GMT Yamaha used their vast experience to the fullest at the previous round when they rode their Yamaha YZF-R1 from sixteenth on the grid to a hard-fought sixth place. Having moved up to second in the championship standings, only 29 points from the leaders, the French team is ready to raise the level for the upcoming challenge.
Since Suzuka, GMT94 Yamaha has completed several tests at Circuit Carole, which has similar corners to Oschersleben. With 35 points up for grabs at the Oschersleben 8 Hours, they are still very much in contention and have their eyes on the prize. They worked tirelessly on improving the electronics and maximizing their fuel consumption to be fully prepared for the battle for the championship title at the next heat.
GMT riders David Checa, Kenny Foray and Mathieu Gines hope to replicate their success from last year's race, when they piled on the pressure for their rivals and speeded to a well-deserved second place, creating a solid lead in the championship.
The Monster Energy Yamaha Austria Racing Team (YART) also showed a strong race pace at Suzuka, lapping as the fastest team on Pirelli tyres until they were forced to exit the race early. For the next round riders Broc Parkes, Sheridan Morais and Iván Silva have obtained a 'nothing to lose' mentality and are eager to get the team back on the German podium for the first time since 2013.
In 1995 the idea of creating the Motopark Oschersleben started and was opened on July 25th, 1997. The Arena has grown by the years and developed in a famous and unique racing area, leading to the re-naming in June 2015 to the Motorsport Arena Oschersleben, which doesn't have the word 'arena' in it for nothing. At this unique track the visitors can enjoy the racing action from stands that are placed six and eight metres above the 3.696 kilometres long track, measuring only 11-14 metres in width. It is the perfect place to experience endurance racing from up close, especially in the north-west area from which spectators look over large sections of the track.
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| David Checa - GMT94 Yamaha rider | | "Oschersleben is a special race, because it's only eight hours long. Last year we finished second, but our target this year is to win the race and the championship. I love Oschersleben, and so do my teammates, and usually the bike is good there. We have tested a special specification to see if we could further improve, but we have a good basis from Suzuka that we know is okay. My leg injury from the start of the season has healed perfectly, it just that I had a crash in the test in Suzuka and that caused a lot of pain in my shoulder during the race, but my physiotherapist did a good job taping everything so I could ride through the pain. My leg and arm are now okay, I feel a 100% fit. We have to set up the bike as good as possible to have a chance at winning the race." | |  |
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| Christophe Guyot - GMT94 Yamaha Team Manager "We did a very strong race at Suzuka, but Oschersleben is very specific. The team is very excited to go there and the riders are feeling optimistic. On one side, we know there's still a lot to improve so that's why it's hard to say that we are confident, but on the other side, the bike already has a very high level and having even more things to try is exciting. We have worked a lot on the electronics and that's a point on which we will continue to work. We have also improved the tank capacity, which we expect to be even better for Bol d'Or. Oschersleben is a short track, it's difficult to overtake there and there is no long straight so it's very physically demanding for the riders, who have to stay fully concentrated and don't have a moment to relax. We also don't know what the track is like riding with Dunlop, so we have to understand that as quick as possible. For this reason we still have some questions marks, but that's no reason not to be competitive. To be on the podium shouldn't be too difficult, I hope, but we would like to win the race. I think that it's possible; if we find good grip and the right set up, the potential of the bike is a 100% okay to win." |
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 | | Broc Parkes - Monster Energy Yamaha Austria Racing Team (YART) rider | | "I'm looking forward to it. Oschersleben is a race that I've done for the last two years. It's a track that I normally enjoy, but most of all I'm looking forward to riding with YART again. I have had good experiences with them and a good past. At Suzuka we had good speed, but we had an issue during the race, so I'm hoping that we can try to be competitive here and get the win for the team." | |
| Mandy Kainz - Monster Energy Yamaha Austria Racing Team (YART) Team Manager "We are arriving with the same line up as we had in Suzuka. We want to show the potential of our bike and team's performance in Oschersleben, which is more or less our home race. We have nothing to lose in the championship after two DNFs. It's impossible to reach the top of the ranking now, so we are just focusing on reaching the podium and this is our target; to race without any strategies." |
