A promising start to the Pata Yamaha Official STK1000 Team's 2016 season - claiming two pole positions in the opening races - was short-lived after a torrid weekend at Assen saw both their title challengers side-lined following separate incidents in only the second round. The ensuing three races brought brighter prospects with stand-in riders Niccolò Canepa and Lucas Mahias delivering podium performances on the YZF-R1M, including victory for Mahias at Misano, but with the extended summer break allowing plenty of much-needed recovery time, a return to action could well be on the cards for Riccardo Russo and Florian Marino as the series heads to Germany in six weeks' time.
