6H of Most - Overall Qualifying Classification - Overall Qualifying Classification

More, from a press release issued by Eurosport Events:

YART ON POLE AT MOST

YART–Yamaha Official EWC Team, the only team to have three riders come in under the 1:33 mark at Most today, claimed pole once again. The Austrian team were ahead of BMW Motorrad World Endurance Team and Yoshimura SERT Motul, the current standings leader.
Karel Hanika, Marvin Fritz and Niccolò Canepa set a similar pace during qualifying at the 6Hours of Most this afternoon. By posting fastest laps of 1:33 within less than a tenth of a second of each other, they once again placed the factory Yamaha on pole position. On Saturday they will have to attempt to convert this into a win after a tough season during which they were forced to withdraw twice and crashed at the end of the race at Estoril.

BMW Motorrad World Endurance Team, who once again had to do without Javier Forés after his crash during testing at the Bol d’Or, will start from 2nd on the grid with riders Markus Reiterberger, who posted the day’s fastest lap, a 1:33.191, Ilya Mikhalchik and Kenny Foray.

After a working session in the first qualifying, Yoshimura SERT Motul’s Gregg Black, Xavier Simeon and Sylvain Guintoli posted the third-fastest time of the afternoon.

F.C.C. TSR Honda France will start from 4th on the grid on Saturday morning ahead of Poland’s Wójcik Racing Team, who seem very much at ease at Most, Webike SRC Kawasaki France Trickstar and VRD Igol Experiences. The independent French team, who might still be able to wrest the 2021 title from Yoshimura SERT Motul, are preparing to race and seize their chances depending on what happens during the race.

Moto Ain, ERC Endurance-Ducati and Tati Team Beringer Racing round off the Top 10 on the starting grid.

Team 18 Sapeurs-Pompiers CMS Motostore, who are 11th on the grid, were the fastest Superstock team in qualifying with riders Hugo Clère, Johan Nigon and Philip Steinmayr (who has replaced an injured Bastien Mackels).

Maco Racing will start from 12th with only two riders, Anthony West and Ondřej Ježek.

Tomorrow (Friday), the track will be taken over by cars competing in the FIA WTCR races.
The motorcycles will return to the track on Saturday. The 6 Hours of Most will be flagged off at 11am.

More, from a press release issued by BMW Motorrad Motorsport:

Second place on the grid for the BMW Motorrad World Endurance Team at the season finale – video highlight: BMW M 1000 RR meets fighter jet.

Final round of the 2021 FIM Endurance World Championship in Most, Czech Republic.

Markus Reiterberger, Ilya Mikhalchik and Kenny Foray secure second place on the grid for the #37 BMW M 1000 RR.

‘Ready for take-off’: Video highlight – #37 BMW M 1000 RR meets fighter jet.

Most. The stage is set for the final round of the 2021 FIM Endurance World Championship (FIM EWC) in the Czech city of Most. In Thursday’s qualifying session, the BMW Motorrad World Endurance Team secured a good starting position for the six-hour race on Saturday. Riders Markus Reiterberger (GER), Ilya Mikhalchik (UKR) and Kenny Foray (FRA) qualified second with the #37 BMW M 1000 RR.

While qualifying is usually held over two days in the FIM EWC, both sessions of the individual qualifying groups took place on Thursday in Most. The average of the fastest times set by each of a team’s riders in their respective qualifying groups is used to determine the grid positions. Reiterberger set the very fastest time of qualifying in his first session, with a lap of 1:33.191 minutes. The six-hour race in Most gets underway at 11:00 CEST on Saturday 9th October.

Video highlight: #37 BMW M 1000 RR meets fighter jet.
‘Ready for take off at the season finale’ is the motto for a spectacular video clip, which pays tribute to the commitment and success of the BMW Motorrad World Endurance Team in the FIM EWC project. In the clip, the team and the #37 BMW M 1000 RR meet a fighter jet and show that we are ready to go at the finale – “Speed up and fight hard”.

The video can be viewed here

Quotes after qualifying at Most.

Werner Daemen, Team Manager BMW Motorrad World Endurance Team: “I am very happy with qualifying. Of course, it would have been great to be on pole position but the guys from YART have also been very fast and we are also happy with second place. Everything is well prepared for the race and and we will aim for the win.”

Markus Reiterberger: “So far, the days here in Most have been really good, and the qualifying sessions also went very well. We set the fastest qualifying lap of the entire field, which is something I am very proud of. We have consistently improved the bike, which is now in very good condition, both for a flying lap and over the full race distance. I really like the track in Most. It is very cool, but the conditions are superb for fast laps. We are excellently equipped for the race. We hope we get off to a good start, that the weather plays ball, and that we get through the race without any problems. Then we will really have a chance to challenge for the win.”

Ilya Mikhalchik: “I am happy with the qualifying sessions. We made a small step from Q1 to Q2. It was my first time usng really soft tyres and I found a good feeling but we did not have so many laps so I was careful with the tyres. It was enough to be among the top and I took P2 in my group. The feeling on the bike is good, also with the race tyres, so it looks like we are ready for the race. So let’s have fun and try to fight for the top in the final race of the season.”

Kenny Foray: “Already now, I feel very good on the bike. For sure, I missed some laps to be really confident. In Q2, my pace was not so bad with the race tyre and I am happy for that. It was not possible to improve with the qualifying tyre because there was too much traffic and the feeling was not quite there but I think P2 is good and I am confident for the race because the bike is working really well and the pace is good.”

More, from a press release issued by Honda Pro Racing:

F.C.C. TSR Honda France qualify fourth at the 6 Hours of Most

F.C.C. TSR Honda France has taken the fourth spot on the grid for the last round of the 2021 FIM Endurance World Championship, the 6 Hours of Most in the Czech Republic.

Earlier before, during the free practice session of the day, the Japanese team claimed the third fastest time with a good pace and a lap time of 1:34.391.

Both qualifying sessions were held on Thursday, as there will be no track action for the EWC teams on Friday as the event takes place together with a round of the FIA WTCR, who have their practice sessions on Friday.

On the aggregate of the two qualifying sessions, the average calculated from the best time of the trio formed by Josh Hook, Mike di Meglio and Yuki Takahashi placed their Honda CBR1000RR-R Fireblade SP fourth on the grid ahead of Saturday’s six-hour race, with a lap time of 1:34.748.

Currently 3rd in the provisional ranking with 89 points, F.C.C. TSR Honda France is looking forward to achieving a good result on this new circuit added to the EWC calendar and end the season as the runner-up of the championship.

The race will start this Saturday, 9 October at 11am local time, with the chequered flag set to be waved at 5pm the same day.

Josh Hook 5

F.C.C. TSR Honda France

‘’Our qualifying result today doesn’t reflect our level. I was fast on the race tyre and when I switched to the soft tyre it didn’t seem to work with the bike. It’s not ideal for qualifying but we know we have a good package for the race. Six hours is like a sprint for us, and I think we can finish the season with a good result.”

Mike Di Meglio 5

F.C.C. TSR Honda France

”Qualifying was a bit harder but our pace for the race is not bad. With the cars running tomorrow and the colder temperatures expected, we’ll see what the race has in store for us. We will try to fight for the victory until the end and be back in second place in the championship and finish well this season.”

Yuki Takahashi 5

F.C.C. TSR Honda France

“We discovered the circuit yesterday, and it’s already qualifying today. Our three times are very similar, which is good. But we still have some work to do on the bike set up for this track, and we will work to improve that. It will also be colder on Saturday for the race. As always, we will do our best !”

More, from a press release issued by Yamaha:

Magnificent Most Pole for YART Yamaha

YART Yamaha claimed pole position for the inaugural 6 Hours of Most with superb rides from Karel Hanika, Marvin Fritz and Niccolò Canepa seeing the official Yamaha Team end the day 0.350 seconds clear of the chasing pack.

The YART Yamaha team will get their final EWC round of the year underway from pole position after 1:33 lap times from all three riders secured them their third pole of the season.

Following a strong free practice on Thursday morning the Austrian squad finished a strong second. Local rider Karel Hanika got qualifying underway with a promising opening lap putting the Czech rider atop of the timesheets before he slipped back to second mid-way through the session. With more pace in the bike, an improvement on his final flying lap saw him return to the top, rounding out the opening session 0.173 seconds clear of second place.

The second session gave Marvin Fritz his first taste of the YART R1 in qualifying conditions, and like his team-mate, he immediately set the pace. Dominating the session until the end, the German finished second, four tenths adrift of the fastest time.

With one more session remaining, Niccolò Canepa stepped aboard the R1. Despite still suffering from a non-Covid related illness, the Italian stormed to second place before slipping to third by the chequered flag, finishing three tenths behind first.

After a strong second free practice performance, YART returned to the track for the final qualifying sessions of the afternoon.

Karel Hanika was first out for the final session and once again immediately found a good feeling with the R1, setting the quickest time on his first flying lap which kept him at the top for the remainder of the session.

Returning to the track on provisional pole, Fritz picked up where Hanika left off and immediately set the fastest time. Pitting for a fresh rear tyre, the German was able to improve his lap time to a 1:33.541 leaving him half a second clear of Suzuki in second.

With one final 20-minute session to go, Niccolò Canepa took to the 4.149km Most Circuit. The Italian’s 1:34.234 was enough for first place. An improvement to a 1:33.619 on a new Bridgestone rear tyre saw Canepa end the session on top and completed a hat-trick of first place finishes in qualifying two and meant that all three YART riders lapped in the 1:33’s.

The team’s average lap time of 1:33.571 rewarded them with their third pole of the season and five world championship points increasing their total to 52 points.

A strong performance from Gino Rea, Sheridan Morais and Dan Linfoot saw Wojcik Yamaha claim fifth place. An average lap time of 1:34.774 saw the Polish team end the session 1.203 seconds behind YART.

VRD IGOL EXPÉRIENCES and MOTO AIN will start Saturday’s race from seventh and eighth positions after another pair of good rides.

The 6 Hours of Most gets underway on Saturday 9th October at 11am CET.

Karel Hanika – YART Yamaha Official EWC Team, Time: 1:33.553

“Firstly, it’s really nice to be racing in Most for my home round. I’m really happy about today’s qualifying because once again we’ve showed that we are the fastest team. We worked hard to improve the feeling with the bike and step by step we’re getting there. The team have done a great job so far this week and my team-mates have been really fast, and I’ve also felt really good on the bike. I tried my best to set a good lap to help the team and I’m really happy with the lap time I set. I think we are ready for the 6 Hours but we do need to work out which tyres we will use for the race. Whatever happens all we’re all going to do our best for a good result on Saturday.”

Marvin Fritz – YART Yamaha Official EWC Team, Time: 1:33.541

“I’m really happy with our third pole of the season. We haven’t had much luck from pole this year but we’re determined to turn that around on Saturday. Niccolò hasn’t been very well this week but he was really good today. All three of us were within one tenth which is great because no other team was close to achieving this! The bike and tyres are working really good. It’s really cold here in the morning but the track is really nice in the afternoon. It’s going to be a really hard sprint race and there are other teams who are fast too. Our target is simple and that’s to win because the YART team deserves it after a tough season. We will give it our all and hopefully be at the top of the podium!”

Niccolò Canepa – YART Yamaha Official EWC Team, Time: 1:33.619

“We’re really happy about this pole position, especially from myself because I’ve been really ill and I didn’t think I could ride when I woke up this morning because I felt really bad. The bike is working really well and all three of us are really fast. I have one more day to rest and recover ahead of the race on Saturday. We have no pressure on us regarding the championship so we’re going to give it our all and hopefully achieve a good result.”

Mandy Kainz – YART Yamaha Official EWC Team, Team Manager

“It’s been a long but good day for us. We secured another pole position, five from the last six races! I think we are well prepared for Saturday’s race. We came to Most as the team to beat and there was a lot of expectation on us to get pole position. To be honest I wasn’t so sure because we haven’t been here with the Bridgestone tyres, but they are working really well with the R1 here at Most. All three riders rode incredibly well but especially Niccolò who has been really sick over the last few days, I didn’t expect him to ride today if I’m honest! But he rode really well and like Karel and Marvin put in a brilliant lap time. All three riders managed more or less the same lap time and we were the only team to have all three riders in the 33’s, which is a confidence boost for us! The 6 Hours will be a sprint compared to the usual races this season with two 24-hours and the 12-hour, but I think we have the right bike, tyres and for sure the right riders, but all we can do now is prepare as well as we can and we’ll see what happens on Saturday.”

More, from a press release issued by Team Suzuki Press Office:

YOSHIMURA SERT MOTUL 3RD ON MOST EWC GRID

Yoshimura SERT Motul: GSX-R1000R – 3RD (1.34.212)

The Yoshimura SERT Motul team will start the 6 Hours of Most in the Czech Republic on Saturday from third position on the grid.

The fourth and final round of the 2021 Endurance World Championship sees Suzuki’s 16-time World Champion and current series leader spend free practice and qualifying sessions at the Autodrom Most adjusting the factory GSX-R1000R in preparation for Saturday’s title-deciding event.

Sylvain Guintoli, Gregg Black, Xavier Simeon and the Yoshimura SERT Motul team continued working on various settings during the first qualifying session, where the three riders used the bike in race configuration. If the main goal was not to fight against the clock, Black, Simeon and Guintoli did not lose out and they concluded the session with an average time of 1.35.389.

With valuable information acquired, the riders were able to increase their pace in the final qualifying session and Black was the first to start mid-afternoon. With a lighter bike and softer Bridgestone tyres, he soon moved up the timesheet and ended his session with a time of 1.34.501.

Simeon followed him a few minutes later, with even more success as he set his best lap at 1.33.961 and was also second in his session.

Both great performances were completed by Guintoli, who also put-in a fast lap of 1.34.176, which also placed him second in his session, and that credited the team with an average lap time of 1.34.212, which is the third best qualifying time, and an extra bonus of three points, which increases their championship lead further.

The event will be broadcast live on the Eurosport international network, from the start procedure at 10:45am until 5:30pm (local time) that includes the podium ceremony.

Damien Saulnier – Team Manager SERT:

“The days were very busy and intense. But the results are there. This third place in qualifying is almost like a pole position; we are the first of those who have never ridden at Most! The Bridgestone tyres work well here, the riders and the Japanese technicians are satisfied, so everyone is happy. Now we remain very focused on the race. We will have to manage our lead, without making any mistakes. It would be a big mistake to think that it is a foregone conclusion. We are all well aware of that.”

Yohei Kato – Team Director:

“The last two races of the championship went by very quickly. It was not easy to deal with. Especially with this new circuit that we’re all discovering. We needed to ride as much as possible. We used the first qualifying session to prepare ourselves as well as possible for the race. We worked on the bike set-up and fuel consumption. In the second session we focused on setting some fast laps. I’m happy with the results. And we gain more points in the ranking !”

Xavier Siméon:

“We each had very few references here. The first qualifying session was used as a free practice session to really fine-tune our set-up and prepare us for this circuit, which is very physically demanding. It’s going to be a very short race but also very tough. In Q2, we set out to pick-up some points that can put us a little bit safer. Today, we could not hope to do better than third because the two teams in front of us are much more used to this track than us. So I am very satisfied with this qualification.”

Gregg Black:

“ We were really missing some riding time on this track. We had to adapt very quickly to the circuit which is small but technical and with few clearances. There are several dangerous corners here. As Xavier said, we worked in two stages, improving the bike set-up in race configuration during Q1 and in Q2 and going for a good lap time with softer tyres. Our result is positive and we are the best of those who have never ridden here !”

Sylvain Guintoli:

“ The result of our qualifications is satisfying. There were a lot of things to do and everyone made good progress. The work paid off because in the second session, it allowed us to set some good lap times. For the race, our strategy will remain the same as usual. We will set our pace while keeping an eye on the championship standings.”