Yamaha Takes Third in Le Mans Qualifying
The chilly weather was unable to stop the YART Yamaha Official EWC Team and GMT94 Yamaha Official EWC Team from heating up the Le Mans Bugatti circuit with today’s second qualifying action ahead of the 24 Heures Motos. The day was filled with challenges in the shape of traffic on track, deliberate tyre-strategy compromises and two crashes, but both Yamaha teams overcame all obstacles on their paths and will kick off the 2016 FIM Endurance World Championship (EWC) tomorrow from third and fifth place on the grid respectively.
Though they struggled in yesterday’s wet Q1 session, clocking the eighth fastest time in the combined classification, the YART team took a brave gamble in today’s dry session. Knowing that the starting position counts for very little in the 24 hour event, they decided to use only one set of tyres for the entire Q2 session, so they will have plenty to spare during tomorrow’s race. Despite not changing tyres, their pace didn’t suffer.
Broc Parkes was the first rider of the Austrian team to take the number 7 Yamaha to the Circuit Bugatti. The Australian gradually upped his pace throughout the session and climbed up to third place with five minutes of the session remaining. His 1’38.772s lap, 1.352s off the front in the classification of the first riders, set the tone for what was to come when Max Neukirchner took over.
The German rider followed seamlessly in his teammate’s footsteps by posting provisional pole on his first flying lap. The 20-minute rider two qualifying session became a duel for the lead in the standings between him and Kenny Foray, but eventually Neukirchner had to opt for conserving the tyre for the third rider and dropped to third place. His best lap was a 1’38.408s, 0.182s off the front in his session.
YART’s second qualifying was concluded with Iván Silva taking over the YZF-R1 and his fast pace brought him provisional third early on in the third rider qualifying session. However, the Spanish rider’s outing came to an end when he suffered a crash in turn 7 and was unable to continue his stint. His best time of 1’39.617 left him ninth in the rankings, 1.174s from the front.
Combined, the YART team members rode an average time of 1’38.932s and scored second place in the combined qualifying sessions classification, just 0.731s from pole.
Fellow official Yamaha EWC team, GMT94, also faced some challenging circumstances during the crowded qualifying session, but the team’s unrivaled team-spirit saw them pull through.
Endurance rookie Louis Rossi was GMT94’s first pick and impressed early on in the second qualifying session with his solid pace. He held a place in the top 3 but was pushed back to sixth place after a small crash. His best lap of 1’39.233s was 1.813s off the lead in the classification of the first riders.
Fellow EWC-newcomer Niccolò Canepa on the number 94 YZF-R1 started his fast lap shoot-out on the second bike. Though he struggled to get a feel for the second bike and get used to the endurance-qualifying structure, which has more than 50 riders on track at the same time, he improved his lap times considerably over the course of the session and eventually set a fastest time of 1’38.827s for seventh place, 1.601s from the second rider session leader.
It was then time for the ‘veteran’ to take over. The ever cool and collected David Checa was the last rider of the French team to set a hot lap during qualifying 2. His strong stint underlined his status as one of the most experienced riders in the field, as he clocked a 1’38.848s for third position in the third riders classification, 0.405s off the front.
GMT94 hold fifth place in the combined qualifying standings, having ridden an average time of 1’39.302s, 1.101s from pole.
After today’s positive results, both teams look forward to tomorrow when the 24 hours of non-stop racing action will start at 3pm local track time.
Besides YART and GMT94, also Yamaha Viltais Experience secured a place in the top 12 of the overall qualifying classifications. Consistency proved key for the Superstock team consisting of Axel Maurin, Nicolas Salchaud and Olivier Depoorter. They were the third fastest SST team on track today.
Mandy Kainz – YART Yamaha Official EWC Team, Team Manager
YART Yamaha Official EWC Team’s overall classification: 3rd / 1’38.932s / +0.731s
“We had already shown that we are fast in dry conditions and today’s sessions highlight that again. We are contenders for a top position here, but in 24-hour endurance racing it ultimately always comes down to a certain matter of luck whether you will get the position you deserve or not. We decided to only use one set of tyres for today’s sessions, as our focus is not the qualifying but the overall race and we still took third place, despite Iván’s crash. We can be very satisfied with this result, especially taking into consideration that we are in front of team’s that used qualifying tyres. Tomorrow is when the real battle for the first points of the endurance season begins and the YART team can’t wait to get started.”
Broc Parkes – YART Yamaha Official EWC Team, Rider
Rider one classification: 3rd / 1’38.772s / +1.352s
“The session in the morning started off quite cold and we tried to do the whole Q2 session with one set of tyres so we have more for the race. I did the best time I could in two laps and then came in and passed on the bike. Our goal was to be tyre-wise in a better position for the race, so top 3 is a good result. It depends on the conditions how we will get on tomorrow. We don’t want too much rain, we have been struggling a bit in the full wet. Our expectation is, as always, to try and win. I think in the dry our pace is as good as, or better, than everyone else’s and in the wet anything can happen. If we’re there for the end we’re there for the win.”
Max Neukirchner – YART Yamaha Official EWC Team, Rider
Rider two classification: 3rd / 1’38.408s / +0.182s
“I think our qualifying wasn’t so bad. We are quite happy with a third place start for tomorrow. We only used one set of tyres for the whole Q2 session so we saved one or two tyres for the race. We are quite happy; we have a good bike and all three riders are OK. Iván was a bit unlucky to crash on the last outing, but he is OK and can ride tomorrow. We will have a brand new bike, like always when we start the 24-hour motos so we are very comfortable. Tomorrow’s race is long, but I’m hopeful that we will have more luck than last year. We’re unsure about the weather. We had some problems with the rain tyres, but if it’s dry or intermediate conditions the Pirelli tyres are working really well, so we will see tomorrow. The most important thing is that we finish the race.”
Iván Silva – YART Yamaha Official EWC Team, Rider
Rider three classification: 9th / 1’39.617s / +1.174s
“I had a good start to the session and had set the provisional third fastest time. It was unfortunate that I crashed in turn 7 when I was pushing to get in another fast lap. I hurt my left hand but I seem to be able to make retracting movements with my fingers, which I need to operate the clutch. I will undergo further medical examinations later today, but I’m a 100 per cent sure I’ll be able to compete in the race tomorrow without being affected too much.”
Christophe Guyot – GMT94 Yamaha Official EWC Team, Team Manager
GMT94 Yamaha Official EWC Team’s overall classification: 5th / 1’39.302s / +1.101s
“First of all, everything is ready for the race. Of course we expected a better grid position but we had a crash with Louis during the first rider session. It was not easy for Niccolò to start under the right conditions because the bike arrived late and it was impossible to change the tyre. The bike is working very well but for in very cold condition, which it can be here around this time of year, we might have to find a different set-up. We are much better when the temperature is a bit higher, but we are ready for the race and so are the riders. If it’s warm tomorrow we will be performing much better, if it rains we will be fast and we’re also strong at night. We will see tomorrow.”
Louis Rossi – GMT94 Yamaha Official EWC Team, Rider
Rider one classification: 6th / 1’39.233s / +1.813s
“I’m a little bit frustrated because during all the tests and practice sessions we were very fast, but unfortunately during qualifying I lost the front in the la Chapelle corner and I crashed in the middle of the session so I didn’t make my lap. Anyway, qualifying is not the most important thing in endurance. It’s better to have this kind of situation now, because during the 24-hour moto the game is to not make any mistakes. We start fifth on the grid tomorrow and this is quite good. David will do the start and it will be strong, so it’s not a problem. I feel good for tomorrow, we did a lot of tests. The race will be long and it’s the first time for me, so I will try to enjoy it at the maximum and try to do my best and I think at the end we can deliver the goods.”
Niccolò Canepa – GMT94 Yamaha Official EWC Team, Rider
Rider two classification: 8th / 1’39.827s / +1.601s
“Today was not so bad, but we had some bad luck because after we crashed we took the second bike and we had a bit of a delay. I went out in the worst moment, because everybody was in and there was a lot of traffic on track. It’s not so easy to ride with fifty other bikes on track, so I couldn’t do a clear lap but I was quite fast anyway, so it was good. I think that in a 24-hour race the qualifying is not so important and we are not so far from first in fifth position, so it’s good considering the problems we had. I’m ready for tomorrow and very excited. I really enjoyed the practice session yesterday night, it was amazing. I can’t wait to start, see what happens and see it through until the end. For sure it is going to be hard, but my feelings are positive.”
David Checa – GMT94 Yamaha Official EWC Team, Rider
Rider three classification: 3rd / 1’38.848s / +0.405s
“Today we did some testing with different tyres and at the end we crashed testing a new tyre, this is why Niccolò changed the bike. He didn’t have a good feeling with it but for me we changed everything and I was able to set a good chrono – not in the way I wanted but it wasn’t so bad. For the race we are confident and Niccolò will be much better, because when you have another bike with the wrong tyre it’s not a good situation. We are ready and so is the bike and after 24 hours, for sure, we will be in a better condition than last year.”
Overall Qualifying Classification – Le Mans 24H Motos
1. Penz13.com – BMW Motorrad Team, BWM, 1’38.201
2. SRC Kawasaki, Kawasaki, 1’38.317
3. YART Yamaha Official EWC Team, Yamaha, 1’38.932
4. Suzuki Endurance Racing Team, Suzuki, 1’39.252
5. GMT94 Yamaha, Yamaha, 1’39.202
6. Honda Endurance Racing, Honda, 1’39.698
7. Team April Moto Motors Events, Suzuki, 1’39.707
8. Team Louit Moto 33 Traqueur, Kawasaki, 1’39.854
9. Team Bolliger Switzerland, Kawasaki, 1’40.059
10. Junior Team Le Mans Sud Suzuki, Suzuki, 1’40.139
11. Team R2CL, Suzuki, 1’40.285
12. Yamaha Viltaïs Experiences, Yamaha YZF-R1, 1’40.325
13. F.C.C. TSR Honda, Honda, 1’40.427
14. Tati Team Beaujolais Racing, Kawasaki, 1’40.560
15. AM Moto Racing Competition, Kawasaki, 1’40.730
17. MACO Racing Team, 1’40.955
22. CMT95, Yamaha, 1’41.688
29. MP Racing, Yamaha, 1’42.926
38. MB Motors team, Yamaha, 1’43.884
42. Motobox Kremer Racing, Yamaha, 1’44.404
50. Team 3ART Yam?Avenue, Yamaha, 1’45.767
55. Slider Endurance, Yamaha, 1’48.186
56. LMD63 – Moto Journal, Yamaha, 1’48.297
More, from a press release issued by Kawasaki:
EWC, 24 HOURS OF LE MANS, FRANCE, 10 April 2016
Kawasaki SRC makes a clean sweep
Team Kawasaki SRC dominated the 24 Heures Motos. Gregory Leblanc, Matthieu Lagrive and Fabien Foret were in full command of the race, with a 9-lap lead over April Moto Motors Events and F.C.C. TSR Honda.
After leading the race for 680 laps, Team Kawasaki completed a clean sweep. Gilles Stafler’s squad picked up the winner’s 40 points plus the 20 bonus points awarded to the leader in the standings at the 8-hour and 16-hour mark. The win spotlights the qualities of the new Ninja ZX-10R, and has got the team off to a flying start in the FIM EWC world endurance championship.
After some tricky test sessions in the rain, the ZX-10R#11 started the race with a minor crash involving Gregory Leblanc on a still-damp and treacherous track, but that was Kawasaki SRC’s only scare. During the first two hours, Gregory Leblanc beat the lap record 12 times.
Throughout the night, despite the freezing cold weather, the Kawasaki SRC was the quickest bike on the track, and the handovers went like clockwork. As the hours slipped by, Gregory Leblanc, Matthieu Lagrive and Fabien Foret established a comfortable lead, and were 9 laps ahead by the early hours. “Our Pirelli tyres work particularly well on a cold track,” says Gilles Stafler by way of explanation.
This is Gregory Leblanc’s fifth win at the 24 Heures Motos equaling the record held by Alex Viera. And Kawasaki has now notched up a record number of wins at the 24 Heures Motos.
Two other Kawasaki bikes finished in the Top 10: AM Moto Racing Compétition finished 7th, and Racing Team Sarazin was 9th at the finish line.
Bolliger Switzerland Team was also a key player in the race. After starting out 9th from the grid, Horst Saiger, Michael Savary and Gianluca Vizzielo ran a superb race up to 2nd position in the early hours. Mechanical failure forced them to withdraw around 9.30am. Kawasaki Louit Moto 33 Traqueur was in the running for a Superstock win, but was forced to retire during the night due to electrical problems.
Gilles Stafler, team manager of Kawasaki SRC
“We couldn’t have hoped for a better start with the new ZX-10R. Now we’ll have to get back to work. We still need to fine-tune the electronics; we’re only using 75 to 80%.”
Gregory Leblanc, Kawasaki SRC rider
“I really want to thank Pirelli, because they gave us the tyres we needed to tackle very cold track conditions. We had grip even at night.”
Matthieu Lagrive, Kawasaki SRC rider
“I’m obviously feeling emotional because after racing a few seasons, it’s my first win at the 24 Heures.”
Fabien Foret, Kawasaki SRC rider
“Two great teammates, a good bike and the right tyres: that was the recipe for victory.”