FIM Endurance World Championship
Oschersleben, Germany
August 21, 2014
Qualifying Session One Results:
1. SRC Kawasaki (Gregory LeBlanc 1:26.918/Matthieu Lagrive 1:28.424/Fabien Foret 1:27.058), Kaw ZX-10R, Superbike, 1:27.466
2. Monster Energy Yamaha (Broc Parkes 1:26.988/Michael Laverty 1:28.250), Yam YZF-R1, Superbike, 1:27.619
3. Honda Racing (Julien Da Costa 1:27.505/Sebastien Gimbert 1:27.668/Freddy Foray 1:27.847), Hon CBR1000RR SP, Superbike, 1:27.673
4. Yamaha Racing – GMT 94 – Michelin (David Checa 1:27.124/Kenny Foray 1:28.184/Mathieu Gines 1:27.719), Yam YZF-R1, Superbike, 1:27.675
5. Penz13.com Franks Autowelt Racing Team (Pedro Vallcaneras 1:29.111/Bastien Mackels 1:26.743/Markus Reiterberger 1:27.613), BMW S1000RR, Superstock, 1:27.822
6. Suzuki Endurance Racing Team (Vincent Philippe 1:27.848/Anthony Delhalle 1:28.241/Erwan Nigon 1:27.853), Suz GSX-R1000, Superbike, 1:27.980
7. Monster Energy Yamaha – YART (Sheridan Morais 1:27.501/Ricky Olson 1:28.156/Igor Jerman 1:29.158), Yam YZF-R1, Superbike, 1:28.271
8. National Motos (Arturo Tizon 1:28.482/Gregory Junod 1:28.629/Valentin Debise 1:27.824), Hon CBR1000RR, Superbike, 1:28.311
9. Team Bolliger Switzerland 8 (Horst Sager 1:28.055/Roman Stamm 1:27.688/Daniel Sutter 1:29.758), Kaw ZX-10R, Superbike, 1:28.500
10. Team R2CL (Gwen Giabbani 1:28.291/Gareth Jones 1:28.500/Stefan Nebel 1:28.945), Suz GSX-R1000, Superbike, 1:28.578
More, from a press release issued by FIM Endurance World Championship Press Office:
Team SRC Kawasaki stakes its claim at Oschersleben ahead of Monster Energy Yamaha and Honda Racing
On its first outing at Oschersleben, Team SRC Kawasaki threw down the gauntlet by taking the provisional pole. In the first qualifiers, the team moved ahead of Monster Energy Yamaha and Honda Racing, which snatched the provisional third place on the grid from rival Yamaha Racing GMT 94 Michelin.
The first qualifying session for the Oschersleben 8 Hours this afternoon got off to a fast start. Gregory Leblanc for Team SRC Kawasaki and Broc Parkes for Monster Energy Yamaha were the first two to slip under the 1’27 mark. On the average of the best times clocked up by its riders Greg Leblanc, Matthieu Lagrive and Fabien Forêt, Team SRC Kawasaki came out of this first qualifying session ahead of Broc Parkes and Michael Laverty for le Monster Energy Yamaha.
In spite of a crash for Julien Da Costa, Honda Racing took 3rd place in the qualifiers with the most evenly matched team in the field in the persons of Julien Da Costa, Sébastien Gimbert and Freddy Foray. They just snatched 3rd place in extremis from Yamaha Racing GMT 94 Michelin with David Checa, Kenny Foray and Mathieu Gines.
Pedro Vallcaneras, Bastien Mackels and Markus Reiterberger of the Penz13.com Franks Autowelt Racing Team clinched 5th place on the provisional grid and scored the best individual time of the day when Mackels put in a lap in 1’26.743. The German Superstock BMW is currently ahead of the Suzuki Endurance Racing Team and Monster Energy Yamaha YART. Honda National Motos, the Kawasaki of Team Bolliger Team Switzerland and the Suzuki of Team R2CL make up the Top10.
Some way behind the Penz13.com Franks Autowelt Racing Team who seem to be in control in Superstock, Junior Team LMS Suzuki and QMMF Racing Team (Kawasaki) came in 11th and 12th on the provisional grid.
The second qualifying practice session will start tomorrow, Friday, at 13.45. The Oschersleben 8 Hours, 3rd round of the FIM Endurance World Championship, will start on Saturday at 12.00 hours.
Follow the race this Saturday 23 August from 12 h (GMT +2) with “LIVE TIMING” on FIM-LIVE.COM and get all the action live on Twitter.
More, from a press release issued by Honda Racing:
Honda Racing provisional third on the grid for Oschersleben 8 Hours
The Oschersleben 8 Hours got underway today with what turned out to be an eventful first qualifying for the Honda Racing Endurance World Championship team, which is subsequently provisional third on the grid for Saturday’s race.
Julien Da Costa took part in the first of the three 20-minute qualifying sessions, setting a fast lap of 1.27:505 early on to top the timesheet. He unfortunately crashed out with four minutes remaining and dropped to fifth overall. Da Costa was unhurt but the Honda Racing CBR1000RR Fireblade SP suffered serious fire damage.
The team quickly prepared its second machine for the following session and Sebastien Gimbert, who posted a lap of 1.27:688 to place second quickest. Freddy Foray completed the third and final session of the day fifth fastest with a time of 1.27:847.
The combined average of the three riders’ times – 1.27:673 – places the Honda Racing squad in provisional third on the grid for Saturday’s Oschersleben 8 Hours race. SRC Kawasaki occupies the top spot with Monster Energy Yamaha second. The final qualifying sessions to determine the grid positions will take place tomorrow afternoon.
Neil Tuxworth team manager
It’s been a very eventful qualifying session after a relatively easy free practice this morning. Julien’s crash changed our plan for the whole session because we had to move on to the second machine. Considering that and the fact that we’ve been using race tyres as opposed to qualifying tyres, placing third overall at this stage is an excellent position to be in. Having said that, we certainly have a number of issues to address to make sure we improve on this tomorrow.
Julien Da Costa
It was a real shame that I crashed at the critical moment when I was going for a fast lap. It was a little crash for me but a big crash for the bike, so I am really sorry for the team. We have a good feeling on the bike, and on the race tyre we are almost as fast as the other teams that are on a qualifying tyre, so this is good. Hopefully tomorrow will be better.
Freddy Foray
Third is not so bad because every time we start first we have a problem in the race, so maybe third is a good thing! Seriously though, third is not too bad. The bike has a good feeling every time we go out. We didn’t lead the qualifying but we were on a race tyre and many of the other riders were on a qualifying tyre, so our times are good. To be honest, I am feeling positive.
Sebastien Gimbert
It was a difficult session for me because after Julien’s crash I had to go out on the second bike. This meant that I couldn’t push as hard as I would have liked as there is no back up in the event of another crash. I went for a good time rather than pushing for an excellent time. The crew have a lot of work to do this evening and I didn’t want to add to that. Overall I am happy though. Tomorrow is a new day, we’ll have two bikes and I’ll be able to push harder.
More, from a press release issued by Penz13.com Franks Autowelt Racing Team:
Penz13.com Franks Autowelt Racing Team: Strong first Qualifying at the German Speedweek in Oschersleben
1st Superstock, 5th overall
Oschersleben, Germany. The Penz13.com Franks Autowelt Racing Team took off with a strong start at the German Speedweek with it’s riders Pedro Vallcaneras (ESP), Bastien Mackels (BEL) and Markus Reiterberger (GER). The BMW S 1000 RR squad ended the first Qualifying for the 8 hours of Germany of the FIM Endurance World Championship not only in the leading Superstock position, but also amongst the sharp end of the overall top riders.
In Free Practice it was the third fastest time overall and the team got a good base for their first Qualfiying. Vallcaneras, Mackels and Reiterberger were able to continue their setup work on the Penz13-BMW which had started on Wednesday.
In Qualifying it was Vallcaneras who rode the first session and lapped the Oschersleben circuit in 1:29,111 Minutes, which meant an improvement of almost half a second of his last year’s Qualfiying time. He was 14th in his group overall and 3rd in Superstock class.
The biggest sensation of the day came by Bastien Mackels: He not only classified himself on the overall top of his group but also threw out the fastest lap time of the whole day in 1:26,743 Minutes. In his group Mackels stayed 0,925 seconds clear of Honda Racing rider Sébastien Gimbert. The Belgian was one of only three riders that broke the 1:27 barrier today – on his Stock-spec BMW S 1000 RR.
Reigning German Superbike Champion Markus Reiterberger rode the third Qualifying session and missed out on the top spot only by half a second. In 1:27,613 Minutes he stayed behind SRC Kawasaki rider Fabien Foret. Reiterberger didn’t get a free lap in and targets a significant improvement tomorrow.
The average of the fastest lap times of Vallcaneras, Mackels and Reiterberger meant a provisional 5th spot on the grid for the Penz13.com Franks Autowelt Racing Team and the lead in the Superstock class. For the pole position there are only 0,356 sconds missing, the second fastest Superstock squad – Junior Team LMS Suzuki #72 – is holding in 11th spot.
QUOTES
Pedro Vallcaneras:
“I am very happy with my lap time. Tomorrow I would like tomorrow to get used to the new tires and I want to improve myself. I will give my all to help my teammates to get the pole position. But for the race, I already have a very good feeling. We must stay focused for the race, because that’s the important thing.“
Bastien Mackels:
“The free practice was a little bit difficult, because I had a lot of traffic on the track. But in the qualifying I tried to find a free lap for me and after five laps I got one and I was able to push for one lap full and the time was not so bad. I am really happy. The bike is good, the team works really good and so the lap times can be good also. I hope for tomorrow, that my team mates Pedro and Markus also can find something. I think both can do it and then we will see.“
Markus Reiterberger:
“The Free Practice went alright. Our motorbike got better and better and was nearly perfect at the end. In Qualifying I had someone else in front of me lap after lap and got really angry under my helmet. I had consistent fast laps but on every single one I got stuck in traffic. At the end I didn’t manage a perfect lap, but there is another Qualifying tomorrow and then we try hard to improve the time.”
Rico Penzkofer:
“I think we can be more than satisfied today. That Pedro, Bastien and Markus are three fast riders we already knew before, but how they showed up against the world’s best riders today is absolutely stunning. Bastien got the overall fastest time of the day! I think we are well placed already. Of course the 8 hours are going to be long on Saturday but in comparison to a 24 hours race it will be more like a sprint. We need to find the best pace for that.”