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Yamaha press releases on our motor sports racing activities
Yamalube YART Yamaha EWC Official Team Aiming for
First Podium and Back-to-Back Titles at 45th “Coca-Cola” Suzuka 8 Hours
June 10, 2024
June 10, 2024—Yamaha Motor Co, Ltd. is proud to announce that the Yamalube YART Yamaha EWC Official Team that currently competes in the Endurance World Championship (EWC) will participate in the 45th "Coca-Cola" Suzuka 8 Hours Endurance Road Race between Friday, July 19 and Sunday, July 21, 2024 as Yamaha’s top team in the event.
In addition to providing technical support for the YZF-R1, Yamaha will also assist the YART management team during the leadup and race. Together, Yamaha and YART are aiming to win the 2024 EWC title and take a first-ever podium finish at the Suzuka 8 Hours, which is a long-held dream for YART.
The team will compete on a YZF-R1 adorned with a special Suzuka 8 Hours livery featuring a Yamalube logo, referring to Yamaha’s genuine oil and chemical brand that is also part of the team name.
Riding the YZF-R1 will be Niccolò Canepa from Italy, Marvin Fritz from Germany, and Karel Hanika from the Czech Republic, with the team led by Mandy Kainz as team manager.
In the 2023 Suzuka 8 Hours, YART was in 2nd position before experiencing an issue that resulted in a 22nd place finish. However, after finishing 2nd in Round 1, winning Round 2, and taking 4th at the final round, they were successful in lifting the 2024 EWC title. It was the first title since 2009 for the team and first title since 2017 for Yamaha.
As defending champions in 2024, so far they have made a solid start toward winning back-to-back titles with a 3rd place finish in the season-opening 24 Heures Motos race in France. At the following round, the 8 Hours of Spa Motos in Belgium on June 8, they qualified in pole position and stayed ahead of their rivals in the race to take the win and retain 2nd overall in the standings while narrowing the gap to the leaders to a single point. A first-ever podium at the upcoming Suzuka 8 Hours will see YART ideally placed to repeat their title-winning feat at the Bol d’Or in France on September 14-15.
