Yamalube YART Yamaha EWC Official Team plans to use its second consecutive podium in 24 Heures Motos as the springboard to even greater things in the FIM Endurance World Championship.

The Austrian squad finished runner-up to F.C.C. TSR Honda France in an epic season opener last weekend with riders Niccolò Canepa, Marvin Fritz and Karel Hanika taking their turn to shine on the #7 Yamaha YZF R1. 

Afterwards, Team Manager Mandy Kainz said: “To secure back-to-back podiums at Le Mans is a good feeling. Of course, we would have loved to have won the race, but our goal was to finish due to the number of points on offer, and we achieved that. 

“The guys rode superbly. We had a slight issue with the front brake that lost us a couple of laps, and then more bad luck when Karel crashed on the oil, with another bike hitting ours in the gravel trap. 

“I am incredibly proud of the team for how they responded to all the challenges, plus the amazing work they did during the off-season to prepare the bike. We have shown we have the pace, and the R1 and the Bridgestone tyres are working superbly, so even though we wanted to win, coming away with 54 points is a great result, and we will aim to build on this performance at Spa.”

Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps in Belgium hosts the second event of the EWC season from 16-18 June.