LeMans 2010

2nd place at the start of the season!

YART made a great start to their 2010 championship challenge at Le Mans, securing a second place finish on the podium.

From the fourth start-place, the team from Heimschuh could immediately assert itself in the hectic beginning-phase in the top-bunch, to assume control after the first routine boxing-stop. "The initial speed of the race was incredibly high", said YART team manager Mandy Kainz. "With Suzuki Endurance, one of the favorites immediately dropped out through crash ."

From this moment, Yamaha Austria dueled with GSR-Kawasaki for place one. Due to rear-wheel axle problems, the austrian team was thrown back to the second position. However, Igor Jerman, Steve Martin and Gwen Giabbani could make up leeway during the night-hours.

But already in this phase of the race it was clear that the world-champions had to fight with problems. “Since the evening-hours, the engine overheated. This forced us into some unscheduled stops”, Kainz moaned after the finish line. "Although my lads carried the motorcycle around the racetrack, we expected a drop out anytime. Therefore I am overjoyed that we reached the second place."

Michi Ranseder, only substitute-driver at Yamaha Austria, came to his mission at Le Mans after all. Because of an injury the Spanish Ribalta from BK Maco Moto could not drive, he was substituted immediately by the young Austrian. However, the Slovak team had been involved into a collision early and was forced to give up the race.

Result:
1. GSR-Kawasaki (Da Costa, Four, Leblanc), Kawasaki ZX10R, 828 laps
2. Yamaha Austria (Jerman, Martin, Giabbani), Yamaha YZF-R1, 817 laps
3. RAC41-City Bike (Junod, Black, Depoorter), Suzuki GSX-1000R, 813 laps
4. Yamaha France GMT94 (D. Checa, Lavilla, K. Foray), Yamaha YZF-R1, 808 laps
5. RT Motovirus (Jond, E. Mizera, Grarre), Suzuki GSX-1000R, 803 laps
6. Bolliger Team Switzerland (Saiger, Stamm, Chabosseau), Kawasaki ZX10R, 802 laps

WM-Classification (after 1 of 5 races):
1. GSR-Kawasaki, 35 points
2. Yamaha Austria, 28 points
3. RAC41-City Bike, 22 points