EWC Bol d’Or: YART on course for the world title, but BMW power is a cause for concern for Neukirchner

For the Yamaha Austria Racing Team (YART), the Bol d’Or is all about successfully defending their title. The outlook for the Austrian team is promising: with a 19-point lead, YART head to the season finale at the Circuit Paul Ricard as league leaders.

The team was already in action at Le Castellet on 1 and 2 September, undertaking a two-day test to prepare for the 24-hour race. For Marvin Fritz, Karel Hanika and Leandro Mercado, the focus was less on individual fast laps and more on longer runs and fine-tuning the set-up for the race distance.

“We worked with great concentration on both days and were able to improve our base set-up once again,” said Crew Chief Max Neukirchner, summing up the session for SPEEDWEEK.com. The former GP and Superbike rider was particularly pleased with the consistency shown by his three riders: “Marvin, Karel and Leandro are in great form at the moment and are able to set lap times at a very similar level. That’s exactly what you need for a 24-hour race.”

The conditions also gave YART the opportunity to test the bike in extreme heat. On the afternoon of the second day of testing, air temperatures of around 32 degrees and track temperatures of 45 degrees were recorded.

As well as the electronics, the focus was primarily on the Yamaha’s chassis. “We clocked up a lot of kilometres over the two days and were able to try out various things on the chassis and the electronics,” explained Neukirchner. “Compared with last year, we’ve taken another step forward with the suspension. Of course, there are always little things you’d like to improve, but we now have a very good foundation from which to start the race week.”

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YART-Crewchief Max Neukirchner

Foto: YART

World Championship lead is no cause for complacency

The 19-point lead puts YART in a favourable position ahead of the finale, but it certainly won’t tempt the team to play it safe at the Bol d’Or. There are still too many points up for grabs at the 24-hour classic.

“Of course, a 19-point lead is better than a 19-point deficit,” smiled Neukirchner. “But that doesn’t mean we can afford to think we can head to the Bol d’Or with our minds at ease, just needing to cross the finish line. Our goal is very clear: we want to become world champions again.”

For the crew chief, one of the challenges is to ensure the pressure doesn’t get too high ahead of the decisive weekend. “In a World Championship final, pressure builds automatically. We’re under pressure too, because we’ve got something to lose and because we want to achieve this major goal,” says the 43-year-old.

“For me as crew chief, it’s important that this doesn’t lead to any unnecessary nervousness. Everyone needs to concentrate on doing their job, but at the same time we need to stay calm as a team. That’s exactly what worked very well during this test. The atmosphere was relaxed, everyone was focused and everyone worked very professionally.”

The Mistral Straight plays into BMW’s hands

One of the particular challenges for YART is the track layout at Le Castellet. The Mistral straight, which is around 1.8 kilometres long, demands engine power – and that is precisely where Neukirchner sees an advantage for the competition from Munich.

“We know that the BMW is extremely strong on the long straight and will probably be the fastest motorbike on the track there,” admitted the Saxon. “It’s difficult for us to completely offset this advantage on the straight. That’s why we have to make the most of our strengths elsewhere.”

Karel Hanika und Marvin Fritz beim EWC-Test in Le Castellet

Foto: YART

For YART, it will therefore be crucial to capitalise on the qualities of their overall package throughout the full 24 hours. With Fritz, Hanika and Mercado, the Austrian team has three fast and experienced endurance riders who impressed during testing with consistent lap times.

“The motorbike is performing well; our three riders are fast and, above all, very consistent,” emphasised Neukirchner. “In a 24-hour race, it’s not just top speed that counts in the end anyway. The whole package has to work.”

Following the two days of testing, the crew chief believes his team is ready for the showdown. “The riders are fit, fast and motivated. The team is working well; we have a good foundation and know which direction we want to go in. Now we need to carry on working calmly and with focus throughout race week.”

Neukirchner is unequivocal about what needs to be achieved by the end of the Bol d’Or: “Our goal is clear: we want to be world champions by Sunday evening.”