Supersport leader Dirk Geiger must start from the pit lane at Oschersleben

In a press release issued on Sunday morning, the Apreco Yamaha team confirmed that Dirk Geiger will contest the second race of the weekend with a new engine. This will be his third engine of the season. The second engine used so far has been in service since the second race at Most. After the first race at Oschersleben on Saturday, Dirk Geiger reported that he had noticed a slight loss of power and additional vibrations during the final five laps. He was still able to secure victory.

Subsequent data analysis confirmed these observations, though it was not possible to identify a clear cause. To determine the exact cause of the fault, the engine would need to be opened, which would break the seal. “Although we are convinced that Dirk could have competed in the second race with his second engine, we do not wish to take any risks. We have therefore decided, as a precaution, to use the third engine this season,” explains team principal Corine Brandhorst.

“For us, ‘safety first’ means taking no risks,” she adds. “I would like to thank Yamaha, Motor Presse and the DMSB for the constructive and supportive discussions that have guided us through this process. As a result, Dirk will have to start the second race at Oschersleben and the first race at Assen from the pit lane. The regulations have been clear on this point at all times and are, of course, accepted by my team and by Dirk Geiger himself. We are now working together with Dirk to focus on achieving the best possible result over the next two race weekends in order to keep our chances alive in the fight for the championship.”