8 Horas Nocturnas of Albacete The official Yamahas are leading free practice
The Yamaha Racing France GMT 94 Ipone and the Yamaha Monster YART nearly signed some equal lap times this morning at the 8 Hours of Albacete free practice, in Spain, which is the second round of the Qtel FIM World Endurance Championship. The Yamaha Racing France GMT 94 Ipone with David Checa, Kenny Foray and Matthieu Lagrive signed their best lap in 1’32.098 just ahead of the Yamaha Monster YART of Igor Jerman, Steve Martin and Gwen Giabbani in 1’32.103.
Behind these two Yamaha, in great shape indeed, is the BMW Motorrad France 99 of Sébastien Gimbert, Erwan Nigon and Hugo Marchand, with a best lap in 1’32.214. Damian Cudlin, also engaged in the IDM German Superbike Championship, is busy racing this weekend in the Nürburgring. Behind the leading trio in 1’32, the Honda TT Legends is still making progress. On the official British Honda, Steve Plater, John McGuinness and Keith Amor signed a best lap in 1’33.046. They are leading the Suzuki Endurance Racing Team, which was battling this morning with some suspension setup. The SERT is for now at a very unusual fifth place, but we can trust Vincent Philippe, Freddy Foray, Daisaku Sakai and all the SERT team to reach a more logical place after the qualifying practice this afternoon.
After their sixth place at Bol d’Or, National Motos took the decision to enter the Albacete round, and the private team made a good impression once again! The yellow and blue Honda of Emeric Jonchière, Lucas de Carolis and Etienne Masson took the sixth place with a 1’33.395 lap and leads the locals from Yamaha YMES Folch Endurance, as well as Maco Racing Team. A little bit further down, the Kawasaki of Bolliger Team Switzerland is still working on the appropriate suspension setup.
In the Superstock class, the battle promises to be harsh once again between the Suzuki of Team Motor Events Bodyguard AMT, the BMW of Van Zon Boenig Motorsportschool Penz13 RT and the Suzuki AM Moto Racing Compétition, since the three of them are very close in the free practice this morning. The Suzuki of Qatar Endurance Racing Team, the Belgian Yamaha of DG Sport and the Spanish from team BMW Mas are also very close.
The first qualifying session is taking place this afternoon on the Albacete racetrack. To follow the practices and the race live, log on to http://www.Race24.com
Monster Yamaha YART leads qualifying session at Albacete ahead of BMW Motorrad France 99 and Yamaha Racing France GMT 94 Ipone
The Monster Yamaha YART is in great shape in Albacete, second round of the Qtel FIM World Endurance Championship, in Spain. After a promising free practice session, the Austrian Yamaha took the best spot this afternoon from the first qualifying session of the 8 Hours of Albacete. This provisional pole position is mainly due to Steve Martin, who was the fastest rider today, being able to break the 1’31 bar by clocking a 1’30.638 lap.
With the average time of the three riders, Igor Jerman, Gwen Giabbani and Steve Martin, the Monster Yamaha YART leads Sébastien Gimbert, Erwan Nigon and Hugo Marchand on the BMW Motorrad France 99, the Yamaha Racing France GMT 94 Ipone are very close behind with David Checa, Kenny Foray and Matthieu Lagrive.
The Suzuki Endurance Racing Team hasn’t yet found the optimal suspension setting and has to be satisfied with the fourth time. The SERT is disappointed of not putting the hammer down from the very beginning of the event, as usual. “We’ve been working in the wrong direction”, said team manager Dominique Méliand, “but we’ll get it right tonight from the night testing session”.
The Honda TT Legends is learning well and fast, as they are getting closer to the top 4. The Yamaha of Maco Racing Team is fifth with a very homogeneous team of riders, Jason Pridmore, Gregg Black and Gregory Junod.
In seventh place is the first Superstock machine, the BMW of Van Zon Boenig Motorsportschool Penz13 RT, ahead of another S1000RR, from the Spanish team BMW Mas of Alvaro Molina. They offered themselves the luxury to outperform the local endurance specialist, the YMES Folch Endurance. In the Superstock class, the Team Motor Events Bodyguard AMT, DG Sport, No Limits Motor Team, AM Moto Racing Compétition and the Qatar Endurance Racing Team are all together grouped between the twelfth and sixteenth place.
For many teams, the night testing session will be a not to be missed opportunity to work on the settings, and some serious action is planned on track tomorrow morning with the second qualifying session. The start of the race will be given tomorrow Saturday at 6 pm and the arrival at 2 am Sunday morning.
looking at the time you would have to say yart are looking the best for outright win but if BMW bmp run just a 2 rider rotor they will win. Superstock I would say BMW 13 at the moment. I noticed Bol sor superbike winner Anthony delhalle is riding superstock this race too. Looks good Although none of them were even close to matching alex cudlins blindingly fast lap. Unfortuantly the other two riders in that team are very slow bringing there average a long way down
Reckon TT boys could beat SERT if they have 1 less stop than them and the other bikes in front. They do seem to be pitting later than the other top teams.
YART must have a small off or something they have dropped down to 6th behind TT boys
Latest
Posted by Life in the Pit Lane on May 21, 2011, 11:03 pm, in reply to "YART small problem" 84.13.168.7
Either everyone in the stand is wearing grey, or its empty again.
Plater did well in that last stint closing up over 50 seconds on SERT.
Re: YART small problem
Posted by EMBEDDED on May 21, 2011, 11:27 pm, in reply to "YART small problem" 217.124.143.74
Seems YART running out of fuel.
TT loosing laps
Posted by Horace on May 22, 2011, 12:09 am, in reply to "Link to Live Timing Here" 192.149.117.198
TT boys just loast 4th and 5th, guess they have a problem
Re: TT loosing laps
Posted by age on May 22, 2011, 12:15 am, in reply to "TT loosing laps" 78.151.62.39
Dropping like a stone Bowser !
Re: TT loosing laps
Posted by age on May 22, 2011, 12:31 am, in reply to "Re: TT loosing laps" 78.151.50.92
Looks like either Plater jumped off or bike has gone BANG
Re: TT loosing laps
Posted by Horace on May 22, 2011, 12:46 am, in reply to "Re: TT loosing laps" 192.149.117.198
Hi Age, shame they were doing quite well. But thats racing as they say!
Re: TT loosing laps
Posted by Backcracker on May 22, 2011, 12:49 am, in reply to "Re: TT loosing laps" 92.6.92.249
This just in from TT Legends press officer :John McGuinness crashed out on his final stint - he is ok. As the bike is damaged this marks the end of the race for @HondaTTLegends
Re: TTboys OUT
Posted by Horace on May 22, 2011, 12:52 am, in reply to "Re: TT loosing laps" 192.149.117.198
Thanks Eileen, thought they had double stinted SPlater and had a problem at end. Shame, Suzuka next!
Re: TTboys OUT
Posted by Martin G on May 22, 2011, 10:03 am, in reply to "Re: TTboys OUT" 82.16.111.217
Bngger.
That'll teach me to fall asleep.
Well done BMW Motorrad!
Re: TTboys OUT
Posted by CHUBBY on May 22, 2011, 2:58 pm, in reply to "Re: TTboys OUT" 90.195.20.20
As the Beasty Boys famously titled album said Mart :
No sleep til Bridgwater.
Re: TTboys OUT
Posted by Martin G on May 22, 2011, 3:04 pm, in reply to "Re: TTboys OUT" 81.86.119.31
