Search

YAMAHA TEAM

#7Yamalube YART Yamaha EWC Official Team

  • MachineYZF-R1
  • TyresBridgestone
#7 Yamalube YART Yamaha EWC Official Team

The YART Yamaha Official EWC Team contests the Endurance World Championship (EWC) full-time with former rider and team manager Mandy Kainz at the helm. As their name indicates, the parent organization of this group of endurance racing specialists is the Yamaha Austria Racing Team (YART) based in Austria. The team began racing in 2001 and started full-fledged EWC competition in 2002. After ranking 3rd in the 2005 season, they consistently challenged for the title, placing 2nd, 3rd and 2nd again in the championship before finally clinching the title in 2009 with four victories.

More recently, the team was a constant frontrunner in the 2016-2017 season. An unfortunate retirement at the Bol d’Or season opener hurt their points total, but they still battled for the championship title, never featuring outside the top five at the remaining rounds and finished 3rd. The following season, they won the 8 Hours of Slovakia Ring but were unable to finish the other four races and ended up 16th overall. For the 2018-2019 season, the Austria-based squad finished 2nd in the season opener, but had a DNF in Round 2 followed by two more retirements that left them 4th overall for the season. The 2019-2020 season saw them score two more wins but DNFs resulted in a 2nd overall. In the 2021 season, two rounds resulted in zero point scores and an overall finish of 6th in the championship. Though the team’s speed is beyond doubt, consistency has proven a challenge that has kept the title out of reach so far.

For the 2022 season the team has retained the same lineup as 2020, with Karel Hanika, Marvin Fritz, and Niccolò Canepa competing. After an intense 840-lap 24 Hours of Le Mans opening round, the team got off to a strong start, finishing second by 1 minute and 45 seconds. Round 2’s 24-hour race at Spa however proved difficult as the team were running at the front before suffering a mechanical issue and retiring from the race. After two rounds they are currently in 3rd place with a 30-point gap to the leaders.

For Round 3 of the championship, the Suzuka 8 Hours, Yamaha Motor will provide technical support for the team’s YZF-R1 race machine and team management support during the event, in addition to Yamalube Genuine Yamaha Oil being a partner for the team. With an eye on lifting the title at the final round, the Bol d’Or in France in September, the team’s goal is to finish the 8 Hours as the highest-placed regular EWC team, and to take their first ever podium finish in the event.

The YZF-R1 machine will feature a special livery for the 8 Hours inspired by the bottle design of Yamalube’s premier engine oil, RS4GP.

EWC Team Results
20037th
20044th
20053rd
20062nd
20073rd
20082nd
2009Champions
20103rd
20115th
20126th
20135th
20146th
201510th
20166th
20173rd
201816th
20194th
20202nd
20216th

*Information current as of July 1, 2022.

Karel Hanika

Karel Hanika

  • NationalityCzech
  • BornApril 14, 1996

Karel Hanika started racing minibikes at the age of 7 before becoming the 125cc Austria and Czech Republic Champion. In 2012, he joined the Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup, finishing third in his maiden season with three victories. The following year, the Czech rider beat several top-class riders to take the title with seven victories. At the same time, Hanika was also crowned the 2013 European Moto3 champion, earning himself a ride in the 2014 Moto3 World Championship. His Moto3 career did not progress well, and he ended it in 2016. In 2017 he entered Moto2 as a wildcard.

After joining YART for the 2019-2020 season, he was part of the winning lineup at the Sepang 8 Hours and Estoril 12 Hours, and contributed significantly to the team's second place finish in the championship. He has remained with YART since 2021, bringing even more speed to the EWC squad, but he has yet to win a title.

Racing Career
2010Alpe Adria 125GP Champion
Czech 125GP Champion
Austria 125GP Champion
2011Czech 125GP Champion
Austrian 125GP Champion
20123rd in Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup
2013Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup Champion
201418th in Moto3 World Championship
201518th in Moto3 World Championship
201637th in Moto3 World Championship
2017Moto2 World Championship wildcard
2018Superbike World Championship wildcard
20202nd in Endurance World Championship
20216th in Endurance World Championship
Marvin Fritz

Marvin Fritz

  • NationalityGerman
  • BornApril 20, 1993

Marvin Fritz is a rider hailing from Germany whose primary battleground was the International German Motorcycle Championship (IDM). He started racing in motocross at the age of four, but switched to road racing in 2002 when he was nine and won a national minibike championship the following year. From 2006 to 2010, he polished his skills in the IDM 125 Championship, taking his best result in the class with 2nd in 2009.

After stepping up to the 600cc European Championship in 2012, he returned to IDM the following year, then went on to win the series’ Supersport 600 championship in 2014 on a YZF-R6. He was crowned champion in the IDM's premier Superbike class in 2016, and at the same time began competing in the EWC as a regular rider for YART in the 2016-2017 season. He quickly adapted to endurance racing and became a vital member of the team, standing on the podium several times to date. In recent years, he has been increasing his experience with wildcard appearances in the Superbike World Championship and remains a driving force within the YART squad thanks to his remarkable skills.

Racing Career
YearResults
200611th in IDM 125 Championship
20073rd in IDM 125 Championship
20084th in IDM 125 Championship
20092nd in IDM 125 Championship
20106th in IDM 125 Championship
201223rd in European Superstock 600 Championship
201315th in IDM Supersport 600 Championship
2014IDM Supersport 600 Champion
20154th in IDM Superstock 1000 Championship
2016IDM Superbike Champion
20173rd in Endurance World Championship
201816th in Endurance World Championship
20194th in Endurance World Championship
20202nd in Endurance World Championship
20216th in Endurance World Championship
Niccolò Canepa

Niccolò Canepa

  • NationalityItalian
  • BornMay 14, 1988

In addition to winning the FIM CUP Superstock 1000 title in 2007, Niccolò Canepa has competed in MotoGP, Moto2, and the Superbike World Championship. He brings both skill and experience to the YART team. In recent years, he has continued to build a solid career by using his experience as a test rider for Yamaha’s superbike teams in addition to competing in the MotoE World Cup.

While doing this, Canepa has also been very active in the EWC. He was a member of the GMT94 team, previously one of Yamaha’s endurance teams, for three seasons starting in 2016, and helped them win their third title in the 2016-2017 season and finish second overall in the 2017-2018 season. Joining YART for the 2018-2019 season, he has fought in top positions many times and is a pillar of the team. He will line up with teammates Hanika and Fritz to compete with the elite Japanese and international teams in the 2022 Suzuka 8 Hours.

Racing Career
YearResults
20054th in European Superstock 600 Championship
20062nd in European Superstock 600 Championship
2007FIM CUP Superstock 1000 Champion
200832nd in World Superbike Championship
200916th in MotoGP World Championship
2010Moto2 World Championship
20115th in FIM CUP Superstock 1000 Championship
201220th in World Superbike Championship
201324th in World Superbike Championship
201413th in World Superbike Championship
201516th in World Superbike Championship
20162nd in Endurance World Championship
19th in World Superbike Championship
2017Endurance World Champion
20182nd in Endurance World Championship
20194th in Endurance World Championship
20202nd in Endurance World Championship
9th in MotoE World Cup
20216th in Endurance World Championship
9th in MotoE World Cup

YZF-R1

#7 Yamalube YART Yamaha EWC Official Team
Back to
Top