#7Yamalube 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