Karel Hanika Interview: Proving EWC Riders' Potential at the 8 Hours

This is my third season with YART. We've had our share of bad luck so far, but in my first season with the team we finished 2nd overall so the potential is there. I've taken a lot of pole positions, had a few wins and podiums, and proved that YART is fast. It's easy to have some bad luck in endurance racing, but in the races we've always had the potential to win. This year, we still have a chance for the title and we've done the preparations to win it. All we have to do now is show that at Suzuka.

That is all thanks to my great teammates. I'm so glad to be able to ride with these guys who have so much experience. Niccolò is the most experienced rider in our team, and has ridden the R1 more than us. It's great to have him on our team. He's the key person for setting up the bike, setting the direction for us and sometimes correcting us to try to get the best result. Of course his pace is also very fast, and when the weather changes during a race, Niccolò is our strongest rider for that.

Outside of racing, Marvin and I have a special connection. It's almost like being a family. He's been dating my sister for a long time, and they live nearby, so we often train together and things like that. As a rider, he has more experience with Yamaha than I do, and when he's on track he's really fast. Especially in the races, he pushes himself to the maximum and always sets the fastest lap times. Having such a strong rider on the YART team is great for all of us.

I'm always trying to ride my best, so I don't slow the team down. There are still some areas, like night riding, that I need to improve, and I haven't got it yet. The most important things I have to do are to help reach a setting the three of us can use, and also to set fast qualifying times. In qualifying, I've set the lap record three times at the past four events. But the most important thing is to ride as fast as I can and avoid risks so I can bring the bike back to the pits safely.

This will be my fourth time at Suzuka Circuit and my third time actually riding. It's my first time with Yamaha, as all of my previous visits were with other manufacturers. The best thing about the R1 is its power at low speeds. It has great torque, which is helps a lot on corner exit. That's why we're really good at the exit of the final chicane at Suzuka. It also has very quick handling, so on technical circuits, I think it's the strongest bike all around.

Since this is the first 8 Hours since 2018, I've been really looking forward to it. It was a great experience to ride Suzuka Circuit after such a long time, but it was also difficult because you have to be very precise. I learned a lot riding with my teammates who have experience here in the dry. After the test, overall my feeling is good. It was my first time riding with the Bridgestones in the wet, and they felt great. Our final time was in the 2:06 range, and I think we can improve that once we finalize the electronics setup. Choosing the right tire for the race will also be very important.

There are lot of local Japanese riders in the 8 Hours who all have a lot of experience here, and a lot of World Superbike riders too. So, I think this is a great chance to show race fans that we EWC riders are strong, that endurance-spec bikes are fast, and that we can compete with the best riders in the world. I'm so happy that we've been able to be close to the factory bikes in the official test and show our potential.

The race will be here soon, and my goal is the same as the team's: to win. We'll be there to compete, and because YART is Yamaha's top team, of course that's our goal. But this race is never easy to win. The Suzuka 8 Hours is especially difficult. If we get the bike in the best possible shape and everything goes well, we can aim for the top, but it won't be easy so I'll do my best.