Niccolò Canepa: YART Loves a Challenge, and This Year, It's a Suzuka Podium

First, I want to talk about winning the title last year, which was one the most exciting title wins in my career. The first time I won an EWC title was in 2017. That season, we won a lot of races, so honestly it was an easy season. In the years since then, I feel like we've had bad luck, because we've been fastest in several races, but just couldn't win any titles! [laughs]

This year we have the #1 on our bike and for sure brings a lot of pressure. But for me, I think the pressure on us to win was much bigger in 2023. We'd been having bad luck, so it was hard competing and hoping nothing bad would happen.

The whole team worked hard over many years to make it happen, so when we won the title last year, it was like, "We finally did it!" I felt so relieved. It was so nice to have that pressure off our shoulders. I can definitely say it's the best title I've won in my career!

This year, in the opening round at Le Mans we had an accident [with Karel's crash], but since we'd already won the title last year, we could be calm and do what we needed to. We managed it well and finished on the podium in 3rd. While it was a shame we couldn't win it, it was still a great result. We were leading almost the whole race and proved how fast we are. Then at Spa, the whole team showed our strength again.

I did the start and the final stint there, both of which are really important. I'd wanted to take the lead early in my first stint, but I knew we were losing out to the other riders on the main straight and in the first sector, so I switched my strategy to be more aggressive in the opening laps.

The bike fired up immediately for the start, I got into a good rhythm in the first few laps, and opened a ten-second gap. My teammates were fast too and rode hard until the end, but the final stint was a challenge because we only had a small gap over the team behind us in 2nd, plus we had to make more pit stops than they did, so we had to push hard. After our pit stop, the gap was about 30 seconds, so the last 15 minutes was just having fun riding on track. When I took the checkered flag, all the teams were clapping for us, so it was very emotional for me.

It wasn't only emotional, because I think winning it gave us more confidence for the rest of the season. Confidence that we can get a good result at Suzuka, at the final round at the Bol d'Or, and confidence that we can defend our title.

The Suzuka 8 Hours is always hard because there are so many non-EWC teams. Their only focus is on the 8 Hours, so we're more the "challengers." In the EWC season, there are only four races, meaning that even a single mistake can cost you the title. For sure, we want to risk it all to go for the win, but we have to keep in mind that the title is our main goal. With that in mind, what we really want to do in the 8 Hours is beat all the other EWC teams.

This year though, we're running the #1, so I think we should take more risks than usual. If nothing else, I want to beat last year's winners. That would mean we're on the podium and some people might say that's beyond our reach, but YART is a team that loves a challenge and we believe that nothing is impossible for us.

In my career, I've been on the podium at every EWC race on the calendar, but of all those, Suzuka was special for me. In the years since then, I haven't repeated that, but this year we have a very good, very well-developed package and we've shaken off our unlucky streak, so I want to stand on the podium at Suzuka again and create a new wonderful memory!

This year, I injured my shoulder at Daytona in March and I have constant pain now and not much strength in it. But I'm a fighter so I'll be okay. I know that I really should have surgery for it, but I'll do that after the season is over. The goal is to be on the podium at Suzuka and be world champions again!

I want to say a big thank you to all the Yamaha fans and racing fans who love and support us. I hope you'll all wear some blue when you come to watch the 8 Hours this year and cheer for us. See you there!