World Superbike

The GMT94 Yamaha Official EWC Team and YART Yamaha Official EWC Team endured a drama filled 8 Hours of Oschersleben yesterday in the penultimate round of the 2017/18 Endurance World Championship. GMT94 held on to take a valuable third place on the podium, whilst YART were not so lucky, recording a DNF. Oschersleben pole-sitters David Checa, Mike Di Meglio and Niccolò Canepa of GMT94 were quick off the start and showing immediate race winning pace until the first challenge of the race struck

Both riders displayed improved pace at the last round in Italy, highlighting the continued progress the team have made throughout the season. Lowes is looking to build on his second podium of the season at a track he clearly enjoys riding. His teammate van der Mark hopes to go one better than his fourth-place finish in race two at Misano, after he was cruelly denied the chance to fight for victory in race one because of a tyre failure.

Marino rode superbly at Donington to secure his third podium in four races, crossing the line in second less than two seconds behind the race winner. The 24-year-old French rider made a breakthrough with the setup on his R1M at the last round and is feeling confident that there is more to come in the heat at Misano. Marino is currently third in the championship standings with 56 points, just 23 points off the leader. Tamburini is relishing the chance to ride in front of the passionate Misan

Lowes will be looking to build on his first podium for the team and is feeling confident after the successful test where he got to evaluate a number of updates to his R1. The 26-year-old British rider was still recovering from a shoulder operation at Misano last year but managed to qualify in fourth and finish 13th and eighth respectively in the races. Lowes has not only been working hard with the team on the bike since Donington, but also has been looking at where he can improve personally, and

The race will take place at the 4.6 km Autopolis International Racing Course in Oita Prefecture on the southern island of Kyushu. 2014 World Supersport Champion and two-time Suzuka 8 Hours winner van der Mark will enter as a member of the YAMAHA FACTORY RACING TEAM alongside five-time consecutive All Japan JSB1000 Champion and two-time Suzuka 8 Hours winner, Katsuyuki Nakasuga.

In race two Brookes was again fighting with the leading pack, however as Ryuichi Kiyonari (BMW) crashed out in front of him he was forced to take evasive action. Brookes held the Milwaukee Yamaha across the grass and rejoined, but dropped drastically down the order. A strong run of consistent fast laps but Brookes back up into sixth position and holding fourth in the overall standings. Parkes was determined to make improvements for the second race, but he crashed out at Goddards.     [b]Josh