FIM Endurance World Championship Oschersleben, Germany August 15, 2013 Qualifying Session One Results (teams ranked according to average of all riders’ best lap time): 1. Suzuki Endurance Racing Team SERT (Vincent Philippe/Anthony Delhalle/Julien da Costa), Suz GSX-R1000, Superbike, 1:26.903 2. Monster Energy Yamaha YART (Broc Parkes/Josh Waters/Igor Jerman), Yam YZF-R1, Superbike, 1:27.168 3. Yamaha France GMT 94 Michelin Yamalube (David Checa/Kenny Foray/Maxime Berger), Yam YZF-R1, Superbike, 1:27.985 4. BMW Motorrad France Team Thevent (Sebastien Gimbert/Erwan Nigon/Damian Cudlin), BMW S1000RR, Superbike, 1:28.072 5. Bolliger Team Switzerland (Horst Saiger/Roman Stamm/Daniel Sutter), Kaw ZX-10R, Superbike, 1:28.410 6. Junior Team LMS Suzuki (Baptiste Guittet/Etienne Masson/Gregg Black), Suz GSX-R1000, Superstock, 1:28.624 7. Team Louit Moto 33 (Florian Marino/Lorenzo Savadori/Emeriv Jonchiere), Kaw ZX-10R, Superstock, 1:28.653 8. DG Sport Herock (Didier Vankeymeulen/Raymond Schouten/Lucas Mahias), Yam YZF-R1, Superbike, 1:28.720 9. AM Moto Racing Competition (Anthony Loiseau/Romain Maitre/Jonathan Hardt), Suz GSX-R1000, Superstock, 1:28.793 10. Penz13.com Franks Autowelt Racing (Jason Pridmore/Pedro Vallcaneras/Steve Mercer), BMW S1000RR, Superstock, 1:29.022 More, from a press release issued by FIM Endurance World Championship: An intense duel at the Oschersleben 8 Hours between Suzuki Endurance Racing Team and Monster Energy Yamaha YART Anyone watching the duel between the Suzuki Endurance Racing Team and the Monster Energy Yamaha YART during the first qualifiers this afternoon at Oschersleben might have been forgiven for thinking that the race in Germany was already under way. For these two teams who currently top of the leader board in the Championship, with just three little points between the French Suzuki and the Austrian Yamaha in second, the 35 points for a win at the Oschersleben 8 Hours will seal the deal. The Suzuki Endurance Racing Team is in top spot on the provisional grid this evening thanks to its evenly balanced team and sterling performances by Vincent Philippe and Julien Da Costa. With Broc Parks (1’26.147) aboard the Monster Energy Yamaha YART, they were the only riders to clock up laps under 1’27 this afternoon. On the average of the best times of the three riders, the Suzuki Endurance Racing Team is in front with an average time of 1’26.903 and Monster Energy Yamaha YART just behind with 1’27.168. The Yamaha France GMT 94 Michelin Yamalube is watching this head to head very closely. The French factory Yamaha is in third place on the provisional grid just ahead of the Belgian team BMW Motorrad France Team Thevent and the Kawasaki of Bolliger Team Switzerland, which is particularly in its element on the Oschersleben circuit. In the Superstock category, Junior Team LMS Suzuki has got the measure of the Oschersleben track and moved into sixth place ahead of the Kawasaki of Team Louit Moto 33, the Yamaha of DG Sport Herock, the Suzuki of AM Moto Racing Compétition and the BMW of Penz13.com Franks Autowelt Racing Team. All these teams clocked up average times within just half a second! There was a slight disappointment for Honda TT Legends, currently in eleventh place after these first qualifiers, and for Team 18 Sapeurs Pompiers, held up by a heavy crash for Lucas de Carolis. More, from a press release issued by Honda TT Legends: Honda TT Legends in provisional 11th at Oschersleben The penultimate race of the 2013 Endurance World Championship got underway in Germany today with the Honda TT Legends in provisional 11th on the grid for the 8 Hours of Oschersleben on Saturday. The first qualifying sessions took place in warm and dry conditions this afternoon with Michael Rutter, Simon Andrews and John McGuinness heading out on the 3.6km circuit for 20 minutes each. All three riders improved on their performance in free practice this morning, shaving a second of their lap times. Rutter set the team’s fastest lap of 1.29’039, while Andrews and McGuinness were not far behind with 1.29’204 and 1.29’429 respectively. The combined average of the three times places the Honda TT Legends in provisional 11th ahead of tomorrow’s final qualifying. The 8 Hours of Oschersleben will begin at 13.00 CET on Saturday 17 August. Meanwhile, today’s Dundrod 150 races at the Ulster Grand Prix were cancelled due to heavy rain. Honda TT Legends’ Michael Dunlop had qualified on pole in the Superbike class. The remainder of the races are due to run on Saturday. Neil Tuxworth – team manager At this stage we’re 11th out of 40 teams but I would like to see all three riders go a little bit quicker. We’re capable of moving up to around eighth if we have a good session tomorrow. As usual, come the race, starting position is less important and we’ll be aiming for consistency and good fuel strategy etc. to give us a good result at the end of the day. Michael Rutter It’s gone pretty well today considering this is my first time at the track. It’s a tight and twisty circuit so while it’s not too difficult to learn, it takes time to build up speed. We’ve made good progress today and I was quickest of the three riders so I’m happy with that. Hopefully tomorrow we can go a bit faster and climb up the timesheet to get a good start in the race. Simon Andrews It’s been a busy day and we’re stiIl working on set up, but the bike is getting better each time we go out. Qualifying went ok and I had good splits overall, although I got held up in a bit of traffic. We used the qualifying tyre, which takes a bit of getting used to but I used it well and I think there is more to come. I’m confident that we can take another chink of the time tomorrow. For my first time here, it’s not too bad. John McGuinness We’ve had a productive day today and between practice and qualifying we managed to shave a good amount of time off our pace. We’re all within a few tenths of each other again which we know if a good place to be when it comes to endurance racing where consistency is key. We’ve got a few changes to make to the bike before the second session tomorrow so if it all goes to plan we should be able to gain a few spots. More, from a press release issued by Team Suzuki News Service: SUZUKI ON PROVISIONAL POLE AT OSCHERSLEBEN Suzuki Endurance Racing Team riders Vincent Philippe, Anthony Delhalle and Julien Da Costa put their GSX-R1000 into a provisional Pole position after the first day of free practice and qualifying for Saturday’s Oschersleben 8-Hour World Endurance third round in Germany. The defending World Champions and 2012 Oschersleben race winners topped the morning’s fastest practice times from Monster Energy YART’s Broc Parkes, Josh Waters and Igor Jerman with a combined time of 1:26.903 around the 3,667m circuit; Philippe setting the second-fastest lap of the session at 1:26.571; just behind Parkes’ 1:26.147. Third on the timesheets was Yamaha France GMT94 ahead of BMW Motorrad France and Kawasaki’s Bolliger Team Switzerland, as top Superstock team, Junior Team LMS posted the sixth-fastest lap-time with 1:28.624 aboard its GSX-R1000. Oschersleben 8-Hour 1st Qualifying Results: 1 SERT – Philippe/Dehalle/Da Costa (Suzuki GSX-R1000) – 1:26.903, 2 Monster Energy YART – Parkes/Waters/Jerman (Yamaha) – 1:27.168, 3 Yamaha France GMT94 – Checa/Foray/ Berger (Yamaha) – 1:27.985, 4 BMW Motorrad France – Gimbert/Nigon/Cudlin (BMW) – 1:28.072, 5 Bolliger Team Switzerland – Saiger/Stamm/ Sutter (Kawasaki) – 1:28.410, 6 Junior Team LMS Suzuki – Guittet/Masson/Black (Suzuki GSX-R1000) – 1:28.624, 7 Team Louit Moto 33 – Marino/Savadori/Jonchiere (Kawasaki) – 1:28.653, 8 DGSPORT HEROCK – van Keymeulen/Schouten/Mahias (Yamaha) – 1:28.720, 9 AM Moto Racing Competition – Loiseau/Maitre/Hardt (Suzuki GSX-R1000) – 1:28.793, 10 Penz13.com Franks Autowelt – Pridmore/Vallcaneras/Mercer (BMW) – 1:29.022. Oschersleben 8-Hour 1st Practice Results: 1 Monster Energy YART (Yamaha) 1:27.013, 2 SERT (Suzuki GSX-R1000) 1:27.372, 3 Yamaha France GMT 94 (Yamaha) 1:27.537, 4 BMW Motorrad France (BMW) 1:27.771, 5 Bolliger Team Switzerland (Kawasaki) 1:28.660, 6 Team Louit Moto 33 (Kawasaki) 1:28.867, 7 Team R2CL (Suzuki GSX-R1000) 1:29.008, 8 Penz13.com Franks Autowelt (BMW) 1:29.047 9 AM Moto Racing Competition (Suzuki GSX-R1000) 1:29.231, 10 Team 18 Sapeurs-Pompiers (Kawasaki) 1:29.328.