FIM ENDURANCE:

Yamaha Austria carries on and took the best from the first qualification session at the 8 Hours of Doha. With a 2’03.293 best lap, calculated from the average best of their three riders, Igor Jerman, Steve Martin and Gwen Giabbani, YART is leading their everlasting challenger, the Honda from Michelin Power Research Team of William Costes, Josep Monge and Hugo Marchand, who did a 2’03.434 best lap.

The best individual lap was signed by Steve Martin on the Yamaha Austria, in 2’02.032. The Australian rider was the only one to ride below the 2’03 bar today in Doha.

Behind the two leaders stands the Yamaha BK Maco Moto Racing. They managed to score the third lap time today as Jason Pridmore signed a fantastic 2’03.464 lap. BK Maco Moto leads two other permanent teams, who are willing to end the season on a positive note: the Team Bolliger Switzerland on Kawasaki and the Team Phase One Endurance on Yamaha. In sixth place is the French Suzuki from Team 18 Sapeurs Pompiers.

Despite Anthony Delhalle’s crash this afternoon, the Suzuki Qatar Endurance Racing Team remains the fastest Superstock team. In that class, the Suzuki QERT is leading two other Suzuki, the one from QERT Junior and Endurance Moto 45.

In the second position of the provisional Qtel FIM Endurance World Championship, the Suzuki RT Racing Team is not doing too well today. The Franco-Italian team is short of spare parts after a crash today and is also facing some set-up issues and technical problems.

The second qualifying session will take place tomorrow morning and the Superpole tomorrow-early afternoon.

Tonight, the teams will have the opportunity to enjoy the freshness of the Qatari night, during the nocturnal riding session.

The start of the 8 Hours of Doha is scheduled for Saturday at 1 pm, local time (GMT + 3).