The Akrapovič-sponsored team featuring racers Checa and Foray has taken third place at the eight-hour endurance race in Japan.

Does it seem like something’s missing from the introduction? That’s right—usually there are three riders on a team for endurance races, but because of Matthieu Lagrive’s injury the Yamaha France GMT94 Yamalube Michelin team had to make do with only two riders in this eight-hour race at the Suzuka Circuit in Japan. So the third-place finish by David Checa and Kenny Foray on a 2012 Yamaha YZF-R1 with an Akrapovič exhaust system is all the more impressive.

David Checa: “I’m so happy to achieve this result for Yamaha and for the team. A big thank you to them and also Michelin; we got third thanks to their efforts. They kept me so well informed, I knew exactly when I needed to push or not. So I could push for third when the time was right. Congratulations to Johnny and his team for their victory.”

Kenny Foray: “Today is one of the best days of my life, our teammate Matthieu  Lagrive was injured and I stepped up to do more stints than normally planned. I’m so happy. Thank you to the whole GMT team, Yamaha, and all our sponsors for their great support and welcome in Japan. Merci beaucoup! It was a crazy day, thanks to David for pushing so hard at the end, I don’t know what else to say!”

They rode 211 laps in eight hours, the same number as the second-place team Toho Racing and only one more than fourth-place Moto Map. After three races (in Bol d’Or, Doha, and Suzuka), the Yamaha team’s achievement puts them in third place overall. Hats off to the riders and the team!

The next race for the world championship in endurance motorcycle racing will take place 11 August in Oschersleben, Germany.

Photo: Yamaha Racing