Engine damage prematurely ends Parkes’ Le Mans campaign

News 23 Apr 2019

Engine damage prematurely ends Parkes’ Le Mans campaign

YART squad accepts non-finish in France’s second round of EWC.

Image: Supplied.

Australian Broc Parkes saw his campaign at the Le Mans 24 Heures Motos for round two of the 2018-2019 FIM Endurance World Championship (EWC) come to a premature end when his Yamaha Austria Racing Team (YART) YZF-R1 contender suffered engine damage.

Teammate Marvin Fritz was on-track while holding down second position when he suffered a small crash, prompting the team to make a quick repair, however engine damage ultimately saw the bike stop moments later, forcing the squad to retire from the weekend’s encounter.

“I had really good pace in all my stints and I felt really strong, but our race was done after just 10 hours,” Parkes explained. “Endurance can be cruel sometimes! Now we need to put the disappointment of Le Mans behind us and focus on the next race at the Slovakia Ring, as it’s a good circuit for us and one at which we won last year.”

The YART squad previously occupied second in the championship rankings, however the non-finish has relegated them to seventh as the EWC returns to action on 11 May for the 8 Hours of Slovakia Ring.

Parkes will return to Australia this weekend for round two of the Asia Road Racing Championship (ARRC), which will take place alongside the Motul Pirelli Australian Superbike Championship at The Bend in South Australia.

Source: CycleOnline.com.au

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