Beirer takes over the Yamaha challenge

Race

Skittles Yamaha Team Radiorama rider, Pit Beirer, climbed up the 250 championship points standings with a solid fifth place finish. The result was welcome as the teams’ championship campaign took a hit with the injury of top Yamaha man Yves Demaria. The fast Frenchman crashed in practice and was unable to join the race.

Team Yamaha AXO’s Claudio Federici improved from a poor start to finish in seventh spot.

P. Beirer – 5th / C.Federici – 7th / Y. Demaria – DNS

Pit Beirer came to Francorchamps well prepared and was in buoyant mood on Saturday. ‘We did a lot of work on the bike in practice’ Beirer said. ‘I am happy with the changes, and I also like the track, it’s very technical and it takes a lot of work from the riders, for the better guys this track is good. I am confident and have been testing on tracks similar to Francorchamps all week long, so I am ready for it.’

Beirer proved he had the speed when the gates dropped. ‘I had a terrible start, something like twentyfifth out of the gates, then I really rode great in the first lap, passing many riders, by lap one I was already fifth! The track was good for me, I was using the big berms and was able to ride around the outside of everyone. I then got arm pump and struggled to hold off Josh Coppins and Chad Reed, on one hand I am happy, but also disappointed because I was close to the podium.’

Claudio Federici had a similar bad mid-field start, took time to find his rhythm and, like many other riders on the unconventional Francorchamps track, got hindered by arm pump. Claudio stated; ‘I had trouble getting going. I was into about eleventh on lap one, and was with a group of faster riders, I managed to find some good lines and moved past Gordon Crockard and Danny Theybers. Then I got arm pump a little and Crockard took me back. With a couple of laps remaining I could just improve one position into seventh place when I moved inside of Carl Nunn.’

Yves Demaria came to Belgium to continue his strong podium results of the past weeks, but a crash in practice, prevented him from defending his third place in the standings.
Yves stated; ‘I fell in practice and landed on my arm. I didn’t think much off it at first, but went to get it x-rayed and the doctor found a break in my left shoulder blade. So that was it. I do not like the track; it’s so strange to me, some sand, some hard surface with rocks. It was lucky that I crashed when not all the riders were out on the track and I was not riding too hard. We will go to my doctor in Nice in France this week and try and find out if I need an operation, or if it can heal with rest. I hope to be back for the next GP in Sweden in five weeks time.’