Mahias Retains Championship Lead with Podium at the Lausitzring

Race

GRT Yamaha Official WorldSSP Team's Lucas Mahias survived a scare to secure his sixth podium of the season to lead the championship by one point after a red flag ended the race prematurely at the Lausitzring for round eight of the 2017 FIM Supersport World Championship.

Mahias started from sixth on the grid and when the lights went out he immediately showed he meant business by getting involved in an excellent battle for fourth with championship rival Sofuoglu. After a couple of big moments in the opening laps while fighting with Sofuoglu he settled into an excellent rhythm and was the quickest man on track, setting the fastest lap of the race, a 1:41.109, on lap 15. On lap 18, he was in third just behind Caricasulo when, unfortunately, the Italian crashed at turn 3 and Mahias had nowhere to go and hit his teammate's bike in an incident that saw the race red-flagged. Incredibly, Mahias managed to get back on his R6 and return to the pits within the 5-minute time limit, which meant he was eligible to be included in the results that were based on the riders' positions at the end of lap 16. His quick thinking ensured that he will head to the next round in Portimao leading the championship, although the gap to Sofuoglu in second is now just one point.

The Pata Yamaha Official WorldSSP Team return to action in Portimao for round nine of the 2017 FIM Supersport World Championship on the 15th-17th of September.

Lucas Mahias

GRT Yamaha Official WorldSSP Team - 3rd +0.600s

"I am not very happy for the result because today I felt I had the rhythm to win the race. I followed my strategy, which was to save my tyres so I could push a lot in the final part of the race. In the beginning, I lost the front twice and didn't feel that confident, but then I found a good rhythm and did a lot of laps in the low 1:41's. Towards the end of the race I overtook Cluzel for third and I was preparing to make a move on the leading two riders, but then my teammate Caricasulo crashed, and it was impossible to avoid his bike. It was unlucky, but I had some good luck too because I managed to make it back to the pits and finished in third. Although obviously, I would have preferred to have finished ahead of Kenan Sofuoglu! In Portimao, I will give everything to win the race, as right now I only have a one-point lead over Kenan and it is like we have started the championship again. My mission is to go out and try to win every one of the last four races!"

Filippo Conti

GRT Yamaha Offical WorldSSP Team Manager

"Lucas was very clever! He didn't lose concentration when he crashed and the red flag was shown, managing to get back on the bike and get back to the pits to make sure he finished in third. On one hand, I am very happy, as both riders had the pace to win the race and the team did a great job.  Lucas still leads the championship by one point, which is important, because if he did not bring the bike back to pits he would have been trailing Kenan by 20 points and the championship would have been almost out of reach. Instead, we are still leading and can take the fight to our rivals in the last four races although every race now is going to be tough.”

Mahias Retains Championship Lead with Podium at the Lausitzring

Race

GRT Yamaha Official WorldSSP Team's Lucas Mahias survived a scare to secure his sixth podium of the season to lead the championship by one point after a red flag ended the race prematurely at the Lausitzring for round eight of the 2017 FIM Supersport World Championship.

Mahias started from sixth on the grid and when the lights went out he immediately showed he meant business by getting involved in an excellent battle for fourth with championship rival Sofuoglu. After a couple of big moments in the opening laps while fighting with Sofuoglu he settled into an excellent rhythm and was the quickest man on track, setting the fastest lap of the race, a 1:41.109, on lap 15. On lap 18, he was in third just behind Caricasulo when, unfortunately, the Italian crashed at turn 3 and Mahias had nowhere to go and hit his teammate's bike in an incident that saw the race red-flagged. Incredibly, Mahias managed to get back on his R6 and return to the pits within the 5-minute time limit, which meant he was eligible to be included in the results that were based on the riders' positions at the end of lap 16. His quick thinking ensured that he will head to the next round in Portimao leading the championship, although the gap to Sofuoglu in second is now just one point.

The Pata Yamaha Official WorldSSP Team return to action in Portimao for round nine of the 2017 FIM Supersport World Championship on the 15th-17th of September.

Lucas Mahias

GRT Yamaha Official WorldSSP Team - 3rd +0.600s

"I am not very happy for the result because today I felt I had the rhythm to win the race. I followed my strategy, which was to save my tyres so I could push a lot in the final part of the race. In the beginning, I lost the front twice and didn't feel that confident, but then I found a good rhythm and did a lot of laps in the low 1:41's. Towards the end of the race I overtook Cluzel for third and I was preparing to make a move on the leading two riders, but then my teammate Caricasulo crashed, and it was impossible to avoid his bike. It was unlucky, but I had some good luck too because I managed to make it back to the pits and finished in third. Although obviously, I would have preferred to have finished ahead of Kenan Sofuoglu! In Portimao, I will give everything to win the race, as right now I only have a one-point lead over Kenan and it is like we have started the championship again. My mission is to go out and try to win every one of the last four races!"

Filippo Conti

GRT Yamaha Offical WorldSSP Team Manager

"Lucas was very clever! He didn't lose concentration when he crashed and the red flag was shown, managing to get back on the bike and get back to the pits to make sure he finished in third. On one hand, I am very happy, as both riders had the pace to win the race and the team did a great job.  Lucas still leads the championship by one point, which is important, because if he did not bring the bike back to pits he would have been trailing Kenan by 20 points and the championship would have been almost out of reach. Instead, we are still leading and can take the fight to our rivals in the last four races although every race now is going to be tough.”