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PATA YAMAHA MAKE EXCELLENT PROGRESS IN PORTIMAO

  |   News Racing

The Pata Yamaha Official WorldSBK Team concluded a successful two-day test on Monday in Portimao, completing 334 laps in total and continuing their excellent build up to the 2018 FIM Superbike World Championship. Michael van der Mark was amongst the front-runners throughout the whole of the test in Portugal, with the 25-year-old Dutch rider finishing in fourth overall on the timesheets on Monday after setting a 1:42.028 and completing 164 laps.

The Pata Yamaha team had already completed a positive two-day test at Jerez last week and managed to keep their superb momentum for the 2018 season going in Portimao after getting through a huge workload over the two days.

Van der Mark was in sensational form at the scene of his first Yamaha podium in 2017, ending Sunday in third with a 1:42.218, before improving on Monday to a 1:42.028, which was good enough for him to finish in fourth overall on the timesheets, 0.543s behind the fastest rider. Impressively, he actually set his fastest time on a race tyre, as he focused on his race pace and rhythm while working to assess a number of new updates for the 2018 season on his Pata Yamaha R1. The 2014 WorldSSP Champion managed to put in a huge effort over the two days in Portimao, completing 164 laps in total to ensure he is in the best position possible as he heads into his second season with the team after a promising 2017 season that saw him on the podium twice.

Up next for the Pata Yamaha WorldSBK Team is the official test in Phillip Island on the 18th-20th February, ahead of the opening round of the 2018 WorldSBK Championship at the same venue from the 22nd-24th February.

Michael van der Mark: “We have finished two days of really positive testing here in Portimao! The first day was really good and on the second day we improved even more, so I am really happy with how everything went. We had some important things to test, we tried some different settings and we found some really good solutions for a number of setups, plus we were really fast and consistent as well. I am really happy with my race rhythm, I did my fastest time on race tyres so, I am really pleased with that and even with used tyres, we were a lot faster than we have been here before. I am really happy! I am feeling good with the bike and I cannot wait to get back on my R1 in Phillip Island!”