Full of positive memories, thanks to his runner-up title here last year, Marvin Fritz and his team YART Yamaha started the 12-hour race of the Motorcycle Endurance World Championship (EWC) in Estoril/Portugal last weekend. For the fourth time in a row on pole position, Fritz went into the race as the starting rider. He managed to secure position three despite a bumpy start. A crash by team-mate Canepa, who fortunately remained unharmed, cost the team the leading position. Fritz took over in 17th place in the final phase and was able to fight his way back up to 10th: "After Canepa's slip, I was fully motivated, didn't want to give up without a fight and set my best times of the race in the last stint." In the overall standings, Marvin Fritz and YART Yamaha are in seventh place, 55 points behind the world championship leader.