Michael van der Mark says he’s eager to shake off the disappointment of missing out on the podium at Aragon last time out by targeting the top three at his home event at Assen with Pata Yamaha.
The Pata Yamaha team remains frustrated at the existing performance gap between itself and the front-running Ducati and Kawasaki squads at the start of the 2018 World Superbike championship.
World Superbike organisers have confirmed race two and the sole World Supersport race at the 2018 season opener at Phillip Island will be made flag-to-flag races with mandatory pit stops after a series of tyre failures.
Pata Yamaha has officially unveiled its 2018 World Superbike championship squad with the unaltered line-up of Alex Lowes and Michael van der Mark, with the factory Yamaha World Supersport, World Supersport 300 and Endurance World Championship teams also presented at an event at Portimao.
The 2018 World Superbike championship entry list has now been formally confirmed. Kawasaki Racing Team Jonathan Rea Tom Sykes Aruba.it Ducati Marco Melandri Chaz Davies
If Valentino Rossi is unfit to return to MotoGP action at Aragon later this month, several names have been mentioned as likely replacements. Factory test rider Katsuyuki Nakasuga and Yamaha World Superbike's Alex Lowes, for example, both raced a YZR-M1 in MotoGP last season.
After a productive pre-season testing in Europe, Michael van der Mark feels adapting his riding style will be vital for his new challenge with Pata Yamaha
Leon Haslam and Michael van der Mark power to victory in the Suzuka 8 Hours for Honda; Former 500cc world champion Kevin Schwantz finishes third for Suzuki.