Van der Mark: Yamaha has improved even more

Arriving at a new World Superbike round as a race winner for the first time, Michael van der Mark is fully confident his Pata Yamaha package “has improved even more” since the in-season test at Brno.

The majority of the World Superbike grid tested at the Czech Republic circuit the week before the Donington Park round, where van der Mark stormed to a maiden double victory, and having delivered the factory Yamaha’s first wins since its return to the series two years ago the Dutch rider is optimistic of carrying his form into this weekend.

Van der Mark: Yamaha has improved even more

Arriving at a new World Superbike round as a race winner for the first time, Michael van der Mark is fully confident his Pata Yamaha package “has improved even more” since the in-season test at Brno.

The majority of the World Superbike grid tested at the Czech Republic circuit the week before the Donington Park round, where van der Mark stormed to a maiden double victory, and having delivered the factory Yamaha’s first wins since its return to the series two years ago the Dutch rider is optimistic of carrying his form into this weekend.

Van der Mark also believes key improvements to the Pata Yamaha package unlocked at the British round can also be demonstrated at Brno and duly expects a step up in pace from the in-season test.

“After Donington, I'm even more motivated to arrive in Brno,” van der Mark said. “I am so happy with the wins there and the performance of the R1.

“I'm pretty sure that the bike has improved even more after the test we did in Brno, so I am excited to see what we can do there. I am looking forward to riding on this great track and I will be fighting as hard as I can to get back on the podium again.”

With Brno returning to the World Superbike calendar for the first time in six years, the Czech round is predicted to throw up some surprise results given the limited knowledge each team has at the track having completed a sole two-day test in May.

In the past Brno has been a strong circuit for Yamaha, as the Japanese manufacturer holds the pole position record with four poles, all taken between 2006 and 2010, along with three race wins out of the previous 20 World Superbike races at the track.

Van der Mark's only previous competitive outing at Brno stretches back to his European Superstock 600 days when he claimed victory in 2012 and finished sixth in 2011.

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