Along with team-mates Igor Jerman and Steve Martin, Steve Plater rode to a fine second place for Yamaha Austria in the Eight Hour World Endurance round that took place at Oschersleben in Germany on Saturday to claim the first podium finish of the current campaign and move into second place in the championship.
Starting from third place, Plater started the race for YART and entered into a good battle with Suzuki, Kawasaki and Yamaha Germany during the opening laps. He and Jorg Teuchart (Yamaha Germany) pulled away from the pursuing pack but the latter pitted early to refuel leaving Plater to take up the lead during the first hour.
At the changeover YART had dropped down to second but continued to chase the leader and again took the lead only to lose it again at the next pit stop. Current champions SERT took the lead but then went on to crash and handed the lead to Kawasaki France.
Steve rode the last 70 minutes, holding a good advantage over the SERT team who had managed to remount and continue on their way to the chequered flag.
With one hour left to go it was still anyone’s race with positions changing as teams pitted for the last time. Steve pushed as hard as possible but, after one of the most closely fought contests in recent years, eventually had to settle for the runner up spot.
The points accrued at Oschersleben were sufficient to move the YART team up into second place in the World Endurance Championship with two rounds left to race.
The next round will take place in France at the Magny-Cours circuit for the Bol d’Or 24-hour race on September 13/14.
"It's good to be on the podium but I would really have liked to have won. I started the race and had a really good scrap with Teuchart and led for a while," said Plater.
"We had one or two issues with the pit stops but other than that it all went well and I was happy with the result. I have led every round of the world endurance series at lone stage or another this year so hope I can repeat that in the final two rounds at the Bol d'Or and Qatar."
