Reigning champions and most recent winners of the 24 Hours of Le Mans motorcycle race aboard the YART Yamaha #1, Karel Hanika and Marvin Fritz approach the 2026 FIM Endurance World Championship (EWC) campaign with the firm intention of remaining the men to beat. Ahead of the 49th edition of the event, the two men They discuss the stakes of the race for paddock GP.
Starting this new season with the number 1 jersey of the world champion, does that mean more pressure or more motivation?
Karel Hanika: For me, it's definitely a source of motivation. I wouldn't say it's pressure, because my team and I have already won twice. So we know what needs to be done, and it's not so much a question of motivation as the fact that we still want it: we still have this thirst to win more. That's our main objective. We know we have a very good team around us, we have confidence in our abilities, and now we have fresh blood with a new teammate. He's a great guy, an excellent driver. So we're eager to start this new year and defend our championship title.
Marvin Fritz: That's our challenge, and we'll do everything we can to achieve it. The pressure is definitely less because we've won the championship twice in three years and we have an excellent package. The team is working very well, but obviously, it gets harder every year. Everyone is faster, and at a certain point, we're pushing our limits a bit, but we always manage to squeeze a little more out of it. We know the circuits, the championship, and our new teammate, who has been competing in the championship for a few years, knows the circuits and the night racing conditions. I think we're really competitive again this year.
How is the integration of this new teammate, Leandro Mercado, going?
Karel Hanika: He's a very good rider, he knows the championship. For us, the goal is to make him comfortable on the bike, to help him adapt to the Yamaha, and to ensure he feels at ease so we can work well together. He's very talented as a rider, and I think we also have a lot to learn from him.
Regarding the motorcycle, have you changed anything compared to 2025?
Karel Hanika: Not really, the package is quite similar to last year's.
Another challenge of this 49th edition is that there will be 60 motorcycles on the track; will that be more difficult to manage?
Marvin Fritz: Yes, obviously, last year there were 50 or 52 bikes, now it's 60. You can really see there are more bikes on the track. Every lap, when you get to the end of the straight and no one has blocked your path, you think, 'Ah, finally a clear lap!' Then you get to the last sector and you see loads of bikes in front of you. It's a bit like a track day, because there are huge speed differences between the bikes, due to the level of the riders and the teams. But it's the same for everyone, everyone has to deal with it.
This will impact qualifying, but also the race…
Marvin Fritz: Yes, it won't be easy, because you can lose a lot of time overtaking. You can also choose to be aggressive, but there's always the risk of making a small mistake, crashing, or having a slight off-track excursion that costs you time.
Last year was a bit chaotic here in Le Mans, did you learn any lessons from that?
Karel Hanika: Yes, we learned a lot, that's for sure. It was a special race, in unusual conditions. Riding with slick tires on a very thin, dry racing line, and then overtaking other bikes in the wet sections with the same tires. You can't afford to make mistakes, but sometimes they happen. Luckily, we were among those who managed to stay safe. We had a small crash, but no major problems. Everyone had issues during this race, but we stayed focused.
This edition of the 24 Hours of Le Mans motorcycle race has once again proven that nothing is decided until the very last moments in Endurance racing…
Karel Hanika: Yes, because right up until the very end of the race, we were hardly in the lead. With 30 minutes to go, we took the lead, we never stopped believing that we could clinch this victory, Marvin and I, and we did it. It was a fantastic experience.
Speaking of the 2025 24 Hours of Le Mans motorcycle race, Marvin, is the qualifying lap record something you can beat?
Yes, last year I broke the lap record, it was great. Obviously, breaking the lap record is fantastic, but it's not the only thing that matters. It's the average time of the two fastest drivers that determines pole position. Last year, we won the championship by one point, which means every point counts. We have to think about it, be smart, and be the fastest; that's how you get pole. But of course, I hope to set a new lap record.
Photos: FIM EWC