Provisional Entry List - Damian Cudlin - Steve Plater...

Qatar Provisional Entry List

The provisional entry list for the Qatar 8 Hour race can be downloaded here...

Twenty six teams have entered. The notable absentee from the permanent team ranks is Team Kawasaki France; see above for Steve Plater's explanation. SERT Suzuki's rumoured entry of their No.2 team has not materialised, but BMW will race their open class 1200 twin with riders Hinterreiter and Cooper joined by a local.

The Sapeurs Pompiers are making the trip to the desert circuit, with fellow French team Techno Bike TSR the only other non-Qatari wildcard entry. The local teams are all Superstock entries, with four Suzuki GSX-R1000s, a Kawasaki ZX10R and a Yamaha R1.

Don't forget, the race takes place on Saturday 10th November – not Sunday.

Damian Cudlin on Qatar and 2008 German Championships

"Endurance is still my main priority next year..."

"It’s going to be a big race in Qatar with everyone pushing hard for overall results, so I hope that we can come out on top at the end of it all.

"After the disappointments we’ve had this season with reliability and bad luck, I hope we can finish strongly in Qatar and put YART back to where it belongs in the championship standings. The guys have worked hard on the bikes to ensure the engine problems don’t arise again, our rider line up is a strong one, and I don’t see why we can’t be fighting for the final win year. That’s our goal.

"It’s only going to help us having Steve Martin’s experience to draw from, particularly with the set up side of things, but I can’t see Igor and I having any problems with the circuit. We both learn tracks pretty quickly. We’ll be fast come race day."

Cudlin has also been testing bikes with a view to a ride in the German Supersport championship next year. During a recent trip to Cartagena he rode the HKM/Bike Promotion CBR600, setting some very impressive lap times despite having to learn the circuit, and also sampled the G-LAB Triumph.

"The Bike Promotion guys offered me a chance to test their bike from this season’s Supersport campaign and with some help from my good friend Dirk Benkert we boarded a plane and headed to Spain. I hadn’t ridden a 600 for 4 years so I spent the first day adapting my style, but once I got comfortable the times began to fall. It was a nice bike to ride and the Bike Promotion guys were very good to work with.

"Dietmar Franzen also asked if I was interested in testing his bike which I obviously was. The Triumph was strong and I can see how Rico (Penzkofer) has won so many races this year. It was a good opportunity testing two leading bikes back to back as I saw each ones strong and weak points. I’m really looking forward to seeing how the next few weeks pan out now.

"The Endurance Championship is something I really want to win and is still my main priority next year but I think it won’t hurt doing a bit more riding and if I can win in the IDM series, which is widely regarded as the biggest in Europe, then it’ll do my career a world of good. Hopefully things will fall into place"

Steve Plater Signs for Yamaha Phase One

"The riders they've got at the moment aren't up to the pace..."

After riding for most of the season with Team Kawasaki France, Steve Plater will be on the Phase One Yamaha for the Qatar 8 Hour race. We asked Steve why he'd be riding for Phase One:

"Well obviously the riders they've got at the moment aren't up to the pace and so they need a class rider in the team... Only joking! Team Kawasaki France aren't entering Qatar because they've got a new machine out for next year and they're going to spend the money developing that ready for the 2008 championship, so it leaves me at a loose end for Qatar.

"I haven't ridden there before, so I'd like to go and ride the circuit to get experience for next year. Russell gave me a call once the situation was cleared with Kawasaki I was able to get back to him and say yes."

Phase One team manager Russell Benney confirmed that Steve would take the place of Didier Vankeymeulen:

"It was felt that Steve's reliable racing characteristics shown during the 2007 season with TKF outweighed the overall performance by Didier and it was in the best interests of the team to make this substitution. Didier remains a much respected rider and we hope to work with him in the future. Steve last rode for the team at Le Mans in 1996 before his heady days with TKF in the late 90s when he held the Le Mans endurance lap record. The team very much welcome his return."