Barry Baltus isn’t ruling out more appearances in the Suzuka 8 Hours as he prepares for his FIM Endurance World Championship debut this weekend.
The 20-year-old Moto2 podium finisher has joined Auto Race Ube Racing Team for Japan’s legendary EWC counter and will share the #76 Suzuki GSX-R1000R with home ace Takuya Tsuda and Australian Anthony West, a stalwart EWC racer and Suzuka regular.
“It’s a dream to come to this race and an amazing opportunity,” said the Belgian rider. “For sure the heat is really hard and it will be a hard race because it’s the first time in endurance for me, but I love the track and I love the bike so I just enjoy the moment.
“We were top 10 yesterday, but we really focus on the race, we work really hard for the race to see what we can do. The team is working really well and is very professional. They finished fourth last year but my target for sure is to finish the race because the first rule in endurance is to bring the bike back. But I try to make the best result possible.”
Of the possibility of more EWC action in the future, Baltus said: “It’s a race everybody wants to do and it’s really nice, an amazing opportunity for me. It’s a magical race and everybody wants to do one time Suzuka. For sure if everything goes well every year I would like to come, it’s an amazing track, the bike is fast.”
BALTUS A BIG SHEENE FAN
Barry Baltus, whose father raced twice in the 24 Heures de Liège, once a round of the EWC, is named after Barry Sheene, the legendary double 500cc world champion, who famously raced with number 7. “I have the number 7 on the bike here,” said Baltus. “It’s not only 7 but 76 but my name is Barry because my dad was a big fan of Barry Sheene and that’s why in moto2 I ride with the number 7.”
Original Source [ FIM EWC ]
