Lucas Mahias is not a stranger to the WorldSBK paddock. He won three STK1000 races in 2016, aboard the Yamaha YZF-R1. Not only did he compete in the European class, he was also crowned FIM Endurance World Champion aboard the same machine.

With these results, the French rider was able to secure a permanent ride with the Yamaha factory, as they make their return to World Supersport. Mahias made the first steps towards 2017 this week at the Circuito de Jerez, as he swung his leg over the new Yamaha YZF-R6.

At the end of his first test Mahias spoke to WorldSBK.com about the 2016 season and his goals with Yamaha for 2017.

STK1000, WorldSBK, Endurance, what’s your assessment of the 2016 season?

I take a pretty positive assessment. The start of the year went badly as I had to ride in Supersport and this was confirmed very last minute. I was in doubt until March, and was unsure about what I was going to be able to do. But I competed in the Le Mans 24h with the Suzuki R2CL, where I finished fourth. Since then everything has escalated, with a contract with the GMT94 and my return to Yamaha. I ended the year taking the title in the Endurance World Championship. For a year that was supposed to be an empty year it went well, and it allowed me to reconnect with Yamaha who I had left in 2015.

How will last season prepare you for the future?

All these situations have allowed me to grow in many ways. The harder the lessons are, the more you learn from them. Once it is easy, everything looks simple and it is difficult to learn from it. This is similar to my way of riding; in STK1000 I was able to show that I was fast, and this reassured Yamaha to sign me for World Supersport this year.

You accompany the official return of Yamaha under the colors of the GRT Racing Team in 2017, is it a source of motivation?

It's really awesome. I started riding motorbikes seven or eight years ago and I then started racing my first races - I never thought I could be where I am today. It was my dream in life; the dream I had when I went to bed, like children who dream of being an astronaut. Eventually, this became a reality with the official Yamaha team - the brand that has always been in my heart. They have come back officially and are counting on me in the team.

What are your goals on this new YZF-R6?

I want to do the best. I won’t put pressure on myself by thinking that this is the best chance of my life and that I have to be performing well. A season is long and a lot of things can happen, I do not doubt my abilities. I can be in the top five at the end of the season even after I have won a lot. But once again, you can never know what a motorcycle season is made of.

How was the first test at Circuito de Jerez?

Everything went well. It was really a discovery for everyone; for the team, for Yamaha and for us. Even if some aspects are similar to the previous model, the YZF-R6 remains a new motorcycle with quite a few changes, especially the fork and electronics. There was a lot of work and we chose not to put the transponders on, because the goal was not to put in the best time. It should not fall and make mistakes. It's still quite new and there's still a lot of work ahead of Australia. It was sometimes complicated not to try to just use the gas, but we were there to learn. We do not have official times, but what I can say is that at the end of the day the times were more than very good.

What is the team's program up to Phillip Island?

We did not go to Portimao. It was preferred that the team are able to prepare for Australia and Thailand and that all parts are available. The mechanics worked really hard to develop the new bike, and everything was not perfect because we did not have all the spare parts. Riding in Portimao would have taken the team away from the workshop for 15 days and this was not possible. The race remains the most important thing. We rode in Jerez; the bikes are working and we are not far down in the timings, quite the opposite. We stayed in Jerez to make a Yamaha video and then we will go to Milan to present the new bike.

After comparing yourself with the other machines on the track, what can you say about the potential of the Yamaha?

Honestly, the Yamaha, not to mention the rider, can already win races and win the championship. This was already the case with the old model, but after this test in Jerez we are really convinced. If we do not win the Championship, it will be the riders fault (laughter). I won’t put pressure on myself, the season is long; my goal is to score points at each race. We will see how it ends in Qatar. It's no use making big points at the beginning of the season: Australia is always a special round. We will progress quietly to have an unbeatable motorcycle at the end of the year.