The Suzuka 8 Hours is another legendary race, and is the third of four rounds in the FIM World Endurance Championship. It has been run every year since 1978. This is a major race as it coincides with off weekends in the FIM MotoGP and World Superbike schedules, attracting many top riders from those series, in addition to star riders from Japan. So, there's quite a variety of talent that converges upon the Suzuka circuit for this event every single year.
A field of 58 bikes will start the race in it's 35th season. The circuit was built in 1962 and is a unique circuit. Many Japanese teams are here, trying to win their home race. This event is very unique. Fujio Yoshimura who runs the Yoshimura Suzuki team explains that it's special when a Japanese entrant can win and beat the best from Europe. Yoshimura has quite the collection of riders for this race including Josh Waters from the Australian Superbike Championship, Leon Camier from FIM World Superbike, and Nobuatsu Aoki. Honda will also have a major presence, because Suzuka is their home track. They've won 24 of 34 races held at Suzuka.
Those victories came in 1979, '81, '82, '84, '85, '86, '89, '91, '92, '94, '95, '97, '98, '99, '00, '01, '02, '03, '04, '05, and '06 as well as '08, '10, and '11. Comparably, Suzuki has five victories, to Yamaha's four wins. Kawasaki has won once, in 1993, with Scott Russell and Aaron Slight. Suzuki won in the early years, three times in 1978, '80, and '83. But, it took them 24 years before winning the event again in 2007 with a bike in the hands of Japanese riders Yukio Kagayama and Kousuke Akiyoshi, while also winning in 2009 with a GSXR1000 ridden by Nobuatsu Aoki, Kazuki Tokudome, and Daisaku Sakai.
Yamaha's triumphs came in the '80s and '90s, in 1985, '87, '90, and '96. The last win for Yamaha came in 1996 at the hands of two riders who would go on to battle in World Superbike competition in the late '90s and early 2000s for different teams, running Honda's. Colin Edwards and Noriyuki Haga teamed up for a victory in the '96 race. Haga is back on a Yamaha this year for Monster Energy Yamaha YART. Honda TT Legends team manager Havier Beltran explains that the Japanese riders from their own series are really competitive, high caliber athletes and know this track well.
Honda TT Legends will retain their three rider British team of Cameron Donald, John McGuinness, and Australian rider Jason O'Halloran. Another team to look out for is the #11 F.C.C. TSR Honda team with former FIM Grand Prix champion on 250cc and 500cc machinery, Tadayuki "Taddy" Okada, sharing with current Honda World Superbike racer Johnny Rea, and Kohsuke Akiyoshi. One guest on hand for this race is five time 500cc World Champion motorcycle racer, Australia's Mick Doohan. Doohan won the event in 1991 with fellow Aussie 500cc champion Wayne Gardner, on a Honda RZF750.
Gardner went on to win the race the next year in 1992, on the same bike, with Aussie motorcycle and car racer, Darryl Beattie. Doohan explains that this race, even though it's just eight hours, is very difficult because of the weather conditions changing, and the heat factor, being in the height of the summer months with heat, and occasionally, rain, or worse, a typhoon. This years event looks to be dry and sunny. On pole for this race will be YART, with Kasayuki Nakasuga riding the opening stint in the race. The lap time was 2:06.845.
YART are of course on pole, but Yoshimura Suzuki and Musashi Harc Pro will also be competitive with Yuki Takahashi who has run in 125cc, 250cc, MotoGP, and Moto 2 racing. Also on the rider's strength for bike #634 will be factory Honda World Superbike star, Hiroshi Aoyama. Yamaha gets their first pole at Suzuki in twelve years, since Noriyuki Haga was still riding for them.
At the start, the riders run to their bikes. Who will get the lead off the start? It's the #7 Yamaha of Katsuyuki Nagasuka. He is opening a gap over everyone else just through the first few corners. FCC TSR Honda is a short distance behind the top three. It's Musashi, YART, and in third, bike #12, the Yoshimura Suzuki with Leon Camier, Josh Waters, and current rider, Nobuatsu Aoki. Rider Tommy Hill completes the trio along with Nakasuga and Haga at YART. Nakasuga was running well, passing lapped riders, but, he threw it away, ditching the bike moments later.
Nakasuga is OK. But, in that tumble, the bike is comprehensively damaged. Team mate Tommy Hill is decidedly upset by this incident. YART hadn't even made a pit stop yet! Team manager Mandy Kainz is aware they will fall sharply down the order. FCC TSR Honda is coming quickly and passes Musashi RT Harc-Pro. Yoshimura Suzuki is not anywhere to be seen. They're probably around, just further back in the order. The two best regular teams in the World Endurance Championship in this race are SERT (Suzuki Endurance Racing Team), and BMW Motorrad France. Once again, FCC TSR Honda is now leading.
The Yoshimura bike is one of the first to make a scheduled pit stop. Ditto for Musashi and FCC TSR Honda. There are rider changeovers, as well as new tires and full fuel tanks for these bikes. The leading teams have identical, very quick pit stops. After two hours, here's the running order:
1. EWC #11 FCC TSR Honda Honda CBR1000RR
Akiyoshi/Rea/Okada
2. EWC #634 Musashi Harc Pro Honda CBR1000RR
Takahashi/Kiyonari/Aoyama
3. EWC #12 Yoshimura Suzuki Racing Team Suzuki GSXR1000
Camier/Waters/Aoki
4. EWC #1 Suzuki Endurance Racing Team Suzuki GSXR1000
Philippe/Delhalle/Kagayama
5. EWC #99 BMW Motorrad France 99 BMW S1000RR
Gimbert/Nigon/Cudlin
6. EWC #01 Evangelion Test Type 01 Trick Star Kawasaki ZX10R
Serazawa/Deguchi/Izutsu
7. EWC #104 Toho Racing w/Moriwaki Honda CBR1000RR
Yamaguchi/Takahashi/Teshima
8. EWC #94 Yamaha France GMT 94 Yamaha R1
Checa/Foray/Lagrive
9. EWC #32 Moto Map Supply Suzuki GSXR1000
Konno/Tsuda/Tamitsuji
10. EWC #25 Honda Suzuka Racing Team Honda CBR1000RR
Tokudome/Yasuda/Kitaguchi
At the four hour mark, it continued to be a battle between FCC TSR Honda and Musashi Harc Pro. SERT is on the same lap with the top two and one lap adrift is the #99 BMW S1000RR for BMW Motorrad France. The #12 Yoshimura Suzuki is in pit lane with an oil leak, and, to add insult to injury, a stop and go penalty, possibly for speeding in the pit lane. Team manager for Yoshimura Suzuki, Yohei Kato explains what happened.
Leon Camier was on the bike, and there was something that happened with him ignoring a local yellow flag. This has relegated Yoshimura Suzuki out of a points paying spot, much less a position to fight for the race win. Meanwhile, SERT moves to second spot in the overall behind FCC TSR Honda. SERT is now the only factory represented Suzuki team in the race since Yoshimura's demise earlier. SERT team manager Dominique Meliand, reviews their situation at this juncture of the race. They are on pace with the rest of the leaders, and could move forward in the race and the championship standings.
Meliand says, "Suzuka is a fabulous place to race. It's very long and very difficult. It's tough to keep up the pressure with so many experts here. Wait and see what happens." Meanwhile, BMW Motorrad France pits. They've been running around third place (the last spot on the podium), after winning in Qatar last time out. FCC Honda remains in the lead. Yamaha GMT 94 is also in contention. But apparently, they've gone down to just two riders. David Checa and Kenny Foray are handling the bike, after Mathieu Lagrive was also initially listed on the squad.
They are passed by bike #104 (the Toho/Moriwaki Honda). The next target for them is Musashi Harc Pro which has fallen down the order after running second earlier on in this race. Yamaha GMT 94 team manager Christophe Guyot (a former rider and race winner himself), is confident. Guyot explains that the bike had a tire issue with David Checa aboard. They made a pit stop shortly afterward. Kenny Foray takes over the bike. Mathieu Lagrive is injured and is not able to ride in this race. The Bolliger Kawasaki is doing well, running in the top fifteen, on this, their third appearance in the Suzuka 8 Hours.
They've just cracked the top fifteen halfway through the race as the bike is being brought in for a pit stop. The regular trio of riders for the team is featured including Austrian, Horst Saiger, Switzerland's Roman Stamm, and Frenchman, Jerome Tangre. Team manager for Bolliger Kawasaki, Hanspeter Bigler is confident. At the sharp end, it's still a battle between FCC TSR Honda leading and Musashi Harc Pro in second with their similar bike. Musashi Harc Pro makes a pit stop, having completed 110 laps so far. The #12 Yoshimura Suzuki, meanwhile, is in the garage.
The team is still trying to fix the oil leak that has plagued them since early on in the going. Immediately after this FCC Honda is in the lane. There will be a rider change, tire change, and a tank of fuel. The race is officially half over. Here are the four hour standings (the top ten).
1. EWC #634 Musashi Harc Pro Honda CBR1000RR
Takahashi/Kiyonari/Aoyama
2. EWC #11 FCC TSR Honda Honda CBR1000RR
Akiyoshi/Rea/Okada
3. EWC #1 Suzuki Endurance Racing Team Suzuki GSXR1000
Philippe/Delhalle/Kagayama
4. EWC #99 BMW Motorrad France 99 BMW S1000RR
Gimbert/Nigon/Cudlin
5. EWC #104 Toho Racing w/Moriwaki Honda CBR1000RR
Yamaguchi/Takahashi/Teshima
6. EWC #32 Moto Map Supply Suzuki GSXR1000
Konno/Tsuda/Tamitsuji
7. EWC #01 Evangelion Test Type 01 Trick Star Kawasaki ZX10R
Serazawa/Deguchi/Izutsu
8. EWC #94 Yamaha France GMT 94 Yamaha R1
Checa/Foray
9. EWC #25 Honda Suzuka Racing Team Honda CBR1000RR
Tokudome/Yasuda/Kitaguchi
10. EWC #090 Teluru & Emobile - Kohara RT Honda CBR1000RR
Tsujimura/Noda/Watanabe
The second half of the race is now unfolding. A battle is brewing between Teluru & Emobile, and, Evangelion Trick Star. It's Kawasaki vs. Honda. Both of these teams are wildcard Japanese entries who are not a part of the regular teams roster in the FIM World Endurance Championship. Musashi and FCC continue scrapping at the front of the pack. The FCC Honda pulls away. The team of Rea, Okada, and Akiyoshi, are proving difficult to keep up with.
The Musashi bike pits. Riders are slightly tiring, and there is a rider change on bike #634. Not sure if it's Takahashi, Kiyonara, or Aoyama who gets on the bike. Toho Racing Moriwaki is running well with their trio of Tatsuya Yamaguchi, Yuki Takahashi, and Yusuke Teshima on their Honda. They are running in a top five position. Can they challenge BMW Motorrad France and SERT? Team manager Fi Asa says the riders are enjoying the race and that their lap times are very consistent. Honda TT Legends is running well, too, according to Havier Beltrand.
After the interview with Beltrand, right on cue, the #77 bike pits. They are looking to move into the top fifteen. Also pitting, it's BMW Motorrad France. They want to get on the podium with their trio of riders (Damien Cudlin, Sebastien Gimbert, and Erwin Nigon. FCC TSR Honda continues to lead. With the pit stop cycle, FCC Honda leapfrogs Musashi and takes over P1. But, things go from bad to worse for Musashi. Ryuichi Kiyonari ditched the bike in a huge way, making contact on the pavement, with the fuel tank. Thus, the bike goes up into a fireball!
Kiyonari is OK. But, he will not be a repeat winner of this event as he was in 2011 teaming with Kosuke Akiyoshi, and Shinichi Itoh on another Honda bike, ironically, for the same team leading this year's event, FCC TSR Honda with #11 on the fairing. Musashi team manager Shigeki Honda has a never say die attitude and says the team will be back for future races. The bikes run behind the safety car after the accident as the track is under a full course yellow.
Six hours gone in the race already. Two remain. Here's the standings as they run in the top ten.
1. EWC #11 FCC TSR Honda Honda CBR1000RR
Akiyoshi/Rea/Okada
2. EWC #1 Suzuki Endurance Racing Team Suzuki GSXR1000
Philippe/Delhalle/Kagayama
3. EWC #99 BMW Motorrad France 99 BMW S1000RR
Gimbert/Nigon/Cudlin
4. EWC #104 Toho Racing w/Moriwaki Honda CBR1000RR
Yamaguchi/Takahashi/Teshima
5. EWC #01 Evangelion Test Type 01 Trick Star Kawasaki ZX10R
Serazawa/Deguchi/Izutsu
6. EWC #25 Honda Suzuka Racing Team Honda CBR1000RR
Tokudome/Yasuda/Kitaguchi
7. EWC #32 Moto Map Supply Suzuki GSXR1000
Konno/Tsuda/Tamitsuji
8. EWC #090 Teluru & Emobile - Kohara RT Honda CBR1000RR
Tsujimura/Noda/Watanabe
9. EWC #94 Yamaha France GMT 94 Yamaha R1
Checa/Foray
10. EWC #71 Honda Dream RT/Sakurai Honda Honda CBR1000RR
Maxwell/Stauffer
Moving to tenth is the #71 Honda Dream RT machine, a Honda CBR1000RR shared by Australian riders Wayne Maxwell, and Jamie Stauffer. Bike #11 pits. It's a routine stop. Tires, fuel, and a rider change. They're lead is growing with only two hours left in the race. SERT also pits for routine service. They lead the points, but were not expected to run well with all the competitive Japanese teams in the field. Yet, they're right in contention towards the end of this one.
Somehow or other, Yamaha GMT 94 sneaks into a podium position with the duo of David Checa and Kenny Foray. They would eventually finish in third place. FCC TSR Honda did take the race victory in the Suzuka 8 Hours. Their second consecutive win. The team of Johnny Rea, Tadiyuki Okada, and Kohsuke Akiyoshi win it!
#11 EWC: Akiyoshi/Rea/Okada Honda CBR1000RR
This gives Honda their 25th win in 35 runnings of this race! Wow! Suzuka is their home track, so, they surely have the upper hand on their competition. Two more races to run. They have already taken place. But, when available, they'll be highlighted here in the not too distant future. The next race will be the 8 Hours of Oschersleben at the Motorsport Arena Oschersleben in Oschersleben, Germany, followed by the season finale, the motorcycle version of the 24 Hours of Le Mans, at the Bugatti Circuit within the Le Mans track in Le Mans, France.
Stay tuned for reports on those races when they are available.
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