Honda Endurance Racing ready for Japan and the Suzuka 8 hours

Suzuka 8 Hours

Suzuka Circuit, Japan

The Honda Endurance Racing team is getting prepared to head to Japan, for the 39th ‘Coca-Cola Zero’ Suzuka 8 hours, the third round of the EWC Championship and Honda’s home race.

Honda’s endurance specialists Julien Da Costa, Freddy Foray and Sébastien Gimbert are hoping to maintain the momentum from their third place finish aboard the Honda CBR1000RR Fireblade SP at Portimao, and score another podium finish.

It’s a historic event for the Japanese manufacturer, with a total of 27 wins to date at the prestigious track. The Suzuka 8 hours, although part of the EWC calendar sees the permanent teams joined by a host of privateers, all competing for Suzuka victory.

Amongst the riders at the Suzuka 8 hours, Honda’s World Superbike pairing Nicky Hayden and Michael van Der Mark join Takumi Takahashi in the MuSASHi RT HARC-PRO team, and Honda’s World Supersport rider Patrick Jacobsen joins F.C.C TSR Honda, who are currently running fourth in the EWC standings.

Last year, Honda Endurance Racing finished in seventh place and this year they’ll be battling against 70 teams at the legendary 5.821km Honda-owned circuit. The Honda Endurance Racing team are currently sitting in sixth place in the overall EWC standings.

The 39th ‘Coca-Cola Zero’ Suzuka 8 hours takes place on Sunday 31 July at 11.30 Japanese standard time (GMT+9).

For all the latest news and live updates on the team and their progress throughout the race, follow @HondaRacingCBR on Twitter.

Suzuka 8 hour

Event Schedule (GMT+9)

Friday 29 July

0830 – 1030 – Free practice

1130 – 1150 – Free practice – rider 1

1205 – 1225 – Free practice – rider 2

1240 – 1300 – Free practice – rider 3

1510 – 1530 – Qualifying – rider 1

1545 – 1605 – Qualifying – rider 2

1620 – 1640 – Qualifying – rider 3

1800 – 1930 – Night practice

Saturday 30 July

1415 – 1500 – Free practice

1520 – 1645 – Top-10 Trial

Sunday 31 July

0830 – 0915 – Warm up

1045 – 1130 – Race start procedure

1130 – Race start

1930 – Race end

Freddy Foray 111

It was good to be back on the podium at Portimao, it has been a long time coming! After Le Mans the podium has boosted the team and we are heading to Suzuka confident of a good result, but Suzuka is very different, so we will see. I really enjoy riding at Suzuka it is a great circuit and a great event where all the fans and everyone really loves it. Last year we finished seventh and I know that we can do better this year. It’s Honda’s home race so it means a lot to the team and also to us to do well here. Living in the south of France helps a little to prepare for the conditions in Japan as it is very hot, but nothing really prepares you for the high temperatures. It’s a very hard race and different to a 24-hour as you are tired, but also with the conditions the fatigue comes quicker. I am looking forward to getting back out there and riding the Fireblade again.

Julien Da Costa 111

We are coming into the Suzuka 8 hours after finishing Portimao in third place, which was very good for the team. From that race we are now sixth in the EWC championship, which is good, it could be better, which we hope to work on. We had some things as well to change with the Fireblade so hopefully this will all come together for Suzuka and we can move further up the standings. Suzuka is a great race and the atmosphere is good, but it will be difficult, as always with the conditions and also with a lot more teams entered. To prepare for the race and conditions I do a lot of training in the middle of the day when it is the warmest, so I can try to be as prepared as possible. I really like riding at Suzuka, the track is good, but it is just the conditions that are very hard with the heat and humidity, you burn calories very fast and it can be difficult to stay focused during the 8 hours.

Sébastien Gimbert 111

Coming into to Suzuka after the result in Portugal is great and has helped to pick us all up. We all worked very hard in that race to get on the podium, we did a great job and it makes up for some of the difficulties we have experienced previously. I am feeling confident with Suzuka, it is a great race and there are many Japanese teams who are very fast and the teams competing in EWC so we have some competition! Last year we were seventh and it would be great this year to make a podium, it is my dream to finish on the podium at Suzuka. It is an amazing place with a very good atmosphere – the fans love it and very get involved. To prepare for the conditions, thankfully it is very hot at home, so I am very well prepared physically and I have been out a lot on my CRF, so for me I am ready! The race can be very hot, but there is also the chance where it can rain a lot, so we have to pay attention to the weather. I have confidence in my team and also the Fireblade to score the best possible result.

Jonny Twelvetrees

Assistant team manager

I have been looking forward to heading out to the iconic Suzuka 8 hours, along with the rest of the team and now we are almost there! As Suzuka is our home race this is a massive event for Honda and all the Honda teams taking part. The other Japanese manufacturers also all want win and to beat us at home, so we can be sure there will be strong competition as always. After our third place in Portimao we have been making further improvements to the Fireblade that have been well received by the three riders. We have been able to apply some of these in time for Suzuka so I’m keen to see if they translate on Japanese soil. The podium also helped to give the team a boost and we will arrive in Japan confident and ready to get the racing underway.