42nd Coca-Cola Suzuka 8-Hours Endurance Race
FIM Endurance World Championship
Suzuka Circuit, Japan
July 27, 2019
Final Qualifying Results (based on an average of each rider’s best lap time):
1. Yamaha Factory Racing Team (Katsuyuki Nakasuga/Alex Lowes/Michael van der Mark), Yam YZF-R1, SBK, 2:06.619
2. Kawasaki Team Green (Leon Haslam/Toprak Razgatlioglu/Jonathan Rea), Kaw ZX-10RR, SBK, 2:06.633
3. Red Bull Honda (Takumi Takahashi/Ryuichi Koyinari/Stefan Bradl), Hon CBR1000RR SP2, SBK, 2:07.106
4. MuSashi RT Harc-Pro Honda (Xavi Fores/Dominique Aegerter/Ryo Mizuno), Hon CBR1000RR SP2, SBK, 2:07.183
5. Yoshimura Suzuki Motul Racing (Sylvain Guintoli/Yukio Kagayama/Kazuki Watanabe), Suz GSX-R1000, SBK, 2:07.187
6. YART – Yamaha (Broc Parkes/Marvin Fritz/Niccolo Canepa), Yam YZF-R1, SBK, 2:07.309
7. F.C.C. TSR Honda France (Josh Hook/Freddy Foray/Mike Di Meglio), Hon CBR1000RR SP2, SBK, 2:07.478
8. au. Teluru SAG Racing Team (Kosuke Akiyoshi/Tetsuta Nagashima/Taiga Hada), Hon CBR1000RR SP2, SBK, 2:07.916
9. S-Pulse Dream Racing – IAI (Tommy Bridewell/Bradley Ray), Suz GSX-R1000, SBK, 2:08.311
10. KYB Moriwaki Racing (Yuki Takahashi/Tomoyoshi Koyama/Troy Herfoss), Hon CBR1000RR, SBK, 2:08.758
11. KRP SANYOUKOGYO & will raise RS-ITOH (Akira Yanagawa/Mark Aitchison/Ryosuke Iwata), Kaw ZX-10RR, SBK, 2:09.039
12. Honda Suzuka Racing Team (Yudai Kamei/Daijiro Hiura/Jun Tadokoro), Hon CBR1000RR SP2, SBK, 2:09.188
13. VRD Igol Pierret Experiences (Florian Alt/Florian Marino/Xavier Simeon), Yam YZF-R1, SBK, 2:09.287
14. Team SRC Kawasaki France (Jeremy Guarnoni/Erwan Nigon/David Checa), Kaw ZX-10RR, SBK, 2:09.494
15. TK Suzuki Blue Max (Gregory Leblanc/Azlan Kamaruzaman/Takuya Tsuda), Suz GSX-R1000, SBK, 2:09.553
16. MotoMap SWAT (Josh Waters/Dan Linfoot/Nobuatsu Aoki), Suz GSX-R1000, STK, 2:09.631
17. Suzuki Endurance Racing Team (Vincent Philippe/Etienne Masson/Gregg Black), Suz GSX-R1000, SBK, 2:09.693
18. TONE RT SYNCEDGE 4413 (Tomoya Hoshino/Kokoro Atsumi/Takeshi Ishizuka), BMW S1000RR, STK, 2:09.908
19. Honda Asia Dream Racing with SHOWA (Muhammad Zaqhwan/Andi Farid Izdihar/Teppei Nagoe), HoCBR1000RR SP2, SBK, 2:10.047
20. Team ATJ with JAPAN POST (Taro Sekiguchi/Satoru Iwata/Takuma Kunimine), Hon CBR1000RR SP2, SBK, 2:10.116
21. Honda Endurance Racing Team (Randy De Puniet/Yonny Hernandez/Sebastien Gimbert), Hon CBR1000RR SP2, SBK, 2:10.190
More, from a press release issued by EuroSport Events:
YAMAHA FACTORY ON POLE AT SUZUKA
Following the cancellation of the Top 10 Trial, the starting grid of the Suzuka 8 Hours retains the positions taken in qualifying. This means Yamaha Factory Racing Team remain on pole, followed by Kawasaki Racing Team and Red Bull Honda.
Persistent rain on the Suzuka circuit this morning and concerns for rider safety led Race Direction to cancel the Top 10 Trial, the Superpole session in which the ten fastest teams in qualifying were scheduled to face off on a flying lap.
The positions taken on Friday after the two timed sessions were used instead to determine positions on the starting grid.
Yamaha Factory Racing Team, the winners of the past four editions, will hence start from pole on Sunday at the 2019 Suzuka 8 Hours, in front of Kawasaki Racing Team and Red Bull Honda.
Behind this threesome of Yamaha, Kawasaki and Honda factory teams, Musashi RT Harc-Pro Honda and Yoshimura Suzuki Motul Racing round off the Top 5, who will each receive their share of the first points (5 down to 1) awarded at the Suzuka 8 Hours to the teams securing the first five positions on the starting grid.
World title at stake
YART Yamaha and F.C.C. TSR Honda France will start from 6th and 7th place on the grid respectively. F.C.C. TSR Honda France, who are disappointed not to have had the chance to try for a Top 5 spot and a few extra points in the Top 10 Trial, are focusing on their twin objective: finishing as high up the podium as possible and taking a second FIM Endurance World Championship title.
On Sunday, all eyes will also be on VRD Igol Pierret Expériences, who will start from 13th at their Suzuka debut, ahead of championship standings leaders Team SRC Kawasaki France. F.C.C. TSR Honda France’s motivation makes them formidable adversaries, but Team SRC Kawasaki France’s closest rivals are Suzuki Endurance Racing Team, who will start the race from 17th position. There is only a five-point gap between the two teams, both competing for the 2018-2019 FIM EWC title.
The forecast predicts improved weather on race day tomorrow (Sunday), with overcast skies but no rainfall.
The 42nd edition of the Suzuka 8 Hours will be flagged off at 11.30am local time (GMT+9) tomorrow, Sunday 28 July.
More, from a press release issued by Honda Pro Racing:
Honda teams qualify strongly for the Suzuka 8 Hours as rain cancels today’s shootout
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Suzuka 8 Hours
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The Honda teams are ready to fight for a 28th victory at what is described by most riders at the most gruelling Endurance race of the year; the Suzuka 8 Hours. The #33 Red Bull Honda team of Takumi Takahashi, Ryuichi Kiyonari and Stefan Bradl will spearhead the quest from third. F.C.C. TSR Honda France, with riders Josh Hook, Freddy Foray and Mike di Meglio, are targeting a defence of their world title at this final round of the 2018/2019 FIM Endurance World Championship.
More, from a press release issued by Kawasaki:
KRT Second On The Suzuka 8 Hours Grid
Kawasaki Racing Team Suzuka 8 Hours riders Jonathan Rea, Leon Haslam and Toprak Razgatlioglu just missed out on pole position for Sunday’s race by 0.014 seconds, after the cancellation of the final Top Ten Trial qualifying session today, due to adverse weather conditions.
The Number 10 Ninja ZX-10RR team has shown great consistency and pace when it mattered at Suzuka and their combined times put them a clear second on the grid for the race.
In normal circumstances the team would have made a final push for pole position in the special Top Ten Trial session today but with persistent bad weather affecting the track conditions it was cancelled. That meant that the final grid line up would be determined from yesterday’s Overall Qualifying Classification, maintaining the KRT squad’s position in second place.
With the no competitive action taking place today the team is more than ready to race tomorrow with a clear aim to win this prestigious race, which is also the finale of the entire 2018/2019 Endurance World Championship.
The race itself, with a ‘Le Mans’ style starting procedure, will be held on Sunday 28 July at 11.30am local time in Japan (02.30 GMT/04.30 CET). Started in daylight, the race will finish in darkness at 19.30. At present, raceday weather conditions are forecast to be overcast but not wet.
With the overall EWC title to be decided at Suzuka the Team SCR Kawasaki France entry of Jeremy Guarnoni, Erwan Nigon and David Checa will race to maintain their leading position in the points after four of the five championship rounds have been completed.
The Number 11 Kawasaki team has a five point lead over the Suzuki Endurance Racing Team at the top of the championship table, and a 23 point lead over the F.C.C TSR Honda France squad.
SRC qualified 14th at Suzuka after the combined lap times were averaged out, with their closest rival three places behind on the grid.
Jonathan Rea, stated: “We are really happy with our preparations although it was an unfortunate situation that we did not get any riding done today because of the weather conditions. But, that means that we keep the second position that we secured yesterday. We are in a great starting place and we feel ready. Obviously, endurance races are long so we just need to minimise our mistakes, be consistent and see what happens. Now we will discuss strategy for the race and what will be, will be. There is a lot of support here for the team, Kawasaki and us so we will be doing our best to get a good result.”
Leon Haslam, stated: “We obviously did not get to go out today for the Top Ten Trial because of the weather conditions but yesterday was good. The average time was competitive for the team because we were all within one or two tenths of each other. The consistency is there and now we just have to wait and see what comes in terms of the weather. If it is raining, Johnny and I have some good experience of this. In the dry we are looking to have strong race pace from all three riders. We will wait and see but I am looking forward to it. I feel ready for tomorrow.”
Toprak Razgatlioglu, stated: “Yesterday, Qualifying was good because it was the first time I had tried the bike on new tyres and I set a strong lap time, as did Johnny and Leon. Very good lap times. We ended up in second position, which was very positive. We could not ride again today, after the Top Ten Trial was cancelled because of the track conditions. We are all good, feeling good, and ready to race. We will see how things are tomorrow.”
Pere Riba, Crew Chief, stated: “During the test on Wednesday we worked on the points that we had identified that we needed to improve during our previous tests. We found a good base and then in the qualifying session it was very positive because all three riders set good lap times, very close to the fastest. The most important thing to confirm was a good set-up for all three riders, and they all showed good pace. We have found a base set-up that seems better than last year, with a more consistent race rhythm rather than a fast one-lap pace. The race will decide everything now but in terms of our preparation I am quite happy.”
More, from a press release issued by Team Suzuki Press Office:
SUZUKI RIDERS TAKE TO THE STAGE AT SUZUKA 8 HOURS
•Typhoon #6 causes Top-10 Trial cancellation.
•Friday’s results stand for tomorrow’s start.
•Suzuki Teams take to the stage and meet fans.
(Above) Suzuki riders at the Suzuka 8-Hours.
Typhoon #6 washed-out today’s planned Top-10 Trial at Suzuka Circuit in Japan ahead of tomorrow’s final round of the 2018-2019 Endurance World Championship, the 42nd running of the historic race.
As the morning’s separate four hour race was taking place in atrocious conditions, Suzuki and other manufacturers and shops had various events taking place behind the grandstand, which forced their cancellation last year due to another typhoon, but today all went ahead with a huge amount of support from hundreds of fans at the Suzuki booth, where all the major teams and riders attended.
And despite the heavy rain, the Suzuki booth had on display the new KATANA, the GSX-R1000R and Alex Rins’ Team SUZUKI ECSTAR MotoGP GSX-RR machine for Suzuki fans to sit on and take photos.
From 9:50am, some of the main Suzuki teams came on stage welcomed by ex-Suzuki factory rider Keiichi Kitagawa as event MC to talk about their ambitions for tomorrow’s series finale; in what is expected to be one of the most thrilling in the 42-year history of the event.
#95 S-PULSE DREAM RACING·IAI rider Tommy Bridewell, now in his second year with the team, and currently second in the British Superbike Championship was joined by Buildbase Suzuki’s Bradley Ray – who rode for Yoshimura last year at Suzuka. Said Ray: “The bikes are very similar so there’s nothing to worry about. It would be great if we could beat Yoshimura! We aim to be the top Suzuki team”
Both riders also promised to fight hard for their injured team mate Ogata, who was forced out after a crash, Bridewell adding: “We’ll do our best and if that results a better position than last year, that’s a podium!”
All three riders from the #9 Motomap S.W.A.T team, Josh Waters, Dan Linfoot and Nobuatsu Aoki of were present with Team Manager Makoto Busujima.
“We are competing in the SST class again this year but both the tyres and suspension have changed. The bike is set up around the set that Josh uses in the Australian Superbike Championships” said Aoki, “But basically it’s a stock GSX-R and for the two riders to mark 2 minute 8 second laps is just amazing! This has proven the potential of the GSX-R”
However, how good the lap times are, it is still difficult to race under SST regulations: It doesn’t allow use of quick release devices on cycle parts so the tyre changing can take around 30 seconds while other EWC teams can do it in 10. A loss of 20 seconds at each pit stop is hard but the team aims not only to win the SST class but to finish in the overall top 10.
#71 TK SUZUKI BLUE MAX, with riders Gregory LeBlanc, Azlan Shah Kamaruzaman and Takuya Tsuda, are a multi-national team with Frenchman LeBlanc, Malaysian Azlan and Japanese Tsuda. “We met the first time on Tuesday” said Tsuda, because the originally planned rider Uramoto had priorities in the Spanish series he’s competing in and the other two joined the team at the last minute.
Azlan said: “It’s the first time I’m riding a Suzuki. It’s very fast and I’m happy with it. This year’s Suzuka happened all very suddenly but I’ll do my best”
LeBlanc said: “It’s an honour to ride for Kagayama-san’s team and I’ll make the best of this opportunity”
Next on stage was #12 YOSHIMURA SUZUKI MOTUL RACING, with Yoshimura president Fujio Yoshimura, riders Yukio Kagayama, Kazuki Watanabe and Sylvain Guintoli. Being the only team to participate in all of the 42 races in the history of Suzuka Eight Hours, Fujio Yoshimura announced the Yoshimura Spirit firmly. “We do this for the pleasure of beating the Factory Teams!” and a roar of applause rose from the crowd.
“Starting the testing in Sepang, we have prepared carefully for this event, and I feel we have proceeded even further this week and are at yet again a higher level. President Fumio rarely praises our work so I’m going to really try hard to gain approval from President Fumio!” said Kagayama.
Watanabe, who marked the top time in the team, commented he’ll do his best to contribute to the team while MotoGP test rider Guintoli said: “I feel the same DNA as a MotoGP bike in the Yoshimura GSX-R. Obviously it’s not the same but it’s very powerful and fast. It’s my third year with Yoshimura but I’ve been unlucky the past two. I hope we can do well this time around.”
Fujio Yoshimura added: “We are going to win it this year!” at the end of the stage and thanked the crowd for the support.
Last on the stage was #2 SUZUKI ENDURANCE RACING TEAM with riders Vincent Philippe, Etienne Masson, Gregg Black and Team Manager Dominique Méliand, who has been the manager of SERT for over 40 years and guided the team to 15 world titles. He has stated he will retire from his racing career after this race and said: “This is an emotional moment. I’ll do my best to be successful in this last race, for the team and for Suzuki.”
Philippe, who has been with the team for over 13 years, commented: “So many things happened over the years we’ve been together. It has not always been easy, but Dominique has always been close and was supportive. I can’t thank him enough.”
SERT is now only five points behind the Championship leader and has a strong chance to be World Champion again. The three riders are determined to race hard and make Dominique’s retirement perfect, crowned with another World Title.
The retirement ceremony will take place on the main course before the start of the race at 10:10am.
WATCH THE SUZUKA 8 HOURS LIVE
Viewers around the world can watch live coverage of the entire Suzuka 8 Hours, the 2018-2019 FIM EWC’s Grand Finale, on Sunday July 28th.
Full live coverage of the Suzuka 8 Hours, from the race start procedure to the podium ceremony, will be broadcast on Eurosport 2 from 4.15am to 1pm CEST. The 2018-2019 FIM EWC final will be shown in more than 60 countries and on Eurosport Player, with commentary in English and French.
Eurosport Events, the FIM EWC promoter, now releases coverage of the FIM Endurance World Championship races to more than 20 broadcasters around the globe.
Two new channels have been added to the list of networks offering international coverage of the FIM EWC. Motortrend in the United States, Canada, South America and Africa will show the entire race live on its digital platform. The Sky NZ channel will also provide full live coverage of the Suzuka 8 Hours in New Zealand.
Japanese fans can watch live coverage of the entire Suzuka 8 Hours on the digital platform Hulu as well as the Nippon TV group’s channels, G+, BS NTV and BS NTV2.
In France, sports channel L’Equipe will show live coverage from 8am to 12.45pm following a recap of the first few hours of the race.