The 2019-2020 FIM EWC season will get underway with the Bol d’Or on 21 September on France’s Le Castellet circuit.
The second round of the championship is a new winter race in South-east Asia, initiated as part of a calendar reform by championship promoter Eurosport Events.
2019 Le Mans 24 Hours – Team VRD Igol Pierret Experiences
The inaugural edition of the 8 Hours of Sepang, which results from a strong collaboration between FIM, Eurosport Events, Sepang International Circuit and Mobilityland, will be a qualifying round for the 2020 Suzuka 8 Hours. Its innovative format lays the foundation for the first-ever double-header event in Asian motorsport, with two major car and motorcycle races taking place over a single weekend: the 8 Hours of Sepang on Saturday 14 December 2019 and the season finale of the FIA WTCR/OSCARO on Sunday 15 December.
2019 Le Mans 24 Hours
The 43rd edition of the 24 Heures Motos, traditionally held at Le Mans in mid-April, and the 8 Hours of Oschersleben on the first weekend of June will take place mid-way through the FIM EWC calendar.
FIM Endurance World Championship – Le Mans 24 Hour 2019
The Suzuka 8 Hours round, the grand finale of the FIM Endurance World Championship, will be brought forward to mid-July, on a one-off basis, for the first time in its history.
GMT94 Yamaha – 8H of Oschersleben
“The Coca-Cola Suzuka 8 Hours Endurance Race has a long 42-year history,” explains Kaoru Tanaka, the new President of Mobilityland. “It has recently been established as the final round of the FIM Endurance World Championship, and is traditionally held on the last Sunday of July. For 2020, we decided to bring the event forward so it precedes the fanfare of the Tokyo Olympic Games. Now scheduled for July 19th, the Suzuka 8 Hours race will have the eyes of the world on Japan ahead of the Tokyo Olympics. Come join us for a sizzling season final in July 2020.”
Josh Hook (centre) and F.C.C. TSR Honda after winning the 2018 8H of Oschersleben
Provisional 2019-2020 FIM EWC calendar
21/22 September 2019 – Bol d’Or (24h-race) / Le Castellet – France
14 December 2019 * – 8 Hours of Sepang / Malaysia
18/19 April 2020 – 24 Heures Motos / Le Mans – France
Red Bull Honda consistently quickest during testing
HRC’s Japanese squad of Takumi Takahashi, Ryuichi Kiyonari and Stefan Bradl dominated testing at Suzuka this week. Red Bull Honda, as the team is referred to, topped all three days of testing. The fastest overall time of the test was set on day one by Red Bull Honda at 2m05.939, which they then backed up on day two with 2m06.139s before then topping the very wet final day of testing also.
Takumi Takahashi – Red Bull Honda
Takumi Takahashi is in hot form after just scoring four consecutive wins in the All Japan Road Race Championship (JRR) JSB1000 class and was the quickest rider during this week’s test.
The Yamaha Factory Racing Team of Katsuyuki Nakasuga, Alex Lowes and Michael Van der Mark were consistently the second quickest team ahead of two more Honda teams.
Katsuyuki Nakasuga
“Our setup is solid for the dry, but I wanted to have a chance to ride in the wet as well, so today was very important for us. Of course I’d rather the entire race be dry, though. This test has been productive and has given us a lot in preparation for the race. Next up is the race weekend, so I’m looking forward to getting together both of my teammates, and I want us to work together to get the best result we can.”
Katsuyuki Nakasuga – Yamaha Factory Racing Team
The reining World Endurance Championship trio of young Aussie Josh Hook and his French team-mates Freddy Foray and Mike Di Meglio were third quickest on day one but were pipped out of that third spot on day two by MuSashi RT Harc-Pro.
Josh Hook – F.C.C. TSR Honda
Yoshimura Suzuki were fifth quickest ahead of the YART Yamaha World Endurance squad of Broc Parkes, Marvin Fritz and Niccolo Canepa.
Broc Parkes
“Today we only rode in the morning session. Both for me and my teammates, we all had lap times that were plenty fast. I’ve ridden on Bridgestones in the wet at Suzuka several times before and I know how well they work here, so our fast times were to be expected. For this test, we were consistently quick, and all things considered it was a great three days. But for us, going up against teams with factory bikes, including F.C.C. TSR Honda, with our EWC-spec R1, I know it will be a big challenge. But you never know what can happen in endurance racing. That’s why we have to give it our all and never give up.”
Broc Parkes – Y.A.R.T.
Frenchman Sylvain Guintoli, Suzuki’s MotoGP test rider, partners two Japanese riders, Kasuki Watanabe and veteran Yukio Kagayama in the Yoshimura Suzuki squad.
Sylvain Guintoli – Yoshimura Suzuki
Troy Herfoss had a late call-up to join KYB Moriwaki Racing for Suzuka and the Australian Superbike Champion tested with the squad this week where the team recorded a best of 2m09.275s.
Troy Herfoss testing at Suzuka this week
Josh Waters will contest Suzuka as part of the MotoMap SWAT Suzuki squad alongside his good friend Nobuatsu Aoki and British rider Dan Linfoot. They recorded a best of 2m09.940s during this week’s test.
Mike Di Meglio – F.C.C. TSR Honda
Testing form bodes well for Honda to extend their record as the most successful manufacturer at the Suzuka 8 Hour. In fact, Honda have 27 wins to their name, well ahead of next best Yamaha on eight victories. Suzuki have five wins while Kawasaki has only ever won the prestigious event once, and that was more than 25 years ago when Aaron Slight and Scott Russell piloted a ZXR750R to victory.
Dominique Aegerter – MuSashi RT Harc Pro Honda
Kawasaki have shown form in recent years though with Jonathan Rea setting a 2m05.168s lap record during qualifying for the event last year. The primary strike force for the Kawasaki Racing Team for Suzuka 2019 sees Rea joined by Leon Haslam and young Turk Toprak Razgatlioglu. That trio were otherwise engaged preparing for the Laguna Seca round of the World Superbike Championship this weekend. They are certainly race fit though and there is no question that they have the speed to challenge for Suzuka 8H glory.
Sodo Hamahara – Honda Dream RT Sakurai
The next time we will get to see the true form guide shake out ahead of the July 28th event is on Thursday, July 24th.
Etienne Masson – SERT
The 42nd edition of the Suzuka 8 Hours is also the FIM EWC season finale. Heading to Suzuka SRC Kawasaki currently lead the championship by five-points over SERT while F.C.C. TSR Honda is third a further 18-points adrift. SRC Kawasaki France did not take part in this week’s testing. The FIM EWC season finale sees participants score 150 per cent of the regular points, with 45-points awarded to the winner of the Suzuka 8 Hours.
While the 5.821km Suzuka circuit itself was opened in the September of 1962, the Suzuka 8 Hour first came about in 1978.
It quickly became the most important race for production based bikes in the world.
American duo Wes Cooley and Mike Baldwin won that inaugural duel on July 30, 1978, on a Yoshimura backed GS1000 Suzuki.
Australia planted its flag at Suzuka in 1979 when a Team Honda Australia squad consisting of Tony Hatton and Mick Cole rode a CB900 to victory.
New Zealand took their first top step on the rostrum the following year when Kiwi Graeme Crosby partnered with American Wes Cooley to win the race on a Yoshimura GS1000 Suzuki.
While the race was a Japanese affair largely contested between Nippon manufacturers, it was not untiul 1982 that Japanese riders themselves tasted the champagne. That year the race was reduced to six hours due to an incoming typhoon and standing atop the podium were Shigeo Iijima and Shinji Hagiwara.
1985 Suzuka 8 Hour winning RVF750
Wayne Gardner won the first of his quartet of Suzuka 8 Hour victories in 1985 while sharing the riding duties on the RVF750 Honda with Masaki Tokuno. Gardner went on to win again the next year, 1986, while partnered with Dominique Sarron.
1987 was the first time Yamaha took top honours and it came thanks to the talents of Kevin Magee, who became the fourth Australian to win a Suzuka 8 Hour. Magee won in partnership with German Martin Wimmer in 1987, the following year, 1988, the Horsham Hurricane’s victory was taken in conjunction with a then 28-year-old Wayne Rainey. The American also won his first 500cc GP race victory that year.
Wayne Gardner and Mick Doohan won in 1991 on an RVF750 Honda.
Daryl Beattie then shared the victory podium with Gardner in 1992 on the Oki Honda Racing Team RVF750.
New Zealand’s Aaron Slight then won three on the trot with a different partner each time. The first victory in 1993 coming on a Kawasaki with Scott Russell, followed by two wins on the RC45, the first with Doug Polen and the second with Tadayuki Okada.
1993 also signalled the change from F1 or TT style motorcycles as the premier category at the Suzuka 8 Hour to ‘Superbikes’.
Colin Edwards and Noriyuki Haga put Yamaha back on top in 1996 before Honda then went on a ten-year winning streak that stretched all the way from 1997 through to 2006.
Valentino Rossi and Colin Edwards won the 2001 Suzuka 8 Hour
The first three of that decade long Honda winning streak were won on RC45s, the next four on VTR-SP twins, including Valentino Rossi’s 2001 victory with Colin Edwards on the Cabin Honda VTR-SP1, while the Fireblade took top honours in 2004/05/06.
2006 – Suzuka 8 Hour – Takeshi Tsujimura
Yukio Kagayama and Kousuke Akiyoshi broke Suzuki’s 24-year drought in 2007.
Yukio Kagayama – 2007 Suzuka 8 Hour
Carlos Checa and Ryuichi Kiyonari put the Fireblade back on top in 2008.
Carlos Checa and Ryuichi Kiyonari – Suzuka 8 Hour – 2008
2009 saw the introduction of three-rider teams and another all-Japanese victory for Yoshimura Suzuki.
2012 Suzuka 8 Hour winners Kousuke Akiyoshi, Tadayuki Okada and Jonathan Rea
2010 saw Honda’s Fireblade kicked off another winning streak that carried right through to 2014.
2013 Suzuka 8 Hour winners Takumi Takahashi, Michael Van der Mark and Leon Haslam
Winners for Honda in this period included Leon Haslam, Takumi Takahashi, Jonathan Rea, Takaaki Nakagami, Tadayuki Okada and Michael Van der Mark.
2015 marked a new era of domination by the Yamaha Factory Racing Team and the YZF-R1M.
Katsuyuki Nakasuga – Suzuka 8 Hour – 2015
Japanese hotshot Katsuyuki Nakasuga has been part of all those victories while Pol Espargaro (2015/16) helped him to two, as did Alex Lowes (2016/17), while Bradley Smith (2015) and Michael Van der Mark (2017) played their parts in Yamaha’s recent string of success also.
Katsuyuki Nakasuga and Pol Espargaro – 2015 Suzuka 8 Hour
In 2018, Nakasuga again partnered with Alex Lowes and Michael Van der Mark and the trio went on to claim Yamaha’s fourth successive victory.
Katsuyuki Nakasuga, Alex Lowes and Michael Van der Mark victorious at the 2017 Suzuka 8 Hour
Suzuka 8 Hour Most Successful Riders
Only five riders have taken four victories at the prestigious race. Wayne Gardner (1985-1986-1991-1992), Ryuichi Kiyonari (2005-2008-2010-2011), Shinichi Itoh (1997-1998-2006-2011), Katsuyuki Nakasuga (2015-2016-2017-2018), Michael Van der Mark (2013-2014-2017-2018).
The most successful rider at the Suzuka 8 Hour is Tohru Ukawa. The Japanese rider has five victories to his name (1997-1998-2000-2004-2005). All five were won on Honda machinery, two on the RC45, one on the VTR1000 and two more on Fireblades.
2004 Suzuka 8 Hour – Tohru Ukawa
Suzuka 8 Hour Most Successful Manufacturers
Honda are the leading manufacturer with 27 wins. Next best is Yamaha with eight victories while Suzuki have five wins.
Ryuichi Kiyonari – 2008 Suzuka 8 Hour
Kawasaki has only ever won the prestigious event once and that was some 25 years ago when Aaron Slight and Scott Russell piloted a ZXR750R to victory.
The Suzuka 8 Hours is just over a month away and the 2019 race is shaping up to be a memorable one, with the Japanese factory teams entering the race with one clear objective: taking the win to dash Yamaha Factory Racing Team’s (YART’s) hopes of a fifth consecutive victory.
Suzuka 8 Hour 2018
The 42nd edition of the Suzuka 8 Hours is also the FIM EWC season finale. Team SRC Kawasaki France, Suzuki Endurance Racing Team and reigning champions F.C.C. TSR Honda France are the contenders for the title.
Unbeaten at the Suzuka 8 Hours since 2015, Yamaha Factory Racing Team are once again fielding their 2017 and 2018 winning line-up. Katsuyuki Nakasuga, Alex Lowes and Michael van der Mark will be riding a Yamaha Tech 21 Shiseido in the historic colours of the first-ever factory machine to be entered by Yamaha in 1985 as they target a fifth straight win. The other Japanese manufacturers are hoping to scupper Yamaha Factory’s plans.
YART Yamaha
Kawasaki are returning to Suzuka with a KRT factory team. After finishing on the podium for the last three years as Kawasaki Team Green, this year Kawasaki Racing Team are targeting the win with riders Jonathan Rea, Leon Haslam and Toprak Razgatlioglu. The three riders are among the FIM Superbike World Championship’s Top 7. Jonathan Rea and Leon Haslam finished 3rd at Suzuka last year with Kawasaki Team Green.
As to Suzuki, Yoshimura have announced a line-up of seasoned riders. Frenchman Sylvain Guintoli, Suzuki’s MotoGP test rider, will be in the saddle partnering two Japanese riders, Kasuki Watanabe and veteran Yukio Kagayama, who is making a comeback in the Yoshimura colours. He finished second at Suzuka in 2011 before entering his own Team Kagayama, who monopolised the third step of the podium from 2013 to 2015.
F.C.C. TSR Honda France
The Honda colours will predominate at Suzuka. Having returned to the Suzuka race last year, Honda HRC have lined up Takumi Takahashi, the current leader in the JSB1000 Japanese Superbike and three-time winner of the Suzuka 8 Hours, alongside Ryuichi Kiyonari, the FIM Superbike World Championship rider with four Suzuka wins to his credit, and HRC’s MotoGP test rider Stefan Bradl all partnering to ride the Red Bull Honda #33.
The Honda fleet also includes Musashi RT Harc-Pro Honda, au Teluru RT, KYB Moriwaki Racing, Honda Asia Dream and Honda Dream RT Sakurai, not to mention F.C.C. TSR Honda France, who are still in with a chance of winning the 2018-2019 FIM EWC title, and Honda Endurance Racing, who will be seeking retaliation after being forced to withdraw at Oschersleben.
Team SRC Kawasaki France
In the run-up to the Grand Finale, Team SRC Kawasaki France lead the standings with 132 points ahead of Suzuki Endurance Racing Team, with 127 points, and F.C.C. TSR Honda France, with 109.
Their goal is to take on the top Japanese teams on their home ground and seize the opportunity offered by the season finale to score 150% of the regular points in order to claim the world title with 45 points are awarded to the winner of the Suzuka 8 Hours.
The 42nd edition of the Suzuka 8 Hours will be held in Japan on Sunday 28 July.
Josh Hook, Freddy Foray and Mike Di Meglio have claimed the 8 Hours of Oschersleben win in the Endurance World Championship for F.C.C. TSR Honda France, from Team SRC Kawasaki France (who now lead the FIM Endurance World Championship) and VRD Igol Pierret Expériences. With a 4th-place finish, Moto Ain claimed both the Superstock win and the FIM Endurance World Cup.
F.C.C. TSR Honda France topped the podium – 8 Hours of Oschersleben
The podium was starting to look like a done deal, with four of the favourites battling it out in the lead from the race start, when big drama shook things up an hour and a half before the finish at Oschersleben. YART Yamaha’s engine failure while they were locked in battle with F.C.C. TSR Honda France for the win caused Honda Endurance Racing, then in 4th place, to crash, throwing the end of the race wide open.
Broc Parkes – YART
“The Oschersleben 8 Hour ended for us about 1.5hrs from the end, Marvin was on the bike when it caught fire on track and they had to bring it back on the trailer. We were leading the race and had a good chance of the win. There’s nothing else we could have done today, we all rode great, no mistakes and consistent pace so its a shame it had to end early.”
F.C.C. TSR Honda France, the 2018 race winner, triumphed ahead of Team SRC Kawasaki France. The Kawasaki riders Jérémy Guarnoni, David Checa and Erwan Nigon made it to the second step of the podium. Most importantly, they lifted the factory Kawasaki to the top of the provisional standings in the run-up to the grand finale at Suzuka.
F.C.C. TSR Honda France – 8 Hours of Oschersleben
For VRD Igol Pierret Expériences (Florian Alt, Florian Marino and Xavier Siméon), their third-place podium finish was as good as a win. The Yamaha-supported team secured their first podium in their first Formula EWC season.
Fourth-place finishers Moto Ain also savoured victory. Roberto Rolfo, Robin Mulhauser and Stefan Hill led the Superstock class for 204 of the total 303 laps run. They secured the Superstock win at Oschersleben ahead of Wójcik Racing Team 2 and BMRT 3D Maccio Racing. Above all, they won Moto Ain’s first-ever FIM Endurance World Cup.
Their battle with GERT56 by GS Yuasa for the Cup was closely fought. The BMW-mounted German team, who were leading the world standings before Oschersleben, finished the race in 13th place after running out of fuel and experiencing electrical issues.
F.C.C. TSR Honda France – 8 Hours of Oschersleben
The Superstock teams were particularly competitive in Germany. Team 18 Sapeurs Pompiers ran a solid race in 9th place to win the Anthony Delhalle EWC Spirit Trophy singling out the fighting spirit of an entire team. No Limits Motor Team and Team 33 Coyote Louit Moto, 11th and 12th at the finish, also delivered a noteworthy performance. Junior Team LMS Suzuki were a contender for the FIM World Cup early on in the race, but a crash relegated them to 17th at the finish line.
Like Junior Team LMS Suzuki, Suzuki Endurance Racing Team had a tough race with two crashes and finished 10th. The standings leader before the race in Germany, Suzuki Endurance Racing Team will get to Suzuka with a five-point lag behind Team SRC Kawasaki France.
F.C.C. TSR Honda France – 8 Hours of Oschersleben
Another of the favourites who got unlucky were ERC-BMW Motorrad Endurance. They got off to a good start, but finished 19th after colliding with another bike.
These upsets should not overshadow two excellent performances at Oschersleben. Fany Gastro BMW Motorrad by Mercury Racing (Karel Hanika, Ondrej Jezek and Ladislav Chmelik) secured their finest result this season with a 5th-place finish. Likewise, Webike Tati Team Trick Star were 7th at the finish. Julien Enjolras and Kevin Denis had clearly got the measure of their new EWC Kawasaki with the help of Bastien Mackels at Oschersleben.
Jonathan Rea and Leon Haslam, plus key members of their regular WorldSBK squad, joined forces with KHI to take part in an important two-day test session earlier this week in readiness for the prestigious Suzuka 8 Hours race in late July.
Suzuka 8 Hour Testing – KRT
The official ‘Kawasaki Racing Team Suzuka 8 Hours’ project is a new initiative, with more KRT WorldSBK staff inside the team than previous Suzuka 8 Hours entries.
Suzuka 8 Hour Testing – KRT
It is still a direct and official KHI set-up overall, and therefore takes the name Kawasaki Racing Team – abbreviated to KRT – for the 2019 Suzuka 8 Hours.
Suzuka 8 Hour Testing – KRT
Jonathan Rea
“I feel happy where we are for a first test. We are in some ways jumping into this project at zero because we have a new ZX-10RR, which is a little bit different from last year. We have used these two days to understand the window the bike is working in. We have been focusing on our 8 Hours specification bike, understanding fuel consumption, riding position and set-up. The most positive thing is that Leon and I are both working in the same way, the lap time is respectable – faster than last year – and more consistent. There are also clear areas to improve so it has been a positive test.”
Suzuka 8 Hour Testing – KRT
The two-day Suzuka test, held between 3 and 4 June, was used to find the best development and machine set-up direction to take in the build up to race weekend, which will be held in the last weekend of July. With a new model Ninja ZX-10RR this year these sessions were vital, especially as KRT shared track time with many of their main rivals.
Suzuka 8 Hour Testing – KRT
Leon Haslam
“It has been a good first test and we have a little bit different structure in the team this year, with more KRT WorldSBK staff in there. For a first go, I am pretty happy. These two days were about evaluating big areas, so we had a clear direction, which we managed to find. It was also to get up to speed to know how to ride this bike on these tyres when we come to race weekend. The lap times were the quickest we have been and I feel like we have only just started with getting feeling from the bike, the new set-up, plus a new engine character that is quite different to last year. We have tried lots of things over the last couple of days. We got through most of our test items and I am back here again in a couple of weeks. So far, so good.”
Suzuka 8 Hour Testing – KRT – Leon Haslam
With a new spec’ bike running Bridgestone tyres, not the Pirellis that are used by all teams in WorldSBK, Rea and Haslam combined well with their team staff to evaluate overall bike feel and performance, gathering data and experience while also setting faster lap times than before. The number 11 Kawasaki’s best lap was a strong 2m06.523s.
Suzuka 8 Hour Testing – KRT
This was Rea’s lone 8 Hours test before he returns to compete in the race build-up itself, but Haslam is scheduled to take part in further tests to confirm the development direction and set-up improvements.
The FIM Endurance World Championship has reached a significant milestone with the addition of a new 24-hour race on the legendary Spa-Francorchamps circuit in Belgium.
The 24H Spa Motos will take place in early June 2022 and the event breaks new ground with an innovative format: a night-time start on the Friday and a one-of-a-kind experience for spectators on the Sunday.
Previously, the 24 Hours of Liège was part of the world endurance calendar from 1973 to 2003. From June 2022, the legendary Spa-Francorchamps name will be added to the FIM Endurance World Championship calendar, with its ultra-fast, undulating layout and famous turns such as Raidillon.
Spa-Francorchamps Circuit Guide
24H Spa Motos – June 2022
The 24H Spa Motos will undoubtedly be the most demanding and the most exciting race of the FIM Endurance World Championship, with an all-new format: the race will be flagged off after sunset, at 10pm on the Friday, and finish on the Saturday evening. The Sunday will be entirely devoted to fans, as the championship’s major bike brands will be able to invite up to 10,000 supporters to ride a few laps of the Spa circuit in full safety conditions on their own bikes, alongside EWC champions.
The inclusion of the 24H Spa Motos along with the 24 Heures Motos, the Bol d’Or, the 8 Hours of Sepang winter round and the Suzuka 8 Hours grand finale will bring a new dimension to the 2021-2022 FIM EWC season.
This key new event will raise the championship’s competitiveness, attract new international riders and consolidate the DNA of the FIM EWC as the absolute benchmark when it comes to challenging races for riders, teams and machines alike.
FIM Endurance World Championship – Le Mans 24 Hour 2019
François Ribeiro, Head of Eurosport Events
“This is a great day for the FIM Endurance World Championship. Racing at Spa-Francorchamps is one of the finest sporting challenges we can offer our riders and teams.
“Tradition will go hand in hand with innovation as they push their skills to the limits on this legendary track over a 24-hour duration, starting after nightfall at 10pm on the Friday to finish on the Saturday evening with a firework and a party atmosphere. The 24H Spa Motos will further enhance the competitive level of FIM EWC that Eurosport Events keeps raising since we became the promoter.
“It will be a huge challenge to adapt the world’s most beautiful circuit to the FIM’s safety standards without compromising the current track layout while respecting FIA Formula One requirements, in conjunction with the two international federations.
“The President of the Circuit of Spa-Francorchamps, Melchior Wathelet, and the CEO, Nathalie Maillet, have led the project with great determination since our initial discussions in May 2016. I would like to thank Pierre-Yves Jeholet, Vice-President of the Walloon Government and Minister for the Economy, without whom it would not have been possible to write this new chapter as we approach the centenary of the Spa-Francorchamps circuit. Long live the return of motorcycle endurance racing to Spa!”
FIM Endurance World Championship – Le Mans 24 Hour 2019
Nathalie Maillet, CEO, Circuit of Spa-Francorchamps
“It is with great pride that we announce the return of motorcycle endurance racing to the Circuit of Spa-Francorchamps. This is a highly symbolic event in the run-up to our centenary, as the first race to be held on the Circuit in 1921 was a motorcycle race. The Circuit of Spa-Francorchamps is a magnificent showcase for motorsport, both two-wheel and four-wheel. The holding of a new world championship event on our historic track is proof of the attractiveness of our circuit. We are very pleased to be part of a championship with prestigious races.”
The Austrian Yamaha squad have won the 8 Hours of Slovakia Ring for the second year in a row. YART Yamaha’s Broc Parkes, Marvin Fritz and Niccolò Canepa never lost the lead on their way to victory but had a hectic battle with Honda Endurance Racing over the first six-hours.
Broc Parkes – YART Yamaha Official EWC Team
“It is an awesome result. I actually crashed on Tuesday and hurt my shoulder and elbow but I was able to do one stint. I felt ok, but Mandy decided to be safe and Nicò and Marvin had good pace to continue. I’m happy because with my qualifying lap I was fastest, and with my injuries I was happy just to ride the bike. It’s an awesome result for the team, a big thanks to them, and to my teammates for a great job.”
YART Yamaha Official EWC Team
Mandy Kainz – YART Yamaha Official EWC Team Manager
“This result is fantastic, we couldn’t be happier today with the efforts of the team and the reward it has given us. Broc was able to make a good stint, but we chose to not risk too much by him continuing after his injuries a few days ago. Both Marvin and Niccolò had great pace and were honestly unbeatable today. Our bike was performing brilliantly, so thank you to Yamaha, and especially to the team who worked hard to make sure we were first. This is the perfect way to move on from Le Mans, now the championship is interesting again, so we continue and see what we can achieve.”
Marvin Fritz
A mistake by Randy De Puniet then allowed YART some clear air. Towards the end of the race, de Puniet went out on a full slick set-up, but again fell victim to the weather conditions. Losing rear grip, the #111 Fireblade flipped through the gravel and in true endurance style, the Frenchman returned the bike to the pits where the mechanics made a world class job in repairing the CBR1000RR, to send Gimbert out for the final stint. In the end the squad earned another 15 points finishing eighth, and are sixth in the World Championship.
Previous series leaders, and Le Mans 24 Hour victors, SRC Kawasaki France, were forced out of the race with engine problems. Team ERC-BMW Motorrad Endurance and Fany Gastro BMW Motorrad also withdrew due to mechanical problems. The factory Kawasaki’s withdrawal has thrown the FIM Endurance World Championship wide open, with three different winners in three races. Suzuki Endurance Racing Team now leads the provisional world standings.
Suzuki Endurance Racing Team now leads the provisional world standings
On the F.C.C. TSR Honda France bike, Josh Hook, Freddy Foray and Mike Di Meglio climbed back up at lightning speed to take the 3rd step of the podium. The reigning World Endurance Champions was outright last after early brack problems had put them three laps behind the race leaders. The team regrouped to battle their way back up through the field, with Mike Di Meglio breaking the lap record along the way.
Josh Hook in the pits – F.C.C. TSR Honda
8 Hours of Slovakia Ring Results
YART Yamaha
SERT Suzuki +1 lap
F.C.C. TSR +1 lap
WEPOL Yamaha +3 laps
VRD Igol Pierret Yamaha +3 laps
Junior Team LMS Suzuki +5 laps (Superstock)
BMRT 3D Maccio Kawasaki +5 laps (Superstock)
Honda Enduranc Racing +6 laps
Team 33 Coyote Kawasaki +6 laps (Superstock)
Moto Ain Yamaha +6 laps (Superstock)
8 Hours of Slovakia Ring Results YART Yamaha SERT Suzuki +1 lap F.C.C. TSR +1 lap
FIM 2018-19 FIM Endurance World Championship Points
Suzuki Endurance Racing Team – 113
Team SRC Kawasaki France – 103
WEPOL Racing – 99
YART Yamaha – 87
F.C.C. TSR Honda – 79
Honda Endurance Racing – 75
Bolliger Team Switzerland Kawasaki – 70
GERT 56 by GS Yuasa BMW – 37
VRD Igol Pierret Experiences Yamaha – 32
3ART Moto Team 95 Yamaha – 27
Next race on the EWC calendar 8 Hours of Oschersleben in Germany on 9 June
Over the previous 5 years, ‘Kawasaki Team Green’ (managed by Kawasaki Motors Japan – KMJ), participated in the Suzuka 8 Hour and achieved a 2nd place podium in both 2016 and 2017, followed by a 3rd place podium in 2018.
This year Kawasaki will challenge to win the race with its factory team (‘Kawasaki Racing Team’ – KRT). The team riders will be Jonathan Rea, Leon Haslam, and Toprak Razgatlioglu.
Leon Haslam #11 – 2018 Suzuka 8 Hour
Jonathan Rea
“I’m very excited to be returning to the Suzuka 8-Hour with Kawasaki. The race itself has a huge place in my heart. After last years’ experience, and being so competitive with Team Green, I am back for more. Last year we had some great speed but also made some mistakes. We will learn from those mistakes and be more prepared than ever. It’s one of the toughest, most exciting, races in the world. Racing in temperatures as hot as 36°C is a true test of man and machine. I love the challenge and can’t wait to spend time with all the Japanese fans.”
Leon Haslam and Jonathan Rea at the Suzuka 8 Hour in 2018
Leon Haslam
“The Suzuka 8-Hour is a fantastic event and this will be my fourth year now with Kawasaki. We have had some good races in the past, and a memorable one where I rode for five and a half hours out of the eight. Last year, with Jonathan, we were leading the race until we had a small problem. We have been on the podium every year and I feel that we have been making improvements with our package. Hopefully with some good testing under our belts we can make a strong challenge and finally get on that top step of the podium. It is good riding with Johnny as we have very similar set-up requests and we will have to see what the strategy is this year. I am really looking forward to it.”
Leon Haslam – 2018 Suzuka 8 Hour
Toprak Razgatlioglu
“This is my dream team! I am ready, always, and we will see how it goes. I am a fan of the 8-Hour race but this will be my first time riding. I am so lucky to be in a team with Johnny and Leon; it feels incredible. I have ridden once before in the Japanese Superbike Championship, last year. The Japanese Kawasaki team told me that it was a similar bike to the 8-hour machine, and the main difference should be the endurance style fuel tank. The biggest difference from WorldSBK racing for me will be the Bridgestone tyres. It is like a dream to ride at Suzuka in the 8-Hour because it is an incredible track!”
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