Summer comes one month early. Three unique perspectives on this year’s Suzuka 8 Hours.

"What changes with the event being moved up by one month?"

10 Teams, 10 Answers

• Honda HRC
• YAMAHA FACTORY RACING TEAM
• YOSHIMURA SERT MOTUL
• Astemo Pro Honda SI Racing
• Team SUZUKI CN CHALLENGE
• Team Étoile
• Kawasaki Plaza Racing Team
• AutoRace Ube Racing Team
• SDG Team HARC-PRO. Honda
• Team SAKURAI HONDA

Honda HRC

Q. The event date has been moved up by one month. Does this change anything in your preparations?

We have had the schedule information for a while, so there are no issues. We had already started preparations to some extent, so things are progressing without major confusion.

The timing doesn’t really matter. To handle the heat during the race, I just create a hot environment for myself and train in it. Until now, I have been seriously preparing after the rainy season ended, but this year the timing is a bit tricky. However, there are no particular problems. I think there are many things we can prepare for because we are Japanese, and in that sense, I hope it will be hot again this year.

Q. What impressions do you have of Jonathan Rea, who is joining the team this year, from both a rider's and a director's perspective?

He has won the World Superbike Championship multiple times and has also won the Suzuka 8 Hours in the past. In fact, we raced together in 2019 and I lost, so having a rider like him as a teammate is very reassuring. I think it will be considerably easier than last year. Being able to team up with such a strong rider is truly a blessing for us and I believe it’s also very good for the team.

I had the opportunity to work with Jonathan when I was racing for Honda in 2007 at the Suzuka 8 Hours. From that time, he left a very serious impression on me, and as a Rider, he has a very wide range of adaptability. My impression is that a very reliable Rider has joined us.

Q. Please share your thoughts on the Suzuka 8 Hours and a message to the fans.

Last year, we were able to achieve four consecutive wins. Thank you very much for all the support. No team has ever achieved five consecutive wins in the 8 Hours, and we are the only ones with that chance right now, so we want to accomplish five consecutive wins. Personally, I have been able to continue breaking the record for the most wins, so I want to add one more victory. This year, the event is held one month earlier than usual, so there are concerns about the weather, but we are thoroughly preparing to be able to respond to any situation. We will give our all to complete each stint properly and aim for victory, so please cheer us on.

Since the track surface has been renewed this year, if the weather is clear, it will likely become a high-speed battle, making this 8 Hours race unlike any before. Our team will also be fully prepared, so please come to the circuit and cheer us on. Thank you very much.

YAMAHA FACTORY RACING TEAM

Q. Among the Suzuka 8 Hours races, which one holds a special place in Rider Nakatsuka's last year?

The most memorable year for me was 2012 when I was selected as a YART rider and got my first pole position. I still remember crashing at 130R during the first stint despite securing pole. In 2015, when we participated as the YAMAHA Factory team, bringing victory to YAMAHA and achieving my first win, the view from the podium is something I will never forget. The Suzuka 8 Hours is a race known by everyone, so winning there left a very strong impression on me.

Q. The event date has been moved up by one month. Does this change anything in your preparations?

We need to rapidly prepare for factors such as temperature, track surface temperature, and weather, as well as the team’s adjustments due to the event being moved up by one month; otherwise, we won’t make it in time. Ultimately, I think we will finalize things closer to race week after checking the weather and other conditions.

Q. Please share your thoughts on the Suzuka 8 Hours and a message to the fans.

As YAMAHA, we finished in 2nd place last year, but this year we will level up even more, energize the race beyond last year, and aim for the very center of the podium. We appreciate your support.

The riders, just like last year, have very reliable teammates Jack and Roca, and this year we will challenge the 8 Hours for the second time. Our focus is only on the very center of the podium. Last year, finishing 2nd was very frustrating, and I felt I held the team back in some ways. This year, after completing tests, I have a good feeling, and the bike is in great condition. We will work together as a united team and aim for the very center of the podium, running through to the very end.

YOSHIMURA SERT MOTUL

Q. The event date has been moved up by one month. Does this change anything in your preparations?

We still don't know how hot it will get, but since it's the rainy season, I think it will be difficult to secure enough time to get used to the heat. So far, I have been riding a bicycle and motorcycle outdoors, but I plan to change my approach by training indoors with the heater blasting.

I think it is a season where it is difficult to predict the weather, including heat and rain. Therefore, preparation is very challenging, but as a permanent team in the World Endurance Championship, we have raced in various environments, so we want to leverage that experience and proceed in a way that allows us to perform at our best no matter what happens.

Q. Please share your thoughts on the Suzuka 8 Hours and a message to the fans.

We have finished on the podium in 3rd place for two consecutive years, and this time we aim even higher. We will do our best to win, so please support us.

The history of Yoshimura and the Suzuka 8 Hours is inseparable. Suzuka Circuit is a place where everyone’s feelings can be felt very directly, so we hope it becomes a place of joy for everyone.

Astemo Pro Honda SI Racing

Q. The event date has been moved up by one month. Does this change anything in your preparations?

I think the climate will be somewhat different from last year, and since the event is held in early July, we don’t know if the rainy season will have ended or what the weather will be like. Therefore, I believe it is important to be well-prepared for race week. The temperature is expected to rise sharply from now on, so I want to condition my physical fitness to better withstand the heat.

For me, I am just focused on continuing my training as usual and being able to complete the race.

I will just give it my all as always.

Q. Please share your thoughts on the Suzuka 8 Hours and a message to the fans.

Last year, I experienced engine trouble and it was frustrating. I myself have never stood on the podium at the Suzuka 8 Hours. That is why the podium at the 8 Hours holds a special meaning for me. As a rider, I truly believe that status is something very valuable.
Of course, the goal is to win, but first, I want to aim for the podium. I truly feel that with these three and the Astemo team, we can achieve it together.
I want to run powerfully enough not to hold the team back, but rather to lead the team forward. I will do my best, so please continue to support us this year as well.

Last year, I had to stop due to engine trouble while I was riding, but I am using that as motivation to complete the race properly this year. The whole team will work together to aim for the podium, so please support us.

Looking at the lap times this year, the level of all teams has risen significantly, so I think it will be a tough battle. However, if we do our job properly, the results will follow. First, we want to firmly do what we can and work hard to reach the goal.

Team SUZUKI CN CHALLENGE

Q. The event date has been moved up by one month. Does this change anything in your preparations?

Usually, the event is held in August or late July, so there is about a month of hot weather during which we can get used to the heat before the race. In fact, we have always used that month to prepare with heat countermeasures. However, this time it will be held in early July, which is just when it starts to get hot suddenly. I think how I deal with that timing will be a key point for me.
This early timing for the event is a first experience for everyone, including myself, so the way we prepare will probably change a bit from before. However, I think this is the same condition for all riders.
I am also considering training by running while wearing a sauna suit.

I personally think that what I need to do won’t change much. However, due to the resurfacing of the track and the event being held one month earlier than usual, the overall pace based on this test is quite fast. It feels closer to a sprint race than in previous years. In the past, breaking into the 6-second range at the 8 Hours was considered "fast," but this time, even entering the 6-second range feels like "just barely 6 seconds," and the 5-second range doesn’t feel particularly special.
I think the times will drop somewhat in the final, but I believe the overall pace will remain fast.
In that case, more than preparation, how to overtake and maneuver during the race, and how to fight through the 8 hours will become important. I feel this will be a more challenging 8 Hours race in terms of race development than just the heat. Toward that, I want to prepare mentally by imagining various situations. As for the body, I think what I do will not change from before.

Q. Please share your thoughts on the Suzuka 8 Hours and a message to the fans.

The SUZUKI CN Challenge project is now in its third year. As before, we aim to balance reducing environmental impact with improving performance, and together with three skilled riders, we want to prove that we can compete strongly while being environmentally conscious. We will give it our all, so please continue to support us.

I fully understand the significance and great mission of competing in this CN Challenge, and at the same time, I believe I also understand its difficulty. That is precisely why I want to focus on everything to finish this in a good way. To the fans, to everyone supporting SUZUKI, and to all the team members, the three of us will join forces and fight with all our might to bring joy to everyone.

I will only be participating in the 8 Hours, but the team remains a top team, and I want to absorb as much experience as possible that can only be gained here. There are many things that can only be experienced at the 8 Hours, and each of those will surely connect to the future. First, I want to finish without any troubles.
And I believe that this united fight, unique to this factory team, will be best if it connects to my own future as well as the future of the team. For that reason, I want to do my best so as not to hold anyone back.

Team Étoile

Q. The event date has been moved up by one month. Does this change anything in your preparations?

Since this is the first time for everyone under these conditions, honestly, there are still some uncertainties. However, I think the overall pace and average times will become considerably faster, and unless we raise the team's overall times, it will be difficult to break into the top ranks. Personally, I’m not the type to be bothered much by the heat. Since I usually do motocross, that might surprisingly work to my advantage.

I haven't changed anything; it's the same as before. Since I'm always racing, it feels like a continuation of that. If I had to say something, I don't use a CamelBak during the 8 Hours, so I make a conscious effort to train for over an hour without taking in fluids.

Q. Please share your thoughts on the Suzuka 8 Hours and a message to the fans.

I also participated last year with Etoile, and as a team, we were able to win our first endurance race. With that in mind, I believe our goal this year is also to win. Last year, there were mistakes in the pit work and on the rider’s side, which ultimately made the situation difficult for us. Because it was a victory in a close race, we want to thoroughly improve those areas and aim to win this year with an even better performance.

Our goal is pole-to-win. For that, mistakes are truly unforgivable. Eight hours might feel long, but from a rider’s perspective, it goes by in a flash, so how well each rider can minimize mistakes is crucial. We believe we have enough speed, so rather than just riding fast, we want to aim for victory by using our heads, carefully managing pace and making decisions according to the situation. Qualifying is a battle for each rider individually, and personally, I think qualifying is very important in terms of how much presence you can show to those around you and how much you can appeal.

Kawasaki Plaza Racing Team

Q. The event date has been moved up by one month. Does this change anything in your preparations?

Since the event is held earlier than usual, I think the conditions will be somewhat cooler compared to last year, but I still believe the 8 Hours is a hot race. Therefore, in terms of preparation, I basically do not intend to make major changes from before. However, since we also participate in the All Japan Championship, the interval between the All Japan and the 8 Hours week is quite short. That might be a somewhat challenging aspect. Even so, I believe the preparations we need to make for the race itself remain unchanged.

My preparation basically remains the same as usual. Rather, there is a long gap between the test (May 12 and 13) and the race, so I think I will need to be more conscious than last year about maintaining my mindset and commitment during that period.

This year, I started training around mid-March, but I think there are fewer days available for training than I had expected. From now on, I will properly build up my stamina while gradually getting used to the heat as summer approaches, preparing for the Suzuka 8 Hours.

Q. Please share your thoughts on the Suzuka 8 Hours and a message to the fans.

The intense 8 hours are starting again this year. Last year was a somewhat bitter 8 hours, but this year, we will show a passionate run from the start and do our best to achieve results. Please cheer us on.

Thanks to everyone who supports us, we are able to have truly great moments every year. This year as well, we will race aiming for victory and fight with all our might so that everyone cheering for us can enjoy it.

Thank you always to everyone who supports us. The Kawasaki Plaza Racing Team is a team that fights united as one. We will all do our best aiming for victory. On race day, we riders will also run through the full 8 hours in the heat, but I think the 8 hours are truly tough for everyone who comes to cheer us on as well. Even so, let’s not be defeated by the heat and get through these 8 hours together!

AutoRace Ube Racing Team

Q. The event date has been moved up by one month. Does this change anything in your preparations?

I believe the impact of the team is greater than that of the individual. We basically prepare so that we can race at any time, and the conditions for heat countermeasures are the same for everyone. In that sense, I don't think there will be any major changes in preparation or mindset this year either.

Q. Please share your thoughts on the Suzuka 8 Hours and a message to the fans.

This season, the 8 Hours, the only Japanese round in the EWC, is still a very special race for me. I have a strong desire to achieve the best possible result there. Last year, I think we were able to show our speed, but it didn’t translate into results. This year, while firmly demonstrating our speed, I want the whole team to come together and seize a good result. Also, since there are few opportunities to meet fans directly, I want to actively engage with them as much as possible during the Pit Walk and events. If you see me, please feel free to say hello.

SDG Team HARC-PRO. Honda

Q. The event date has been moved up by one month. Does this change anything in your preparations?

I hope the conditions will be cooler if possible. However, the cooler it gets, the faster the overall pace becomes, so in that sense, I feel it might be another tough race. On the other hand, regarding the preparation period, since the interval until the race is shorter, I can approach the event while still in good riding form, so I see it as a positive for myself.

I am participating in the ST1000 class this season as a comeback from last season's injury. In that sense, the Suzuka 8 Hours being moved up by one month is a slight disadvantage for me because it shortens my rehabilitation period.
However, the overall drop in temperature is a positive aspect for safety, as well as for the Riders and the fans.
There is a possibility of rain forecast around this time this year, but for us racing with kit bikes, I feel that rain can actually increase our chances compared to factory teams, so there are many positive aspects. In terms of preparation, I do have some concerns about smoothly switching from the ST1000 machine to the Suzuka 8 Hours machine.

Q. Please share your thoughts on the Suzuka 8 Hours and a message to the fans.

For me, the Suzuka 8 Hours is more than just a festival race; I see it as a race of teamwork. It's not just the riders fighting, but the entire team battling together for the full 8 hours. Especially the mechanics, who work hard in the heat just like us, if not more so, and when you look at the whole week, I think they endure even tougher conditions than we do. That's why the phrase "one united team" fits best.
Of course, the 8 Hours is also a special race like a festival, and I think one of its charms is that we can fight while enjoying it together without being too fixated on the results. To be honest, I sometimes want to go to the pool at the amusement park next door. Including that, I want to do my best as one team in this festive atmosphere.

I think the 8 Hours is completely different from the sprint races we usually compete in. Sprint races are basically individual competitions, and honestly, I don’t feel even a bit happy when someone else runs faster.
◈ But the 8 Hours is different. I think it’s the only "team sport" in a way. When my teammates Yuki and Keito (Abe) run fast, I’m genuinely happy, and it makes me want to do my best too. It’s a strange feeling.
Having raced as an individual competitor until now, endurance racing presents many situations where I can't do anything alone, and it requires the team's strength even more than sprint races. Because of that, the sense of unity feels truly strong. Honestly, I think it's tougher than any other race, and riding such a hot machine in this kind of heat is not normal. Even so, everyone can experience a sense of accomplishment and emotion that makes them want to participate. I believe the 8 Hours is that kind of special race.
It’s also a place where you can fully showcase yourself regardless of series points, and I myself have seen the view from the podium twice so far. Once you’ve experienced that view, you definitely want to see it again. That’s what makes the 8 Hours so special.

Team SAKURAI HONDA

Q. The event date has been moved up by one month. Does this change anything in your preparations?

I don’t have anything special; it’s the usual routine. I’ll start heat countermeasures from now, but I’ve been training as usual, so I’m not taking any particularly special measures.

I’m trying to increase the frequency of riding my bike a little. Until now, there was about a month between it getting hot and the race, so I didn’t ride that much, but since the event is earlier this year, I’m consciously increasing the opportunities to get on the bike.

Q. Please share your thoughts on the Suzuka 8 Hours and a message to the fans.

We will work together as a team to aim for the podium. Please support us.

I will also fight with all my strength as part of the team, aiming for the podium. Please be sure to support Team SAKURAI HONDA. We look forward to seeing you at the venue.