"Five Consecutive Wins" or "Regain the Title"

2026. Honda aims for an unprecedented "five consecutive wins." YAMAHA stakes everything on their ace's culmination to "regain the championship." Neither side will give an inch.

• Honda HRC
• YAMAHA FACTORY RACING TEAM

Honda HRC

Towards an Unprecedented 5 Consecutive Wins.

Q. Please tell us about the strength of the YAMAHA FACTORY RACING TEAM from Honda HRC's perspective.

Yamaha has been quite fast every year, and their hardware also seems to be well developed. I feel they are a very strong opponent, but other manufacturers are also steadily improving their times, so I don't think it's just Yamaha. Yamaha was really fast last year. Although Nakusuga-san seemed to be a bit unwell, they still kept pushing. Sometimes they would suddenly increase their pace, which left a strong impression of their strength.

Yamaha has achieved four consecutive wins in the past, and we have finally caught up to that level, so I think we just have to do what we can, and I believe we have prepared thoroughly. If we fully commit to doing what we can, I think the results will follow. (Comparing to last year) is a bit difficult. Last year, the two of us were riding, so it’s not a simple comparison. Of course, in terms of physical endurance, it was definitely tougher for us, and within that, Honda’s fuel efficiency was a big factor. I think that was reflected significantly in the results, and even with that fuel efficiency, being able to run at that speed is Honda’s strength. I believe everyone understands that. If Yamaha manages to overcome that, it will be a real head-to-head battle. Ultimately, it will come down to the riders’ speed, so I feel we just have to work hard to make sure we don’t lose there.

Q. Considering that this year is your last Suzuka 8 Hours, Katsuya Nakatsuka, what are your thoughts?

We've lost so many times already. We've raced together in the All Japan Championship and have lost many times in the 8 Hours as well. I see this as the last chance to have a proper battle, and we want to compete hard there. I hope he can retire feeling good about it. It's not about losing at the end and making a clean getaway. I don't want him to quit while losing; I want us to win firmly and be able to express our gratitude.

YAMAHA FACTORY RACING TEAM

Aiming for only the center.

Q. Last year, you returned after six years and finished in 2nd place. How do you view that result?

There were no major base changes to the vehicle, and since there had been no significant changes since 2015 in that regard, related parts could be reused despite the six-year gap. Because the final decisions were made just barely in time, we couldn’t take on new challenges, but while feeling some delay in that area, we aimed to deliver our best. The staff had also changed, with some experiencing this for the first time, so there was a hope that they would gain valuable experience going forward.
While Rider Nakatsuka was competing in the All Japan Championship, he was also fine-tuning the machine. It was the first time for the combination of Jack and Roca, and also their first time on a Japanese 8 Hours machine, so there were some concerns, but once they rode, they proved to be excellent riders. The team was formed early, which helped a lot in that regard. I wanted to make things easier for the riders, but I feel that I ended up putting quite a burden on them.

After a 6-year hiatus, the factory team has returned, and those 6 years felt very long. At the same time, I myself have aged 6 years. The heat and everything else were completely different compared to 6 years ago. From a rider’s perspective, the conditions seemed to be getting increasingly harsh. The team was once disbanded and then rebuilt, so there were some chaotic moments. However, Director Yoshikawa consistently kept the team in good shape, so we focused on properly handling the machine and smoothly passing the baton to each other, while the team delivered without mistakes. Winning as a factory team is our mission, so it was very frustrating, but we managed to achieve 2nd place, which I am satisfied with. This year, we have addressed the shortcomings from last year and are challenging ourselves again, so I believe we can achieve good results.

Q. What were the challenges that prevented you from catching up to 1st place last year?

To be honest, there were various issues. PIT work, bike performance, and fuel efficiency improvements were not fully achieved. On the other hand, YAMAHA happened to have good timing against HRC, so it was quite lucky how things fell into place, and that situation gave them an advantage, resulting in that outcome. In reality, I understand that we could have widened the gap a bit more, so this year we are preparing to at least compete on equal footing.

I thought there was a skill gap greater than the time difference. In fact, HRC competed with two riders while YAMAHA had three, yet they still managed to pull ahead. This year, because the challenges are clear, we also clearly understand the areas we can improve. Although the time is short, we hope to steadily work on closing the gap. The riders, Jack and Roca, will be joining us again this year, so in that sense, we know from the start that we can deliver high performance. Above all, if we can complete the full 8 hours without mistakes, the results will surely follow. The most important thing is that everyone is aligned in the same direction. This applies to the riders as well as the staff—all working toward the same goal is crucial. We clearly understand this, so I believe we can deliver a strong performance.

Q. What do you think about Takumi Takahashi's words?

I have been with Takumi since GP250. Back then, I was the one being beaten. After moving up to JSB, he has been both a rival and a comrade with whom I have worked hard and competed. So, I am happy to hear those words, and I hope to have a good battle with the same spirit inspired by his words.

Q. What is the team's goal?

Of course, our goal is to win. We are working hard in each part to catch up with the simulation. After sending out the riders, we leave it to divine help. We want to send out the riders every time without mistakes, so that everyone's motivation creates a positive synergy, and we can race in good condition.

As a factory team, we are only focused on the top spot. It is clear what is needed to reach that goal. We will clear each step one by one. In an 8-hour race, anything can happen. Small mistakes can make a big difference, so we want to prepare carefully to avoid small errors and take on this year's 8 Hours with that mindset.