The Absolute Champion Katsuyuki Nakasuga Heads to His Final MFJ Grand Prix.

This season marks the final time a great rider will take off his racing suit.

Katsuyuki Nakasuga of the YAMAHA FACTORY RACING TEAM.
He is the "Absolute Champion" who has set unprecedented records in the top tier JSB1000 class of the All Japan Road Race Championship and has led the Japanese road racing scene for many years.

The final stage where Nakasuga will race as a rider in the All Japan Road Race will be the MFJ Grand Prix held in October.
This will be the last opportunity to see Nakasuga’s racing, who has accumulated countless victories and rewritten the history of motorcycle racing in Japan, on the stage of the All Japan Road Race.

From 2000, Nakusuga competed full-time in the All Japan Road Race Championship GP250 class, stepping up to the country's top JSB1000 class in 2005. After securing his first JSB1000 victory in 2007, he claimed his first series championship the following year in 2008. From there, Nakusuga built a long and overwhelming era as the absolute champion.

Starting with consecutive championships in 2008 and 2009, he won the title for five consecutive years from 2012 to 2016. After that, he reclaimed the throne in 2018, 2019, from 2021 to 2023, and again in 2025, achieving a total of 13 series championships in the premier class. As of the end of the 2025 season, his total JSB1000 wins stand at 94. In the domestic premier class, where even winning a single title is difficult, the numbers of 13 championships and 94 wins speak volumes about how long and at what high level Nakusuga has continued to compete.

Nakusuga's strength cannot be explained by his ability to simply make the machine run fast.

One of his greatest weapons is braking, which he himself says he wants people to watch. He sharply decelerates the machine from high speed, probing the limits of the front tire as he dives into the corner. The moment he changes direction, he transmits the machine's power efficiently to the road surface and accelerates toward the next corner. The precision of linking entry, cornering, and exit as one continuous flow—and the strength to maintain that accuracy until the end of the race—is Nakusuga's true essence.

What is even more remarkable is his ability to fully read the situation. Calmly assessing tire condition, track temperature, fuel depletion, and the pace of rivals, he never misses the crucial moment to make his move. Some races see him break away from the start, while others involve gradually closing in on opponents lap by lap and seizing victory at the end. It’s not just about flashy bursts of speed, but about constructing the entire race and finding the answer to ultimately win. That is why he has been called the "Absolute Champion."

On the other hand, despite his overwhelming achievements, Nakusuga has never considered himself a finished rider. Now at 45 years old, he continues to absorb new techniques and ideas from top riders competing worldwide, always seeking growth with the mindset that "once you think you’ve reached your max, you start to decline." This relentless drive is the reason he has remained at the forefront even as machines and tires have evolved throughout his long career.

His skills and experience are not limited to Japan alone. Nakusuga has long served as a development rider for Yamaha's MotoGP™ machine, the "YZR-M1," and has also participated in MotoGP™ as a wildcard and substitute rider. At the final round of the 2012 Valencia GP, he competed against the world's top riders under challenging conditions and secured a 2nd place podium finish. The speed demonstrated by a rider primarily competing in the All Japan Championship on the world’s highest stage was an event that made Nakusuga’s name known worldwide.

Suzuka is also a place where many histories have been made for Nakusuga and Yamaha.
In the Suzuka 8 hours, he greatly contributed to the Yamaha Factory Team's four consecutive victories from their first win in 2015 through 2018. While teaming up with top riders competing in the World Championship, he served as the ace who thoroughly understood Suzuka and Yamaha, creating the base setup for the machine and leading the team. He also secured second-place podiums consecutively in 2025 and 2026, making his presence indispensable for Yamaha's pursuit of victory at Suzuka.

Nakasuga's riding stands out even more at Suzuka.
The high-speed S-curves that switch left and right, the hairpin requiring intense braking, the Spoon Curve that tests the machine's stability and the rider's courage, and the high-speed 130R. At Suzuka, where corners with different speed ranges and characteristics come one after another, you can't just rely on momentum to go fast. It demands comprehensive skills to understand the machine, communicate with the tires, and connect each operation precisely. There is no better stage to experience the technique Nakasuga has honed over many years.

Of course, just because it’s the last time, Nakusuka will not play it safe.
Upon announcing his retirement, Nakusuka said that as long as he is a rider, there will never be a time when he thinks he cannot win, and he vowed to give his all in his final season to deliver victories and the best races to his fans, team, and Yamaha. What he aims for is not just finishing for the sake of memories. He will chase victory until the very end, keep improving himself, and remain the absolute champion until the moment the checkered flag waves.

The rivals who have been chasing his back also approach Suzuka with special feelings. If this is the last chance to defeat the champion who has changed the history of the nation's top class, they will not easily give up the spotlight. Nakusuga's pride and the determination of the Riders who will lead the next era. That clash envelops this year's MFJ Grand Prix in unprecedented tension.

The silence before the start. The moment engines roar all at once. The fierce battle pushing braking to the limit, shaving off fractions of a second. And finally, the waving of the checkered flag.
At the circuit, there are sounds, vibrations, speeds, and heat that cannot be fully conveyed through TV or smartphone screens.

The absolute champion, who has accumulated 13 titles and 94 wins, what kind of performance will he show at Suzuka, and in what way will he bid farewell to the All Japan Road Race? We hope you will witness the answer at Suzuka Circuit.

Katsuyuki Nakasuga, the final MFJ Grand Prix.
Do not miss the moment that will be etched in the history of Japanese road racing.