SPECTACULAR FINALE COMING UP AT SUZUKA · SPECTACULAR FINALE COMING UP AT SUZUKA The 2017-2018 FIM...

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Transcript of SPECTACULAR FINALE COMING UP AT SUZUKA · SPECTACULAR FINALE COMING UP AT SUZUKA The 2017-2018 FIM...

SPECTACULAR FINALE COMING UP AT SUZUKA The 2017-2018 FIM EWC grand finale in Japan on 29 July looks set to be a thriller of a race. May the best team win! Following three successive wins at the Suzuka 8 Hours, Yamaha has two objectives for the race in Japan: a fourth win for the Yamaha Factory Racing Team, who will be fielding Katsuyuki Nakasuga, Alex Lowes and Michael van der Mark at Suzuka end-July, and a second consecutive FIM world championship title for GMT94 Yamaha. David Checa, Niccolò Canepa and Mike Di Meglio will defend the French team’s world title, while YART Yamaha’s Broc Parkes, Marvin Fritz and Takuya Fujita set out to wind up the season in style. Honda to make strong showing Honda is back with a vengeance this year to put an end to Yamaha’s winning streak. Team HRC is returning to the fray after a 10-year absence, with Takumi Takahashi, Takaaki Nakagami and Patrick Jacobsen, following Leon Camier’s withdrawal as a result of a back injury sustained during tests. Like Yamaha, Honda is looking not just to win the Suzuka 8 Hours with the factory machine, but also to earn a first-ever FIM world championship title for a Japanese team: F.C.C. TSR Honda France, who arrive in Suzuka at the top of the standings with rider trio Freddy Foray, Josh Hook and Alan Techer. A veritable fleet of Hondas will be lining up on the grid: Musashi RT Harc-Pro Honda (Dominique Aegerter, Randy de Puniet and Ryo Mizuno), a three-time winner at Suzuka; KYB Moriwaki Motul Racing (Ryuichi Kiyonari, Yuki Takahashi and Dan Linfoot), Au&Teluru MotoUp RT (Kosuke Akiyoshi, Tetsuta Nagashima and Isaac Viñales) and Honda Dream RT Sakurai (Sodo Hamahara and Shinichi Ito). Suzuki and Kawasaki to make focused effort Yoshimura Suzuki Motul Racing will be the Suzuki spearhead, with Takuya Tsuda, Sylvain Guintoli, Bradley Ray and Kazuki Watanabe riding (the final trio will be announced later). MotoMapSupply’s GSX-R with Yoshihiro Konno, Josh Waters and Nobuatsu Aoki in the saddle will also be worth keeping an eye on, not to mention Suzuki Endurance Racing Team (Vincent Philippe, Etienne Masson and Gregg Black), who will be going all out to wrest back a spot in the championship Top 5.

The Kawasaki clan have already made a splash by announcing the Kawasaki Team Green line-up: Kazuma Watanabe, Jonathan Rea and Leon Haslam. Eva RT Webike Trick Star (Anthony West, Osamu Deguchi and Mathieu Gines) will also be flying the flag for Kawasaki. BMW holding its own Mercury Racing (Karel Hanika, Sylvain Barrier and Ondřej Ježek) and NRT48 (Kenny Foray, Peter Hickman and Julien da Costa) will be competing to be the best-placed BMW in the championship standings, but two other S1000RR-mounted teams - BMW Motorrad 39 (Daisaku Sakai with brothers Damian and Alex Cudlin) and BMW Financial Services (Shinya Takeishi, Michael Laverty and Christian Iddon) are worth keeping an eye on too. The real face-off of the Suzuka 8 Hours will take place on 27 July when the first official test gets underway.

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64 teams ( EWC:53 SST:11 )CAT Team Tire

2 � EWC Suzuki Endurance Racing Team Vincent PHILIPPE FRA Etienne MASSON FRA Gregg BLACK FRA SUZUKI GSX-R1000 2018 DL3 SST KRP Sanyokogyo&RS-Itoh Mitsunori OKAMURA JPN Masahiro SHINJO JPN Takeshi ISHIZUKA JPN Kawasaki ZX-10R 2016 DL4 EWC Team Sugai Racing Japan Yoshiyuki SUGAI JPN Daniele VEGHINI ITA Isami HIGASHIMURA JPN Aprilia RSV4 RF 2017 BS5 � EWC F.C.C.TSR Honda France Freddy FORAY FRA Josh HOOK AUS Alan TECHER FRA Honda CBR1000RR SP2 2017 BS6 EWC Titanium Power Racing with Hooters Kazuki TOKUDOME JPN Takaya OKUDA JPN Kazuma TSUDA JPN YAMAHA YZF-R1 2017 BS7 � EWC YART-Yamaha Broc PARKES AUS Marvin FRITZ GER Takuya FUJITA JPN YAMAHA YZF-R1 2018 BS8 � EWC Bolliger Team Switzerland Roman STAMM SUI Robin MULHAUSER SUI Sebastien SUCHET SUI Kawasaki ZX-10R 2016 PI9 SST MotoMap Supply Yoshihiro KONNO JPN Josh WATERS AUS Nobuatsu AOKI JPN SUZUKI GSX-1000R 2018 BS

02 EWC Team R2CL MKS Partelya Clinton SELLER RSA Billy McCONNELL AUS Aaron MORRIS AUS SUZUKI GSX-R1000 2018 DL10 EWC EVA RT Webike Trick Star Anthony WEST AUS Osamu DEGUCHI JPN Mathieu GINES FRA Kawasaki ZX-10RR 2018 DL11 EWC Kawasaki Team Green Kazuma WATANABE JPN Leon HASLAM GBR Jonathan REA GBR Kawasaki ZX-10RR 2018 BS12 EWC Yoshimura Suzuki Motul Racing Sylvain GUINTOLI FRA Takuya TSUDA JPN TBA TBA SUZUKI GSX-R1000L8 2018 BS13 EWC Nippon Sumatora Bio Masse+D;Rex Hiroshi TOYODA JPN Yoshitaka IKEDA JPN Brandon CRETU USA YAMAHA YZF-R1 2018 TBA16 EWC Mistresa with ATJ Racing Takahiro NAKATSUHARA JPN Taro SEKIGUCHI JPN Teppei NAGOE JPN Honda CBR1000RR SP2 2018 BS19 EWC KYB Moriwaki Motul Racing Ryuichi KIYONARI JPN Yuki TAKAHASHI JPN Dan LINFOOT GBR Honda CBR1000RR SP2 2018 PI21 EWC Yamaha Factory Racing Team Katsuyuki NAKASUGA JPN Alex LOWES GBR Michael van der MARK NLD YAMAHA YZF-R1 2018 BS22 EWC Honda Asia-Dream Racing Md. Zaqhwan ZAIDI MYS Troy HERFOSS AUS Andi Farid IZDIHAR INA Honda CBR1000RR SP2 2017 BS23 EWC Team Vital Spirit Akito NARITA JPN Katsuto SANO JPN Stefan HILL GBR BMW S1000RR 2017 BS25 EWC Honda Suzuka Racing Team Daijiro HIURA JPN Yudai KAMEI JPN Takashi YASUDA JPN Honda CBR1000RR SP2 2018 BS26 SST Army・Girl Team MF & Kawasaki Kyosuke OKUDA JPN Andrew LEE USA Hikari OKUBO JPN Kawasaki ZX-10RR 2018 BS27 EWC TransMapRacing with Ace Cafe Masahiko OISHI JPN Daisuke KISAMORI JPN Kazuki YUKIMURA JPN SUZUKI GSX-R1000 2015 BS29 EWC Dog House Keita IWATANI JPN Eisuke SAMURA JPN Masahiro MUKOUYAMA JPN SUZUKI GSX-R1000L2 2012 DL31 EWC Hamamatsu Team Titan Kenshirou WADA JPN Takahiro KAMBAYASHI JPN TBA TBA SUZUKI GSX-R1000 2017 DL33 EWC Team HRC Takumi TAKAHASHI JPN Takaaki NAKAGAMI JPN Patrick JACOBSEN USA Honda CBR1000RR SP2 2018 BS34 SST Honda Ryokuyokai Kumamoto Racing Makoto KITAORI JPN Mitsuhiro YOSHIDA JPN Yasunori IWAYA JPN Honda CBR1000RR 2017 DL35 EWC Plus One MCRT Hiroshi IMAZU JPN Kiyotsugu TAJIMA JPN Tsuna NISHINAKA JPN Kawasaki ZX-10R 2016 DL39 EWC BMW Motorrad39 Daisaku SAKAI JPN Damian Cudlin AUS Alexander CUDLIN AUS BMW S1000RR 2017 BS41 SST Iwata Racing Family Takeshi MIYAKOSHI JPN Tomohiro UENO JPN Tatsuhiko SATO JPN YAMAHA YZF-R1 2017 DL43 EWC Honda Ryokuyokai KumamotoRacing EWC Kazuhiro KOJIMA JPN Takumi INOUE JPN TBA TBA Honda CBR1000RR 2017 DL48 � EWC TEAM NRT48 Kenny FORAY FRA Peter HICKMAN GBR Julien Da COSTA FRA BMW S1000RR 2018 PI51 EWC T・Motokids NAC Altec N.R.S. icu Sakito KOTANI JPN Takashi SUZUKI JPN Kyota FUKUYAMA JPN YAMAHA YZF-R1 2016 MI52 EWC Teramoto@J-TRIP Racing Koji TERAMOTO JPN Yuichi TAKEDA JPN Tomoki NAMEKATA JPN BMW S1000RR 2017 DL55 EWC Honda Hamayuukai Hamamatsu Escargot Genki NAKAJIMA JPN Shudai HASEGAWA JPN Shinji NOYORI JPN Honda CBR1000RR SP2 2017 DL59 EWC HKC&IMT Racing Kazuo WATANABE JPN Tatsuro SAITO JPN Aoi KOYAMA JPN YAMAHA YZF-R1 2017 DL65 � EWC Motobox Kremer Racing Geoffroy DEHAYE FRA Jan VIEHMANN GER Christopher KEMMER AUT YAMAHA YZF-R1 2015 PI69 EWC YamashinaKawasaki�BusinessRalliart&YIC Sigeru YAMASAKI JPN Masayuki MATSUMOTO JPN Yuki KIRII JPN Kawasaki ZX-10R 2016 DL70 EWC Honda Koyokai DREAM Racing Team Shinnosuke SAKAKIBARA JPN Yusuke OKAZAKI JPN Hisao KURAYAMA JPN Honda CBR1000RR 2017 BS71 EWC Team Kagayama Yukio KAGAYAMA JPN Joe ROBERTS USA Naomichi URAMOTO JPN SUZUKI GSX-R1000 2017 DL72 EWC Honda Dream RT Sakurai Honda Sodo HAMAHARA JPN Shinichi ITO JPN TBA TBA Honda CBR1000RR SP2 2017 BS73 EWC R.C.Norimono & MotolabEJ Kazuo MIURA JPN Tsutomi SAKAMOTO JPN Takumi KAWAI JPN Honda CBR1000RR 2014 DL74 SST Akeno Speed・Yamaha Makoto INAGAKI JPN Soichiro MINAMIMOTO JPN Yusuke NAKAMURA JPN YAMAHA YZF-R1 2016 BS77 � EWC Wojcik Racing Team Pawel GORKA POL Pawel SZKOPEK POL Marek SZKOPEK POL YAMAHA YZF-R1 2016 DL78 EWC Honda Blue Helmets MSC Kumamoto & Asaka Kensuke MORI JPN Takuya OTSUKA JPN TBA TBA Honda CBR1000RR SP2 2018 DL79 EWC Team SuP Dream Honda Tatsuya YAMAGUCHI JPN Ryosuke IWATO JPN Kosuke SAKUMOTO JPN Honda CBR1000RR SP2 2017 BS80 SST Tone RT Syncedge 4413 Tomoya HOSHINO JPN Kokoro ATSUMI JPN Soushi MIHARA JPN BMW S1000RR 2016 PI82 EWC Banner Racing Tomohiro KANEDA JPN Gun NAKAMOTO JPN Kazuki SAIKI TBA DUCATI PANIGALE 2016 PI85 EWC Honda QCT Meiwa Racing Motoyuki ANDO JPN Masayuki YAMANAKA JPN Tomohiro NAKAYAMA JPN Honda CBR1000RR 2017 PI87 SST Team Hanshin Riding School Akira YANAGAWA JPN Katsuya MATSUZAKI JPN Naoki KIYOSUE JPN Kawasaki ZX-10RR 2018 BS88 EWC Club Next & Moto Bum Hikaru YOSHIHIRO JPN Ryosuke KATAHIRA JPN Kimihiko OHNUKI JPN Honda CBR1000RR SP2 2017 DL91 EWC Atoun TIO Verity Shinya MIYAJIMA JPN Akihiro IGARASHI JPN Toshihiko TSUJI JPN BMW S1000RR 2017 BS94 � EWC GMT94 Yamaha Mike Di MEGLIO FRA Niccolō CANEPA ITA David CHECA ESP YAMAHA YZF-R1 2015 DL95 EWC S-Pulse Dream Racing・IAI Hideyuki OGATA JPN Thomas BRIDEWELL GBR Kasuki WATANABE JPN SUZUKI GSX-R1000 2018 BS96 EWC Team Frontier Takayuki OKI JPN Satoru IWATA JPN Tomoyoshi KOYAMA JPN Honda CBR1000RR 2016 DL99 EWC icu RT Oosaka Mobius Kazunori YOSHIDA JPN Yoshimasa SHIBATA JPN Syo NAKAMOTO JPN YAMAHA YZF-R1 2018 BS

041 SST speed Heart TTS Racing team Keiji NAKAMURA JPN Hiromichi KUNIKAWA JPN Shuichiro NAKAMURA JPN Honda CBR1000RR 2016 BS090 EWC au・Teluru MotoUP Racing Team Kosuke AKIYOSHI JPN Tetsuta NAGASHIMA JPN Isaac VINALES ESP Honda CBR1000RR SP2 2017 BS105 EWC moto Cubic�Motorrad Toyota NR Hideki ONO JPN Shin TSUTSUI JPN Tatsuya NODA JPN BMW S1000RR 2015 BS111 � EWC Honda Endurance Racing Yonny HERNANDEZ COL Sebastien GIMBERT FRA Erwan NIGON FRA Honda CBR1000RR SP2 2017 DL112 EWC Honda EG Racing Keiichi HONDA JPN Kazuya SHIMODA JPN Tsuyoshi KURIBAYASHI JPN Honda CBR1000RR SP2 2017 DL121 � EWC Mercury Racing Karel HANIKA CZE Sylvain BARRIER FRA Ondrej JEZEK CZE BMW S1000RR 2016 BS135 EWC BMW Financial Services 135 Shinya TAKEISHI JPN Michael LAVERTY GBR Christian IDDON GBR BMW S1000RR 2018 PI502 SST NCXX Racing Toshiki KUNIMATSU JPN Tadayuki YOSHIDA JPN TBA TBA YAMAHA YZF-R1 2015 BS634 EWC MuSASHi RT HARC-PRO.Honda Ryo MIZUNO JPN Dominique AEGERTER SUI Randy de PUNIET FRA Honda CBR1000RR 2017 BS806 SST NCXX RACING & ZENKOUKAI Kengo NAGAO JPN Ryusei MATSUMOTO JPN TBA TBA YAMAHA YZF-R1 2017 BS

* Contracted teams

Rider RED MachineRider BLUE Rider YELLOW

2017-2018�FIM Endurance World Championship Final RoundThe 41st "Coca-Cola" Suzuka 8 Hours Endurance Race

Provisional Entry List(21/7/2018)

No.

HONDA LAUNCHES BID TO RECONQUER SUZUKA Honda will make the strongest showing at the Suzuka 8 Hours: 22 out of the 64 machines expected to line up on the grid are Hondas. The factory is launching a major bid to win back its home race in Japan, with HRC returning to the fray after a 10-year absence. In July 2008, Dream Honda Racing’s Ryuichi Kiyonari and Carlos Checa won the Suzuka 8 Hours. That was the last time a factory Honda made an appearance at the race in Japan. In the years that followed, Musashi RT Harc-Pro Honda and F.C.C. TSR Honda France valiantly flew the flag for Honda with three and two wins respectively, but Yamaha Factory has staked sole claim on the Suzuka win since 2015. Last winter, however, Honda announced that its factory team HRC would be returning to the Suzuka 8 Hours. HRC in the spotlight So all eyes will be on HRC’s CBR1000RRW #33. Honda has recruited a top-notch rider trio to reconquer Suzuka, including two HRC factory competitors in the Japanese Superbike series and MotoGP respectively. Takumi Takahashi, the 2017 Japan Superbike JSB1000 champion, is a three-time Suzuka 8 Hours winner. He will team up with Takaaki Nakagami, who rides for LCR Honda Idemitsu in the MotoGP, and won Suzuka in 2010. Last year, the two Japanese riders raced for the Musashi RT Harc-Pro Honda squad and finished at the foot of the podium. FIM Superbike racer Patrick Jacobsen, who debuted at Suzuka in 2016, was called following Leon Camier’s withdrawal as a result of a back injury. PJ Jacobsen rounds off the Honda trio managed by former MotoGP rider Tohru Ukawa, who holds the record for the most wins at Suzuka. Ukawa claimed five victories at Suzuka on a Honda: in 1997, 1998, 2000, 2004 and 2005. F.C.C. TSR Honda France aiming for the title The other Honda in the spotlight is targeting the 2017-2018 FIM EWC title win. As the first-ever Japanese team in the running for the world title, F.C.C. TSR Honda France will be front and centre. The team has stood on the podium on eight occasions in Suzuka (thrice on the top step). Freddy Foray, Josh Hook and Alan Techer have two goals in the saddle of the Honda #5: winning the title and getting F.C.C. TSR Honda France another podium.

Challenge for Honda Endurance Racing The British team, currently 3rd in the FIM EWC provisional standings, is aiming to wind up the season on a positive note at Suzuka, but had to find a new teammate, Yonny Hernandez, for Sébastien Gimbert and Erwan Nigon. Gregory Leblanc is sit out the race due to injury. Musashi RT Harc-Pro Honda seeking podium return Having finished 4th last year at Suzuka, Musashi RT Harc-Pro Honda is keen to get back on the podium after its 2013 and 2014 wins. JSB1000 racer Ryo Mizuno finished his Suzuka 8 Hours debut last year in 10th place with the Honda Sakurai squad. This year he’ll be sharing stints on the Honda #634 with Moto2 rider Dominique Aegerter and Randy de Puniet, to step in for PJ Jacobsen, initially with Musashi RT Harc-Pro Honda. Aegerter and De Puniet climbed the third step of the Suzuka podium together last year with F.C.C. TSR Honda France. KYB Moriwaki Motul Racing After finishing in 27th place at Suzuka last year following a 9-year absence, KYB Moriwaki Motul Racing is fielding the same line-up and hopes to once again feature among the front runners. JSB1000 racer Yuki Takahashi and four-time Suzuka winner Ryuichi Kiyonari will be riding the Honda #19. Dan Linfoot, a British Superbike rider for Honda Racing, is the third member of the Moriwaki squad. Honda Dream RT Sakurai This team – the Suzuka winner in 2003 – has featured on the Suzuka roster since the start of the 2000s. After a 10th-place finish in 2017, this year Honda Dream RT Sakurai is fielding a combo of youthful talent and experience. 23-year-old Sodo Hamahara will be riding the Honda #72 together with former Grand Prix rider Shinichi Ito, 51, a four-time winner at Suzuka for Honda. Au&Teluru MotoUp RT Another noteworthy Japanese outfit, Au&Teluru MotoUp RT (12th at Suzuka last year) has also lined up a strong intergenerational trio to ride the Honda #090: Kosuke Akiyoshi (43, a three-time Suzuka winner) with two Moto2 racers: Tetsuta Nagashima, 26, and Spaniard Isaac Viñales, 24. Honda Asia Dream Racing Honda Asia Dream Racing is another squad to watch out for. The team, which finished 8th in 2017, has a line-up comprising Malaysian rider Mohd. Zaqhwan Zaidi, Australian Superbike champion Troy Herfoss and Indonesian rider Andi Farid Izdihar.

KAWASAKI’S UPWARD TRAJECTORY CONTINUES Kawasaki has grown increasingly ambitious since making an official return to the Suzuka 8 Hours in 2014. Factory squad Kawasaki Team Green is chasing a victory, and seven other teams will be flying the Kawasaki colours. Kawasaki Team Green stood on the second step of the Suzuka podium in 2016 and 2017, and this year the factory team is out to clinch the win. British racer Leon Haslam, who is currently topping the British Superbike Championship standings, will pair with Japanese rider Kazuma Watanabe to ride the ZX-10R #10, like last year. Kawasaki’s three-time FIM Superbike world champion Jonathan Rea has been roped in to further boost the squad’s chances of winning. Rea is no stranger to the race in Japan, having won the 2012 Suzuka 8 Hours with F.C.C. TSR Honda. So the Kawasaki #11 will be the bike to watch. But two other ZX-10Rs are also expected to cut a dash. Bolliger Team Switzerland targeting Top 10 spot The Swiss team have regularly featured in the Top 15 at the finish of the Suzuka 8 Hours. They placed 13th in 2017 and will be aiming even higher this year with Roman Stamm, Robin Mulhauser and Sébastien Suchet riding the Kawasaki #8. A good result in Japan would also enable Bolliger Team Switzerland to climb further up the championship standings. Mathieu Gines on the grid for Eva RT Webike Trick Star This strong Japanese team have just recruited Frenchman Mathieu Gines, a Kawasaki SRC stalwart, to join their rider line-up featuring Osamu Deguchi and Australian racer Anthony West. The latter currently leads the Asia Road Racing Championship standings, having won the latest round in Suzuka. The team generally makes a fine showing. They finished 14th at the Suzuka 8 Hours in 2017. Their best result to date is a 2nd-place finish in 2009.

YAMAHA TARGETS FOURTH WIN After three wins in a row at the Suzuka 8 Hours, Yamaha is now targeting a fourth consecutive victory. Yamaha Factory Racing Team is already ahead of the game, and thirteen other teams on YZF-R1s are revving up to put the tuning fork logo front and centre at Suzuka. With an unbeaten stretch at Suzuka dating back to 2015, Yamaha Factory Racing Team is gearing up to take another victory. Yamaha has tasked last year’s winning trio – Katsuyuki Nakasuga, Alex Lowes and Michael van der Mark – with reconquering the top step of the podium. Their performance in the just-concluded official tests at Suzuka has already given the squad a head start. A fourth consecutive win would enshrine Katsuyuki Nakasuga’s name in the annals of the Suzuka 8 Hours by beating his own record of three wins in a row: a feat achieved by only one other rider, Aaron Slight, who won the race in 1993, 1994 and 1995. As it has done every year for the past three years, Yamaha Factory Racing Team will be aiming to start from pole, with a trio of experienced riders in fine form. Michael van der Mark and Alex Lowes are also teammates in the FIM Superbike championship (they are currently 3rd and 6th respectively in the provisional standings), while Katsuyuki Nakasuga dominates Japan’s JSB1000 championship. YART Yamaha seeks Top 5 finish YART Yamaha, another of the brand’s front-runners, is Bridgestone-shod like Yamaha Factory Racing Team, and its riders enjoy racing at Suzuka. Having featured in the Top 10 in qualifying and in the Top 5 at the finish over the past two years, the Austrian team is counting on riders Broc Parkes, Marvin Fritz and Takuya Fujita to once again achieve an excellent result. GMT94 Yamaha on title hunt FIM EWC reigning champion GMT94 Yamaha is additionally seeking to beat Japanese team F.C.C. TSR Honda France, who get to Suzuka with a 10-point lead in the championship standings. David Checa, Niccolò Canepa and Mike Di Meglio will have to vanquish the Honda #5 on their Dunlop-shod Yamaha #94 in order to hold on to the world title.

20th anniversary of the Yamaha YZF-R1 All three Yamaha factory teams will be easy to spot on the track, as their bikes will sport the special red and white livery Yamaha has created to mark the 20th anniversary of the YZF-R1. Two FIM EWC full-season squads will join the armada of Japanese privateer teams flying the Yamaha flag at Suzuka. German team Motobox Kremer Racing has lined up on the grid of the Suzuka 8 Hours since 2013 and finished the race every year, while Polish squad Wójcik Racing Team is making its Suzuka debut.

SUZUKI KEEN TO MAKE PODIUM RETURN

Nine Suzuki will be lining up on the Suzuka 8 Hours grid, and some of them are openly targeting a podium finish.

The list of Japanese squads confirmed for the Suzuka 8 Hours includes the two Suzuki front-runners Yoshimura Suzuki Motul Racing and Team Kagayama. Factory team Yoshimura Suzuki Motul Racing has claimed four wins at Suzuka: at the inaugural race in 1978, again in 1980 and, more recently, in 2007 and 2009. A regular podium finisher, Yoshimura Suzuki Motul Racing will once again field Takuya Tsuda, a stalwart of the team since 2013, and Frenchman Sylvain Guintoli, the 2014 FIM Superbike world champion and a MotoGP test rider for Suzuki. This year they’ll be teaming up with either British Superbike racer Bradley Ray or Kasuki Watanabe to target a podium. Last year, the Suzuki #12 managed a superb climb back up to 7th place after crashing out in the early stages of the race.

Kagayama-Schwantz duo make their return Created in 2013 by Yoshimura Suzuki Motul Racing’s former star rider Yukio Kagayama, Team Kagayama quickly became a key player at the Suzuka 8 Hours. Yukio claimed the podium’s third step for Team Kagayama alongside Kevin Schwantz and Noriyuki Haga at the squad’s Suzuka debut in 2013. He repeated the feat in 2014 with Noriyuki Haga and Dominique Aegerter, and in 2015 with Haga and Ryuichi Kiyonari. Having slipped back somewhat in the last two years (a 6th and 17th-place finish respectively), this year Yukio Kagayama will be riding the Suzuki #71 with Naomichi Uramoto and American Moto2 rider Joe Roberts, who is racing at Suzuka for the first time. Kevin Schwantz is back as team manager. Team Kagayama is the only one of the Japanese teams to be using Dunlop tyres.

Tommy Bridewell and Josh Waters on the grid Another Suzuki-mounted Japanese team worth keeping an eye on is S-Pulse Dream Racing, whose team owner Hideyuki Ogata has recruited Tommy Bridewell. The British Superbike racer has raced the Suzuka 8 Hours on two occasions, finishing 10th with YART Yamaha in 2014. MotoMap Supply is another team to watch out for. Their line-up comprising Yoshihiro Konno, three-time Australian Superbike champion Josh Waters, and former MotoGP racer Nobuatsu Aoki finished 9th at Suzuka last year.

Suzuki Endurance Racing Team will also be lining up alongside all the Japanese Suzuki teams. Vincent Philippe, Etienne Masson and Gregg Black are determined to wind up their problematic 2017-2018 season on a positive note in Japan. Another European Suzuki-mounted team at Suzuka, Team R2CL, will be fielding a line-up comprising South African Superbike champion Clinton Seller and Australian racers Aaron Morris and Billy McConnell.

BMW’S AMBITIONS AT SUZUKA The German brand is relatively well represented at the Suzuka 8 Hours. Nine BMW teams will be on the grid in Japan on 29 July, including two European squads who are neck and neck in the FIM EWC provisional standings. Two Japanese BMW teams have made a good showing at Suzuka over the past few years. One team in particular to look out for is BMW Financial Services 135, a regular Top 20 finisher. Shinya Takeishi will partner with British Superbike riders Michael Laverty and Christian Iddon to ride the BMW 135. But BMW Motorrad 39, another S1000RR-mounted Japanese team, will no doubt make its presence felt thanks to a strong trio of riders. Daisaku Sakai, winner of the 2009 Suzuka 8 Hours and FIM endurance world champion with Suzuki Endurance Racing Team in 2011, will be riding the BMW #39 alongside Australian racing brothers Damian and Alex Cudlin. A championship duel Mercury Racing’s face-off with NRT48 will also make for an interesting duel. Just two points separate the two teams in the 2017-2018 FIM EWC provisional standings. Czech squad Mercury Racing, which mustered a 47th-place finish at last year’s Suzuka 8 Hours, has Frenchman Sylvain Barrier riding alongside two Czech riders, Karel Hanika and Ondřej Ježek. German team NRT48 is making its Suzuka debut with a trio comprising French riders Kenny Foray and Julien Da Costa and British racer Peter Hickman. The two Frenchmen have already reaped rewards at Suzuka in recent years, notably a 3rd-place finish for Kenny Foray in the 2012 race and a 4th place for Julien Da Costa in 2013.

 

Media bus ★

Media bus

Media bus

Media bus

21

8h

8h NightFree Practice

10 25 4550 40 15

30

8h SP

★ ★ ★

30

45

8h SP

30

8hQP

8hQP

8hQP

25thJuly

(Wed) Administrative check (8h)(8耐選手受付)

8h Administrative Check (SMSC Office)

No. 1 ~ 55 No. 59 ~ 806

12 13 14 15 16 17 18

OVERSEAS

30

Technical inspection / Noise control/ Refueling Equipment Check (8h)

(公式車検 / 音量測定 / 給油用具チェック)

45

8h Technical Inspection / Noise Control/ Refueling Equipment Check

8h Technical Inspection / Noise Control/ Refueling Equipment Check

30

30

20

30

4h Technical Inspection/ Refueling equipment check

4h

7 8 9 10 11 19

4h Administrative Check(SMSC Office)

Briefing / Meeting(ブリーフィング / ミーティング)

8h8h

30

30

Administrative check(8耐・4耐選手受付)

8h AdministrativeCheck(SMSC Office)

Supplementary practice(特別スポーツ走行)

30

Pit No. 1 ~ 25 Pit No. 26 ~ 5130

4h SP

50 Rider 30Rider

RED

Rider Rider Rider

BLUE YELLOW REDYELLOW

Rider

★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

5

20

20 5025 40 15 5 25

4hQP

PIT WALK8hQP

8hQP

4h FreePractice

28thJuly

(Sat)

Safety check / Tire marking(4h)(4耐スタート前チェック / タイヤマーキング)

30 30

302030Starting procedure (4h)

(4耐スタート進行)8h Refueling Equipment Check

8耐 給油用具チェック

Suzuka 4 hours Endurance Race Suzuka 4 hours Endurance Race 《ST600》15

30

8hPIT

WALK8h FreePractice

TOP10 TRIAL

Press conference

8h

Podium Ceremony

Free practice (8h) / TOP10 TRIAL (8h)/ Briefing (8h)

(フリー走行 / トップ10トライアル / ブリーフィング)

1530

Track activityコースイベント

55

4h 8h10

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

29thJuly

(Sun)

Safety check (8h)(8耐スタート前チェック)

OPENSAFETY CHECK

30

Warm-Up practice (8h)(8耐ウォームアップ走行)

Warm-Up

1545

Starting procedure (8h)(8耐スタート進行)

30

Podium

★ ★

30

Suzuka 8 hours Endurance Race "Coca-Cola" Suzuka 8hours Endurance RacePIT WALK

Track activity

PIT WALK

Track activity

7 8 9 10 11 12

●Paddock Gate :Open 24 hours with security service ●Supplementary Practice :Without any engagement nor undertaking for the FIM

Track check(コース下見)

Track Check (walk or by bicycle)コース下見 (徒歩または自転車)

19 20 21

●Pass Control :25(Wed)- 29(Sun) July 2018 ●Fuel Sales(Shell & Cosmo) :7am-4pm 25(Wed)- 29(Sun) July 2018

13 14 15 16 17 18

Podium ceremony10

20

212019181716151413

27thJuly(Fri)

Free practice / Qualifying practice/ Night practice(8h)

(フリー走行 / 公式予選 / 夜間走行)

121110987

Noise control (8h) / Briefing(4h)(音量測定 / ブリーフィング)

45

4h

Rider

BLUE

Checking lap on bus (4h)(下見バス) 40

40 10

26thJuly

(Thu)

BLUE

8h SP

45 45

30

4h SP

3535

8h Free Practice

RiderYELLOW

50

8hQP

4hQP

18:59

Team Managers Briefing①チーム監督ブリーフィング①

2017-2018 FIM Endurance World Championship Final Round

The 41st "Coca-Cola" Suzuka 8 hours Endurance Race

Riders Briefingライダーズブリーフィング

Pre-Session Briefing特スポ走行前ブリーフィング

4h Riders / Managers Briefingライダー / チーム監督ブリーフィング

TOP10 TRIAL Briefingトップ10トライアルブリーフィング

Team Managers Briefing②チーム監督ブリーフィング②

Pole Sitter Interview4H TOP3 Press conference 8h TOP3 Press conference

TOP3Press conference

2-July-2018OFFICIAL NOTICE No.1

公式通知 No.1Secretary of Meeting

(IMN 104/05)

Opening Ceremony

Safety Car Trainingセーフティカー訓練

Promotion Meetingプロモーションミーティング

2017-2018 FIM EWC points and classification

Points awarded on 2017-2018 FIM EWC races Points accordés sur les courses FIM EWC 2017-2018

PosPointsforBold'Or&24

HeuresMotosPointsfor8HofSlovakiaRing

&8HofOscherslebenPointsforFinal*Suzuka8Hours

1 40 30 452 33 24 363 28 21 31,54 24 19 28,55 21 17 25,56 19 15 22,57 17 14 218 15 13 19,59 13 12 1810 11 11 16,511 10 10 1512 9 9 13,513 8 8 1214 7 7 10,515 6 6 916 5 5 7,517 4 4 618 3 3 4,519 2 2 320 1 1 1,5

* According to FIM regulations, the points allocated for the final round is promoted by 150 % * Conformément aux règlements FIM, les points accordés sur la manche finale sont valorisés à 150 %

Bonus points for races from 12 to 24 hours Points bonus accordés sur les courses de 12 h à 24 h

The teams on Top10 after 8h and 16h of race receive bonus points Les teams du Top10 après 8h et 16h de course reçoivent des points bonus

Pos Bonusat8hafterthestart Bonusat16hafterthestart1 10 102 9 93 8 84 7 75 6 66 5 57 4 48 3 39 2 210 1 1

2017/2018 FIM EWC calendar

16/17 September 2017 - Bol d’Or (24 h) / Le Castellet - France 21/22 April 2018 - 24 Heures Motos / Le Mans – France

12 May 2018* - 8 Hours of Slovakia Ring / Slovakia 9 June 2018* - 8 Hours of Oschersleben / Germany

29 July 2018 – Suzuka 8 Hours / Japan *Race held on the Saturday

Calendrier FIM EWC 2017/2018

16/17 septembre 2017 - Bol d’Or (24 h) / Le Castellet - France 21/22 avril 2018 - 24 Heures Motos / Le Mans – France

12 mai 2018* - 8 Hours of Slovakia Ring / Slovaquie 9 juin 2018* - 8 Hours of Oschersleben / Allemagne

29 juillet 2018 – Suzuka 8 Hours / Japon *course le samedi

Pos Team / Equipe Machine Country FMN Total FRA FRA SVK GER JPN

1 F.C.C. TSR Honda France Honda JPN MFJ 146 37 58 21 30 -2 GMT94 YAMAHA Yamaha FRA FFM 136 60 31 24 21 -3 Honda Endurance Racing Honda GBR ACU 109 42 40 19 8 -4 WEPOL Racing by penz13.com BMW GER DMSB 81 43 38 - - -5 MERCURY RACING BMW CZE ACCR 70 29 19 15 7 -6 NRT48 BMW GER DMSB 68 32 - 17 19 -7 Suzuki Endurance Racing Team Suzuki FRA FFM 66 33 8 14 11 -8 TEAM SRC KAWASAKI Kawasaki FRA FFM 63 - 27 12 24 -9 Bolliger Team Switzerland Kawasaki SUI FMS 53 4 35 13 1 -10 Tati Team Beaujolais Racing Kawasaki FRA FFM 49 21 10 5 13 -11 Junior Team LMS Suzuki Suzuki FRA FFM 43 11 18 - 14 -12 MOTO AIN Yamaha FRA FFM 41 - 22 4 15 -13 YART - YAMAHA Yamaha AUT AMF 30 - - 30 - -14 No Limits Motor Team Suzuki ITA FMI 29 9 2 6 12 -15 Yamaha Viltaïs Experiences Yamaha FRA FFM 26 - 5 11 10 -16 3ART- MOTO TEAM 95 Yamaha FRA FFM 24 - 24 - - -17 MACO RACING Team Yamaha SVK SMF 20 - 3 0 17 -18 Motobox Kremer Racing #65 Yamaha GER DMSB 17 5 3 0 9 -19 Team 33 Accessoires - Louit Moto Kawasaki FRA FFM 16 16 - - - -20 Team R2CL Suzuki FRA MUL 15 6 9 - - -21 Gert56 German Endurance Racing Team BMW GER DMSB 15 - 7 8 - -22 WSB-Endurance Kawasaki GER DMSB 15 - 8 7 - -23 Aviobike Yamaha FRA FFM 14 8 0 0 6 -24 MOTOTECH EWC TEAM Honda BEL FMB 13 - 5 3 5 -25 TECMAS - BMW BMW FRA FFM 12 5 7 - - -26 ATOMIC 68 Suzuki FRA FFM 11 - 1 10 - -27 sarazin motorsport by hall moto 02 Yamaha FRA FFM 10 10 - - - -28 Wójcik Racing Team Yamaha POL PZM 9 - - 9 0 -29 AMSS-TRB VIDRA TEAM SERBIA Yamaha SRB AMSS 7 7 - - - -30 Team 18 Sapeurs Pompiers Kawasaki FRA FFM 6 - 6 - - -31 Team LRP Poland BMW POL PZM 4 - 0 - 4 -32 Exteria Eko Racing Team BMW SVK SMF 4 - 0 1 3 -33 ENERGIE ENDURANCE 91 Kawasaki FRA FFM 3 3 0 0 - -34 Team April Moto Motors Events Honda FRA FFM 3 1 0 2 - -35 Rac 41 Honda FRA FFM 2 - - - 2 -36 GIRLS RACING TEAM Yamaha FRA FFM 2 2 0 - - -37 Zuff Racing Team Honda SUI FMS 1 1 0 - - -38 National Motos Honda FRA FFM 1 1 - - - -

2017-2018 FIM Endurance World Championship - Classement des équipes

2017-2018 FIM Endurance World Championship - Teams ranking

Suzuka 8 Hours 2018 Media information

Media centre Control Tower 2nd floor Thursday 10.00 – 19.30 Friday 8.00 – 21.30 Saturday 7.00 – 22.00 Sunday 6.30 – 22.00 Contact media Press officer: Norifumi HARAGUCHI- [email protected] In the pit lane, you have to wear a helmet during all tests and race

on the track. The helmet – at the very least a certified bicycle helmet – will have to be approved by the FIM’s technical director.

To work in the pit lane, it’s also necessary to wear fireproof clothes

full covering the arms and the legs as well as closed shoes. Mandatory Photographers meeting Photographers and TV Crew Meeting will be scheduled July 26th(THU) to 28th(SAT). Those holders of Track passes and Pit Lane passes must be sure to attend.

Further details (i.e., time, etc.) of this meeting will be updated and announced on the Information Board so please pay your close attention.

Especially regarding Pit Lane access, absence from this meeting may lead to denial of your access/coverage of Pit Lane during the Race.

Suzuka 8 Hours 2018