The legendary Yoshimura Suzuki Racing Team led the qualifications and some part of the race but the Suzuka 8 Hours victory went to the FCC TSR Honda (Kosuke Akiyoshi, Shinichi Itoh and Ryuichi Kiyonari), ahead of the pole sitters Yukio Kagayama, Josh Waters and Nobuatsu Aoki and the Honda Musashi RT Harc Pro (Takumi Takahashi, Makoto Tamada and Tdayuki Okada). The three teams, racing on Bridgestone tyres, finished the race in the very same lap.
This 34th edition offered a great show since three teams were involved in an intense battle for the leadership during the 8 hour long race. The fastest Yoshimura Suzuki Racing Team rider, Yukio Kagayama, and Takumi Takahashi on the Honda Musashi RT Harc Pro, were on track together during their shifts and offered the public a great show. During the last hour, Ryuichi Kiyonari on the FCC TSR Honda was the most spectacular as he managed to keep the within distance of the Yoshimura Suzuki Racing Team.
Slightly more discrete but yet very performant was the BMW Motorrad France 99 Team, finishing the race very close to the podium, but five laps behind the leaders, being the first machine on Michelin. On top of that, Sébastien Gimbert, Erwan Nigon and Damian Cudlin took the Qtel FIM Endurance World Championship leadership as the BMW Motorrad France 99 now leads the Suzuki Endurance Racing Team by six points.
In a difficult position after qualifying in 15th position, the Suzuki Endurance Racing Team faced different problems which started with an ignition issue, then an injection and finally a broken footrest. SERT, current World Champion finished in 9th position behind Yamaha Racing France GMT 94 Ipone, who finished 7th. The Yamaha delayed by a pit stop after Matthieu Lagrive nearly lost the bike with a serious sideways, enjoyed a great come back in the second part of the race and is back in the 2011 title chase.
Engaged in Suzuka with a partnership with the Japanese team RS Itoh Asia, the Bolliger Team Switzerland lost some time due to a leaking radiator and when Roman Stamm crashed after a collision with race leader on the FCC TSR Honda, Shinichi Itoh. Bolliger Team Switzerland finished in a distant 38th position.
The Monster Yamaha YART had some great hope for the race as they started from second position on the grid but the official Austrian Yamaha squad had to give up just before mid-race due to an oil leak. For the Honda TT Legends, the discovery of the Suzuka 8 Hours was also quite short, as the British team had to retire due to a rear wheel axle issue. Same situation for the Honda Dream RT Sakurai of Jamie Stauffer and Wayne Maxwell, who were in the top 5 until the last two hours and had to quit the race due to an electronic problem.
The next round of the Qtel FIM Endurance World Championship is the 24 Hours of Le Mans, September 24th and 25th.
They said...
Ryuichi Kiyonari, winner on FCC TSR Honda and great finish contender : "After my crash at the beginning of the race I felt obliged to do my best to get the victory for my team"
Shinichi Itoh, winner on the FCC TSR Honda and North East Japan native, the region who suffered the most from the earthquake : "I had decided to quit racing last year but to be here and win again is the best way I found to support my region and my friends. It was very difficult to be prepared enough for the race but I tried my best"
Yukio Kagayama, 2nd on the Yoshimura Suzuki Racing Team : "The Team FCC TSR Honda has been very fast... And Ryuichi Kiyonari did not give me any chance to come closer towards the end of the race"
Josh Waters, Suzuka 8 Hours newcomer and 2nd on the Yoshimura Suzuki Racing Team : "I'm so happy for this first experience to be on the podium. My team-mates have been very helpful to me. The Suzuki has the perfect set up and was very easy to ride. I just tried to give my best"
Yukio Kagayama, Yoshimura Suzuki Racing Team pillar, talking about Josh : "He has been more performant that we expected. He did a great job and raced like much more experienced riders"
Makoto Tamada, Musashi RT Harc Pro spoke person, a disappointed third : "We are very proud of our fight for victory but obviously disappointed that we could not reach it"
Photos FIM/GoodShoot 2011
<media 21151>Race Classification</media>
<media 21164>Provisional Standings</media>