Takumi Takahashi and Johann Zarco have won the 46th Coca-Cola Suzuka 8 Hours Endurance Race for Honda HRC, the Japanese manufacturer’s 31st victory in the FIM Endurance World Championship event, Takahashi’s record-extending seventh and MotoGP star Zarco’s second.
Starting from pole position, Honda HRC beat Yamaha Racing Team to EWC glory with Yoshimura SERT Motul edging out SDG Team HARC-PRO. Honda for third after an intense battle that raged for much of the race.
"It's always a good race when you can control a gap," Zarco said. "But doing it with two [riders] is really difficult, plus it's too hot, you sweat a lot and the recovery time is too short. It's tough sometimes when you go back on the bike but in the end the pace was quite good. We got two safety car [periods] and that always change a bit the game but we could keep an advantage. Thanks to Takumi because he's always doing the job every stint and that's so impressive. I try to do the same and I hope next year we'll be three because we'll be better. It's a race I enjoy and having one of the best bikes is a pleasure to ride. It's a nice week to do, you need to control your energy but it's my special holiday to come in Suzuka."
By finishing fifth overall, BMW Motorrad World Endurance Team heads to the season-deciding Bol d'Or next month just one point behind Yamalube YART Yamaha EWC Official Team, which retired after a succession of falls and an engine issue.
BMW-powered Team Étoile converted the Superstock category pole into its first win in the Dunlop-supplied FIM Endurance World Cup. TONE Team 4413 EVA 02 BMW, which headed Team Étoile home in 2024, finished second with Aprilia-powered Revo-M2 finishing third. Team Étoile will start the Bol d'Or equal on points with National Motos Honda FMA, which crashed out.