EWC Suzuka 8 Hours – Race Report

Whilst there might have been drama and heartbreak behind, it was a dominant win for #33 Team HRC in 43rd Coca-Cola Suzuka 8 Hours with the line-up of Tetsuta Nagashima, Takumi Takahashi and Iker Lecuona taking the chequered flag by over a lap in the third round of the FIM Endurance World Championship. The #33 CBR1000RR-RSP was peerless throughout the eight hours and save for a brief dice at the early restart there was little doubt of who was favourite baring the unexpected.

Ad/> FIM EWCHRC take win, SERT first of season contenders in EWC Suzuka 8 Hours9 HOURS AGO The Suzuka 8 Hours start came with rather surprising blue skies after a build-up week of alternating grey hazy humidity or rain, the heavens seemingly cleared ahead of the race. The HRC led the field away cleanly, but behind it the top qualifying permanent EWC-entered #7 Yamaha YZFF-R1 had a shocker, down as low as 25th with Niccolò Canepa giving himself plenty to do, in complete contrast to Gregg Black on the rival #1 Yoshimura SERT Motul GSX-R1000R, who had a stormer, up to fourth on track on the first lap.

No sooner was the first lap done than the safety car was out for the first time after Kosuke Sakumoto on the #17 Astemo Honda Dream SI Racing CBR1000RR-R took out Naomichi Uramoto on the SDG Honda Racing version of the same bike heading into T13, providing an unlucky race exit for both with their teams’ dreams of glory turning into an instant nightmare. Sakumoto lost the front and seemingly came from nowhere to torpedo Uramoto in the spectacular crash from which both riders walked away.

With both bikes needing recovery and the barriers needing repair however, it was a 7-lap safety car period. The Honda NSX was followed first by the #33, then the #5 FCC TSR