Honda HRC won the Coca-Cola Suzuka 8 Hours ahead of the Yamaha Factory Racing Team and the BMW Motorrad World Endurance Team. An eighth win in the event for Takumi Takahashi, and a piece of history for BMW, on the podium at Suzuka for the first time.

Nobody has ever done better, and the margin keeps growing. Takumi Takahashi claimed his eighth Suzuka 8 Hours win on Sunday, extending a record he already owned. Sharing the #30 CBR1000RR-R Fireblade SP with Jonathan Rea and Somkiat Chantra, the Japanese rider carried Honda HRC through 188 laps of a race that ended behind the safety car due to heavy rain. For Honda, the numbers speak for themselves: a fifth consecutive win on home soil, a 32nd overall in the event.

The threat, in the end, came from elsewhere. Long glued to the HRC’s pace, the AutoRace Ube Racing Team faded in the closing stages and crossed the line fifth, just less than two seconds shy of YART following a 10-sec stop and go penalty for incorrect pitstop procedure. Second place went instead to the Yamaha Factory Racing Team of Katsuyuki Nakasuga, Jack Miller and Andrea Locatelli, 1’34.280 back.

The other story of the day is for #37 of the BMW Motorrad World Endurance Team. The M 1000 RR of Markus Reiterberger, Steven Odendaal and Michael van der Mark finished third, handing BMW the first podium for an European manufacturer in Suzuka 8 Hours history.

Yoshimura SERT Motul, penalised during the race for an incorrect refuelling procedure, eventually finished sixth, two laps down.

On the misfortune side, the F.C.C. TSR Honda France never recovered from a difficult opening half and ended up 26th overall, twelve laps adrift.

NCXX RACING edges a tight Superstock battle

In Superstock, the #52 NCXX RACING with RIDERS CLUB wins after a tight fight: the #25 Team Étoile BMW fell 14 seconds short, while the #77 Wójcik Racing Team Honda completed the class podium, just one one second off second place. The #38 Champion-Hert Powered by MRP BMW finished fourth, on the same lap.

A fine day too for Team SUZUKI CN CHALLENGE. The experimental GSX-R1000R, running sustainable fuel and recycled parts, came home seventh overall and won the Experimental class.

Race highlights

Winners: Honda HRC #30 (Takahashi / Rea / Chantra) — 188 laps in 7:54:19.425

Best lap: 2’16.034 (154.0 km/h) — Jack Miller (Yamaha Factory Racing Team #21)

Superstock winner: NCXX RACING with RIDERS CLUB #52

Experimental winner: Team SUZUKI CN CHALLENGE #0

What they said

Takumi Takahashi (Honda HRC #30): “First of all, I’m very happy that our team won this race. As you know, (Katsuyuki) Nakasuga is retiring this year and I definitely did not want to lose to him here. It’s a pity that he’s going, but I’m glad I made it: winning this race was one of my goals for that reason. The conditions were complicated and I’d like to thank all my teammates. Somkiat did not race today, but he helped a lot, so it is a win of the three of us together. A great team effort. And Jonathan, a world champion, so much faster than me in the wet, an amazing performance. We really couldn’t have done it without each of us. I would also like to thank the team for the pit stops: the tyre changes, everything went so smoothly. Very happy to take my fifth consecutive win here at the 8 Hours.”

Andrea Locatelli (Yamaha Factory Racing Team #21): “The Suzuka 8 Hours looks like a crazy race. Last year it was really hot, this year completely under the rain, and eight hours in the rain gets quite complicated. Probably nice to watch from the sofa, but on the bike it was never easy to manage, every single lap. Overtaking slower riders, some oil on the track from a broken bike… it’s always complicated. In the dry it’s a bit more predictable, you can manage things better, but in the rain you never know. In the end I think we did an amazing job. Race Direction did a really good job too, honestly. I was quite surprised they decided to send out the safety car, especially at that late stage, but the rain was really heavy, especially in Spoon 1 and 2. I was already feeling bad there, the bike was spinning a lot, it was really dangerous. We saw bikes starting to crash again, so it was probably the right choice. We finished second again this year, but I think we deserved it because we worked well in these conditions too. Let’s keep pushing, I’m really happy to be here as a Yamaha rider. And big congratulations to the winners, because as always they did an amazing job.”

Michael van der Mark (BMW Motorrad World Endurance Team #37): “Honestly, my last stint was a bit boring because we stayed a long time behind the safety car. Before that I did a double stint and I was enjoying it a lot. I was having fun with the bike; the track conditions weren’t changing much, and even when they did, we were really fast. It was nice to be quick and fight for the podium. At the end, Race Direction made the right call to bring out the safety car as it had already been quite tricky for a few laps. I was waiting for it, because there was just too much rain. It’s a shame, because it could have been a nice end to the race, but safety first. It’s just nice to finish on the podium with my team, with BMW. We’ve been working really hard all winter, and since the day we arrived here all three of us have been very fast. It’s a nice present for the whole team and for BMW to be on the podium at Suzuka.”

More, from a press release issued by Honda Racing:

Honda HRC secures fifth consecutive Suzuka 8 Hours victory as Honda claims its 32nd win

Honda-powered teams claim first and third in the Superstock category

The 47th edition of the FIM Endurance World Championship “Coca-Cola” Suzuka 8 Hours got underway on Sunday at the Suzuka Circuit for Round 3 of the 2026 FIM Endurance World Championship.

The day began with a 45-minute warm-up session held in wet conditions after rain fell between 08:30 and 09:15, giving teams one final opportunity to check their wet-weather setup ahead of the race.

The race got underway at 11:30 am local time under overcast skies, with an air temperature of 23°C and the track still wet from the morning rain and was heavily influenced by intermittent rain and several lengthy safety car periods. Honda HRC’s race strategy gradually shifted towards completing the race with Takumi Takahashi and Jonathan Rea, both able to rely on extensive experience in similar conditions. Somkiat Chantra had shown very competitive pace throughout the dry sessions but had not had the opportunity to gain experience in these mixed and wet conditions. Making his Suzuka 8 Hours debut, the Thai rider nevertheless made an important contribution to the team’s overall effort throughout the race week.

Starting from pole position, Takumi Takahashi made a strong start aboard the Honda CBR1000RR-R FIREBLADE SP #30 and established himself among the front runners from the opening laps.

Honda HRC completed the first four hours with two pit stops, with Takahashi ending his first 33-lap stint in the lead before handing over to Jonathan Rea. Rea consolidated Honda HRC’s lead until the end of lap 66, when he handed the bike back to Takahashi.

At the end of the fourth hour, Takumi Takahashi pitted on lap 92 to hand the Honda #30 over to Jonathan Rea once again, with Honda HRC continuing to lead the Suzuka 8 Hours.

With the rain easing but the track still wet and conditions remaining very tricky, Takahashi also put all his experience and speed to good use, continuing to control Honda HRC’s advantage at the front.

At the end of the race, heavy rain returned, while the fading daylight added a further challenge for the riders in the closing stages of the race. With 34 minutes remaining, the deployment of two safety cars on lap 179 effectively settled the race, preserving Takahashi’s advantage. Honda HRC completed188 lap-race to secure its fifth consecutive Suzuka 8 Hours victory. The victory marks Takahashi’s eighth Suzuka 8 Hours win, his fifth consecutive success in the event, and Rea’s third victory at Suzuka.

Honda also enjoyed a strong showing from its non-permanent EWC entries at Suzuka, with SDG Team HARC-PRO. Honda finishing eighth, Honda Asia-Dream Racing with Astemo securing ninth place, and Team ATJ with NTT docomo Business completing the top 10.

F.C.C. TSR Honda France’s final result of 26th place at the Suzuka 8 Hours did not reflect the team’s true performance after a mechanical issue ended what had been a promising race. Before the setback, the Honda CBR1000RR-R FIREBLADE SP #5 had consistently run inside the top five, demonstrating the pace to fight at the front throughout the event.

Corentin Perolari made an excellent start from sixth on the grid for F.C.C. TSR Honda France, climbing to fourth within the opening 30 minutes before the first safety car interrupted the race. Once the action resumed, the Frenchman remained firmly in contention at the front before making the team’s first scheduled pit stop after 27 laps, handing the Honda CBR1000RR-R FIREBLADE SP #5 to John McPhee while running fifth.

McPhee rejoined in 11th position and quickly fought his way back into the top 10 before a second safety car was deployed. After the restart, McPhee continued his strong pace before handing over to Alan Techer, who maintained the team’s momentum by moving up to seventh place.

Shortly after the fourth hour began, a mechanical issue forced Techer back to the pits, costing the team valuable time. Perolari rejoined in 36th place, leaving the Honda #5 with a lot of ground to make up.

Despite the setback, the team worked their way back to 26th by the finish. Although the final result does not reflect the performance shown throughout the week, F.C.C. TSR Honda France demonstrated its true potential in every condition with all three riders consistently showed the pace to challenge for a top-five finish.

Honda #5 now turns its full attention to the season finale at the Bol d’Or, determined to convert its potential into the result its efforts deserve.

Tati Team AVA6 Racing’s race came to an early end after Mike Di Meglio suffered a mechanical problem during the opening half hour. Despite returning to the pits, the team was ultimately forced to retire and abandon the Suzuka 8 Hours.

Honda CBR1000RR-R FIREBLADE SP-powered teams on the podium. NCXX RACING with RIDERS CLUB produced an outstanding performance, climbing from second in class to take the Superstock lead before half distance and eventually securing the category victory with an impressive 14th-place overall finish.

Meanwhile, Wójcik Racing Team #77 SST enjoyed another competitive Suzuka 8 Hours, progressing from seventh to fourth in class during the opening stint before moving into podium contention. The Honda #77 ultimately finished third in the Superstock category, earning valuable championship points.

The 2026 FIM EWC championship final will take place on September 19 at the Bol d’Or, on the Paul Ricard circuit (France).

More, from a press release issued by the Yoshimura SERT Motul team:

YOSHIMURA SERT MOTUL KEEPS EWC TITLE HOPES ALIVE

The 47th Suzuka 8 Hours delivered plenty of drama today, Sunday the 5th of July. Despite highly changeable weather and a race disrupted by multiple incidents, Yoshimura SERT Motul crossed the finish line in sixth place, keeping its 2026 FIM Endurance World Championship title challenge very much alive.

This year’s Suzuka 8 Hours proved to be a demanding race for all 50 qualified teams. Rain arrived before the warm-up session and the race got underway under threatening skies. Starting from eighth on the grid, Gregg Black made an outstanding launch onboard the #12 Suzuki GSX-R1000R to claim the holeshot on the still-soaking circuit. Remaining composed in the treacherous conditions, the Yoshimura SERT Motul rider kept the Suzuki firmly among the front-runners until the first safety car neutralised the race.

Just minutes after the team’s opening pit stop, a second safety car intervention dominated much of the second hour following a series of crashes. These successive interventions severely limited the opportunities to close the gap to the leaders, with every re-start coming at an unfavourable moment for the team.

Yoshimura SERT Motul also suffered a setback when it was handed a 10-second stop-and-go penalty following a refuelling procedure infringement. True to its fighting spirit, the team refused to give up and had climbed back to sixth place by half race distance, a position it defended all the way to the chequered flag. Heavy rain returned later in the race, bringing another safety car into play during the closing stages. Both the riders and the technical crew delivered a faultless performance from that point onwards. The final slowing down of the race froze the order just as the #12 Suzuki was in a position to challenge for a top-five finish. After 186 laps of an action-packed and incident-filled race, Yoshimura SERT Motul took the chequered flag in sixth place.

With 84 points, Yoshimura SERT Motul now sits third in the provisional championship standings ahead of the final round, where plenty of points will still be on offer. The 2026 FIM EWC season finale will take place in France at Circuit Paul Ricard during the 89th Bol d’Or, from the 17th to the 20th of September.

Yohei Kato – Team Director
“I’m naturally disappointed with today’s result. After the promising pace we showed during the pre-event tests, we believed we had the potential to fight for the podium, and possibly even for victory. Unfortunately, things didn’t come together as we had hoped throughout the week. Despite the strong performance of the new GSX-R1000R, the commitment of our riders and the excellent work of the entire team, a combination of incidents and difficult conditions prevented us from achieving the result we were aiming for.

“We will carefully analyse everything we learned this weekend and use that experience to come back stronger at the Bol d’Or. I would like to thank all our team members and our supporters for their continued commitment and encouragement.”

Damien Saulnier – Team Manager
“It has been a difficult week, so naturally there’s some disappointment with the final result. We had several crashes during practice, then a race made even more complicated by the weather, the stop-and-go penalty and, above all, the safety car interventions. On two occasions, the safety cars came out between us and the race leaders, costing us half a lap each time and significantly reducing our chances of getting back into contention. Winning probably wasn’t realistic, but I genuinely believe a podium finish was within our reach.

“That said, we’ve come away with valuable championship points and the title fight is far from over. We’ll analyse everything from this race to prepare for the Bol d’Or in the best possible way, with the clear objective of fighting for the championship once again.

“I’d also like to thank the entire team for their outstanding work. The mechanics did an incredible job throughout the week repairing the bikes after the crashes, while the riders never stopped pushing. Everyone gave their absolute best, and weekends like this remind you just how strong this team really is. We all wanted to shine at Suzuka, such a special race for the Yoshimura family. This time fortune wasn’t on our side, but we’ll come back stronger.”

Gregg Black – rider
“Finishing sixth is obviously disappointing because we were convinced we had the pace to fight our way forward from eighth on the grid. I made a really strong start and we quickly showed that our race pace was competitive despite extremely tricky conditions, with a damp track, several oil-related interruptions and constantly changing weather.

“The team managed the race well and we were consistently among the fastest bikes on track. Unfortunately, the stop-and-go penalty, a few seconds lost in the pits and several badly timed safety car interruptions ruined our chances of closing in on the podium. I honestly believe we still had the pace to gain another one or two positions before the finish.

“Despite the frustration, we’ve scored important championship points. I’d like to thank the whole team for their fantastic work throughout the week, as well as my teammates for their commitment. Our new GSX-R1000R has shown genuine potential and provides a very encouraging foundation for the rest of the season. Luck wasn’t on our side this time, but I’m convinced our moment will come at the Bol d’Or.”

Dan Linfoot – rider
“Today’s race was a difficult one, with very wet conditions right from the start. Our pace wasn’t bad and we were competitive at times. The bike felt really good whenever the track began to dry, but I struggled a little more when the rain increased. Finishing sixth is obviously not the result we were aiming for. After finishing on the podium here in previous years, our expectations were much higher. On my side, I gave everything I had, completing several double stints and maintaining a solid pace throughout the race. We’ll analyse where we were missing performance in the wet, take the positives from this weekend and shift our focus to the Bol d’Or. The championship is still open, and we’ll do everything we can to finish the season on a high.”

Cocoro Atsumi – rider
“Today’s race was difficult, with wet conditions throughout the entire eight hours. We also had to serve a stop-and-go penalty, which made our race even more challenging. Despite that, none of the riders made any major mistakes and we all pushed hard until the finish. I focused on improving my riding in the wet. Lap after lap, I gained confidence and was able to improve my pace, eventually setting consistent 2’18 lap times. That gives me a lot more confidence in these conditions for the future. Finishing sixth is not what we expected from this race, but that’s racing. We’ll learn from this weekend, stay positive and come back determined to fight for a stronger result for the next race.”