Étienne Masson is banking on more than just a top five finish when Team Suzuki CN Challenge makes its second appearance in the FIM Endurance World Championship this week.

Following its groundbreaking EWC debut in the 45th Coca-Cola Suzuka 8 Hours Endurance Race in 2024 when a GSX-R1000R motorcycle was entered using 40 per cent bio-sourced fuel and several bio-friendly products, Team Suzuki CN Challenge will contest the 46th edition of the legendary Japanese event from 1-3 August utilising 100 per cent sustainable fuel. 

And world champion rider Masson has high hopes as Suzuki strives to achieve its stated goal of “both environmental load reduction and performance at a higher level to accelerate the development of environmental performance technologies through actual riding under severe conditions in endurance races”.

“All the goals have been revised upwards,” Masson said. “Last year, for our first time out, we finished eighth. This year, with an improved performance and team-mates, we’re obviously aiming higher. I think a top five finish would be a very good result. It would give credibility to the project and, who knows, it might inspire others.”

Masson returns to Suzuka with renewed belief as Team Suzuki CN Challenge goes for back-to-back victories in the Experimental category. “Suzuki had already asked me last year whether or not I wanted to continue my involvement in this project,” the Frenchman said. “Since it went really well and I really enjoyed working with the team, it was a no-brainer for me. I also knew they would have more time to work on the bike, given all the data we had collected during the race. You can feel all the experience they have in bike development. 

“Last year I really didn’t know what to expect, even though [team director] Sahara-san had reassured me about the bike’s potential. I was more worried about the tyre factor, which plays an important role in performance, but from the first few laps I felt it was performing well. After this first year, it was obviously a year to learn and discover, and this year will only be better.”

The switch to 100 per cent sustainable fuel is just one of the key developments for 2025, as Masson explained: “Last year we ran on gasoline with a 40 per cent biofuel content. This year it’s 100 per cent. So that’s a huge change for us riders, because the engine behaviour is really different. They’ve worked a lot on this with Takuya Tsuda, one of my team-mates [at Suzuka] in the All Japan Road Race Championship. The key point is the electronics because with this 100 per cent biofuel, the engine character is very aggressive, and we have to compensate with the electronics. That was our main focus during our two weeks of testing at Suzuka. 

“The other change is aerodynamics. Last year we had a little bit of it, this year we have a lot more. To put it simply, it’s the aerodynamics that were on the last Suzuki MotoGP bike. It makes the bike much more stable at high speeds.”

Team Suzuki CN Challenge has also tweaked its rider line-up for its second EWC appearance with the recruitment of Japan’s Takuya Tsuda and Spaniard Albert Arenas, who helped Yoshimura SERT Motul finish third overall at Suzuka in 2024.

“Tsuda is a rider with a lot of experience at Suzuka, but also on the Suzuki,” Masson said. “It’s great because we have the same feelings and our times are consistent. Then there’s Albert Arenas, who was called up to the SERT last year. His times should be pretty good too.”

Team Suzuki CN Challenge essentials: 

Motorcycle: Suzuki GSX-R1000R

Race number: #0

Fuel: TotalEnergies’ Excellium Racing 100 (100% certified* sustainable fuel)

Tyres: Bridgestone racing tyres with increased ratio of recycled and recyclable materials

Engine oil: Motul engine oil made using bio-sourced base oil

Fairings: JHI recycled carbon material (pre-preg material)

Fenders: Tras, Bcomp® (Unbleached natural flax fibre composite material)

Front brake: Sunstar Engineering non-heat treatment steel discs, Sunstar Engineering / Tokai Carbon low-dust pads

Battery: ELIIY Power LFP battery for motorcycle, storage battery for the garage

Silencer: Yoshimura Japan silencer made of TranTixxii™ -Eco (Eco-friendly titanium)

Team clothing: RS Taichi team polo shirt made of 100% recycled fabric

*Excellium Racing 100 is a certified 100% sustainable product according to the mass balanced system applied by a voluntary certification organisation approved by the European Union 
*”Bcomp” is a registered trademark of Switzerland Bcomp Ltd

The 46th Coca-Cola Suzuka 8 Hours Endurance Race takes place from 1-3 August. Click HERE for more information.