Niccolò Canepa, the FIM Endurance World Championship winner turned Yamaha Motor Europe’s Road Racing Sporting Manager, took time out to reflect on the 46th Coca-Cola Suzuka 8 Hours Endurance Race and look ahead to next month’s EWC season-deciding Bol d’Or. This is what the 37-year-old from Italy had to say.
On Yamaha Racing Team’s return to the Suzuka 8 Hours…
“It was great to have the factory Yamaha Racing Team back racing at Suzuka for the first time since 2019. It shows our commitment to racing at the highest level. We had an incredible line-up with Jack [Miller] from MotoGP, Andrea [Locatelli] from WorldSBK and, of course, four-time Suzuka winner and 12-time JSB1000 champion, Katsuyuki Nakasuga. With such a talented trio of riders, we felt from the start, and the guys proved it, that we would have the chance to fight for victory.”
On World Superbike star Andrea Locatelli’s EWC debut…
“I was delighted for Andrea. He is having a great season in WorldSBK this year, so he was full of confidence, but he had never ridden at Suzuka before the test. With this in mind, his lap in the Top 10 Trial was incredible, as he smashed the existing lap record, admittedly to then have it beaten by a rival, but to be able to produce a lap like that to secure second on the grid under such pressure was incredible. I think it highlights the level of talent in WorldSBK. The race itself had everything, and it was great to see the team fight at the front for its entirety. All three riders showed superb pace, with Andrea setting the fastest race lap as he again impressed, and they gave it absolutely everything in the extreme heat and humidity. Jack rode perfectly throughout the race and put in some amazing stints, while Nakasuga-san was as fast and consistent as ever. To finish just 34 seconds behind the winners, after eight hours of intense racing, showcased just what an impressive team effort it was.”
On Yamalube YART Yamaha EWC Official Team’s podium run ending…
“For YART, it was a tougher weekend. They struggled to find a good setup at the test, but once they arrived for race week, they immediately felt better on the bike. They qualified in sixth, and Marvin [Fritz], Karel [Hanika], and Jason [O’Halloran] all had good pace during the race. They were firmly in the hunt for a podium before, unfortunately, they had to retire. It was the first time that they had not finished on the podium at an EWC race since the Bol d’Or in 2023, and it was tough to take, especially with only four rounds on the EWC calendar, and considering how well they had performed in the previous races. The good news is that they still lead the championship standings by a point, with just one round left at the Bol d’Or. The way the team are working at the moment is very impressive, and if they can keep that focus heading into the final round, anything is possible.”
On ELF Marc VDS Racing Team/KM99’s Suzuka personal best…
“It was great to see ELF Marc VDS Racing Team/KM99 have such a good race. They had been struggling to find the right balance with their bike in the lead-up, and could only qualify in 18th, but they then produced a faultless performance on Sunday. They made no mistakes and kept a fast, consistent pace, and ended the race in a very competitive ninth place as the leading team on Dunlop tyres, which was an excellent result and their second consecutive top ten at Suzuka.”
On next month’s EWC title-deciding Bol d’Or…
“We are in for an incredible final round of the EWC season at the Bol d’Or, as not only do YART have the chance to win the championship, Yamaha also has a chance to be crowned the Superstock and Production class champions as well, so it should be an amazing showdown, and we are hoping to come back with all three titles.”
The EWC season-deciding Bol d’Or takes place from 18-21 September. Click HERE for more information.