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Rea, Lowes and Mahias to spearhead Kawasaki Suzuka 8H assault

2021 FIM Endurance World Championship "Coca-Cola" Suzuka 8 Hours

Trev by Trev
July 20, 2021
in Endurance Road Racing, Kawasaki News
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Kawasaki shooting for third Suzuka 8 Hours victory

While the 5.821km Suzuka circuit itself was opened in the September of 1962, the Suzuka 8 Hour first came about in 1978 and it quickly became the most important race for production based bikes in the world.

American duo Wes Cooley and Mike Baldwin won that inaugural duel on July 30, 1978, on a Yoshimura backed GS1000 Suzuki.

Australia planted its flag at Suzuka in 1979 when a Team Honda Australia squad consisting of Tony Hatton and Mick Cole rode a CB900 to victory.

New Zealand took their first top step on the rostrum the following year when Kiwi Graeme Crosby partnered with American Wes Cooley to win the race on a Yoshimura GS1000 Suzuki.

Honda are by far the most successful manufacturers in the history of the race with 27 wins. While Yamaha have been the most successful brand at Suzuka in recent years their overall tally still only numbers eight victories while Suzuki have five wins.

Itoh Ham Racing Kawasaki ZXR Scott Russell Aaron Slight
Kawasaki ZXR – Scott Russell – Aaron Slight – 1993

Until 2019, Kawasaki had only ever won the prestigious event once and that was some 26 years before when Aaron Slight and Scott Russell piloted a ZXR750R to victory. In 2019 Kawasaki were on the top step again after Jonathan Rea and Leon Haslam piloted the KRT ZX-10RR to victory. The third member of the team, Toprak Razgatlioglu, did not ride at the event but was still part of the winning team.

FIM EWC Suzuka Hour Rea Haslam GB
Kawasaki Racing Team’s Jonathan Rea and Leon Haslam celebrate the win in 2019

The 2020 edition of the race was cancelled due to the pandemic but Kawasaki are out to back up their success in 2021 with a three-man team featuring both KRT WorldSBK riders and a former WSS600 championship winner. Running under the banner of “Kawasaki Racing Team Suzuka 8H”, the official factory entry will seek success in the 2021 FIM Endurance World Championship “Coca-Cola” Suzuka 8 Hours event.

Fielding the new 2021 Ninja ZX-10RR, the Kawasaki entry for this year’s Suzuka event will be guided by Provec, the company that manages Kawasaki’s World SBK team, KRT. The three-man squad is entirely populated with previous Suzuka winners in the form of Jonathan Rea and Alex Lowes plus rising star Lucas Mahias who, having previously won the WSS600 Championship, has moved to the WorldSBK stage riding for Puccetti Kawasaki.

Jonathan Rea

“I am so excited that I will be part of KRT and Kawasaki factory taking part in the 2021 Suzuka 8 Hour race. I’ve been on the podium four times now at Suzuka, and my fondest memory was winning the race for Kawasaki in 2019. Unfortunately, we couldn’t do the race in 2020 due to the global pandemic going on, but we’ll be back in 2021 and I promise I will be making my best efforts to do the best for Kawasaki and all our fans.”

FIM EWC Suzuka Hour Kawasaki Racing Team
Kawasaki Racing Team – 2019 Suzuka 8 Hour
Alex Lowes

“I’m delighted that I’ll be part of the KRT Kawasaki factory racing team for the 2021 Suzuka 8 Hours. Already I’ve been on the winning team three times at Suzuka. It’s a fantastic event and a really great circuit – one of my favourites. Now I’ll have the chance to push for a Kawasaki win on the latest Ninja ZX-10RR. I’m really looking forward to being part of this famous race again. We have a great team, and the Ninja is an amazing machine.”

FIM EWC Suzuka Hour Kawasaki Racing Team Rea GB
Jonathan Rea – Kawasaki Racing Team – Suzuka 8H 2019
Lucas Mahias

“I’m happy that I will be part of the KRT Kawasaki factory team taking part in the 2021 Suzuka 8 Hour race. Racing in Japan is always very special, and Suzuka 8 Hours is a world-famous race. It is so good to return to Suzuka after the 2020 pandemic. For all the Kawasaki fans, I promise that we will make the best preparations and I will do my best to be part of the winning team at Suzuka.”

Guim Roda of Provec and KRT

“The Suzuka 8 Hours is a global event, and it profiles not just the endurance of riders across these many hours but also the durability of the motorcycle. I’m sure Johnny, Alex and Lucas are the perfect weapons for this exciting challenge. Our job at Provec on behalf of KRT and the Kawasaki factory is to manage not just rider performance but also to work alongside the factory race staff to produce a Ninja ZX-10RR that is both fast and durable plus easy to maintain during pit stops and scheduled rider changes. I know this year’s 8 hour race is a big effort and commitment from many people to try come back to normality after a hard 2020 Covid year and not such an easy recovery back to “normal” in 2021. So will fully support this event to make sure the show goes on and we’ll work together with KHI to make the best result, for all fans and for all the world!”.

FIM EWC Suzuka Hour Atmos Crowds
2019 Suzuka 8 Hours

Suzuka 8 Hour Results


Winners from 1978 to present
YearWinnerMachineRiders
1978Yoshimura Racing GroupSuzuki GS1000united statesWes Cooley
united statesMike Baldwin
1979Team Honda AustraliaHonda CB900australiaTony Hatton
australiaMichael Cole
1980Yoshimura R&DSuzuki GS1000united statesWes Cooley
new zealandGraeme Crosby
1981Honda FranceHonda RS1000united statesMike Baldwin
united statesDavid Aldana
1982Blue Helmets MSCHonda CB900FjapanShigeo Iijima
japanShinji Hagiwara
1983Suzuki FranceSuzuki GS1000RfranceHerve Moineau
belgiumRichard Hubin
1984America HondaHonda RS750Runited statesFred Merkel
united statesMike Baldwin
1985Team HRCHonda RVF750australiaWayne Gardner
japanMasaki Tokuno
1986Team HRCHonda RVF750australiaWayne Gardner
franceDominique Sarron
1987Shiseido TECH21 RTYamaha YFZ750germanyMartin Wimmer
australiaKevin Magee
1988LUCKY STRIKE RobertsYamaha YFZ750australiaKevin Magee
united statesWayne Rainey
1989BEAMS Honda IkuzawaHonda RVF750franceDominique Sarron
franceAlex Vieira
1990Shiseido TECH21 RTYamaha YFZ750japanTadahiko Taira
united statesEddie Lawson
1991Team HRCHonda RVF750australiaWayne Gardner
australiaMick Doohan
1992OKI Honda RTHonda RVF750australiaWayne Gardner
australiaDaryl Beattie
1993ITOH HAM Racing KawasakiKawasaki ZX-7RRunited statesScott Russell
new zealand Aaron Slight
1994Team HRCHonda RVF/RC45united statesDoug Polen
new zealandAaron Slight
1995Team HRCHonda RVF/RC45new zealandAaron Slight
japanTadayuki Okada
1996Y.R.T.Yamaha YFZ750united statesColin Edwards
japanNoriyuki Haga
1997HORI-PRO Honda with HARTHonda RC45japanShinichi Itoh
japanTohru Ukawa
1998LUCKY STRIKE HondaHonda RVF/RC45japanShinichi Itoh
japan Tohru Ukawa
1999LUCKY STRIKE HondaHonda RVF/RC45japanTadayuki Okada
brazilAlex Barros
2000Team CABIN HondaHonda VTR1000SPjapanTohru Ukawa
japanDaijiro Kato
2001Team CABIN HondaHonda VTR1000SPitalyValentino Rossi
united statesColin Edwards
2002Team CABIN HondaHonda VTR1000SPjapanDaijiro Kato
united statesColin Edwards
2003Team Sakurai HondaHonda VTR1000SPjapanYukio Nukumi
japanManabu Kamada
2004Seven Stars Honda 7Honda CBR1000RRjapanTohru Ukawa
japanHitoyasu Izutsu
2005Seven Stars Honda 7Honda CBR1000RRjapanRyuichi Kiyonari
japanTohru Ukawa
2006F.C.C. TSR ZIP-FM RacingHonda CBR1000RRjapanTakeishi Tsujimura
japanShinichi Itoh
2007Yoshimura Suzuki, JOMO 34Suzuki GSX-R1000japanYukio Kagayama
japanKousuke Akiyoshi
2008Dream Honda Racing Team 11Honda CBR1000RRjapanRyuichi Kiyonari
spainCarlos Checa
2009 Onwards
YearTeamMachneRiders
2009Yoshimura Suzuki with JOMOSuzuki GSX-R1000japanD Sakai
japanK Tokudome
japan N Aoki
2010MuSASHi RT HARC-PRO.Honda CBR1000RRjapanR Kiyonari
japanT Nakagami
japanT Takahashi
2011F.C.C. TSR HondaHonda CBR1000RRjapanK Akiyoshi
japanS Itoh
japanR Kiyonari
2012F.C.C. TSR HondaHonda CBR1000RRunited kingdomJ Rea
japanK Akiyoshi
japanT Okada
2013MuSASHi RT HARC-PRO.Honda CBR1000RRjapanT Takahashi
united kingdomL Haslam
netherlandsM vd Mark
2014MuSASHi RT HARC-PRO.Honda CBR1000RRjapanT Takahashi
united kingdomL Haslam
netherlandsM vd Mark
2015Yamaha Factory RacingYamaha YZF-R1japanK Nakasuga
spainP Espargaro
united kingdomB Smith
2016Yamaha Factory RacingYamaha YZF-R1japanK Nakasuga
spainP Espargaro
united kingdomA Lowes
2017Yamaha Factory RacingYamaha YZF-R1MjapanK Nakasuga
united kingdomA Lowes
netherlandsM V Mark
2018Yamaha Factory RacingYamaha YZF-R1MjapanK Nakasuga
united kingdomA Lowes
netherlandsM V Mark

2019

Kawasaki Racing TeamKawasaki ZX-10R
turkeyT Razgatlioglu 
united kingdomJ Rea
united kingdomL Haslam
Winners from 1978 to present
YearWinnerMachineRiders
1978Yoshimura Racing GroupSuzuki GS1000united statesWes Cooley
united statesMike Baldwin
1979Team Honda AustraliaHonda CB900australiaTony Hatton
australiaMichael Cole
1980Yoshimura R&DSuzuki GS1000united statesWes Cooley
new zealandGraeme Crosby
1981Honda FranceHonda RS1000united statesMike Baldwin
united statesDavid Aldana
1982Blue Helmets MSCHonda CB900FjapanShigeo Iijima
japanShinji Hagiwara
1983Suzuki FranceSuzuki GS1000RfranceHerve Moineau
belgiumRichard Hubin
1984America HondaHonda RS750Runited statesFred Merkel
united statesMike Baldwin
1985Team HRCHonda RVF750australiaWayne Gardner
japanMasaki Tokuno
1986Team HRCHonda RVF750australiaWayne Gardner
franceDominique Sarron
1987Shiseido TECH21 RTYamaha YFZ750germanyMartin Wimmer
australiaKevin Magee
1988LUCKY STRIKE RobertsYamaha YFZ750australiaKevin Magee
united statesWayne Rainey
1989BEAMS Honda IkuzawaHonda RVF750franceDominique Sarron
franceAlex Vieira
1990Shiseido TECH21 RTYamaha YFZ750japanTadahiko Taira
united statesEddie Lawson
1991Team HRCHonda RVF750australiaWayne Gardner
australiaMick Doohan
1992OKI Honda RTHonda RVF750australiaWayne Gardner
australiaDaryl Beattie
1993ITOH HAM Racing KawasakiKawasaki ZX-7RRunited statesScott Russell
new zealand Aaron Slight
1994Team HRCHonda RVF/RC45united statesDoug Polen
new zealandAaron Slight
1995Team HRCHonda RVF/RC45new zealandAaron Slight
japanTadayuki Okada
1996Y.R.T.Yamaha YFZ750united statesColin Edwards
japanNoriyuki Haga
1997HORI-PRO Honda with HARTHonda RC45japanShinichi Itoh
japanTohru Ukawa
1998LUCKY STRIKE HondaHonda RVF/RC45japanShinichi Itoh
japan Tohru Ukawa
1999LUCKY STRIKE HondaHonda RVF/RC45japanTadayuki Okada
brazilAlex Barros
2000Team CABIN HondaHonda VTR1000SPjapanTohru Ukawa
japanDaijiro Kato
2001Team CABIN HondaHonda VTR1000SPitalyValentino Rossi
united statesColin Edwards
2002Team CABIN HondaHonda VTR1000SPjapanDaijiro Kato
united statesColin Edwards
2003Team Sakurai HondaHonda VTR1000SPjapanYukio Nukumi
japanManabu Kamada
2004Seven Stars Honda 7Honda CBR1000RRjapanTohru Ukawa
japanHitoyasu Izutsu
2005Seven Stars Honda 7Honda CBR1000RRjapanRyuichi Kiyonari
japanTohru Ukawa
2006F.C.C. TSR ZIP-FM RacingHonda CBR1000RRjapanTakeishi Tsujimura
japanShinichi Itoh
2007Yoshimura Suzuki, JOMO 34Suzuki GSX-R1000japanYukio Kagayama
japanKousuke Akiyoshi
2008Dream Honda Racing Team 11Honda CBR1000RRjapanRyuichi Kiyonari
spainCarlos Checa
2009 Onwards
YearTeamMachneRiders
2009Yoshimura Suzuki with JOMOSuzuki GSX-R1000japanD Sakai
japanK Tokudome
japan N Aoki
2010MuSASHi RT HARC-PRO.Honda CBR1000RRjapanR Kiyonari
japanT Nakagami
japanT Takahashi
2011F.C.C. TSR HondaHonda CBR1000RRjapanK Akiyoshi
japanS Itoh
japanR Kiyonari
2012F.C.C. TSR HondaHonda CBR1000RRunited kingdomJ Rea
japanK Akiyoshi
japanT Okada
2013MuSASHi RT HARC-PRO.Honda CBR1000RRjapanT Takahashi
united kingdomL Haslam
netherlandsM vd Mark
2014MuSASHi RT HARC-PRO.Honda CBR1000RRjapanT Takahashi
united kingdomL Haslam
netherlandsM vd Mark
2015Yamaha Factory RacingYamaha YZF-R1japanK Nakasuga
spainP Espargaro
united kingdomB Smith
2016Yamaha Factory RacingYamaha YZF-R1japanKi akasuga
spainP Espargaro
united kingdomA Lowes
2017Yamaha Factory RacingYamaha YZF-R1MjapanK Nakasuga
united kingdomA Lowes
netherlandsM V Mark

2018

Yamaha Factory Racing

Yamaha YZF-R1M
japanK Nakasuga
united kingdomA Lowes
netherlandsM V Mark
2019Kawasaki Racing Team
Kawasaki ZX-10R
turkeyT Razgatlioglu
united kingdomJ Rea
united kingdomL Haslam

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Trev

Trev

Motojourno - Founder of MCNews.com.au - Australia's leading resource for motorcycle news, reviews and race coverage for over 20 years.

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