Honda win tense Suzuka 8 Hours – Takahashi cements legend status

2025 Suzuka 8 Hours Endurance Race

Honda HRC riders Takumi Takahashi and Johann Zarco delivered an impressive performance to win the 2025 Suzuka 8 Hours, overcoming sweltering conditions and the added challenge of running as a two-rider team. Despite the extra physical and mental strain, they managed their stints flawlessly to secure Honda’s fourth consecutive Suzuka victory and its 31st overall.

The win marked Takahashi’s record-extending seventh Suzuka 8 Hours win and Zarco’s second in a row, following his debut FIM Endurance World Championship (EWC) triumph last season.

Johann Zarco – HRC Honda

“It’s always a good race when you can control a gap. But doing it with two [riders] is really difficult, plus it’s too hot, you sweat a lot, and the recovery time is too short. It’s tough sometimes when you go back on the bike, but in the end, the pace was quite good. We got two safety car [periods] and that always changes a bit the game, but we could keep an advantage. Thanks to Takumi because he’s always doing the job every stint, and that’s so impressive. I try to do the same, and I hope next year we’ll be three because we’ll be better. It’s a race I enjoy, and having one of the best bikes is a pleasure to ride. It’s a nice week to do, you need to control your energy, but it’s my special holiday to come to Suzuka. Honda did a good bike. I think our biggest advantage was this fuel consumption and making only seven stops made the biggest difference for the win today.”

Takumi Takahashi – HRC Honda

With just the two of us racing in these extreme weather conditions — something I don’t think I had ever experienced before — I knew it would be extremely tough, and it really was. By the final stint, our physical condition was clearly worn out, but we both pushed ourselves to give everything until the very end. In my last stint, I managed to set some strong laps, also in the 2’06 range, but, aware of the strong charge coming from behind, I switched my focus to maintaining the pace and bringing the bike back safely. Johann really gave everything in the final part. For that, and for his incredible effort, I’m truly grateful.  I’m glad for the way we achieved this win. Of course, both me and Johann are now extremely tired, but we made it to the checkered flag without any issues, and that’s what matters most. I think that in the end it was really tough for him, but I could see the true fighting spirit of a MotoGP rider, and that was great to witness. Finally, of course, I also want to say a big thank you to the whole team for their incredible effort, and to all the fans for their constant support.”

Teruaki Matsubara – HRC Honda Team Manager

“It’s truly fantastic, we are very happy. First of all, I want to thank our two riders because they worked incredibly hard and did a truly remarkable job in extreme conditions. I’m also very grateful to everyone in the team, who took such great care of the riders — it was a real demonstration of teamwork. Once again, our pit stops were the fastest and that also made a real difference. All our preparation clearly paid off today. It wasn’t easy, but in the end, everything came together. It’s been a truly enjoyable and rewarding experience.”

Koji Watanabe – President of Honda Racing Corporation

“I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to Honda HRC riders Takumi Takahashi and Johann Zarco, the team staff, and everyone else involved for their outstanding teamwork in securing victory despite the extreme heat and the pressure of aiming for a fourth consecutive title. Takahashi has set an incredible record by achieving his seventh victory at the Suzuka 8 Hours, breaking his previous record for the most wins at the event. I would also like to extend my respect to Johann Zarco for his contribution in continuing to compete this year. I would like to once again express my gratitude to all the sponsors who supported our participation and to all the fans who cheered us on during the race. Going forward, HRC will continue to take on the challenge to meet the expectations of motorsports fans and Honda fans alike. We look forward to your continued support and encouragement.”

Yamaha Racing Team marked its return to Suzuka for the first time since 2019 with a strong second-place finish, 34.243 seconds behind, with riders Andrea Locatelli, Jack Miller, and Katsuyuki Nakasuga.  YRT Team Manager Wataru Yoshikawa is already looking ahead to the future.

Wataru Yoshikawa – Yamaha Racing Team Manager

“To be honest, I feel half joy and half regret. All the riders and the team did their absolute best without question. I’m proud of everyone, and I truly believe they put on a great race. As for the riders, we assembled a group of big talents who are at the top of their game in MotoGP, WorldSBK and All Japan, so I wasn’t sure what to expect at first. And even though we only had one test prior to the event, each rider clearly understood their role, and came together to form a great team. World-class riders are really special! Their riding skills speak for themselves, but what’s most impressive is how everyone is so focused on winning. They’re relentless about victory, never missing even the smallest details, and always proposing new ideas toward that goal. I think the riders really helped us out a lot this time. The staff also did a fantastic job. From pit work to machine development and all kinds of other support, they performed at a very high level that made our six-year gap feel nonexistent. However, I did feel there was a difference from our rivals beyond what the results show. I feel like if we’re serious about competing with rivals this strong, we have to start preparing for the next challenge already and raise our level even further.”

Tetsu Ono – General Manager, Motorsport Strategy Division, Yamaha Motor Co., Ltd.

“This year’s Suzuka 8 Hours was not only a challenge for the Motorsport Strategy Division, it was also a great chance to celebrate Yamaha’s 70th anniversary. Several departments worked together, and we had 650 employees, including new recruits, come to cheer us on at the race. It was truly an event where our whole company could come together as one, and I believe that everyone who attended was able to feel our passion for racing. Our riders included Japanese rider Katsuyuki Nakasuga, MotoGP rider Jack Miller, and WorldSBK rider Andrea Locatelli, who formed an all-star lineup. The Top 10 Trial was filled with drama, and in the race itself, we faced our rivals head-on, engaging in an exciting battle where we couldn’t afford to make a single mistake. While it was disappointing not to take the win, we gave it our all, and I believe the fans enjoyed the race. I think the riders will be able to use their experiences from the Suzuka 8 Hours as a stepping stone to aim even higher for the rest of this season. We’ll use this disappointment as motivation to deliver even more thrilling moments to our fans. Finally, I want to say thank you for your continued support. We sincerely appreciate it.”

Itaru Fukushima – R1 Race Project Leader

“Compared to the YZF-R1 from the 2019 Suzuka 8 Hours, this year’s R1 showed a clear improvement, as you can see from Locatelli’s qualifying time in the low ’04 range. Based on that, we can say with certainty that we were able to run the race according to plan with no major mistakes. On the other hand, we had some issues that came up with our approach to endurance racing after a six-year gap, with our lap times, fuel consumption, and other aspects of the endurance-spec R1. Racing is an ongoing process where we gain experience and progress, and I’m not only talking about the bike, but also the people in our team as well. If we have another chance, we’ll leverage the experience we gained here in preparation for the 8 Hours, which includes our work in All Japan, to produce an even higher level of performance. About our 2nd place result, it’s disappointing because we could see the potential was there for a higher finish, but we have no regrets about giving it our maximum effort. Thank you to everyone for the continued support.”

Katsuyuki Nakasuga – Yamaha Racing Team – P2

“Our second-place finish was thanks to the whole team, including all the riders and crew, and thanks to everyone understanding their role and giving their all. We have to accept the fact that we did everything we could but fell short of our rivals. That said, being able to achieve this much in our first race in six years was positive, we could clearly see where we were lacking against them, and also where we were strong, and that tells us what we need to improve. In that sense, I think it was a valuable race. So, I’m grateful to my two teammates. Despite the short preparation time and only one pre-race test, they managed to raise the level incredibly high. This time, I felt like it was them who pulled me along to getting a podium. If I’d been able to set a better pace, the result might have been different, but honestly, this was an important experience that will lead to future success. In two weeks, we have the All Japan JSB1000 round at Motegi, and after battling through the heat of this race, we’ve found both some positives and some areas for improvement, so I’ll prepare thoroughly and give my all in JSB1000 as well.”

Jack Miller – Yamaha Racing Team – P2

“Of course, I wanted to win, but my, we were up against strong competition. Still, second place is nice. It was a great day for me, for Nakasuga-san and for Locatelli. The conditions were hot and extremely difficult, but we managed the race with almost no mistakes. Even with that, we couldn’t catch our rivals, so we need to get stronger and faster, and then come back to the Suzuka 8 Hours and win. This was my second time riding in the 8 Hours, and I got on the podium. Nakasuga-san told me that the view from the podium is amazing, since he’s seen it several times, and he was right! It was truly beautiful. But what I really want is the bigger one, the winner’s trophy. That thing really made me jealous (laughs). But honestly, to ride in the 8 Hours for Yamaha was a wonderful experience. I could feel Yamaha’s philosophy of constantly progressing, and it was an honour to have Yamaha President Shitara join us today. The whole team’s work was impressive, and the fans welcomed us warmly. I definitely want to participate in the 8 Hours again as a Yamaha rider and get my hands on that big trophy!”

Andrea Locatelli – Yamaha Racing Team – P2

“It was a super hot and difficult weekend, but Jack, Nakasuga, and I all gave it our best. As a member of the Yamaha family, I’m very proud to have stood on the podium at the Suzuka 8 Hours, and I’m thankful for the support of so many team members. We finished in 2nd place and broke the race circuit record. My name will remain there until at least next year, which is wonderful (laughs). It’s a shame we couldn’t quite set a record in the Top 10 Trial, but overall, the 8 Hours was absolutely amazing! The whole race weekend I spent here in Japan was the best. The track is fantastic, and the atmosphere created by the Japanese fans is unbelievable. While I’ve experienced racing in Japan before, like the Japanese GP at Motegi, the 8 Hours is special. Seeing all the blue lights waving in the stands after dark left me with a feeling I can’t describe. I really can’t put it into words (laughs). I’d say it’s definitely one of the best memories of my life, but I’m so moved that I can’t express it well. Maybe after a few days, looking at all the photos will help me process what happened, but right now I can’t explain it. I’ll take this experience use it to help me in WorldSBK. I believe life is a constant learning process. I take something from every experience and apply it to racing. That’s my approach. We’re professional riders, so we’re able to experience all kinds of things. The 8 Hours is one of them. I’ll take this experience and use it to make another step. That’s what’s needed to overcome any situation and win, and that’s why I want to compete in the 8 Hours again, to win and prove that I’ve taken that next step!”

Suzuki-powered Yoshimura SERT Motul completed the podium for a second consecutive year, as Dan Linfoot recovered from an earlier crash to reclaim third from SDG Team HARC-PRO Honda’s Yuki Kunii in the closing stages. Kunii had briefly led early in the race after making a bold move on pole-sitter Takahashi through Nippo Corner on lap one.

Following the race, Gregg Black dedicated Yoshimura SERT Motul’s third place to Luca Guintoli, the son of his former team-mate and former EWC champion Sylvain, who passed away during the week.

Yohei Kato – Yoshimura SERT Motul Team Director

“During his first stint, Dan crashed, but we were prepared for that kind of mistake because it was incredibly hot. Everyone made mistakes and many teams seemed to be struggling. After the crash, we stayed focused and tried to catch up. Our strategy of good fuel consumption worked well. The riders made great lap times in the last three or four stints. We showed our performance here and this is the result we deserved.”

Damien Saulnier – Yoshimura SERT Motul Team Manager

“Our race started off pretty well, but Dan’s crash complicated things a little. After that, we had to be quick and resilient to move the bike up the rankings. The race strategy worked very well, and the cohesion of the whole team allowed us to progress and ultimately get back on the podium at Suzuka. It’s fantastic! We are writing a new chapter in the wonderful story that brings together Yoshimura and SERT. We continue to build things up race by race, gathering our strength. These are truly exceptional moments.”

Gregg Black – Yoshimura SERT Motul

“For us, third place is almost like a victory. It was important for us to score points here. My teammates did a great job during the race and, as we all know, the conditions here are extremely hot. The team did an excellent job in the pits. So, I’m very happy with this result and it’s an honour to be on the track with all these Superbike and MotoGP riders. It shows the level of competition in endurance today.”

Cocoro Atsumi – Yoshimura SERT Motul

“I am very happy to have had the opportunity to lead the team to the podium. I really did my best. The race was very physically demanding, and I wasn’t really able to do everything I wanted to at the end of the race. Dan was able to do the final stint, and I’m very grateful to him. He did an excellent job, and we’re back on the podium, just like last year. It’s fantastic. We’re now preparing for the Bol d’Or, aiming both for the championship and victory.”

Dan Linfoot – Yoshimura SERT Motul

“It’s incredible to share the track with MotoGP and World Superbike riders. As for our race, the first part was quite eventful for me. Obviously, the conditions were pretty tough out there, but my teammates were fast, and the team did a great job. We didn’t make any mistakes after that. During the final stint, I really gave it my all on the track to get us onto the podium. This third place at Suzuka is fantastic for the whole team because we’ve had so many problems since the start of the season. I’m really happy and I hope to come back here next year to do it all again.”

BMW Motorrad World Endurance Team finished fifth and now trails Yamalube YART Yamaha EWC Official Team by a single point in the championship.

Sven Blusch – Head of BMW Motorrad Motorsport

“This race week began with devastating news, and our thoughts are with Sylvain Guintoli and his family. We really wanted to get on the podium for his son Luca. That was our big goal – to represent the family here and honour Luca. Even though we didn’t quite make it, we kept the championship wide open and are now heading to the Bol d’Or in a great position. At Sylvain’s home finale, we have a very strong chance to fight for the title. We did a great job this week, and were only unlucky in the race due to a technical defect, which was no one’s fault. Without that, we would certainly have made it to the podium. But overall, the team delivered a fantastic performance. All three riders proved their abilities. We’re especially pleased that Mickey, a four-time Suzuka winner, did an outstanding job and showcased his full talent. Also, the AutoRace Ube Racing Team – a Japanese outfit making their debut with BMW here – did an incredible job. Local hero Naomichi Uramoto almost took pole position. We’re very proud to have them on board and will continue to work closely together in the future. I believe this is the beginning of a very strong partnership. ERC Endurance also did an outstanding job, completing their third race in a row without mistakes. On the Superstock side, it was fantastic to achieve another one-two result with Team Étoile and TONE. Huge congratulations to them! We represented BMW in the best possible way here at Suzuka, and now we can’t wait for the Bol d’Or and the chance to fight for the title. But first, we all need to let this week sink. Suzuka is rightly one of the most historic events with an incredible fan base. What we experienced here is truly unique, and we’ll continue to support it strongly in the future.”

Christian Gonschor – Technical Director BMW Motorrad Motorsport

“First and foremost, our heartfelt condolences go to Sylvain and his family. Little Luca was with us on the bike throughout the race, and I believe he watched from above as the whole team gave their all. This race week was a challenge. The conditions were very tough, with asphalt temperatures reaching up to 69 degrees Celsius. We steadily improved over the days, step by step, and had real top-three pace during the race. Unfortunately, a technical issue caused a very unlucky crash. Mickey was slightly hurt but pushed through, being a true fighter and leader, and showed very strong pace. All three riders had the pace for a podium finish – it was a superb team effort. We wanted to be the first European manufacturer to reach the Suzuka podium. That didn’t quite happen, but going into the season finale just one point behind is the best possible setup for a thrilling title fight. And our goal remains the same: we want to win the title. Our privateer teams capped off a very successful weekend for the BMW M 1000 RR. The AutoRace Ube team showed incredible pace and an outstanding qualifying. Add to that the dominance in the Superstock class – another one-two win from our BMW teams.”

Werner Daemen – Team Manager BMW Motorrad World Endurance Team

“I’m very happy because the goal was to get closer to YART. I think the podium would have also been possible here because our riders did incredible lap times but our main focus is on the championship and we are only one point behind now. The goal for Le Castellet is clear: it doesn’t matter in which place we finish the race, but the championship is the most important thing.”

Michael van der Mark – BMW Motorrad World Endurance Team

“I had a very good race week here with the BMW Motorrad World Endurance Team. We were doing this race for Sylvain, Luca and the family. It was special. We tried as much as we could and I think especially at the beginning of the race we had a podium pace. We were in P3 but a bit unlucky with a technical failure and then a crash where we lost a lot of time. But the team showed proper endurance spirit, they repaired the bike, Steven and Markus were fast, the whole team did fantastic pit stops. And then I just did my thing. It was painful, it was tough, but I think we should be happy with P5 here at Suzuka after the crash and after we lost a lot of time.”

Markus Reiterberger – BMW Motorrad World Endurance Team

“To finish fifth at Suzuka again is, on one hand, disappointing because we had a real chance at the podium. We were already running in third, but then had a technical issue we’ve never encountered before. Still, we fought back incredibly well. The team reacted brilliantly and got the bike repaired super quickly. With fifth place, we gained a lot of points on YART, the championship leader. We’re now just one point behind – I don’t think we’ve ever been this close. Now we want to bring it home at Le Castellet. That’s a track we really like. So we’re satisfied with Suzuka. We worked well with the new tyre supplier, the whole team is pulling together, and everything just fits from A to Z.”

Steven Odendaal – BMW Motorrad World Endurance Team

“It’s always special to come here to Suzuka. It was my second time and I am really happy to be here with the team. We did a fantastic job and closed the gap to the number one in the championship. It’s a nice shootout for the last race, only one point between us. Let’s focus all our efforts now to bring us this championship home.”

YART’s race ended in disappointment after crashes involving Jason O’Halloran, Marvin Fritz, and Karel Hanika, with an electronic fault and later engine issue ruling them out and ending their podium streak dating back to the start of 2024.

AutoRace Ube Racing Team, third-fastest in Saturday’s Top 10 Trial, finished sixth after a delayed pitstop.

TeamATJ with docomo Business took seventh, followed by Kawasaki Webike Trickstar in eighth.

Ryuji Tsuruta – Kawasaki Webike Trickstar Team Manager

“We successfully finished the extremely hot Suzuka 8 Hours Endurance Race in eighth place. Although the result is not entirely satisfactory, it was good to reach the finish line without any problems in the harsh conditions of temperatures approaching 40°C. This was made possible thanks to the generous support of Kawasaki, all our sponsors, and the fans who cheered us on. The performance of Bridgestone tyres was outstanding once again, helping us achieve our best possible results. We are deeply grateful. We were also able to narrow the gap to the top in the championship standings to just five points, so the team will further strengthen its unity and continue to fight for the championship heading into the next Bol d’Or. Once again, we would like to express our gratitude to everyone who has been involved with our team.”

Mike di Meglio – Kawasaki Webike Trickstar

“Of course, as a rider, you dream of getting on the podium. I’ve done it once before, and I would have liked to do it again. But we don’t yet have the package to fight for the podium at Suzuka. Right now, what’s important is the championship. We scored big points and we’re back in a good position in the championship for the final round. We did a great job with my teammates and the whole team. So thank you to them, thank you to Bridgestone, thank you to Kawasaki. I can’t wait for the Bol d’Or, and until the chequered flag comes down, you never know what might happen!”

ELF Marc VDS Racing Team/KM99 improved on last year’s result with ninth, while Honda Asia-Dream Racing with Astemo rounded out the top ten.

Elsewhere, ERC Endurance finished 11th, and Motobox Kremer Racing crossed the line in 23rd. F.C.C. TSR Honda France retired early due to an engine failure, and Tati Team AVA6 Racing also failed to finish with similar issues.

Max Stauffer gritted his teeth after recent collarbone surgery to finish six laps down in a highly creditable 13th place with Team Kodama in what was his second Suzuka 8 Hours experience.

Countryman Josh Brookes was racing with the Honda Dream RT Sakurai Honda squad alongside Japanese riders Daijiro Hiura and Kazuki Ito. The trio finished in 34th place after various struggles saw them complete 32 laps less than the winners.

In the Superstock category, Team Étoile secured its maiden win, converting pole into victory thanks to the efforts of Motoharu Ito, Hikari Okubo, and Kazuki Watanabe. The result brings them level on points with National Motos Honda FMA heading into the Bol d’Or season finale, after FMA retired following a crash by Johan Nigon.

TONE Team 4413 EVA 02 BMW, winners in 2024, took second with Leandro Mercado and Tomoya Hoshino riding as a pair. Revo-M2’s Aprilia, piloted by Kevin Calia, Flavio Ferroni, and Simone Saltarelli, completed the podium on their Suzuka debut.

Wójcik Racing Team placed fourth in class, with Kaedear-Dafy-RAC 41 Honda finishing sixth after leading at one point. Honda No Limits also led briefly but ran out of fuel, forcing Gabriele Gianni to push the bike nearly three-kilometres back to the pits.

The 2025 FIM Endurance World Championship will conclude with the 88th running of the Bol d’Or 24-hour race at Circuit Paul Ricard from 18–21 September.

2025 Suzuka 8 Hours Results

2025 – FIM Endurance World Cup (104 – SST)

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