Suzuka 8 Hours
Wednesday Practice
The second day of practice ahead of the 2022 Suzuka 8 Hours on Wednesday began under similar conditions to the previous day; harsh sunshine and intense heat. Late in the day slight cloud cover masked the harsh sunshine, but high humidity kept heat levels up.
YART recorded the fastest time of the day, set in the opening session on Wednesday at 2m06.684 by Karel Hanika. Â The Austrian outfit is bidding for its first EWC win of the season, with Hanika also aiming to extend his pole position sequence to three events.
Tuesday pacesetters Team HRC had the opportunity to familiarise Iker Lecuona with both the bike and the Suzukia circuit as he joined team-mates Tetsuta Nagashima and Takumi Takahashi after missing Tuesday’s test due to travel after the Most WorldSBK round last weekend.
HRC Team Manager – Kazuhiko Yamano
“Takahashi was mainly on the bike in the morning session, followed by Nagashima to verify, and in the afternoon we did more verification of Lecuona and the bike. We had Lecuona do ten lap petit-stints on each of the two bikes. All three of our riders concentrated on getting the bike settings right rather than fast lap times. Setting up the bike based on Takahashi’s vast experience, verified with Nagashima, and further verified by Lecuona was only possible because the riders highly respect each other. I feel their positive attitude has rubbed off on the team, who are bonded more than ever before. Everything is going smoothly, maybe too smoothly, so we’ll head into Qualifying with a disciplined approach.”
The Kawasaki triumvirate of Jonathan Rea, Leon Haslam and Alex Lowes took to the track at Suzuka on Wednesday after missing Tuesday practice and were immediately fast, finishing Wednesday third quickest.
Kawasaki won the most recent, and quite controversial, Suzuka 8 Hours with Leon Haslam and Jonathan Rea in 2019 and while Haslam has enjoyed time in Japan testing the World Endurance bike, Rea and Lowes will have to familiarise themselves with the package again and the Bridgestone tyres.
Yoshimura SERT Motul also lopped more than half-a-second off their Tuesday’s best to move up the order, as did SDG Honda and F.C.C. TSR Honda France while the BMW Motorrad World Endurance Team went more than two-seconds quicker than they had managed on Tuesday.
Josh Hook – F.C.C. TSR Honda
“The conditions were extremely difficult, with high temperatures and a slippery track, so I did everything, nearly turning the bike back to front, to explore a setup that worked in these conditions. Nothing seemed to work though. Once the track temperature came down this afternoon, the bike felt like a normal bike. Through these two days of testing, we know our pace. Now I think it is important that we ride with consistency for the race. As long as the track temperature doesn’t rise too much during the race, I think we have a solid bike and I’m looking forward to racing. Overall, it’s pretty good.”
Next up is Qualifying on Friday, a Top 10 Trial on Saturday and then the race on Sunday, August 7.
Following Second Qualifying on Friday, the leading 10 teams go forward into Saturday’s Top 10 Trial. Two riders per team take part with each rider getting one lap to set their time. The lap times of each rider are then combined to complete the final starting grid for Sunday. The 5-4-3-2-1 qualifying points are awarded after the Top 10 trial rather than after the completion of Second Qualifying, which is the case at other EWC events.
Taking the Le Mans-style running start at 11h30 local time (04h30 CET) on Sunday 7 August, riders race through the heat of the day, through sunset and into early evening with the chequered flag scheduled to be waved to the winner of this prestigious race at 19h30.
Kayo Sports will show the racing live on Sunday within Australia from 1215 (AEST) and it will also be on Fox Sports 507.
Suzuka 8 Hour Practice Times
Wednesday Practice Times
- YART – 2m06.684
- Team HRC – 2m-07.049
- Kawasaki Racing Team Suzuka 8H – 2m07.157
- Yoshimura SERT Motul – 2m07.624
- SDG Honda Racing – 2m07.670
- F.C.C. TSR Honda France – 2m07.761
- BMW Motorrad World Endurance – 2m08.427
- Team Kodama Yamaha – 2m08.618
- Astemo Honda Dream SI Racing – 2m08.619
- Honda Sofukai Suzuka Racing – 2m08.646
Suzuka 8 Hour Practice Times
Tuesday Times
- Team HRC – Honda 2m06.966
- Kawasaki Racing Team Suzuka 8H – Honda – 2m07.451
- YART – Yamaha 2m07.884
- Honda Sofukai Suzuka Racing – Honda 2m08.194
- F.C.C. TSR Honda France – Honda 2m08.260
- SDG Honda Racing – Honda 2m08.379
- Astemo Honda Dream SI Racing – Honda 2m08.439
- S-Pulse Dream Racing ITEC – Suzuki 2m08.692
- Yoshimura SERT Motul – Suzuki 2m09.206
- Kawasaki Plaza Racing Team – Kawasaki 2m09473
- EVA RT 01 Webike Trickstar – Kawasaki 2m09.880
- NCXX Racing with Riders Club – Yamaha 2m09.935
- Team Kodama – Yamaha 2m10.066
- BMW Motorrad World Endurance Team – BMW 2m10.507
- TOHO Racing – Honda 2m10.539
- Honda Asia Dream Racing with Showa – Honda 2m10.552
- TEAM ATJ with Japan Post – Honda 2m10.569
- KRP Sanyoukogyo & RS-Itoh – Kawasaki 2m10.571
- Webike SRC Kawasaki France – Kawasaki 2m10.573
- Akeno Speed – Yamaha 2m10.985
EWC Teams Standings
| Pos | Team | Man. | Nat. | Total |
| 1 | Yoshimura SERT Motul | Suzuki | JPN | 106 |
| 2 | F.C.C. TSR Honda France | Honda | JPN | 91 |
| 3 | YART – Yamaha Official Team EWC | Yamaha | AUT | 76 |
| 4 | TATI TEAM BERINGER RACING | Kawasaki | FRA | 75 |
| 5 | BMW MOTORRAD WORLD ENDURANCE TEAM | BMW | BEL | 64 |
| 6 | Team Bolliger Switzerland #8 | Kawasaki | SUI | 56 |
| 7 | Team LRP Poland | BMW | POL | 42 |
| 8 | VILTAIS RACING IGOL | Yamaha | FRA | 38 |
| 9 | Wójcik Racing Team EWC 77 | Yamaha | POL | 33 |
| 10 | MACO RACING Team | Yamaha | SVK | 26 |
| 11 | ERC Endurance Ducati | Ducati | GER | 23 |
| 12 | WEBIKE SRC KAWASAKI FRANCE | Kawasaki | FRA | 23 |
| 13 | TEAM MOTO AIN | Yamaha | FRA | 21 |
| 14 | TEAM GT ENDURANCE | Yamaha | FRA | 15 |
| 15 | Motobox Kremer Racing #65 | Yamaha | GER | 12 |
| 16 | Kingtyre Fullgas Racing Team | Yamaha | FRA | 10 |
| 17 | TECMAS | BMW | FRA | 1 |
2022 Suzuka 8 Hour Schedule
Tuesday 2 August
Testing
Wednesday 3 August
Testing
Thursday 4 August
Administrative checking, rider briefing, technical inspection
Friday 5 August
08h10-10h10: Free Practice
12h10-12h30: First Qualifying (Blue Rider)
12h45-13h05: First Qualifying (Yellow Rider)
13h20-13h40: First Qualifying (Red Rider)
15h50-16h10: Second Qualifying (Blue Rider)
16h25-16h45: Second Qualifying (Yellow Rider)
17h00-17h20: Second Qualifying (Red Rider)
18h30-19h30: Night Practice
Saturday 6 August:
14h15-15h00: Free Practice
15h30-17h00: Top 10 Trial
17h00: Post-Top 10 Trial press conference
Sunday 7 August:
08h30-09h15: Warm-up
11h30: Start of 43rd Coca-Cola Suzuka 8 Hours Endurance Race
19h30: Finish of 43rd Coca-Cola Suzuka 8 Hours Endurance Race
20h00: Post-race press conference
The Suzuka 8 Hours is back on the FIM EWC calendar in 2022 having not taken place since 2019 due to the global health crisis. Operated by Honda-owned Mobilityland, Suzuka features a unique figure-of-eight layout and presents a considerable challenge for riders thanks to its wide variety of corners. Opened initially as a test track for the Japanese motor giant in 1962, the venue hosted the first edition of the famous Suzuka 8 Hours motorbike race in 1978, nine years before staging its first Japanese Formula One Grand Prix. The Suzuka 8 Hours has been a popular feature on the EWC calendar and a key fixture on the international calendar since with leading grand prix motorcycle racers taking part – and winning – over the years.
2022 FIM Endurance World Championship Calendar
24 Heures Motos: 16-17 April 202224H Spa EWC Motos: 4-5 June 2022- Suzuka 8 Hours: 7 August 2022
- Bol d’Or: 17-18 September 2022
- 5th Event TBC
