New contract: Important decision taken for the Suzuka 8 Hours

The 8 Hours of Suzuka will remain part of the Endurance World Championship (EWC) until at least the end of 2029. During this year’s race weekend, the EWC promoter, Endurance Moto Promoter (EMP), and Honda Mobilityland Corporation announced the extension of their partnership by three years. The new agreement covers the events from 2027 to 2029.

The historic race was first held in 1978 and holds a special place within the Endurance World Championship. As the only EWC event outside Europe, Suzuka is not only considered a home race for the Japanese manufacturers Honda, Yamaha, Suzuki and Kawasaki, but also one of the most prestigious motorbike races in the world. Year after year, tens of thousands of fans create a unique atmosphere with their glow sticks.

Suzuka motivates the Japanese manufacturers

With this contract extension, both sides are pursuing long-term goals. As well as securing the race, the aim is for the Endurance World Championship to gain further prominence in Japan whilst simultaneously strengthening the link between the European and Asian markets.

“The Suzuka 8 Hours holds a unique position within the championship,” confirmed Honda Mobilityland President Tsuyoshi Saito. “As a benchmark circuit for Honda, Yamaha, Suzuki and Kawasaki, we would like to further increase the manufacturers’ involvement in endurance racing and thus enhance the value of the World Endurance Championship.”

Tsuyoshi Saito mit Claude Michy

Foto: FIM EWC

What EMP President Claude Michy has planned for the future

EMP President Claude Michy also sees Suzuka as the series’ most important cornerstone. “The Suzuka 8 Hours is the flagship event of the World Endurance Championship and a real showcase for the Japanese motorcycling industry,” said the Frenchman. The aim is to raise the championship’s profile, further enhance its appeal and involve all manufacturers even more closely in future.

“We want to involve Honda, Yamaha, Suzuki, Kawasaki, BMW and Aprilia more closely and work together to create a platform on which they can further develop endurance racing,” emphasised Michy.

Since the start of the 2026 season, the marketing of the Endurance World Championship has been in the hands of EMP. The organisation brings together the organisers of the individual EWC races and works closely with series partner Motul. With the long-term commitment to the prestigious race at Suzuka, the championship now has planning certainty for the coming years at an early stage.