Suzuka 8 Hours: Honda confirms favouritism at test opener, BMW strong

Preparations for the 47th edition of the Suzuka 8 Hours have begun with the first of two official test days. The Honda works team underlined its status as favourite on its home circuit, finishing among the top three fastest teams in all five sessions.

Conditions were unusually pleasant due to the race date being brought forward by a month. With temperatures below 30 degrees and moderate humidity, the works team was able to complete its planned test programme without any major restrictions.

Honda HRC set the fastest time in the very first two sessions. In the afternoon, they finished in 3rd, 2nd and 3rd places. The fastest lap of the day was set in the fifth and final session with a time of 2:05.497 minutes. This meant the team was on a par with its main rivals right from the start. The BMW works team set the fastest times in sessions 3 and 4, whilst the Yamaha works team rounded off the day.

As well as preparing for the eight-hour race, the focus of the test work was on integrating Somkiat Chantra. The former MotoGP rider is standing in for the injured Johann Zarco and clocked up further vital kilometres on the Suzuka-spec Honda CBR1000RR-R Fireblade SP.

Takumi Takahashi proves himself a strong team player

Record winner Takumi Takahashi drew a positive conclusion after the first day of testing. “First of all, I’m glad we were able to get through the first day without any problems,” explained the Japanese rider. Due to the last-minute rider change, the team made a conscious effort to give Chantra as much riding time as possible. “He was able to complete plenty of laps and his pace has steadily improved. At the moment, there’s nothing that’s causing me any particular concern.”

However, Takahashi is not yet entirely satisfied with the bike itself. “I want to keep working on creating a bike that’s easier for all riders to ride. The week is still long and has only just begun. We want to find a really good set-up by the time the race comes around.”

Jonathan Rea wants more traction

Jonathan Rea was also delighted to be back at Suzuka. “It’s nice to be back on the track,” said the Northern Irishman. The team had quickly found a decent rhythm and gained a better understanding of the bike. At the same time, the six-time Superbike World Champion still sees room for improvement. “Particularly when it comes to grip coming out of corners, there are still areas where we need to make progress. We know what we need to work on. Now it’s a matter of finding the right solution together.”

Rea also emphasised the particular challenge of endurance racing. “An endurance bike is always a compromise between three riders. We need to find a set-up that works for everyone whilst also giving us that decisive step forward.” Takahashi and he were already performing at a similar level, whilst Chantra was continuing to improve following his limited testing experience at Suzuka. “By tomorrow, all three of us should be at a good level. It’s only the first day and there’s still a long way to go.”

Somkiat Chantra needs to – and wants to – improve further

Chantra was also pleased with his debut. “The first day wasn’t bad for me. I tried to get to know the track better and understand the bike’s set-up,” explained the Thai rider. The longer stints, in particular, had been valuable for him. “The pace was quite good too, even though my fastest lap isn’t quite where I’d like it to be yet. We’ve got another day of testing tomorrow and I hope we can take another step forward.”

Ahead of the second and final official test day, Honda HRC thus made the strong impression that had been expected. Although BMW and Yamaha also underlined their ambitions, the Honda trio proved to be the most consistent frontrunners throughout the day, thereby cementing their role as one of the hottest contenders for victory at the Suzuka 8 Hours.