Suzuka 8H test: Honda HRC finishes first day of testing with 1-2 overall rankings
The first official test session for the 46th edition of the “Coca-Cola” Suzuka 8 Hours Endurance Road Race, hosted by Suzuka Circuit, was held at the circuit in preparation for the 2025 FIM Endurance World Championship.
A total of 46 teams participated in the test. Honda HRC, aiming for a fourth consecutive victory, announced its rider lineup featuring Takumi Takahashi and Johann Zarco. While the third rider is yet to be officially confirmed, Iker Lecuona joined the test session.
Teams were divided into Group A and Group B, with Honda HRC assigned to Group B. The team completed four sessions: a 45-minute morning session (Session 1), a 45-minute afternoon session (Session 2), a 75-minute extended session (Session 3), and a 70-minute night session starting at 18:40.
Honda HRC has conducted three tests in total, including two private sessions and this public test. Zarco participated in the first joint test. With temperatures reminiscent of midsummer, the team ran under race-like conditions. This year’s machine features updated suspension components compared to last year, with Takahashi and Lecuona each taking turns on their respective setups.
Last year, Takahashi sacrificed his own track time to allow Zarco, a Suzuka 8 Hours rookie, and Nagoe, new to the factory team, more opportunities to familiarise themselves. This time, Takahashi focused on thorough laps to refine the setup.
Honda HRC recorded the second-fastest time in Session 1 with a 2:07.036 lap. In Session 2, the team surged ahead. By the end of Session 3, Honda HRC posted a best lap of 2:06.022, securing the fastest overall time across the first three sessions.
During the night session, Lecuona clocked a 2:07.801 lap, placing fifth overall.
Team Manager Teruaki Matsubara commented:
“The key difference from last year’s machine is the change in suspension manufacturer. This has a significant impact on rider feel, so we’re prioritising setup adaptation in our testing. Takahashi is well-versed in Suzuka 8 Hours strategy, so we’re building the test program around him. We’ll continue refining the setup tomorrow.”
Lecuona and Takahashi recorded best laps of 2:06.022 and 2:06.233 respectively, placing Honda HRC first and second in today’s test.
Iker Lecuona
“The feeling of winning the Suzuka 8 Hours is still vivid in my memory. Last year, I couldn’t participate due to a scheduling conflict with the World Superbike Championship (WSBK), which was disappointing. I followed the race results online and noticed that many riders overseas were also paying attention. Suzuka 8 Hours has strong global recognition. While I was happy to see Honda win again, I also felt a bit sad not being part of it. That’s why I’m truly grateful to be invited to this test. The bike setup is tailored to Takahashi, so it feels a bit cramped for me, and the tank is larger than what I’m used to in WSBK. I’m still getting used to it, but it’s not bad, and I believe we’re heading in a good direction. I’m looking forward to the upcoming sessions.”
Takumi Takahashi 30
“In the first public test, Zarco joined us, and we evaluated the changes in suspension introduced this year. The track temperature this time was nearly 20°C higher than before, which was unexpected. The setup we wanted to test felt very different due to the temperature shift, which was confusing. But since these conditions are close to race day, we’re doing what we can within the limits. The team and I are giving our all to build the ideal machine. Last year, we finalized the setup on Saturday of race week, so we’re using this test time carefully to prepare for that moment.”
Location Information
SUZUKA 8HOURS ESSENTIAL* Name: SUZUKA CIRCUIT Location: 7992 Ino-Cho, Suzuka-shi, Mie-ken 510-0295, Japan Track length: 5.821 kilometres Race distance: 8 hours Official website Suzuka Circuit Suzuka Circuit 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.… read more.
7992 Inoucho, Suzuka, Mie, Japan - View in Google Maps
Records
| POLE POSITION RECORD | 2'04.934s Team HRC - Tetsuta Nagashima - Honda CBR1000RR-R SP (2022) |
| RACE RECORD | 2'06.805s Kawasaki Racing Team - Jonathan Rea - Kawasaki ZX10RR (2019) |
