Team HRC with Japan Post wins its third consecutive Suzuka 8 Hours, marking Honda’s 30th win in the Suzuka 8 Hours
A total of 46 teams lined up on the grid for round 3 of the 2024 FIM Endurance World Championship, ready to compete on one of motorsport’s most iconic circuits. Among them, nineteen teams were Honda-powered, with five teams finishing in the top ten.
Team HRC with Japan Post took the victory at the 45th Coca-Cola Suzuka 8 Hours Endurance with Takumi Takahashi, Teppei Nagoe, and French MotoGP rider Johann Zarco. With this win, Team HRC secured its third consecutive win at Suzuka 8 Hours and it marks Honda’s 30th win in the Japanese round.
During the warm-up session held in the morning, Team HRC with Japan Post topped the time sheets with a lap time of 2:06.336.
The race got underway at 11.30am (local time) under particularly hot and very humid conditions, with a temperature of 37ºC.
Team HRC with Japan Post started in 3rd place on the grid with Takumi Takahashi. The experienced Japanese rider made an excellent start, and after a close battle at the front, Takahashi, who was in third place, moved to second on lap 10 and managed to take the lead of the race at the 130R corner with his best lap time of 2:07.378.
Back in the pits at the end of his stint, Takahashi handed over the Honda CBR1000RR-R Fireblade SP to the MotoGP French rider, Johann Zarco who joined the track still in first place.
Zarco improved his time to 2:07 and, with a comfortable riding position, opened a 20.808-second gap. Thanks to the Frenchman’s strong pace, when Tappei Nagoe took over for his stint, Team HRC with Japan Post was still leading by one lap after two hours of racing.
At the halfway point of the race, Team HRC with Japan Post continued to control the race with a gap of 1:21.322 ahead of the second team.
Entering the last quarter of the 45th Coca-Cola Suzuka 8 Hours race, Team HRC with Japan Post continued on top, and with very consistent lap times and fastest pit stops, the Honda #30 still kept a 36.813 leading gap.
Although a 40-second penalty was applied to Team HRC with Japan Post due to a pitstop infringement, the Japanese team had enough margin to cross the checkered flag in first place and take the win.
Takumi Takahashi 30
’I feel totally relieved and honestly very exhausted. I’m very happy to have won my sixth Suzuka 8 Hours and for Honda their 30th win. I really need to thank my team-mates who are two fantastic riders, all of us together were able to accomplish our goal.”
Teppei Nagoe 30
"Last year, I finished second and I wanted to win one day, but I didn't think it would happen just a year later. Then, I got the opportunity to race for HRC, which I've always dreamed of, and with my teammates, we achieved Honda's third consecutive win and 30th overall victory. The view from the podium was the most beautiful I have ever seen. As a rider, I know I still have skills to improve. I will work hard, using this victory as motivation, so that I can stand on the podium on my own more times."
Johann Zarco 30
“I feel good because when you fix this target and you have the victory it’s a big relief. I feel happy, proud and it gives big satisfaction. I’ve been very impressed by the pace of Takumi and his control of the race. I’m so happy with the progress Teppei made form the test to the race. The three riders were necessary for this victory because with the heat we all needed to control the energy.”
