Extra, from a press launch issued by FIM EWC:
HONDA-POWERED HEROES WIN ACTION-PACKED EWC SUZUKA 8 HOURS FOR TEAM HRC
*Nagashima, Takahashi and Vierge mix to say well-known race for residence outfit
*Regardless of delay F.C.C. TSR Honda France retakes factors lead after YART Yamaha woe
*TOHO Racing and SDG Honda Racing full podium following late rain bathe
*Japan’s EWC spherical information a weekend spectator attendance of 42,000
*Coveted FIM EWC world title to go right down to the wire in subsequent month’s Bol d’Or
(6 August 2023): Crew HRC proved unbeatable throughout an exhilarating third spherical of the 2023 FIM Endurance World Championship, the forty fourth Coca-Cola Suzuka 8 Hours Endurance Race, which completed on the iconic Japanese venue this night (Sunday).
Its second Suzuka victory in as a few years adopted a prolonged delay for Yamalube YART Yamaha EWC Official Crew and an early setback for F.C.C. TSR Honda France, all of which suggests the EWC title chase will go right down to the wire in subsequent month’s eagerly awaited Bol d’Or.
Regardless of its delay through the opening hour in Suzuka, F.C.C. TSR Honda France was capable of retake the championship lead by preventing again to complete fourth. However its benefit over YART heading to the Circuit Paul Ricard finale from 14-17 September is simply 14 factors. And with factors being multiplied by an element of 1.5 for the fourth spherical of the season, the title race is vast open with a variety of different groups additionally in competition.
For Spanish World Superbike rider Vierge, nevertheless, the main target is firmly on his debut EWC win alongside Japanese riders Takumi Takahashi and Tetsuta Nagashima, who recovered from a foot damage to participate having not raced since April.
“For me it’s wonderful as a result of it’s the primary time I made this wonderful race and to get this win simply feels unbelievable,” mentioned the 26-yea-old Vierge. “I must say thanks a lot to my crew and in addition to my team-mates, they did an incredible job. I study lots from them throughout all the week and eventually we’re capable of have a great tempo. It has not been simple as a result of in my second stint I had the protection automobile and I used to be one of many final in my group [when the race restarted] and it was so troublesome to overhaul with out making errors. And the final two hours for them have been actually troublesome with the rain. However they simply made the proper choices in each second. It was an ideal technique, it’s such a pleasure and I’m so completely happy.”
Behind Crew HRC with Japan Publish, Yoshimura SERT Motul appeared set to enhance on its 2022 putting of third by claiming the runner-up spot, just for Gregg Black to crash nearing the seven-hour mark. Having led early on, Black’s Suzuki-powered crew responded to late-race rain by switching the UK-born French rider onto moist climate tyres.
Returning to the observe for what would have been a double stint within the sizzling and humid situations, Black slid off on the ‘S’ Curves and eight minutes have been misplaced within the pits whereas repairs have been made. Sylvain Guintoli accomplished the race for the crew in P12.
Yoshimura SERT Motul’s misfortunate let in TOHO Racing for second with Ikuhiro Enokido, Ryuichi Kiyonari and Takuma Kunimine onboard its Honda after it had clocked the third quickest time in Saturday afternoon’s Prime 10 Trial. SDG Honda Racing positioned third with riders Teppei Nagoe, Haruki Noguchi and Naomichi Uramoto coming by strongly in direction of the top.
AutoRace Ube Racing Crew relied on two riders solely – Dan Linfoot and Takuya Tsuda – following an damage to Hafizh Syahrin in pre-race testing to complete fifth behind F.C.C. TSR Honda France, which dropped out of competition with a sensor difficulty that contributed to a fall for Mike Di Meglio within the opening hour.
HOW THE CHASE FOR EWC GLORY UNFOLDED IN JAPAN
A speedy operating begin from Gregg Black in entrance of Suzuka’s packed important grandstand gave Yoshimura SERT Motul the early lead just for Niccolò Canepa to grab high spot for Yamalube YART Yamaha EWC Official Crew on the closing chicane nearing the completion of lap three.
Having been muscled out of second place, Takumi Takahashi fought again from fifth to steer on lap seven aboard his Crew HRC Honda. However Canepa, on the #7 Yamaha, responded just for Takahashi to retake a bonus who wouldn’t lose on lap 12.
And Crew HRC’s hole to its rivals grew considerably when the #7 Yamaha, with Karel Hanika using, stopped on observe on the run out of Spoon Curve after one hour and 36 minutes.
With the assistance of two volunteer marshals, Hanika heroically pushed his stricken machine again in direction of the pits the place {an electrical} difficulty was recognized and stuck, albeit following a significant time loss. An extra pit go to to repair a unfastened fairing left YART in fortieth place after 4 hours of racing. It crossed the ending line in twenty third.
In addition to a number of on-track battles for place, the main target of the ultimate hours was on the anticipated rain, which materialised after six hours and 20 minutes of racing and led to a number of adjustments of place and myriad pit stops for tyre adjustments.
BMW Motorrrad World Endurance Crew secured essential EWC factors in seventh, one place behind Honda Dream RT Sakurai Honda. Honda Asia-Dream Racing with Showa completed eighth adopted by S-Pulse Dream Racing -ITEC and Astemo Honda Racing Dream SI Racing, which accomplished the provisional high 10.
Crew Kawasaki Webike Trickstar completed thirteenth after it was delayed by two unscheduled pitstops. Honda Viltaïs Racing got here residence 14th as Motobox Kremer Racing equalled its earlier finest end of twenty fifth. KM99 was delayed by greater than 20 minutes, nevertheless, when its Yamaha ran out of gas.
WHAT’S NEXT?
The Bol d’Or season decider takes place at Circuit Paul Ricard in Le Castellet, southern France, from 14-17 September when the FIM Endurance World Championship and FIM Endurance World Cup titles will likely be up for grabs.
The publish World Endurance: Race Outcomes From The Suzuka 8-Hours appeared first on Roadracing World Journal | Motorbike Driving, Racing & Tech Information.
