For the Yamaha #21, the time has come to respond to the 2026 Suzuka 8 Hours. After missing victory by only 34 seconds in 2025 against the Honda #30 of Team HRC, Jack Miller, Andrea Locatelli and Katsuyuki Nakasuga are determined to reverse the trend this year.
During the 46th edition, the Yamaha #21 proved less effective than the Honda #30 in managing its stints. While the Iwata-based manufacturer had gained the upper hand over its HRC rivals in the final hour of the race thanks to a second safety car period, a pit stop ruined the team's chances, with Jack Miller rejoining the race 40 seconds behind Johann Zarco. But if the team manages to get everything right this year, victory could very well be theirs this time.
« Unfortunately, we finished second last year. It's a regret I've carried with me for a year. We're back for revenge. Katsuyuki Nakasuga confirmed this at a press conference in Suzuka. Our preparation is excellent; we will give our all hour after hour. Each driver will do their best, whether it's stints, pit stops, driver changes, or pure performance, in order to finish these eight hours in first position. »
A viewpoint confirmed by his Australian teammate, Jack Miller: We have the opportunity to compete for the win again this year. »
© FIM EWC
Even fiercer competition at Honda
However, they will have to contend with a significant argument from the opposing team. In 2025, Honda HRC won with only two riders. Now, with a full complement of riders for the #47e In this edition, the Tokyo-based company's crew looks even more formidable. We're going to have to give our all " says Jack Miller, who for his part is competing in four consecutive weekends.
To have any hope of victory, they will have to surpass themselves against a formidable trio. Team HRC is fielding Takumi Takahashi, the all-time record holder for the event with seven wins, partnered with Jonathan Rea. Already a winner of the event in 2012 with FCC TSR and then in 2019 with Kawasaki Racing Team Suzuka 8H, the six-time Superbike World Champion is now returning to Suzuka after a three-year absence.
To complete the lineup, Honda's WorldSBK regular, Somkiat Chantra, has been called up as a replacement. For his first participation at Suzuka, the former Honda LCR rider will be able to draw on his MotoGP experience to compensate for the absence of his former teammate, Johann Zarco. Zarco is sidelined due to an injury sustained in mid-May during the Catalan Grand Prix.
Honda HRC therefore used the private tests to allow the Thai rider to tame the CBR1000RR-R SP and memorize the pitfalls of the Japanese circuit. This preparation was crucial for tackling the track, and in particular its final chicane, the very same spot where his MotoGP rival, Jack Miller, had been caught out during the Top 10 Trial last year.
While the BMW #37 of the Motorrad World Endurance Team set the best time of the two days of testing with a 2:04.680, the initial indicators are still positive for the Yamaha #21. Alongside the Belgian team's BMW, the Honda HRC (2:04.773), the Yoshimura SERT Motul (2:04.856) and the FCC TSR Honda France (2:04.969), the Iwata-based team is indeed one of only five teams to have reached the 2:04 mark this season – whether during the mid-May tests or this early July session.
During the private tests preceding the main event, the Miller-Locatelli-Nakasuga crew made a strong statement in the dry, setting the fastest time on the first day and relegating the No. 30 Honda to 0,577 seconds behind. Faced with mixed weather conditions the following day, lap times dropped, but the Tokyo-based manufacturer proved more agile than its rival, securing fourth place ahead of the No. 21 Yamaha in sixth. Less than three hundredths of a second separate the two competing teams in these tricky conditions, promising a particularly close battle on the track.
Yamaha makes an early start at Suzuka
Beyond the competition, the calendar also disrupted the Yamaha team's plans. Moved forward by a month compared to the previous edition, the 2026 race deprived the teams of valuable preparation time. This edition was a bit more chaotic due to the lack of testing, but fortunately, the bike remains very close to last year's. "That's reassuring," reassured the Australian MotoGP rider. This should allow him to approach the race with more confidence, since this same machine enabled Andrea Locatelli to set the benchmark time in the race last year with a time of 2:06.604.
To make matters worse, the weather at Suzuka could also play spoilsport. The weather forecast is bad. Miller recallsDriving for eight hours in the rain will certainly make the race very long. »
These conditions are also dreaded by the local star of the rival team, Takumi Takahashi, who is more accustomed to the dry conditions and higher temperatures of August. Personally, I'd like it to be at least ten degrees warmer. […] Chantra comes from a hot country, so from that point of view, I would have preferred it to be warmer. explains the Japanese player from HRC. But the race is a month earlier this year and the rainy season isn't over yet, so we're making do. Even in the rain, everyone was fast and I think we can be optimistic. Frankly, I was probably the most worried. As for the rain, I hadn't really ridden in it for several years, although that's the case for many riders. »
Fortunately for the French team, eager for revenge, the drivers are ready to face all conditions. No one is slow here; the level is extremely high, which makes the challenge even more difficult. Within our crew, we all perform well, whether in dry or wet conditions. " promises Andrea Locatelli.
In any case, the two rival crews agree on one point: the battle will be as tough as it is beautiful.
Photos: FIM EWC
