It's now been six hours since the Suzuka 6 Hours began. That leaves two more hours of effort for the remaining competitors. Leading the race, Johann Zarco has just completed his third stint with a significant lead. But the intervention of the safety car completely changes the situation.
The sixth hour of the Suzuka 8 Hours began with Johann Zarco's pace dropping significantly. Yamaha then gained two seconds per lap on the No. 30, and closed the gap to within 21 seconds of the race leader when it came to the pits. However, after a slightly more cautious start to the stint, the Cannes driver suddenly raised his voice. Just as Jack Miller was beginning his pit stop.
As the Australian handed the machine over to rider Katsuyuki Nakasuga, Johann Zarco set the fastest lap of the race for Honda HRC, in 2'06.895. A time that suggests calculated pace management, in order to conserve his tires and energy.
During this time, the race lost a major player with the official retirement of YART-Yamaha. The championship-leading team had to withdraw following a minor injury to Karel Hanika, who was the victim of an earlier crash. Initial reports indicate that Karel Hanika suffered a minor leg injury. However, the rider is doing well and has returned to the pits. This remains very bad news for the team leading the general classification and the title favorite.
Takumi Takahashi's fuel-efficient strategy allowed the factory Honda to delay its pit stop longer than expected. Johann Zarco, for his part, held the track until the very end of the sixth hour of racing. When he handed the machine over to his teammate, the Japanese rider returned to the track with a 6-second lead over the factory Yamaha. The Honda-Yamaha duel promises to be a thrilling finale.
Just before the 6-hour mark, the #55 Honda suffered a major crash at the hairpin. The machine was completely destroyed, forcing race control to place the race under safety car regime. This decision jeopardizes Honda's strategy. Depending on the time of the safety car intervention, Yamaha may or may not have to stop once less. Honda would therefore lose the 'free' pit stop that Honda had been working on by extending its stints.
Two equally spaced safety cars now occupy the Suzuka track, significantly reducing the gaps. Three seconds now separate the two leaders. See you in an hour to find out the impact of this race interruption on the overall standings. Nothing is yet decided in the fight for victory at the Suzuka 8 Hours.
8H Suzuka 2025 – The ranking after 6 hours of racing:
Ranking : FIM EWC
