De Alessio Piana / Corsedimoto.com
New starting time and Top 10 Trial canceled: the exceptional program for the 8 Suzuka 2020 Hours postponed to November 1st.
If it were to be played, it would be a one-of-a-kind 2020 edition of the Suzuka 8 Hours. Postponed until November 1 because of the coronavirus, the “ race of races » will revolutionize its usual program. A modified calendar, from the departure time to the (preventative) cancellation of the famous Top 10 Trial. But not only.
DEPARTURE AT 10:00 A.M.
The Suzuka 8 Hours has always been the “ Mid Summer Dream Race“, but thanks to the relocation in November, it will undergo a series of (exceptional) changes compared to the original program. The new feature that will certainly get people talking the most is the departure time. It will no longer be at 11:30 a.m., but at 10:00 a.m. Obviously, a change due to the date of November 1, with sunset scheduled for 16:45 p.m. local time, in any case thus leaving a rare "night" hour on the figure eight track.
For the record, it was only in 2011 that the race, although still in summer, was brought forward from 11:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. local time, at the time due to the energy crisis caused by the earthquake and tsunami of Tohoku. Another precedent dates back to 2014, with a departure urgently postponed to 12:35 p.m. due to the appearance of a downpour a few minutes before departure.
NO TOP 10 TRIAL
Regarding the modified program, there will be no Top 10 Trial, the famous flying lap for two drivers designated in each of the 10 best teams from the official qualifications. Canceled in 2019 due to Typhoon Nari and transformed into a qualifying round in 2018, the Top 10 Trial of the 8 Suzuka 2020 Hours will not take place. The reason is simple: the weekend program is reduced to only 2 days (!), although anticipated by two days of pre-event tests on Thursday 29 and Friday 30 October.
PROGRAM
Indeed, the program will include “official” activity days only on Saturday October 31 and the race day on Sunday November 1. On Saturday, free practice, official qualifying and the night practice session will take place in one go. The next day, there will be the warm-up, then the 8 Hours, as mentioned, will start at 10:00 a.m. local, 3:00 a.m. in France.
TESTING RESTRICTIONS
Despite the exceptional situation, no additional testing days will be authorized. Throughout the month of October, registered teams will not be able to carry out private tests at Suzuka with their own full-time registered riders in the MotoGP, Superbike, BSB, FIM EWC World Endurance World Championship or in the top 15 of the All Japan Superbike. We have already talked about the testing restrictions at the Suzuka 8 Hours in the past, but for this edition many were expecting an exemption in this sense. In any case, the teams will have two days of official tests before the event (dates to be defined) and, as mentioned, the tests on Thursday and Friday.
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