Following the various adventures which punctuated the start of the race (see here et leaves), the positions are now stabilized between the 3 leading machines which are the Yamaha Factory #21, the Honda Factory #33 and the Kawasaki Factory #11: the 3 bikes are in the same minute and can all still claim victory.
Meanwhile, after his fall at the hands of Sylvain Guintoli, Suzuki Factory #12 continues its comeback and is now at the points gate, in 16th position, just in front of the Honda MuSASHI #634 who fell at the start of the race with Randy de Puniet. It's a real shame that these two bikes made mistakes because, given their times, they were able to lead the fight at least for the podium.
But during the first part of the 5th hour, the important element is that the Kawasaki no longer really seems able to keep up with the pace of his two opponents. We talked about a dashboard display problem which could prevent changing maps at the end of the stint.
Anyway, number 11 gradually falls into the hands of Leon Haslam and was around forty seconds behind when, after 4h45 of racing, the flags announcing the arrival of rain were waved.
This could restart the race but some drivers are trapped before changing tires, and when Rio Mizuno fall on the handlebars of the Honda MuSASHI, the safety car takes to the track…
La Honda #33, who had taken the lead thanks to the resupply of the Yamaha #21, thus seeing its advantage reduced to nothing, while conversely, the Kawasaki #11 sees himself relegated with the 2nd safety car, more than a minute behind the first 2: this is perhaps one of the turning points of the race...
Ranking after the fifth hour:
The safety car was about to disappear when a distracted Japanese competitor, Soushi Mihara, crashed his BMW into the one in front of him. The safety car therefore remains on the track for a few extra minutes…
Ooooooch… 😬#Suzuka8h #FIMEWC pic.twitter.com/ht8b1yogxQ
— FIM EWC (@FIM_EWC) July 29, 2018
La Honda #33 take advantage of these slow laps to avoid refueling while the rain increases in intensity while the bikes are still on slicks...
Constrained and forced under penalty of running out of gas, the Honda #33 ends up returning to resupply and leaves again in the hands of PJ Jacobsen who is making his first stint. Same for the FCC #5 et Freddy Foray.
The conditions do not improve and the Yamaha #21 does the same a few moments later, just before Jonathan Rea falls in slow motion, under a safety car !
More fear than harm but 3 minutes wasted which keeps him from victory, while Kazuma Watanabe took the handlebars.
Upon resumption, Honda #33 led by Jacobsen is 8 seconds ahead of the Yamaha #21 de Michael van der Mark but the latter goes back like a cannonball to the unfortunate Honda rider who makes his first stint and discovers the bike in these difficult conditions.
The change of leader takes place on the 143rd lap, just before the safety car comes out again because of the oil spilled on the track.
Importantly, the Kawasaki #11 is behind the same Safety Car as the 2 leaders, but one lap away.
Ranking after the sixth hour:
