After a good quarter of an hour in the 7th hour (but more than an hour in total! See here), the safety car disappears and frees the competitors led by the Yamaha Factory in the hands of Michael van der Mark.
Behind, the Official Honda led by PJ Jacobsen gradually but regularly concedes ground on the Yamaha #21.
La Honda #90 from the Teluru MotoUP racing Team unfortunately by mistake while occupying 4th position with Kosuke Akiyoshi, Tetsuta Nagashima and Isaac Vinales. It requires repairs and, as a result, the FCC TSR #5 takes 5th position, 3 places ahead of GMT 94 Yamaha, motorcycle still fighting for the world title.
The track begins to dry and Mike Di Meglio takes the opportunity to put up slicks and double his stint: a risky bet, but nothing comes to nothing...
In the lead, the official Yamaha increased its lead to more than thirty seconds and refueled after 167 laps. We put slicks on the R1 and alex lowes takes the handlebars again.
マイケルが25秒差を築き、最後のスティントを完了！！！
互いに声を掛け合い、後はアレックスに引き継がれました。#YZFR1 #鈴鹿8耐 pic.twitter.com/xLX9Q43UMz— ヤマハ発動機レース情報 (@yamaha_race) July 29, 2018
La Honda #33 temporarily takes the lead but it is only 13 seconds ahead of the Yamaha and does not seem able to save a refueling: a 4th consecutive victory seems to be in the cards for the Iwata manufacturer...
The official Honda returns two laps later and Takaaki Nakagami leaves with slicks.
Just after 7 hours of racing, Leon Haslam temporarily manages to overtake the Kawasaki compared to the Honda and is now again in the same lap as the latter. There's an hour left to race...
Ranking after the seventh hour:
In the “race within the race” that constitutes the fight for the world title, Mike Di Meglio, on the GMT 94 Yamaha, manages to double Josh Hook on FCC TSR Honda. This does not (yet?) secure the title but considerably reduces the gap between the two teams. THE FCC would then have 168,5 points while the GMT 94 would hold 161,5.
In the lead, the Yamaha Factory continues to increase its lead and, with now more than a minute of difference, could even allow the official Honda to stop refueling.
Except for the race, victory therefore seems in sight for Alex Lowes and Michael van der Mark, under the eye ofEric de Seynes, and this without the contribution of Katsuyuki Nakasuga injured during free practice.
Night begins to fall and the 2 leaders lap in 2'10, alex lowes now aligning exactly with the rhythm of Takaaki Nakagami.
This… 😍 AMAZING view! 10 minutes to go #Suzuka8h pic.twitter.com/BBSrh1tYvz
— FIM EWC (@FIM_EWC) July 29, 2018
La Yamaha Factory carries out its last refueling and alex lowes takes orders. She leaves with a 25-second lead over the Red Bull Honda with Japan Post, which definitely puts her out of reach of the Tokyo troops despite a final hour without a pit stop for the #33 Honda.
The last stop for fuel and it's the home run now for @alexlowes22 and #YFRT goooooo!!!! #Suzuka8H #WeR1 pic.twitter.com/9UeQ7VAPVw
— yamaha_suzuka8h (@YAMAHA_Suzuka8H) July 29, 2018
ついに20分を切りました。
多くの光をまといピットストップ。アレックスが継続。後はチェッカーに向か、かって走るのみだ。#YZFR1 #鈴鹿8耐 pic.twitter.com/tVT0p3QZVz— ヤマハ発動機レース情報 (@yamaha_race) July 29, 2018
this expression#鈴鹿8耐 #YZFR1
後3分 pic.twitter.com/TCYepDoYjq— ヤマハ発動機レース情報 (@yamaha_race) July 29, 2018
Without (bad) last minute surprises, Yamaha scores its 199th consecutive victory after 4 laps at Suzuka after having made no mistake, and therefore consistently defeated not only Honda, but also Kawasaki and Suzuki.
Team FCC TSR Honda wins the world title ahead of Yamaha GMT94, with 13 points ahead. A page is turning for the team Christophe Guyot, which many will regret.
Ranking after the eighth hour: to come…
