At 14:15 p.m. local time on Saturday, all teams took part in the final 45-minute free practice session of the 46th edition of the 8 Hours of Suzuka, before the ten fastest compete in the Top 10 Trial in which Johann zarco narrowly snatched pole position.
The temperature remained scorching, exceeding the 36°C. The objective for the #30 Honda HRC CBR1000RR-R-SP was to finalize the settings for the race. Takumi Takahashi covered 10 laps, with a personal best time of 2'06.883. Then Johann zarco took to the track for six more laps, recording a 2'06.377, which placed the Honda HRC fourth in this final free session.
This rolling preceded the highly anticipated Top 10 Trial, a Suzuka-specific exercise that determines the top ten places on the grid. Teams ranked below 10th retain their qualifying positions.
Only the ten fastest teams in qualifying advance to this session. Each team nominates two drivers: the slowest in qualifying takes to the track first, each completing a launch lap, a fast lap, and a return lap. After a five-minute break, the top five teams repeat the same pattern. The final ranking is based solely on the best individual time of one of the two drivers.
The session, which started at 15:30 p.m. local time, lived up to expectations in front of a packed audience. In the first group (seats 10 to 6), Michael Van Der Mark (#37 BMW MOTORRAD WORLD ENDURANCE TEAM) set the fastest time in 2'05.508.
In the second group, among the teams ranked from 5th to 1st place, highlight: Jack Miller (#21 YAMAHA RACING TEAM) was on a great lap but crashed in the final chicane. He was able to restart, but without setting a competitive time.
Then, Takumi Takahashi took the track for Honda HRC and seized the temporary head with a 2'05.223. Then Andrea Locatelli (#21 YAMAHA RACING TEAM) took the lead thanks to an impressive 2'04.316, ahead Naomichi Uramoto (#76 AutoRace Ube Racing Team) 2'05.001.
Last to start: Johann zarco, which achieves an exceptional performance with a 2'04.290, new absolute lap record at the 8 Hours of Suzuka, and ensures Pole position for Honda HRC by 26 thousandths!
La 46th edition of the Suzuka 8 Hours will set off tomorrow, August 3, 2025 at 11:30 a.m. (local time).
Johann Zarco, did you expect to take pole position today?
“We knew we had a good race pace, but some riders gain an advantage with new tires. Even this morning, several improved their times. So honestly, I didn't expect pole position. And especially not to go below 2:04. I thought I'd be in the mid-2:04s, which wouldn't have been enough. However, with my experience on different bikes, I knew I could take advantage of the new, more powerful rear tire. I'm very happy to have achieved this today. When I saw the flag showing me the fastest time, I felt a great sense of joy, and I'm happy to give Takumi pole position for tomorrow.”
You also broke the absolute lap record at Suzuka...
“It’s nice, but winning the race is even more legendary than pole position or a record.”
This is your second participation. Are you approaching the race differently?
“My preparation has remained the same. If you’re fit for MotoGP, you can handle a demanding race like Suzuka. Of course, the work is different, with several one-hour stints in extreme heat, but you can handle it with more control. In GP, you push harder, and it’s sometimes more exhausting. Mentally, last year’s experience makes me more relaxed, and I’m enjoying Suzuka more because I know the circuit better. The pressure is mounting, but at Honda, doing well means winning, that’s the pressure I have every weekend, so I’m used to it.”
What did you work on this morning during free practice?
"We continued to collect general data, to maintain a good pace while expending as little energy as possible. I'm happy because today, whether in terms of pace or pure speed, I reached a new level with the CBR1000RR-R-SP."
This year it will probably be difficult to do this exhausting race as a pair, but Johann zarco has already scored, and the history of the 8 Hours of Suzuka and the spirits, taking the best his teammate Takumi Takahashi, 6 times winner of the legendary event. Not to mention his aura at Honda...
