[EWC] Honda presents its teams for the Suzuka 8 Hours

Honda last week provided an overview of its main teams that will try to prevent Yamaha from making the four-way pass at the Suzuka 8 Hours taking place on July 29 in Suzuka, Japan.

Team HRC, Honda's competing factory team, will return to the Suzuka 8 Hours for the first time in a decade, in partnership with Red Bull, as Red Bull Honda. The motorcycle will be numbered 33.

But it will be far from being alone in defending the chances of the Tokyo manufacturer…

Red Bull Honda Japan Post (#33)

Takumi Takahashi (Competition in JRR JSB1000 category for the HRC team)
“I'm delighted that Honda is back at the Suzuka 8 Hours as a factory team, and I'm part of the team. I believe we did a good job of preparing the bike using our experiences from the first half of the JRR season. We haven't won the Suzuka 8 Hours for a few years, and as we are back as a factory team, we will do everything possible to achieve victory. »

Takaaki Nakagami (MotoGP competition for LCR Honda IDEMITSU)
“I am excited, as a rider and as a member of the Honda family, that Honda will return to the Suzuka 8 Hours as a factory team for the first time in a decade. We have a winning team, and the bike has potential, but more than that, the team has the desire to win. Everyone at Honda wants Honda to regain the Suzuka 8 Hour title. We unfortunately finished 4th last year, but now as a factory team, with the other two drivers, we will work together to win. »

Leon Camier (competing for the Red Bull Honda World Superbike team)
“I’m looking forward to competing in the Suzuka 8 Hours with the Honda factory team. We have tested for the Suzuka 8 Hours and are fully prepared. Takumi [Takahashi] has won the Suzuka 8 Hours three times, and Nakagami is a competitive MotoGP rider. It will take our combined efforts to win, so I firmly believe we can do it. »

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FCC TSR Honda France (#5)

Freddy Foray (competing in EWC for FCC TSR Honda France)
“This is my first time at the Suzuka 8 Hours with a Japanese team, and I'm looking forward to it. We have more tests coming up, and we will carefully prepare the bike for the race. We are very confident, but you never know what will happen in the race, and so you have to be vigilant. We have a 10-point lead in the EWC championship, but the best way to perform well at the Suzuka 8 Hours is to believe in ourselves and focus on the race. »

Josh Hook (competing in EWC for FCC TSR Honda France)
“I’m looking forward to the Suzuka 8 Hours. It is essential to make the race as easy as possible for all three drivers and to reduce errors. I believe the bike will perform well at Suzuka, and the whole team will have to concentrate entirely on the race. The bike, the team and the riders will be united at Suzuka. As a driver, Honda and Thomas Suzuki-Rowe have had a lot of success at Suzuka, so I'm confident we can win the championship. »

Alan Techer (competing in EWC for FCC TSR Honda France)
“The Suzuka 8 Hours is a very important race. We couldn't race last year due to an accident, but this year will be different. I'm happy to race with FCC TSR Honda France. We have to focus on improving the bike, but I'm confident at Suzuka, and it's our home circuit, so we have a big advantage. I believe in my teammates, of course, and we have a good relationship. I can't wait to race! And after the race, I can't wait to carry the winner's trophy! »

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KYB MORIWAKI MOTUL RACING (#19)

Yuki Takahashi  (competing in the JRR JSB1000 category for MORIWAKI MOTUL RACING)
“Last year MORIWAKI RACING returned to Suzuka for the first time in 9 years, and it was the first year of the CBR1000RR SP2, so we didn't do as well as we wanted. This year we have a more advanced bike, and Ryuichi Kiyonari and Dan Linfoot are joining us once again, so we will do our best to honor the Honda family and ride our CBR1000RR SP2 to victory. »

Ryuichi Kiyonari (competing in the JRR JSB1000 category for MORIWAKI MOTUL RACING)
“Our goal is the same as last year: to win. But first, we aim to do better than last year. So the whole team, including the mechanics, will focus on our goal from the testing phase. Yuki Takahashi is also perfectly in tune with the bike, and I have complete confidence in him. Dan Linfoot is also a versatile driver, and we will gain each other's trust from testing. The whole team will do their best, so I look forward to everyone's support. »

Dan Linfoot (competing in the British Superbike championship for Honda Racing)
“I’m delighted to once again race at the Suzuka 8 Hours for MORIWAKI RACING. Last year I was the reserve driver and wasn't part of the action, but this year I've been involved in testing, and my times are improving, so I'm looking forward to it to do the other tests and the race. I am sure that I can bring good results to MORIWAKI RACING, just like I can support Yuki Takahashi and Ryuichi Kiyonari during the race. »

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MuSASHi RT HARC-PRO. Honda (#634)

Ryo Mizuno (competing in JRR JSB1000 category for MuSASHi RT HARC-PRO Honda)
“Last year I participated in the Suzuka 8 Hours for the first time. I'm looking forward to racing #634 HARC-PRO this year. I moved up to the JSB1000 class this year, so I'll be racing on a bike I'm used to, with the same team, but I also feel the weight of responsibility. Our goal is to win, but I continue to learn in each race, so we will first aim for the podium for the team. I look forward to your support. »

Dominique Aegerter (competing in MotoGP Moto2 for Kiefer Racing)
“For the last three years I have ridden at the Suzuka 8 Hours for Thomas Suzuki-Rowe Honda, and we have been 2nd and 3rd on the podium. This year I am looking forward to joining the HARC-PRO, which has already won the Suzuka 8 Hours three times. The Honda factory team is back, but our race is also well prepared. So we are in a difficult race, but we are aiming for the top of the podium. »