EWC. Suzuka 8 Hours testing moved to race week

These 8 Hours will take place on November 1st and will constitute the final of the 2019-2020 World Endurance Championship. They will succeed the 24 Hours Motorcycles of Le Mans which will take place on August 29 and 30, then at Bol d'Or September 19 and 20.

The preliminary tests for the 8 Hours have been moved, as explained by Paul Duparc, Coordinator for the FIM: “As you know, the 8 Suzuka 2020 Hours has been postponed to November 1, due to current circumstances and travel restrictions related to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

“For the same reasons, it was decided between the FIM, Eurosport Events and Suzuka organizers to limit the costs and risks inherent to travel.

The private tests which usually took place 3 weeks before the race will take place, in 2020, the week of the event. A detailed schedule will be published soon.

“However, we remind you that these private tests remain the responsibility of the organizer and that they are not official “FIM” events.

First laps for top teams

Le Suzuki Endurance Racing Team made his return to the track at the beginning of June on the Vigeant circuit, a good getting back on track session for Gregg Black, Etienne Masson and Xavier Siméon. Next meeting planned on track for the Suzuki Endurance Racing Team, July 16 and 17 at the Bugatti Circuit in Le Mans, where you can join him by booking on its Facebook page.

The BMW Motorrad World Endurance Team made his first post-confinement outing on the Zolder circuit in Belgium. In the absence of Ilya Mikhalchik who cannot yet leave Ukraine and Markus Reiterberger, unavailable, Kenny Foray was the only driver of the BMW Motorrad World Endurance Team trio to take to the track.

Motorcycle Ain has regained its bearings on the Castellet circuit. Winner of the FIM Endurance World Cup last season, this French team supported by Yamaha is leading the Superstock category in 2020. This test session at the Circuit Paul Ricard was a refresher for Moto Ain with Roberto Rolfo, Robin Mulhauser and Hugo Clère

Effective protection for the 8 Hours

The most incredible thing is that since its creation, the Suzuka 8 Hours has always been a “protected race”, that is to say without the slightest Grand Prix or Superbike World Championship race on the same weekend. Honda, owner of Suzuka, was always able to obtain this small favor from the organizers concerned. With this year's calendar compressed at the end of the season, one might think that this protection could not remain. Well that was a mistake, because once again in 2020 no World Championship race competes with the Japanese classic.

A long and prestigious history

The first edition of the Suzuka 8 Hours took place in July 1978. The Suzuka 8 Hours is the motorcycle endurance event which attracted the most MotoGP riders. Mike Baldwin won the 1st edition with Wes Cooley. Among the other winners of the Suzuka 8 Hours: Graeme Crosby (1980), Hervé Moineau (1983), Wayne Gardner (1985,86, 91, 92 and 1989), Dominique Sarron (1988), Kevin Magee (1988), Wayne Rainey (1990 ), Eddie Lawson (1991), Mick Doohan (1992), Daryl Beattie (1993), Scott Russell (1995), Tadayuki Okada (1996), Noriyuki Haga (1997,1998), Shinichi Ito (2006, 2011, 2001 and XNUMX) and Valentino Rossi (XNUMX).

Dajiro Kato, already a winner in 2000, was the last 500cc Grand Prix rider to win in 3.

In 2015, MotoGP riders made a winning return with the victory of Katsuyuki Nakasuga, Pol Espargaro and Bradley Smith (Yamaha Factory). In 2018, the Yamaha Factory Racing Team scored its 4th victory in a row at the Suzuka 8 Hours.

Then last year the Kawasaki Racing Team won with Jonathan Rea, Leon Haslam and Toprak Razgatlioglu.

Photos © Speed ​​of Japan, Good-Shoot for Eurosport Events