Endurance World Championship: A stunning new lap record from MotoGP star Johann Zarco ensured Top 10 Trial glory for Honda HRC and pole position for tomorrow’s 46th Coca-Cola Suzuka 8 Hours Endurance Race, round three of the 2025 FIM Endurance World Championship.
Zarco was the last of 20 riders to take part in the one-at-a-time shootout and excelled by posting the fastest time of 2m04.290s to beat Naomichi Uramoto’s previous benchmark of 2m04.796s – set during Second Qualifying on Friday – and hand team-mate Takumi Takahashi the opportunity to start at the front on Sunday.
World Superbike racer Andrea Locatelli was second quickest for Yamaha Racing Team, much to the relief of MotoGP race-winning team-mate Jack Miller, who fell rounding the Astemo Chicane while on course to set what would have been the best lap at that point.
Meanwhile, Uramoto’s third fastest time for BMW-powered AutoRace Ube Racing Team marked a fine achievement for the privateer outfit, which also features Loris Baz and Isle of Man TT winner Davey Todd in its line-up, to make it three different motorcycle manufacturers in the top three.
“I didn’t expect to go that low in the 2m04s, I was thinking 2m04.5s but I knew 2m04.5s wouldn’t be enough for pole position so this was a nice surprise for me and it’s kind of a pleasure to have this good lap time to give the opportunity for Takumi to start in pole position tomorrow,” said Frenchman Zarco. “We knew that we are strong for Sunday about the pace, but I repeat that we also know some other riders have an extra with new tyres and it’s difficult for us to make big difference, but today it came.”
Along with Teppei Nagoe, Takahashi and Zarco secured Honda’s 30th Suzuka 8 Hours victory in 2024. With Nagoe switching teams for 2025, Iker Lekuona had been due to return to the Honda HRC line-up but was injured in a multi-rider crash during the World Superbike race in Hungary last Saturday, leading to Xavi Vierge’s last-minute recruitment. However, with Vierge not taking part due to “procedural reasons”, according to Honda HRC, Takahashi and Zarco face the prospect of tackling the gruelling eight-hour race as a pair, while their key rivals will compete with three riders.
The Top 10 Trial is unique to the Suzuka 8 Hours and is used to finalise the first 10 positions on the starting grid following the traditional two-legged qualifying, which took place on Friday afternoon and ended with Team Étoile claiming pole position in the Dunlop-equipped Superstock category (above). The BMW-powered Japanese outfit finished ahead of Kaedear-Dafy-RAC 41-Honda and Honda No Limits.
While qualifying concluded on a high for Team Étoile, there was despair for Miller after he suffered a high-speed crash at the First Curve, albeit without injury.
And the Australian’s frustrations intensified when he fell nearing the finish of his Top 10 Trial charge.
“Like my career it’s almost perfect until it’s not,” Miller said. “The lap was really good and the bike was working really well but I got too excited to finish the lap and it fell over in the last chicane. Thankfully ‘Loka’ was clutch for the team because I left him in a difficult position with a 2m16s and he had to carry the weight. I was all-in on the lap, trying to achieve the pole for Yamaha and, unfortunately, it kind of unravelled at the last corner.”
After claiming third place for AutoRace Ube Racing Team, Uramoto (above) said: “It’s amazing to be here in the top three with these amazing factory teams. With the qualifying I’m really pleased with the result and very excited and very happy.”
Of the teams contesting the full EWC season, BMW Motorrad World Endurance Team (below) finished a fine fifth in the Top 10 Trial behind Japanese squad SDG Team HARC-PRO. Honda courtesy of Michael van der Mark’s run. The point scored for taking fifth place puts BMW Motorrad World Endurance Team equal second with Kawasaki Webike Trickstar in the EWC title standings.
Last year’s Top 10 Trial winner Yamalube YART Yamaha EWC Official Team was sixth quickest with defending EWC champion team Yoshimura SERT Motul in seventh. YART continues to top the EWC title chase with an 18-point advantage.
The Top 10 Trial top 10 was completed by local outfits SDG-Ducati Team Kagayama, Team ATJ with docomo Business and Astemo Pro Honda SI Racing.
Team Suzuki CN Challenge, which is using 100 per cent sustainable fuel and other eco-friendly components, is set to start the 46th Coca-Cola Suzuka 8 Hours Endurance Race in 12th position followed by Kawasaki Webike Trickstar and F.C.C. TSR Honda France.
ELF Marc VDS Racing Team/KM99 is set to line up in 18th place with ERC Endurance next up in 19th, Tati Team AVA6 Racing 23rd and Motobox Kremer Racing in 41st place.
Home EWC Superstock pole for Team Étoile
Team Étoile banked the Dunlop-equipped Superstock pole position for 46th Coca-Cola Suzuka 8 Hours Endurance Race, its home round of the FIM Endurance World Cup.
Riders Motoharu Ito, Hikari Okubo and Kazuki Watanabe combined to secure the BMW-powered outfit’s second EWC Superstock pole position since it joined the series ahead of the 2024 season.
Having qualified second 12 months ago, Team Étoile edged season-long rivals Kaedear-Dafy-RAC 41-Honda and Honda No Limits as three of the six permanent EWC teams competing made big impacts.
The five points scored means Team Étoile moves equal third in the standings with 3ART Best of Bike, which isn’t competing in Suzuka. National Motos Honda FMA continues to head the points table after qualifying ninth.
“Very happy we get pole position, it’s very important for the championship because we get five points and my team-mates and team staff worked very good, which is why I could push 100 per cent in my qualifying,” said Okubu, who set a category new lap record.
Honda No Limits was second after First Qualifying but a crash for Gabriele Giannni caused considerable damage and a drop in position to third behind Kaedear-Dafy-RAC 41-Honda.
Kawasaki Plaza Racing Team took fourth with TONE Team 4413 EVA 02 BMW fifth and NCXX Racing with Riders Club in sixth.
Wójcik Racing Team was a strong seventh despite its three riders – Spaniard Jordi Torres and Polish teenagers Mateusz Molik and Milan Pawelec – racing at Suzuka for the first time. Team Tatara Aprilia, National Motos Honda FMA and Revo-M2 completed the Superstock top 10.
The 46th Coca-Cola Suzuka 8 Hours Endurance Race is due to get under way at 11h30 local time (CET +7). Click HERE to find out how to watch the action live.
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