In the first qualifying session at Suzuka 8 Hours, Tetsuta Nagashima of the #33 factory HRC Fireblade achieved an impressive time of 2m05.722s, making him the only rider to break the 2m06s barrier. This performance raised Honda’s hopes of securing pole position again, as they did last year.
Karel Hanika from the YART Yamaha team was Nagashima’s closest competitor, finishing just under three tenths behind with a time of 2m06.009s.
The qualifying was divided into three parts, with each rider getting a 20-minute session in their respective color-designated slot. Honda initially took the lead as Nagashima outpaced Niccolo Canepa from the YART team by nearly eight tenths in the ‘blue’ session. However, Yamaha came back strong, topping both the ‘yellow’ and ‘red’ sessions.
Marvin Fritz from YART edged out HRC’s Takumi Takahashi by a little over a tenth in the second part of qualifying, and Karel Hanika continued Yamaha’s success by outperforming Xavi Vierge in the final session.
A second three-part qualifying will take place on Saturday morning at Suzuka, where each team’s fastest two riders’ average time will determine who progresses to the Top 10 Trials shootout.
While Honda and Yamaha showcased consistent performance throughout Friday’s sessions, other teams struggled to maintain the same level of consistency. The Yoshimura Suzuki team, for instance, started strong in the opening session but dropped to ninth in the final part of qualifying.
The FCC TSR Honda squad also had a mixed day, finishing fifth, ninth, and fourth in the three sessions, as they trail YART by one point in the EWC standings.
The qualifying was marred by several incidents, leading to multiple red flags and interruptions. Alan Techer of Honda was involved in a collision with Josh Waters’ S Pulse Suzuki, resulting in his bike briefly catching fire. Several other riders, including Takafumi Kato (Honda Soyukai Tochigi Racing), Christian Napoli (Motobox Kremer Racing Yamaha), Shigenori Sakurayama (Team Nagano BMW), Ikuhiro Enokido (Toho Racing), Maiku Watanuki (Tone RT BMW), and Randy de Puniet (Kawasaki Webike Trickstar), also crashed during the qualifying sessions.
Despite these challenges, the Webike Trickstar team led the Kawasaki contingent, finishing 11th, 10th, and 16th in the three sessions, as there was no factory team present. The works BMW Motorrad team had slightly better results, setting the ninth, eighth, and 15th-fastest times in the three sessions, placing them close to a potential entry into the Top 10 Trials.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about Qualifying
What was the fastest lap time in the first qualifying session at Suzuka 8 Hours?
Tetsuta Nagashima set the fastest lap time of 2m05.722s aboard the #33 factory HRC Fireblade.
Which team was Nagashima’s closest rival in the first qualifying session?
Nagashima’s closest rival in the first qualifying session was Karel Hanika from the YART Yamaha team.
How was the qualifying session structured?
The opening qualifying was divided into three parts, with each rider getting a 20-minute session in their respective color-denominated slot.
Which teams topped the ‘yellow’ and ‘red’ sessions in the first qualifying?
The Yamaha squad topped both the ‘yellow’ and ‘red’ sessions in the first qualifying.
How will the second qualifying session determine the teams progressing to the Top 10 Trials?
In the second three-part qualifying, the average of each team’s fastest two riders will determine which teams progress to the Top 10 Trials shootout.
Did any incidents occur during the qualifying session?
Yes, there were multiple incidents, leading to four red flags and interruptions during the 60 minutes of running across the three sessions.
Which teams experienced mixed results in the qualifying?
The Yoshimura Suzuki team and the FCC TSR Honda squad had mixed results, with both teams showing varied performance across the three sessions.
How did the Webike Trickstar team perform in the qualifying?
The Webike Trickstar team led the Kawasaki contingent, finishing 11th, 10th, and 16th across the three sessions.
How did the works BMW Motorrad team fare in the qualifying?
The works BMW Motorrad team set the ninth, eighth, and 15th-fastest times in the three sessions, positioning themselves on the edge of a possible Top 10 Trials entry.
More about Qualifying
- Suzuka 8 Hours: https://www.suzukacircuit.jp/en/8tai/
- HRC (Honda Racing Corporation): https://www.hondaracingcorporation.com/
- YART Yamaha: https://www.yamaha-racing.com/endurance/about/
- MotoGP: https://www.motogp.com/
- EWC (Endurance World Championship): https://www.fimewc.com/
- Suzuka Circuit: https://www.suzukacircuit.jp/en/
- Yoshimura Suzuki: http://www.yoshimura-jp.com/en/
- FCC TSR Honda: https://www.fcc.co.jp/honda/english/
- Webike Trickstar: https://www.webike-team-trickstar.jp/en/
- BMW Motorrad: https://www.bmw-motorrad.com/
5 comments
suzuka 8 hrs is always wild, red flags galore, what a mess! but the races gonna be fire, can’t wait for top 10 trials #craziness
crashes, collisions, and fires, suzuka’s qualifying was nuts! gonna be one helluva race, bring it on! #highoctane
yoshimura suzuki start strong, then fall back, c’mon guys keep it together! BMW’s strugglin’ too, hope they make it to top 10 #underdogs
honda vs yamaha, so intense! nagashima’s time was amazin’! hope yamaha can catch up, wanna see a close race #excited
hanika’s quick, but nagashima’s on fire, love the honda-yamaha battle! webike trickstar rocks, leadin’ kawasaki, wow! #racingfun