After an epic race at Suzuka with Jérémy Guarnoni, Erwan Nigon and David Checa, the Team SRC Kawasaki France claimed its first FIM Endurance World Championship crown.
Kawasaki Racing Team emerged victors at the Suzuka 8 Hours after a disrupted race finish. Yamaha Factory Racing Team and Red Bull Honda rounded off the podium after an incredible finish at this year’s race, which handed Team SRC Kawasaki France their first world title.
With two hours to go to the finish of the Suzuka 8 Hours Grand Finale, Suzuki Endurance Racing Team have the 2018-2019 FIM Endurance World Championship title in sight, while the three factory teams are battling for the Suzuka podium.
Three hours into the race, a battle is still raging between Red Bull Honda, Kawasaki Racing Team and Yamaha Factory Racing Team ahead of F.C.C. TSR Honda France.
Suzuki paid tribute to the creator and boss of Suzuki Endurance Racing Team prior to the start of the Suzuka 8 Hours, the last Endurance World Championship race to be managed by Dominique Méliand.
Yamaha Factory Racing Team topped warm-up ahead of Red Bull Honda, Kawasaki Racing Team and F.C.C. TSR Honda France at the Suzuka 8 Hours, to be flagged off at 11.30am local time in Japan today (Sunday).
Following the cancellation of the Top 10 Trial, the starting grid of the Suzuka 8 Hours retains the positions taken in qualifying. This means Yamaha Factory Racing Team remain on pole, followed by Kawasaki Racing Team and Red Bull Honda.
Slovakian team Omega Maco Racing are competing in the Suzuka 8 Hours with a line-up consisting of Polish champion Pawel Szkopek and Endurance World Championship winner James Ellison.
After taking control in first qualifying at the Suzuka 8 Hours, Yamaha Factory Racing Team confirmed pole position on the provisional starting grid ahead of Kawasaki Racing Team and Red Bull Honda. The final grid line-up will be decided tomorrow after the Top 10 trial.
Yamaha Factory Racing Team, the winners of the past four editions of the Suzuka 8 Hours, are already taking up their positon as the favourites. The Japanese team were fastest in the first qualifying session, ahead of Kawasaki Racing Team and Red Bull Honda.
