Honda HRC Achieves 5 Consecutive Suzuka 8 Hours Victories! Takumi Takahashi Records Unprecedented 8th Career Win. Yamaha Factory Takes Second, BMW Makes History as First European Manufacturer on the Podium.

At the "47th Suzuka 8 Hours Endurance Road Race" held on July 5, 2026, the Honda works team "Honda HRC" took victory. This marks Honda's 32nd overall win at the Suzuka 8 Hours, and rider Takumi Takahashi achieved his 8th victory, breaking his own record for the most wins by an individual.

Honda HRC's Unwavering Strength Conquers Adverse Weather

Honda HRC conquered the challenging conditions, which were mostly rainy, completing 188 laps for their 32nd overall victory at their home circuit.

The 47th event, held at Suzuka Circuit in Mie Prefecture, saw intermittent rain and extremely unstable track conditions. Amidst these constantly changing and difficult conditions, Honda HRC, riding the CBR1000RR-R FIREBLADE SP, led the race with a stable performance.

Honda HRC finished in 1st place, completing 188 laps. This was a glorious record for Honda, marking their fifth consecutive win at their home circuit and their 32nd overall victory. Notably, rider Takumi Takahashi achieved his 8th win, surpassing his own record for the most victories. Takahashi, along with Jonathan Rea and Somkiat Chantra, rode the #30 CBR1000RR-R Fireblade SP to victory in a race that concluded under safety car conditions due to heavy rain.

However, the battle for the podium was fierce until the very end. AutoRace Ube Racing Team, which had kept pace with Honda HRC from the beginning, slowed down in the final stages and incurred a 10-second stop-and-go penalty for a pit stop violation, dropping them to 5th place. Taking their place in 2nd was the #21 YAMAHA FACTORY RACING TEAM, featuring Katsuyuki Nakasuga, Jack Miller, and Andrea Locatelli, finishing 1 minute 34.280 seconds behind the leader.

In 3rd place was the #37 BMW MOTORRAD WORLD ENDURANCE TEAM. The M 1000 RR, ridden by Markus Reiterberger, Steven Odendaal, and Michael van der Mark, secured the 3rd position, marking BMW's first-ever podium finish in the Suzuka 8 Hours as a European manufacturer. Yoshimura SERT Motul, which received a penalty for a refueling procedure violation during the race, ultimately finished 6th, two laps behind. Kawasaki Webike TRicsktar (Team Kawasaki Webike Trickstar Kaedear), which finished 3rd at the previous SPA round, came in 13th.

Honda HRC, achieving their fifth consecutive victory since 2022 and their 32nd overall win at the Suzuka 8 Hours.

#21 YAMAHA FACTORY RACING TEAM

#37 BMW MOTORRAD WORLD ENDURANCE TEAM

Race Highlights

Winner: Honda HRC #30 (Takahashi / Rea / Chantra) — 188 laps, 7:54:19.425
Fastest Lap: 2:16.034 (154.0 km/h) — Jack Miller (Yamaha Factory Racing Team #21)
Superstock Winner: NCXX RACING with RIDERS CLUB #52
Experimental Class Winner: TEAM SUZUKI CN CHALLENGE #0

SST Class Dominated by NCXX RACING with RIDERS CLUB; SUZUKI CN CHALLENGE Finishes 7th

In the Superstock class, #52 NCXX RACING with RIDERS CLUB emerged victorious after a close battle. #25 Team Étoile BMW finished 14 seconds behind, while #77 Wójcik Racing Team Honda secured the 3rd podium spot by a mere 1-second margin. #38 Champion-Hert Powered by MRP BMW finished 4th on the same lap.

Furthermore, the experimental GSX-R1000R from TEAM SUZUKI CN CHALLENGE, which utilized sustainable fuel and recycled parts, finished 7th overall and won the Experimental class.

#52 NCXX RACING with RIDERS CLUB