Honda Teams to Compete in 2022 FIM Endurance
World Championship Series 43rd “Coca-Cola”
Suzuka 8 Hours Endurance Race
TOKYO, Japan, June 20, 2022 - Honda announced an overview of its main teams to compete in 2022 FIM*1 Endurance World Championship (EWC) Series, The 43rd “Coca-Cola“ Suzuka 8 Hours Endurance Race (Suzuka 8 Hours), to be held at the Suzuka Circuit in Mie Prefecture, Japan, on Sunday, August 7, 2022.
Team HRC, Honda’s factory team*2, will participate with factory bikes based on the CBR1000RR-R FIREBLADE SP. The team will be represented by HRC test rider Tetsuta Nagashima, British Superbike Championship (BSB) rider and three-time Suzuka 8 Hours winner Takumi Takahashi, and FIM Superbike World Championship (WorldSBK) rider Iker Lecuona.
The 2017-2018 season EWC champion F.C.C. TSR Honda France is competing in each of this season’s races. The team, represented by its regular riders Josh Hook, Gino Rea and Mike Di Meglio, is currently ranked second this season (as of the end of Round 2), and is aiming to win the overall championship.
SDG Honda Racing will be represented by MFJ*3 All Japan Road Race Championship (JRR) JSB1000 class rider Teppei Nagoe, and Spanish Superbike Speed Championship (ESBK) Honda rider Naomichi Uramoto, and JSB1000 class rider Ikuhiro Enokido.
Honda Asia-Dream Racing with SHOWA, currently competing in the FIM Asia Road Racing Championship ASB1000 class, will be represented by Md Zaqhwan Bin Zaidi and Gerry Salim.
FIM: Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme
Factory team: Racing team managed by the bike manufacturer.
MFJ: Motorcycle Federation of Japan
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■#33 Team HRC
Tetsuta Nagashima (HRC test rider)
“I will be competing in the Suzuka 8 Hours with Team HRC. My teammate Takumi Takahashi has won the event in the past and is an extremely talented rider. Iker Lecuona started racing in WorldSBK this year, and is a very fast rider. It’s the first time for me to represent the HRC factory team in the Suzuka 8 Hours, but with my teammates, we will bring out the maximum potential of the CBR1000RR-R FIREBLADE SP and aim to win. I’m looking forward to the support from Honda fans and Suzuka 8 Hours fans.”
Takumi Takahashi (competing in BSB with Honda Racing UK)
“I will be riding for Team HRC in this year’s Suzuka 8 Hours, the first in three years. I’ll be doing my best to help Team HRC win this year, along with the best team staff and riders. I did not test the bike much due to my BSB commitments, but Nagashima has done a great job in preparing the prefect bike. Iker Lecuona will also be joining us from WorldSBK. We’ll fight hard to stand on the highest place on the podium. I hope everyone will come to Suzuka Circuit to cheer us on.”
Iker Lecuona (competing in WBK with Team HRC)
“I am excited to take on the Suzuka 8 hours race with Team HRC. This will be the first time I'm competing in an endurance race. I know the Suzuka race is physically very tough for the rider, with the high temperatures, extreme humidity and all the overtaking, but I really like the circuit and can't wait to get started. Together with my team-mates and technical staff, I will do my best to reach the top of the podium. See you at Suzuka.”
■#5 F.C.C. TSR Honda France
Josh Hook (competing in EWC with F.C.C. TSR Honda France)
“So far our season has been going well, not as good as it could of been but that’s all part of endurance racing. We are 2nd in the championship and still well and truly in contention for the championship which is our goal. I’ve missed going to Suzuka as it’s my favourite race of the year so it will be amazing to be back in Japan on Honda’s home ground in front of all the Japanese fans. We know our bike works really well at this circuit so I’m expecting a great result. Over all I’m excited to be back in Japan racing again. Looking forward to seeing everyone there.”
Gino Rea (competing in EWC with F.C.C. TSR Honda France)
“Two podiums out of 2 races and 2nd in the EWC standings isn't bad but as always, we want more. We had chances to fight for the win at both Le Mans 24hrs and Spa 24hrs but it wasn’t to be. We have had great pace throughout all conditions and the team have worked fantastically in pitstops and bike repairs which has enabled us to achieve these results. We are all really excited to get back to the amazing circuit of Suzuka for the 8hrs race. The event is one of the best in the world and I really can’t wait to compete there representing a Japanese team and the Honda brand in front of the incredible Japanese fans. I’m excited to visit Japan again and to ride the FIREBLADE with F.C.C. TSR Honda France at Suzuka.”
Mike Di Meglio (competing in EWC with F.C.C. TSR Honda France)
“The season is starting good, we manage to do 2 podium for the first two races. Our speed is very good, we need to get more luck during the race. I am very happy to be back to Suzuka! The fans and the track are fantastic! I am very motivated to be back there after a long time!”
■#73 SDG Honda Racing
Teppei Nagoe (competing in JSB1000 class with SDG Honda Racing)
“First, I’m excited to be racing with SDG Honda Racing in the Suzuka 8 Hours. I could not keep up with the top runners in first half of this season’s All-Japan due injury, but I have recovered well and will be 100% fit for the Suzuka 8 Hours.
I will be giving it 100% with the support of the experienced HARC-PRO management and SDG Showa Denki Group. I’m proud to be a part of the Honda family, and we as a team will work as one to win the race.”
Naomichi Uramoto (currently competing in ESBK)
“I’m glad the Suzuka 8 Hours is being held this year. I am grateful to all of the people involved in making this year’s event a reality. I’m back at Honda this year, and am proud to be racing with SDG Honda Racing. It’s great to be back to the team that taught me everything, and it’s also a responsibility. I haven’t raced in front of the Japanese fans for a while, so I hope they see how much I have improved. I’ll do my best, and aim to win, so I hope everyone cheers for SDG Honda Racing.”
Ikuhiro Enokido (competing in JSB1000 class)
“I’m very glad to be racing in the Suzuka 8 Hours as a member of SDG Honda Racing. This is my first Suzuka 8 Hours, but I’m overjoyed to be able to compete in a race that I have dreamed about since I was a child. I’m now accustomed to JSB bikes, so I’ll do my part and contribute to the team. I’m also heartened that my ST600-era rival Nagoe, and HARC-PRO senior and experienced rider Naomichi Uramoto will be joining me in our team. I hope everyone will support SDG Honda Racing.”
■#88 Honda Asia-Dream Racing with SHOWA
Md Zaqhwan Bin Zaidi (competing in ASB1000 class with Honda Asia-Dream Racing with SHOWA)
“I’m happy to racing again in Suzuka 8 Hours after long break season around 2 years during covid19 pandemic.
This year will be more challenge for us because of our team will working hard to set the new bike CBR1000RR-R that we don’t have mileage in Suzuka Circuit and also new teammate this year. So we will try our best to get the best result! Thank you for all your support!”
Gerry Salim (competing in ASB1000 class with Honda Asia-Dream Racing with SHOWA)
“I’m really happy to get this opportunity to race in Suzuka 8 Hours Endurance, because this is my first experience and my first time to join endurance race. And the team already have a lot of data in Suzuka. I’m looking forward to it and also the team got podium on the last endurance race in Malaysia 2019. Thank You.”
■Main Honda Teams to Compete in 2022 Suzuka 8 Hours Race
Bike # |
Team |
Machine |
Rider |
5 |
F.C.C. TSR Honda France |
CBR1000RR-R |
Josh Hook |
Gino Rea |
|||
Mike Di Meglio |
|||
17 |
Astemo Honda Dream SI Racing |
CBR1000RR-R |
Kosuke Sakumoto |
Kazuma Watanabe |
|||
Taiga Hada |
|||
33 |
Team HRC |
CBR1000RR-R |
Tetsuta Nagashima ☆ |
Takumi Takahashi☆ |
|||
Iker Lecuona ☆ |
|||
40 |
Team ATJ with Japan Post |
CBR1000RR-R |
Satoru Iwata |
Yuki Takahashi |
|||
Tomoyoshi Koyama |
|||
72 |
Honda DREAM RT Sakurai Honda |
CBR1000RR-R |
Sodo Hamahara |
Daijiro Hiura |
|||
Yuki Kunii |
|||
73 |
SDG Honda Racing |
CBR1000RR-R |
Teppei Nagoe |
Naomichi Uramoto |
|||
Ikuhiro Enokido |
|||
88 |
Honda Asia-Dream Racing with SHOWA |
CBR1000RR-R |
Md Zaqhwan Bin Zaidi |
Gerry Salim |
|||
TBA |
|||
104 |
TOHO Racing |
CBR1000RR-R |
Ryuichi Kiyonari |
Takuma Kunimine |
|||
Hiromichi Kunikawa |
|||
TBA |
Murayama.Honda.Dream.RT |
CBR1000RR-R |
Kosuke Akiyoshi |
Osamu Deguchi |
|||
Yoshihiro Konno |
- ☆ factory team, factory bike or HRC rider
- Team details are current as of June 20, and are subject to change
- Teams listed in order of bike number (#)