Honda announces teams for Suzuka 8 hours

Honda has announced its teams for the 2016 Suzuka 8 hours FIM Endurance World Championship. The Japanese manufacturer will be fielding specially prepared CBR1000RR race machines for the endurance race, which will take place on July 31. 

F.C.C. TSR Honda, which came in second behind Yamaha’s factory team last year, will be the frontrunner for the first position, along with team Kohara RT, TOHO Racing and MuSASHi RT HARC-PRO. Renowned names like Kazuma Watanabe, Dominique Aegerter and Patrick Jacobsen will be participating for Honda teams in this endurance race. Former MotoGP champion and WSBK rider Nicky Hayden will also mark a return to the Suzuka 8 hours for the first time in 13 years. Apart from these four teams, Honda will also support seven other satellite teams.

This year will mark the 39th edition of the iconic motorcycle endurance race. As the name suggests, this endurance race is conducted at the Suzuka Circuit in Japan for eight hours consecutively. Each team can field two or more riders who alternate during scheduled pitstops. Last year saw Yamaha factory racing team emerge victorious for the first time since 1996 with MotoGP stars Pol Espargaro and Bradley Smith, and factory test rider Katsuaki Nakasuga. Suzuki, Yamaha and Kawasaki are expected to announce their own line-up very soon.