F.C.C. TSR Honda France is getting ready for an FIM Endurance World Championship race with a difference with next month’s 44th Coca-Cola Suzuka 8 Hours Endurance Race the team’s home round of the EWC.
And as the winner of the FIM Endurance World Championship for Teams in 2022, the Japanese squad will receive plenty of attention and support when the iconic Suzuka Circuit hosts the action from 4-6 August.
In its bid for a second EWC victory of 2023 following on from its success in the 24 Heures Motos at Le Mans in April, F.C.C. TSR Honda France can count on the riding strengths of Mike Di Meglio, Josh Hook and Alan Techer.
After leading the opening stages of last year’s Suzuka 8 Hours, Hook knows what it takes to make a strong impression on the 5.821-kilometre Full Course 2-Wheels layout.
I've raced on the same bike for the past year, so I know how it feels and how it should run, Australian Hook said. The chassis, tyres, everything are all working well. The key to success in the 8 Hours is consistency. First you have to be fast, and then you have to be consistent. All three of us are similarly built, we all like to ride bikes, and we’re good. It is important to have a bike set-up that all three of us can work with. Alan, Mike, and I can do that, so I’m not worried.
Hook, 30, will start next month’s Suzuka 8 Hours on the back of a successful test at the track from 5-6 July.
I had a pretty good feeling, he said. We were able to test a lot of things. We tried a lot of things, especially to improve rear grip. The bike felt good on used tyres, and we were able to confirm that we are moving in the right direction. We made some progress and the team did a great job. We can go into the race feeling comfortable and confident.
Frenchman Di Meglio, 34, said: It was great to be back in Suzuka. The resurfacing of the corners, the Turn 2 exit, was especially good. The bike was getting better with each run and we improved a lot. Our pace was getting better each time and the track temperature was high, so we had a good test. I have a good feeling about this test in general. It will be perfect if we can improve our pace a little more, so that’s what we will work on during the race weekend.
Alan Techer, Di Meglio’s 28-year-old compatriot, added: I was very happy to be back at Suzuka after four years. I really enjoyed the course and the bike, but I’d forgotten a few things, so I need to make some corrections. I finally got rid of all the stress that had been building up, and the feeling was better. I enjoyed the bike and was able to close the gap to my team-mates. The team worked very well, we fixed some problems so I can go into the race with a lot of confidence.
After two rounds of the 2023 EWC season, F.C.C. TSR Honda France is second in the provisional FIM Endurance World Championship for Teams, one point behind Yamalube YART Yamaha EWC Official Team.
The 44th Coca-Cola Suzuka 8 Hours Endurance Race is due to start at 11h30 local time on Sunday 6 August.
Photo: Honda Racing
Original Source [ FIM EWC ]
