Team HRC with Japan Post leads the 44th Coca-Cola Suzuka 8 Hours Endurance Race at the halfway point.
Gregg Black led for Yoshimura SERT Motul after a rapid getaway in front of packed grandstands, only for Niccolò Canepa to snatch top spot for Yamalube YART Yamaha EWC Official Team at the Hitachi Astemo Chicane nearing the completion of lap three.
Having been muscled out of second place, Takumi Takahashi fought back from fifth to lead on lap seven aboard his Team HRC Honda.
Canepa, on the #7 entry, responded but Takahashi was back ahead on lap 12 and began to gradually edge ahead.
And Team HRC’s advantage grew significantly when the #7 Yamaha, with Karel Hanika riding, stopped on track on the run out of Spoon Curve after one hour 36 minutes.
With the help of two volunteer marshals, Hanika heroically pushed his stricken machine back towards the pits where an electrical issue was identified and fixed, albeit following a major time loss. A further pit visit to fix a loose fairing left YART in 40th position after four hours of racing.
Behind Team HRC, Yoshimura SERT Motul was second after four hours with Team TOHO third, S-PULSE DREAM RACING -ITEC fourth and AutoRace Ube Racing Team fifth.
F.C.C. TSR Honda France, the winner of the 2022 FIM Endurance World Championship, dropped out of contention with a sensor issue with BMW Motorrad World Endurance Team in the top 10 after a slow start.
The 44th Coca-Cola Suzuka 8 Hours Endurance Race is due to finish at 19h30 local time.
Original Source [ FIM EWC ]
