Roberto Rolfo said he was “very happy” to be back at Suzuka for the legendary track’s FIM Endurance World Championship event.
Although the Italian has been a regular in the EWC since 2018, the upcoming 45th Coca-Cola Suzuka 8 Hours Endurance Race is his first opportunity to compete on the 5.821-kilometre layout since 2003 after he joined leading Superstock outfit Team Étoile.
“I’m very happy because my target was to race the Suzuka 8 Hours this season,” said the Dunlop-equipped Rolfo. “This was very important for me because I am 44 now and 44 is my favourite number and I wanted to race in Suzuka for my 44th birthday. I start with number four when I was eight and after always 44 when it was possible, it’s my lucky number.*
“Team Étoile are a very good team and although it’s my first time on the BMW I feel very good. The engine is very powerful, the electronics are good also, the team is very professional, it’s like a factory team, so everything is very good from this point of view."
“The last time I was at Suzuka was 2003 in the 250cc class, the last year of Suzuka in the world championship, and the first race of my world championship career was in Suzuka in 1998. We also did the test 20 days ago but I remember the track well, even though there have been some changes, like at the chicane, it’s still a fantastic track and it’s still very hot. The heat is very intense, it’s particular here because you have to be fast but you also need to save the energy because you have to be fast every time but more constant.”
Rolfo will join team-mates Yudai Kamei and Hikari Okubo in chasing honours in the FIM Endurance World Cup at Suzuka. And he’s excited by the prospect, particularly after Team Étoile bagged the Superstock pole for the 8 Hours of Spa Motos last month.
"My team-mates were very fast in testing,” Rolfo said. “I hope to arrive close to my team-mates, I will not be faster because it’s a long time I did not race, the Bol d’Or last year was my last race. I train at home but the training is different with a standard bike.
“What was nice during the test was I also tried to understand the bike and give some information how to improve and at the moment the bike is better than before, in general it can be good. After many years from 2018 until now I have a lot of experience of endurance racing and eight hours is a competition I love because it’s like a sprint race but a little bit longer. You have to be fast but also to control your energy but also the bike. There are some question marks for the long runs in the hot temperature and the strategy will be very important.”
The 45th Coca-Cola Suzuka 8 Hours Endurance Race takes place from 19-21 July.
Original Source [ FIM EWC ]
