Successful First Day of Private Suzuka 8 Hours Testing for Yamaha Racing Team

Exactly one month ahead of the 46th edition of the "Coca-Cola" Suzuka 8 Hours Endurance Race, the Yamaha Racing Team has kicked off a two-day private test at Suzuka Circuit. Day 1 saw Suzuka 8 Hours icon Katsuyuki Nakasuga guide MotoGP star Jack Miller and WorldSBK talent Andrea Locatelli through two 2-hour sessions in hot and humid conditions.

During FP1 (10:00-12:00 JST), Miller and Locatelli completed their first laps aboard the factory YZF-R1 at Suzuka Circuit, focusing on track familiarisation for Locatelli and R1 acclimatisation for Miller. In FP2 (14:00-16:00 JST), with surface temperatures climbing even higher, the trio concentrated on gathering important data and refining their base setup. The team also conducted pit-stop rehearsals in both sessions in preparation for the main race held on August 3.

Nakasuga set the fastest lap of the day in the morning session. Miller and Locatelli also impressed with their strong performances, coming within just 0.154 seconds of Nakasuga's best FP2 lap - a testament to the trio's closely matched pace.

Tomorrow, Miller and Locatelli will aim to finalise the base specification of the factory YZF-R1 ahead of the Official Suzuka 8 Hours Test on July 30. Private testing resumes for these two riders tomorrow, with FP3 scheduled for 10:30-12:30 JST and FP4 at 15:00-17:00 JST.

#21 Yamaha Racing Team

Jack Miller

"I'm really happy to be back at Suzuka! Riding the R1 is fun, but the bike and tires are completely different from what I usually ride in MotoGP. So far, it's a very easy bike to ride and understand. I'm planning to enjoy it, and I'll work even harder and keep moving forward. If I had to mention any problems for the day, it would be the position of the rear brake pedal. You might be surprised that my feet are smaller than Nakasuga-san's, so we had to adjust it a bit to fit me. Tomorrow, I'll try some more things on the bike, and do a few longer runs."

Andrea Locatelli

"For me, everything here is special! It's my first time competing in the EWC, and it's special to race the 8 Hours for Yamaha's 70th anniversary. This red and white R1 is really special too. So far, it's been a great experience for me to ride here at Suzuka. In the morning, I followed behind Nakasuga-san and it was a great learning experience. I know he understands Suzuka better than anyone. I'm getting a better feeling with the bike and I'm having a lot of fun. I can't wait for tomorrow."

Team Manager Wataru Yoshikawa

"Jack and Loka joined us for the first time to test the R1 as we get ready for the race. In endurance racing, all three riders share a single bike, so we had to make some adjustments to the riding positions, setups, and other aspects. All three of these guys are super-fast sprint riders, and I know they respect each other, so I'm really confident that we have a strong, well-balanced team. The communication between them and the team staff is already good, and we've got a great atmosphere in our pit box. In the test today Nakasuga crashed, but it was nothing serious. We'll continue to get better as a team, including how to respond to incidents like this."