Katsuyuki Nakasuga Selected as First Rider for Yamaha Factory Racing Team in 2026 Suzuka 8 Hours
April 24, 2026 - Yamaha Motor Co., Ltd. is proud to announce that for the 47th FIM Endurance World Championship "Coca-Cola" Suzuka 8 Hours Endurance Road Race set to be held on July 3-5 at Suzuka Circuit in Mie Prefecture, Japan, four-time 8 Hours winner and current Yamaha Factory Racing Team JSB1000 rider Katsuyuki Nakasuga has been selected as the first rider for the Yamaha Factory Racing Team in the prestigious event.
Nakasuga's 17th appearance at the Suzuka 8 Hours sees him spearheading the Yamaha Factory Racing Team as a representative of both his country and Yamaha Motor. By utilizing his extensive experience with the YZF-R1 in the 8 Hours, he aims to secure Yamaha's ninth total win and first since 2018.
Nakasuga made his true Suzuka 8 Hours debut in 2006 (He was registered as a third rider from 2003 to 2005 and did not ride in the main events). His first 8 Hours win was in 2015 as a member of the Yamaha Factory Racing Team partnered with MotoGP riders Pol Espargaró and Bradley Smith. Over the next four years (from 2015 to 2018) he was part of four consecutive 8 Hours wins for Yamaha.
Following a 2nd place finish in 2019, Yamaha paused factory entries in the 8 Hours, after which Nakasuga did not compete for some time. However, when the factory effort returned for the 2025 event, Nakasuga joined the Yamaha Racing Team lineup alongside MotoGP rider Jack Miller and WorldSBK rider Andrea Locatelli as the trio fought their way to a second-place finish.
Katsuyuki Nakasuga
"I'm so happy to compete in the Suzuka 8 Hours with the factory team again this year. Last year, we did well in preparing for the race, but I got injured in pre-race testing and that ended up putting pressure on Jack, Loca, and the team, so this year I'll make sure I'm in the best form possible. Also, since we won't be able to test with all three of us together until right before the race, it's important to find a setup that works for all three riders from the start. It's our second year since bringing back the factory team back so the pressure is high, but I'm looking forward to it. I feel like we've improved in every area since last year. Since we missed it last time, we're aiming for the top spot, so come to Suzuka and cheer us on!"
Tadashi Nakamura, General Manager, Motor Sports Value Creation Division
"Last year, when the factory team returned to the Suzuka 8 Hours after six years, we were welcomed by over 60,000 fans during the three-day event, and all of us at Yamaha enjoyed the experience immensely ourselves, but that's also why we felt so frustrated to finish 2nd. We want to improve on last year's performance and go one step further for a win, and to do that, we've reviewed last year's work looking for improvements in every area, from the bike itself to the team, crew, and pit work. As part of that, we also evaluated our riders and confirmed that Katsuyuki Nakasuga is a vital part of our team. I have no doubt that he's motivated to improve on last year, and his dedication to that will further elevate the team. We'll be announcing the remaining two riders at a later date, so please stay tuned!"
Katsuyuki Nakasuga's Suzuka 8 Hours Achievements
In his career so far, Katsuyuki Nakasuga has achieved a total of 94 wins and 13 titles in JSB1000--the premier category of the All Japan Road Race Championship. Alongside those accolades, he brings extensive Suzuka 8 Hours experience, dating back to his 2003 debut as a third rider for YSP&PRESTO Racing alongside Shinichi Nakatomi and current team manager Wataru Yoshikawa. As the third rider (essentially a reserve rider) he did not take part in any of the main events from 2003 to 2005. However in 2006, after becoming a contracted Yamaha rider, he made his on-track debut with Shinichi Nakatomi and the YSP & PRESTO Racing team, which ended in a retirement with 154 laps complete. His first Suzuka 8 Hours finish came in 2008 when he and teammate Yuji Sato secured a 5th place finish.
Although he did not compete in the 2009 or 2010 events, Nakasuga raced for four years from 2011 onward as part of the Yamaha Austria Racing Team (YART)--one of the top teams in the Endurance World Championship. He took his first pole position in 2011 and repeated that feat in 2012. Then in 2014, riding with teammates Brock Parks and Josh Brooks, he achieved a personal best Suzuka 8 Hours finish of 4th.
Nakasuga secured his maiden Suzuka 8 Hours victory in 2015, a milestone year that saw the Yamaha Factory Racing Team return from a 13-year hiatus (since 2002) to celebrate Yamaha Motor's 60th anniversary. Nakasuga's teammates that year were active MotoGP riders Pol Espargaró and Bradley Smith, and the three competed on a factory machine based on the fully-redesigned YZF-R1. They took Yamaha's fifth total victory and the first in 19 years (since 1996).
Partnered with some of the world's top riders for the next two events, Nakasuga and the team went on to secure three consecutive wins through 2017. In 2018--the 20th anniversary of the release of the YZF-R1--he was part of achieving a fourth consecutive win (though Nakasuga himself did not start the race due to a crash the previous day). The 2019 event saw he and the team finish in 2nd. Over the years he has remained at the core of the Yamaha Factory Racing Team, leading it forward to achieve outstanding results.
2025 represented 70 years since Yamaha Motor was founded on July 1, 1955, and to mark the occasion, the factory team returned after a six-year hiatus. Nakasuga formed the Yamaha Racing Team alongside MotoGP rider Jack Miller and WorldSBK contender Andrea Locatelli. The team battled to a 2nd place result. To date, Nakasuga has achieved six podium finishes in the 8 Hours, including four wins, and has taken six pole positions in total, with three of those being set by his own lap times.
Katsuyuki Nakasuka's Suzuka 8 Hours Results
| Year | Team | Riders | Qualifying | Final |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 | #21 YSP&PRESTO Racing | Shinichi Nakatomi, Wataru Yoshikawa, Katsuyuki Nakasuga | 9th | 2nd |
| 2004 | #21 YSP&PRESTO Racing | Shinichi Nakatomi, Wataru Yoshikawa, Katsuyuki Nakasuga | 6th | 14th |
| 2005 | #21 YSP&PRESTO RACING | Shinichi Nakatomi, Wataru Yoshikawa, Katsuyuki Nakasuga | 5th | 12th |
| 2006 | #21 YSP&PRESTO RACING | Shinichi Nakatomi, Katsuyuki Nakasuga | 5th | DNF |
| 2007 | #21 YAMAHA RACING 21 | Katsuyuki Nakasuga, Nobuyuki Osaki | 2nd | DNF |
| 2008 | #218 YAMAHA RACING | Katsuyuki Nakasuga, Yuji Sato | 4th | 5th |
| 2011 | #7 MONSTER YAMAHA -YART | Katsuyuki Nakasuga, Gwen Giabbani, Igor Jerman | 2nd | DNF |
| 2012 | #7 MONSTER ENERGY YAMAHA -YART | Katsuyuki Nakasuga, Tommy Hill, Noriyuki Haga | PP | DNF |
| 2013 | #7 MONSTER ENERGY YAMAHA -YART | Katsuyuki Nakasuga, Broc Parkes, Josh Waters | PP | 8th |
| 2014 | #07 MONSTER ENERGY YAMAHA with YSP | Katsuyuki Nakasuga, Broc Parkes, Josh Brookes | 2nd | 4th |
| 2015 | #21 YAMAHA FACTORY RACING TEAM | Katsuyuki Nakasuga, Pol Espargaró, Bradley Smith | PP | 1st |
| 2016 | #21 YAMAHA FACTORY RACING TEAM | Katsuyuki Nakasuga, Pol Espargaró, Alex Lowes | PP | 1st |
| 2017 | #21 YAMAHA FACTORY RACING TEAM | Katsuyuki Nakasuga, Alex Lowes, Michael van der Mark | PP | 1st |
| 2018 | #21 YAMAHA FACTORY RACING TEAM | Katsuyuki Nakasuga, Alex Lowes, Michael van der Mark | 3rd | 1st |
| 2019 | #21 YAMAHA FACTORY RACING TEAM | Katsuyuki Nakasuga, Alex Lowes, Michael van der Mark | PP | 2nd |
| 2025 | #21 YAMAHA FACTORY RACING TEAM | Katsuyuki Nakasuga, Jack Miller, Andrea Locatelli | 2nd | 2nd |
*Nakasuga did not compete in the main event in 2003, 2004 or 2005.
