Rd.3 - 8 Hours of Suzuka - Qualifying

YOSHIMURA SERT MOTUL DETERMINED TO STRENGTHEN ITS POSITION AT THE SUZUKA 8 HOURS

The legendary Suzuka Circuit hosts the third and penultimate round of the 2026 FIM Endurance World Championship, the 47th edition of the iconic Suzuka 8 Hours, this Sunday the 5th of July,

Currently second in the championship standings, Yoshimura SERT Motul heads into one of the season’s most prestigious events determined to strengthen its title challenge. After an intense week of preparation marked by highly changeable weather conditions, the Franco-Japanese squad will line up eighth on the starting grid. A position that does little to dampen the team’s ambitions, having secured a podium finish at the legendary Japanese circuit in 2025.

Preparation began with two productive private testing days, during which the team finished sixth and seventh respectively. Tuesday’s running took place entirely in dry conditions, allowing the riders to set a best lap of 2:05.896. Wednesday also started on a dry track before rain arrived around midday, forcing the final sessions to be held on a soaking wet circuit. Despite the changing conditions, the team’s fastest lap improved to 2:05.856.

Yoshimura SERT Motul immediately showed strong pace in the opening official Free Practice session, with the #12 Suzuki topping the timesheets thanks to a lap time of 2:05.323. In qualifying, Gregg Black finished sixth in his session with a 2:05.248, while Cocoro Atsumi claimed fourth with a 2:05.470. Dan Linfoot posted the eighth fastest time in his session with a 2:05.792 but was unable to improve after crashing early in Q2. With an average qualifying time of 2:05.359, Yoshimura SERT Motul secured eighth place and qualified for the Top 10 Trial. However, the shootout, which was set to determine the first ten places on the grid was cancelled, due to heavy rain, leaving the #12 Yoshimura SERT Motul locked into eighth on the starting grid.

With incredibly small margins separating the leading contenders and unpredictable weather forecast for race day, all the ingredients are in place for a wide-open contest. Having demonstrated competitive pace in both dry and wet conditions throughout the week, the team remains fully focused on delivering a result that matches its ambitions.

Yohei Kato – Team Director
Unfortunately, Dan’s crash during yesterday’s qualifying session meant our results did not fully reflect the team’s true potential. We are also very disappointed that today’s Top 10 Trial session was cancelled.
Despite these setbacks, we are fully focused on the race. While the weather forecast remains uncertain, we will stay composed and approach the race with confidence, regardless of the conditions.
We aim to achieve a strong result with the new GSX-R1000R here in Japan – Yoshimura’s home turf – and we appreciate your continued support.

Damien Saulnier – Team Manager
We eventually finished eighth overall in qualifying. Naturally, there’s a slight sense of disappointment because we were counting on the Top 10 Trial to improve our grid position. As soon as the first raindrops started falling while we were taking the team photo in front of the garage, we quickly realised the session was in serious doubt before Race Direction eventually called it off. We’ll therefore start from eighth, which is a little further back than we had hoped. Dan’s crash also disrupted our qualifying and cost us the opportunity to achieve a stronger result. That said, an eight-hour race isn’t won in qualifying. What really matters now is being fast and consistent on track, avoiding mistakes and, above all, delivering flawless pit stops. Every second in the pits will count because we simply can’t afford to lose time. It’s clear that eight to ten bikes have the pace to fight at the front, so we’re expecting a very close race. The weather could also play a major role, with conditions likely to be similar to Spa; rain, a drying track and strategic tyre choices. Everything points towards a particularly demanding race.

Gregg Black – Rider Blue
We made a positive start to the week despite track conditions being quite different from pre-season testing, with slightly less grip following the heavy rain. We adapted the bike well and felt comfortable in both wet and dry conditions. On Wednesday we were competitive in the rain, and on Friday morning we topped the opening official Free Practice session. Qualifying proved more challenging because of the higher track temperatures. You had to find clear track, put together a clean lap and make the most of the new tyre. The gaps were incredibly close. I set a new personal best at Suzuka with a 2:05.248 during my second qualifying session and finished just 0.160 seconds from the fastest rider in my group. Although we’re eighth on the grid, we’re still very close to the front on outright pace. My teammates also showed strong speed throughout the week. Cocoro had a few harmless crashes early on, while Dan suffered a heavy crash during his second qualifying session while trying to pick up a slipstream, which caused significant damage to the bike and disrupted our programme. We were looking forward to the Top 10 Trial to maximise our chances and score additional points, but the rain denied us that opportunity. It’s frustrating, but we have to adapt. The forecast suggests mixed conditions for the race, and that’s something we feel quite comfortable with.

Dan Linfoot – Rider Yellow
My qualifying was something of a mixed bag. In Q1 I had a fresh tyre for the final two laps, but traffic prevented me from putting together a perfect lap. Then in Q2 I crashed on my out lap while trying to slot in behind another rider for a tow. The bike was heavily damaged, and I wasn’t able to complete a flying lap, which was obviously very disappointing. Fortunately, Cocoro and Gregg produced strong enough lap times to keep the team inside the Top 10 before the Top 10 Trial was cancelled. Rain is expected for the race, and I’m actually quite happy with that. Being from the UK, I’m used to riding in those conditions and I feel very comfortable in the wet. I’m looking forward to the start and hopefully we can fight for the best result possible.

Cocoro Atsumi – Rider Red
Overall, qualifying went quite well, even if the final result wasn’t exactly what I was hoping for. I wasn’t able to make the most of the tyres with which I believed I could have set a 2.04 lap, so there was probably still some potential left.The most important thing is our race pace, which has been strong in both dry and wet conditions. Everyone in the team is working in the right direction, and we head into the race feeling confident. Now it’s up to us to give everything and make the most of every opportunity that comes our way.