Honda Beats Yamaha at Suzuka 8 Hours with Two-Man Team; Zarco and Takahashi Win Thriller

Honda won the 2025 Suzuka 8 Hour, marking its fourth straight victory at the race held on its home turf. MotoGP rider Johann Zarco and Japanese racer Takumi Takahashi rode for the factory team, delivering a consistent performance throughout the race. For Takahashi, this was his seventh Suzuka win, while Zarco helped maintain the pace, especially during key moments. This result adds to Honda’s record in endurance racing. Honda led most of the race, but tension grew near the end. A late safety car brought the riders closer together, allowing Yamaha’s Jack Miller to close the gap in the final stage. The finish looked ready to be tight, but Honda managed their tyres carefully and kept Yamaha behind.

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Johann Zarco said: 'I’m tired, just like Takumi. Race control was good, but it was difficult to recover between stints, and I couldn’t recover as much as I had hoped. When the safety car came out in Takumi’s final stint, he was able to extend his laps on track to give me more time to recover. The safety car came out for the second time during my stint, which allowed me to gradually regain my rhythm. After dusk, I was able to control the gap and finish the race enjoying the beautiful scenery.

'Takumi is a strong rider who can handle the heat well and didn’t show any signs of fatigue, which I think contributes to the team’s strength. I don’t want to race with only two-riders next year though. Honda has a fuel-efficient bike, which gives us a big advantage, and we were able to finish the race with seven pit stops. I would like to thank everyone on the team,' he added.

This victory comes at an important moment for Zarco, who is reportedly negotiating a contract extension with LCR Honda in MotoGP. Performing well at Suzuka, an event important to Honda in Japan, could strengthen his position.

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With just one round remaining in the FIM Endurance World Championship, the BMW Motorrad World Endurance Team trails championship leader Yamaha EWC Official Team by only one point. The title race remains wide open heading into the season finale.

All eyes now turn to the Bol d’Or, where BMW and Yamaha will go head-to-head in a tense battle for the endurance crown.