YFRT Finish 2nd for Back-to-Back Podiums at Rain-Hit Suzuka; YART In 4th

July 6, 2026 – From Friday, July 3, to Sunday, July 5, 2026, the 47th "Coca-Cola" Suzuka 8 Hours Endurance Road Race, Round 3 of the 2026 FIM Endurance World Championship, was held at Suzuka Circuit in Mie Prefecture, Japan. There, the Yamaha Factory Racing Team (YFRT) finished 2nd for the second year in a row, while the Yamalube YART Yamaha EWC Official Team (YART)—last year’s Endurance World Championship (EWC) world champions and this season’s current points leaders—finished in 4th to maintain their lead in the EWC standings by 19 points.

The YFRT lineup brought together All-Japan JSB1000 contender Katsuyuki Nakasuga, MotoGP star Jack Miller, and WorldSBK rider Andrea Locatelli. For YART, the established duo of Karel Hanika and Marvin Fritz was joined by new signing Leandro Mercado.

The 8 Hours’ signature Top 10 Trial was scheduled for Saturday, July 4, but was canceled due to rain-soaked track conditions. The starting grid was determined by the results of the timed qualifying session held the day before, with YFRT starting from 5th and YART from 4th.

This was the first time in the 47-year history of the Suzuka 8 Hours that the event was held in early July, and in keeping with the end of rainy season in Japan, rain-soaked conditions left the track wet for most of the day. From 5th on the grid, YFRT chose Miller to start the race, while Fritz took opening duties for YART from 4th. Miller slotted into 4th on the opening lap before temporarily dropping to 7th, while Fritz settled into 6th. However, at the roughly 35 minute mark, the safety car entered the track and neutralized the field. When the race resumed nearly 40 minutes later, Fritz had climbed to 4th, with Miller close behind in 5th.

For the first rider changes, Locatelli took over the YFRT R1 while YART sent out Hanika. Shortly after 1:00 p.m., the safety car came out again due to wet and deteriorating track conditions, and when the race got back underway about 40 minutes later, Locatelli immediately made a pass to take over 2nd, while Hanika held onto 4th. Next up for YFRT was Katsuyuki Nakasuga, who took over and put in a steady ride to defend 2nd before handing the bike over to Miller. For YART, Mercado, maintaining 4th, was relieved by Fritz.

As the race entered its final stages, YFRT relentlessly pursued the lead. Closing rider Andrea Locatelli successfully trimmed the gap to race leader Takumi Takahashi (Honda) down to roughly 18 seconds before a sudden downpour intensified. Due to the further deteriorating track conditions, the safety car was deployed for a third time. The race ultimately concluded behind the safety car, securing a 2nd place overall finish for YFRT, who completed 188 laps—matching the winners' distance. YART also completed 188 laps to claim 4th overall successfully retaining their EWC championship lead as they head into the season-ending Bol d’Or aiming for back-to-back world titles.

#21 YAMAHA FACTORY RACING TEAM: 2nd (188 Laps)

Katsuyuki Nakasuga
"For this race weekend I finally got back together with Jack and Loka after a year. In every single session, I could feel their passion, and that gave me even more courage to ride. It helped me do every session at my best, and I believe I fulfilled my role in the best way. I'm very disappointed that I could only ride one stint in the race, and to be honest, that was very frustrating for me. But I respect the team's decision. I'm so glad I got to team up with Jack and Loka, and I think our crew handled everything with zero mistakes--it was an absolutely amazing 8 Hours. We finished 2nd, but I'm proud because this is a result we all earned together. I've raced with MotoGP and SBK riders at the 8 Hours before, and they've all treated me with respect. This year made me realize again that the respect itself is the reward for everything I've done in my career so far. For the rest of the All Japan season, I plan to ride in a way that lives up to the respect everyone has shown me."

Jack Miller
"We gave it our all in the 8 Hours! Loka was fantastic, and Nakasuga was amazing too. I'm proud of the efforts we all made here. I'm happy with my own performance, too--I gave it 100 percent, that's for sure. I struggled in the first stint quite a bit with the rear end, and at that point I was just trying my best to stay in the race. From the second stint on I had absolutely no problems; I could push at full throttle and close the gap to Honda in front of us. We were closing them down, but in the end we couldn't quite catch them. I think the EWC is super cool, and I absolutely love the 8 Hours as one of its rounds. I'm so honored I got to do this race and represent MotoGP here. I hope everyone could see that I was giving it my maximum. Last, I want to say this to Nakasuga-san: You really deserve to be called a legend! No matter how difficult the situation, he's always consistent and brings the fight every time. Sharing a garage with him was a big pleasure for me."

Andrea Locatelli
"The Suzuka 8 Hours is a crazy race! I love it (laughs). Last year, the heat was almost too much and this year it rained. The rain is especially tough because so many things can happen, but today the tires worked perfectly and the R1 felt great, so I could push to the limit. I think our second-place finish is something to be proud of. We earned it through our strong performance. The reason it feels almost like a win is that I know the whole team gave it our all. I have a contract with Yamaha for WorldSBK next year too, so of course I'd love to race the 8 Hours again... (laughs). I feel so lucky to race on the same team with Nakasuga-san. Both last year and this year, he never complained about me being on the team and always treated me with respect. It's an amazing experience to be able to work with a MotoGP podium finisher. And he's 44, right? If I were 44, I wouldn't be competing in such a hard race--I'd be lying on the beach in the sun and enjoying a drink (laughs). I think Nakasuga-san has remarkable talent and determination. I'm super thankful he made me a member of 'Team Nakasuga'"

Team Manager Wataru Yoshikawa
"Toward the end of the race, we were really able to put the pressure on our rivals, and we closed the gap compared to last year. Still, the fact that we took 2nd again shows that we're lacking in some areas. To be honest, I'm quite disappointed, and I think there's a lot we can improve on. As a team, I'm sorry we weren't couldn't turn the outstanding performances of our three riders and our staff into a win. Jack and Loka once again showed me just how amazing world-level riders are. Not only do they have huge talent, but they also have so much hunger to win. Their attention to detail through the weekend was amazing, and the technical feedback they brought was so valuable. I've shared a pit with Nakasuga for many years, I can say that both he and I were very motivated by their approach. As a team, our preparation for the next challenge begins right now--there's no downtime. I know the riders are just as frustrated as I am with finishing 2nd again. We're not here to settle for a podium; our only goal is to win."

YAMALUBE YART YAMAHA EWC Official Team: 4th (188 Laps)

Marvin Fritz
"We came here to score as many points as possible, and that is what we did. We go home with 21 points and a 19-point lead, which is amazing. Last year, we left Suzuka with zero points and only a one-point advantage over BMW. Now it is 19, so it is much better than last year. We had amazing pace, the team did an amazing job, and we had good pit stops, so we can be happy with what we did here in Japan. A big thanks to all the Japanese fans who supported us, to the whole team for the amazing work and effort, and to Yamaha Japan for always giving us such a nice welcome. It is always a pleasure to be here in Suzuka."

Karel Hanika
"I have mixed emotions, to be honest, because of course the target was the podium, but I think we did the maximum possible today in the circumstances. All three riders did a great job; all three of us were fast and consistent, and we were the only team in the top five to use all three riders equally. That gives us confidence for the next races, and we have a good championship lead going into the Bol d'Or, which is the most important thing. The race was super tough. My first stint was one and a half hours in very wet conditions, with a long Safety Car period, so it was very tricky. I managed to pull a gap to BMW in my first stint and also in my second stint, but then they chose a different strategy. Still, it was good points, great teamwork, and Marvin, Tati, and the entire team did a really good job. The pit stops were amazing, like always, and the bike felt strong in all conditions. We have many more points than we had after Suzuka last year, so we need to think positively. Even though P4 is not the best result, we are positive for the next race."

Leandro Mercado
"It was not an easy race in these conditions, but I think we did a good job. The whole team and my teammates did a great job; we made no mistakes, and the pace was really strong. It is good points for the championship, for sure. We wanted the podium because to finish on the podium at Suzuka is special, but looking at the whole picture, I think it is really good because we now have a 19-point gap to BMW. We had strong pace, we made a really clean race with no mistakes, and the pit stops were really fast and perfect. I am also happy with my own performance. It was my first time here with YART. I felt really good, and now we have to think about the Bol d'Or."

Mandy Kainz
"It was a very tough race in difficult conditions, but Marvin, Karel, Tati and the whole team did an excellent job. Of course, we came here aiming for the podium, so fourth place is not the result we wanted, but for the championship, it is very important. We made no mistakes, the riders were fast and consistent, and the pit stops were strong, so we can be satisfied with the way we managed the race. Suzuka was difficult for us last year, when we left with no points, so to go home this time with 21 points from the weekend and a 19-point lead in the championship is positive. BMW was strong today, but we stayed focused on our own race and brought the bike home in very tricky conditions. Now the focus is fully on the Bol d'Or, where we will give everything to defend our world title."