Honda won its 30th Suzuka 8 Hours last weekend, and third in a row, after dominating the race from the first hour.

Reigning Endurance World Champions YART Yamaha started from pole position, and battled with HRC for the lead in the opening stages. The Team Kagayama Ducati was also in the mix early on, but by the end of the first stint the factory Fireblade had established a commanding lead at the front.

By the final stint, Honda had amassed a lead of almost a minute, which they were managing to the line. Until, at least, they were hit with a 40-second time penalty (equivalent to a ride through) for a pit lane infringement, as team members were working on the bike while it was being refuelled during the final stop.

In the end, it didn't change the result, because Honda were 47 seconds clear of YART Yamaha at the finish, but it was tighter than it should have been.

Honda, whose factory HRC bike has run #33 since it returned as a full factory team back in 2018, changed its race number to #30 for this year's event in anticipation of winning its 30th 8 Hours crown. As the only full factory one-off entry remaining from the major Japanese brands, it was almost a given, as it was in 2022 and 2023, that HRC would win, although the race probably finished more closely than they'd hoped.

A record 30th win for Honda was also a record sixth win for Takumi Takahashi, as well as a win on-debut for LCR Honda MotoGP rider Johann Zarco, and a first win for Teppei Nagoe, who has ridden for the HRC-affiliated HARC-PRO team for 10 years, and finished second at Suzuka in 2023 with the SDG Honda team.

"I feel good because when you fix this target and you have the victory it’s a big relief," Zarco said after the race. "I feel happy, proud and it gives big satisfaction. I’ve been very impressed by the pace of Takumi and his control of the race. I’m so happy with the progress Teppei made form the test to the race. The three riders were necessary for this victory because with the heat we all needed to control the energy.”

Teppei Nagoe added: "Last year, I finished second and I wanted to win one day, but I didn't think it would happen just a year later. Then, I got the opportunity to race for HRC, which I've always dreamed of, and with my teammates, we achieved Honda's third consecutive win and 30th overall victory. The view from the podium was the most beautiful I have ever seen. As a rider, I know I still have skills to improve. I will work hard, using this victory as motivation, so that I can stand on the podium on my own more times."

On his sixth Suzuka 8 Hours win, and third in a row in which he has been the lead rider, Takumi Takahashi said: "I feel totally relieved and honestly very exhausted. I’m very happy to have won my sixth Suzuka 8 Hours and for Honda their 30th win. I really need to thank my team-mates who are two fantastic riders, all of us together were able to accomplish our goal.”