Honda at the Suzuka 8 Hours: a story of challenges, a bond made of successes [PHOTO]

Action theater is the International Circuit di Suzuka, realized by Soichiro Honda in the distant 1962. The historian Suzuka 8 Hours, from 1978, represents one of the most interesting competitions motorcycles on the international scene. Honda has won this challenge 27 times, waiting to field the new one too CBR1000RR-R Fireblade.

1978 to 1983: TT F1 class with inline four-cylinder engines

The historic Honda RS1000 he is the protagonist in the successes obtained in the years 1979, '81 and '82. In the first part of 1979 the home of the Wing introduced the extraordinary CB900F and the twin-shaft engine from 901 cc was adopted for the duration commitment, pushing the RS1000 Endurance to the success of the 8 Suzuka 1979 Hours signed by the duo Tony Hatton and Mike Cole of the Honda Australia team. The pair finished ahead of Honda Britain's Ron Haslam and Alex George. Third on this occasion was the Honda CB900F of the Blue Helmets MSC team driven by Shinji Sumitani and Toshio Asami.
In 1981 another success aboard the RS1000 of Team Honda France of Americans Mike Baldwin and David Aldana, first with more than two laps ahead of the competition. Although the fastest lap was set aboard another Honda RS1000 entrusted to the British Ron Haslam and Joey Dunlop. The 1982 success, under incessant rain, was then achieved by Shigeo Iijima and Shinji Hagiwara with a margin of 28 seconds over Hiroyuki Ito and Toshihito Yoshimura, again on the Blue Helmets MSC Honda RS1000s.

1984 to 1993: The TT F1 era with V4 units

After the sharp up Honda RS750R in the 1984 edition, others followed riding the iconic one RVF750. The first success of this new era, signed by Team America Honda standard-bearers Mike Baldwin and Fred Merkel, was achieved ahead of Honda France riders Guy Bertin and Dominique Sarron. The displacement in Endurance competitions was reduced from 1.000 to 750 cc and the new RS750R was built around a V4 engine taken from the VF750 model. While in 1985 the RVF750 was homologated, which proved to be the top of the EWC/TT F1 category, always considering a VF750 engine embraced by a chassis created based on the company's knowledge in the MotoGP. On this example Wayne Gardner and Masaki Tokuno of Team HRC won the 1985 edition and Wayne Gardner again, this time joined by Dominique Sarron in Team HRC Honda, achieved an encore the following year. In 1989, however, it was Dominique Sarron with Alex Vieira in Team Beams Honda Ikuzawa who led the RVF750 to the first step of the podium of that edition. While in 1991 and 1992 Wayne Gardner returned to the top, first with the champion Mick Doohan in Team HRC Honda, then together with Daryl Beattie in Team OKI Honda.

From 1994 to 1999: Superbike class with V4 engine

A period marked by the solos performed on the saddle HondaRC45, following new regulations and the adoption of chassis and engines derived from road models, compared to the previous TT F1 class. Precisely in 1994 there was one of the most competitive editions, witnessing the close duel between the crews of Doug Polen and Aaron Slight on the RC45 of Team HRC, against Scott Russell and Terry Rymer. In the final, Slight and Russell fought side by side and the New Zealander on the Honda triumphed by just 0,288 seconds. Again Aaron Slight, assisted this time in Team HRC Honda by Tadayuki Okada, contributed to achieving a new success in 1995. While in 1997 and 1998 the victory was again achieved by the Shinichi Ito/Tohru Ukawa duo, first with Team Hori-Pro Honda with HART then with Team Lucky Strike Honda. Finally in 1999 another seal for Tadayuki Okada together with Alex Barros with Team Lucky Strike Honda.

2000 to 2003: Superbike class with V2 units

A new model Honda VTR1000SPW powered by a V2 engine, it was the absolute protagonist in the short period marked by two-cylinder engines arranged in a V. Among the notable names we also find Valentino Rossi, immediately highlighted in the 2000 edition together with Colin Edwards. Unfortunately, two crashes compromised a brilliant performance for a good part of the race and the success of the Suzuka 8 Hours was achieved by the duo Tohru Ukawa and Daijiro Kato of Team Cabin Honda. But "the Doctor" made no mistake in 2001, on his second attempt, winning the marathon together with Colin Edward with Team Cabin Honda. And again in the same team the American together with Daijiro Kato signed the 2002 one. Then in 2003 a further seal on VTR1000SPW of Yukio Nukumi and Manabu Kamada with Team Sakurai Honda. A historic record with four consecutive victories in the demanding Japanese marathon.

From 2004 to recent period: Superbikes with four-cylinder engines

These are the years in which the talent of the driver Tohru Ukawa is remembered, capable of winning this challenge again on three different models, namely the RC45, the VTR1000 and the subsequent CBR1000RR Fireblade. In particular, the performance shown by Honda's recent sports car, further enriching the manufacturer's showcase. Tohru Ukawa took the first step of the podium in 2004 and 2005, bringing success to the CBR1000RRW first with Hyasu Izutsu in Team Seven Stars Honda and then with Ryuichi Kiyonari.
La Honda CBR1000RR was still sparkling in 2006, seven of the top nine positions in those positions were achieved on Fireblade examples. Takeshi Tsujimura and Shinichi Ito of Team FCC TSR ZIP-FM Honda won. Ryuichi Kiyonari and Carlos Checa of Team Dream Honda were the winners in 2008 and Ryuichi Kiyonari with Takumi Takahashi of Team Musashi RT HARC-PRO Honda reached the top in 2010. Further successes followed from 2011 to 2014 signed by Kousuke Akiyoshi/Shinichi respectively Ito/Ryuichi Kiyonari of Team FCC TSR Honda; Johnathan Rea/Kousuke Akiyoshi/Tadayuki Okada of Team FCC TSR Honda; Takumi Takahashi/Leon Haslam/Michael van der Mark of Team Musashi RT HARC-PRO Honda and finally Takumi Takahashi/Leon Haslam/Michael van der Mark of Team Musashi RT HARC-PRO Honda.

Photo: Honda Racing