Free Practice 3 and Day 1 of 2018 Suzuka 8 Hours saw Kawasaki Team Green in first place. Definitely unexpected, since the first two sessions were dominated by Yamaha Factory Racing Team, but the squad representing KHI Race Department topped FP3 thanks to a good final assault, performed by Jonathan Rea (2’07″235) and Leon Haslam (2’07″227).
The two Brits, who will share the Kawasaki Racing Team box in 2019 World Superbike season, hit the track with the two Team Green Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10RRs together with their team-mate Kazuma Watanabe and twice Suzuka 8 Hours winner “Pocket Rocket“ was just 8 millseconds faster than Rea. A good pace, but we have to consider that Yamaha Factory Racing Team didn’t perform a real time attack…
After that Katsuyuki Nakasuga’s attack was obstaculated by some slower riders, the #11 Kawasaki finished the day ahead of #21 Yamaha. If Jongdari will not affect the race, these two teams will surely duel for win. Behind them, HARC-PRO Honda finished third thanks to on-fire Randy De Puniet (2’08″379), while Yoshimura Suzuki was fourth in front of Honda Suzuka Racing Team, YART Yamaha and SuP Dream Honda. In conclusion, much work has to be done in returning Team HRC: in FP3 PJ Jacobsen performed many laps to adapt to CBR 1000RRW, with a 2’09”-pace. The only good news is represented by the power of Fireblade engine (top speed of almost 300 km/h!) and the low fuel consumption (28-lap stint).
The schedule says that tomorrow we’ll enjoy Official Qualifying Practice, after which we’ll know the 10 teams who will contest Top 10 Trials. For what concerns FIM EWC, GMT94 Yamaha finished 12th, two positions ahead of championship leader F.C.C. TSR Honda (whose advantage in the standings amounts to 10 points).
Coca Cola Suzuka 8 Hours 2018
Supplementary Practice 3 Classification (Top-15)
01- Kawasaki Team Green – Kawasaki ZX-10RR – 2’07.227
02- Yamaha Factory Racing Team – Yamaha YZF R1 – + 0.489
03- MuSASHi RT HARC-PRO Honda – Honda CBR 1000RR – + 1.152
04- Yoshimura Suzuki Motul Racing – Suzuki GSX-R 1000 – + 1.799
05- Honda Suzuka Racing Team – Honda CBR 1000RR – + 1.921
06- YART Yamaha – Yamaha YZF R1 – + 2.029
07- Team SuP Dream Honda – Honda CBR 1000RR – + 2.130
08- S-Pulse Dream Racing IAI – Suzuki GSX-R 1000 – + 2.518
09- au & Teluru MotoUP RT – Honda CBR 1000RR – + 2.571
10- Team HRC – Honda CBR 1000RRW – + 2.669
11- KYB Moriwaki Motul Racing – Honda CBR 1000RR – + 2.789
12- GMT94 Yamaha – Yamaha YZF R1 – + 2.954
13- Honda Asia Dream Racing – Honda CBR 1000RR – + 3.092
14- F.C.C. TSR Honda France – Honda CBR 1000RR – + 3.392
15- EVA Webike TRICKSTAR Racing – Kawasaki ZX-10RR – + 3.497