We still have to wait 201 days before the 42nd edition of Suzuka 8 Hours, but a first list of the teams admitted has been released. Here are the criteria followed for the selection, known as “Suzuka Try Out“: full-time participation in FIM Endurance World Championship, results scored in the previous edition of Suzuka 8 Hours (race result and admission to Top 10 Trials) and results scored in some “qualifying races” (All Japan Championship rounds at Suzuka and Motegi and Suzuka Sunday Road Race).
While FIM EWC permanent teams will be granted 20 spots out of 70, the teams who have already been admitted to 2019 Suzuka 8 Hours are 22: 10 of them come from 2018’s Top 10 Trials, while the remaining 12 were selected after finishing last year’s race inside the top-20. Of course, the first group includes the main actors of Suzuka 8 Hours, such as Yamaha Factory (aiming for their fifth win in a row), Team HRC (Red Bull Honda with Japan Post), Kawasaki Team Green, Yoshimura Suzuki, HARC-PRO Honda and Moriwaki.
TEAMS ADMITTED ACCORDING TO 2018 TOP 10 TRIALS
Kawasaki Team Green
Yamaha Factory Racing Team
Red Bull Honda with Japan Post (Team HRC)
Yoshimura Suzuki Motul Racing
MuSASHi RT HARC-PRO Honda
S-Pulse Dream Racing IAI
au Teluru MotoUP Racing Team
KYB Moriwaki Motul Racing
Team SuP Dream Honda
The second group includes Honda Asia, BMW Motorrad39, BMW Financial Services 135 (formerly known as Team Tras135) and Team Kagayama. Curiously, GMT94 Yamaha are in the list despite leaving FIM EWC, since they finished 2018 edition in 6th place. Some of the teams who didn’t fulfill Suzuka Try Out criteria are Honda Suzuka Racing Team (who retired from last year’s race while being in the top-10) and Trickstar Racing, sponsored by Japanese anime Neon Genesis Evangelion. However, Trickstar Racing have already secured their presence, since they’ve started a collaboration with Tati Team (who’ll switch from Superstock to EWC class). All the other teams will need to perform well enough at All Japan Superbike races at Motegi and Suzuka, if they want to participate in 2019 Suzuka 8 Hours.
TEAMS ADMITTED ACCORDING TO 2018 SUZUKA 8 HOURS’ RACE RESULTS
GMT94 Yamaha *
Honda Asia Dream Racing
Team Kagayama U.S.A.
BMW Motorrad39
BMW Financial Services 135
Mistresa with ATJ Racing
Titanium Power Racing with Hooters
NCXX Racing & Zenkoukai
ARMY GIRL Team MF & Kawasaki
Team Frontier
Akeno Speed Yamaha
MotoMap Supply
NCXX Racing
* they left FIM EWC
“Suzuka Try Out” criteria will change once again for 2020 edition: the brand new 8 Hours of Sepang, scheduled on 7th December, will be considered as qualifying race…
Translated by Alessandro Palma