Honda factory team claims 32nd win at 2026 Suzuka 8 Hours Endurance Race

MANILA: The Honda factory team, known officially as HRC (Honda Racing Corporation), has ridden their CBR1000RR-R Fireblade SP racing bikes to overall victory at the recently concluded 2026 Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme (FIM) Suzuka 8 Hours Road Race. 

Notably, Honda HRC’s aforementioned win is its eighth consecutive victory at the Suzuka 8 Hours. It is likewise the team’s 32nd ever victory in this FIM-sanctioned event. 

From the start of the Suzuka 8 Hours in qualifying rounds on July 3 (Friday), Honda HRC has shown its mettle by claiming the fastest time. This qualified the Honda team for the “Top 10 Trial” on July 4, which was canceled due to weather, thus providing the team with a pole position for the actual race. 

As reported by Honda, the start of the 2026 Suzuka 8 Hours race proper was held in wet conditions. Regardless, Honda HRC rider Takumi Takahashi completed the opening lap in second place. Takahashi and his teammates Jonathan Rea and Somkiat Chantra likewise maintained a consistent lead, which came to approximately 46 seconds at the motorsport event’s halfway point. 

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“Honda HRC has achieved its fifth consecutive victory at the Suzuka 8 Hours, and Honda has also recorded its 32nd overall victory at the event. This was the result of the combined efforts of our riders, team staff and everyone involved,” Honda HRC President Koji Watanabe said. 

“I believe the challenge of pursuing these milestones came with tremendous pressure, but I am proud that everyone fulfilled their role and fought through to the finish,” Watanabe added. 

For reference, here are the top five finishing teams at the 2026 Suzuka 8 Hours, in order from top to bottom:

Team

Honda HRC (Honda factory team)

Yamaha Factory Racing Team (Yamaha factory team)

BMW Motorrad World Endurance Team (BMW factory team)

Auto Sport Racing Team

NCB Racing Team

The motorcycle utilized by the Honda HRC team is a factory-prepped, FIM-compliant version of the Honda CBR1000RR-R Fireblade SP. 

Specific race modifications include sturdier fairings produced by CRC, aerodynamic winglets, and an electronic control unit/harness combo developed in-house by Honda HRC - among others. Likewise mandated for all FIM-sanctioned races are safety equipment such as remote adjusters, safety wiring, fluid catch tanks, and brake lever guards. 

On the one hand, the Honda CBR1000RR-R Fireblade SP is also available in the local market in stock form at P1.699 million. 

Propelling the Philippine-spec CBR1000RR-R Fireblade SP is a 1,000-cubic-centimeter (cc) liquid-cooled, four-cylinder, dual overhead cam (DOHC) gasoline engine producing up to 214 horsepower and 113 Newton-meters of torque. 

The said engine is paired with a six-speed manual transmission, a wet multi-plate clutch, a 16.5-liter fuel tank, and a ride mode selector (track, street, rain). 

Other notable features of the locally available Honda CBR1000RR-R Fireblade SP include Brembo front and rear brakes, a rear Pro-Link suspension with an Öhlins TTX36 shock absorber, and an inverted Öhlins NPX front fork. 

Currently, the Honda CBR1000RR-R Fireblade SP is the most powerful nameplate sold by Honda Philippines Incorporated. It rivals the likes of the Kawasaki Ninja H2 Carbon, BMW S 1000 RR, and the Aprilia RSV4. 

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