Team HRC with Japan Post Laps Everyone by Halfway Mark

After two hours, Team HRC with Japan Post (Takumi Takahashi / Tetsuta Nagashima / Xavi Vierge) rider Vierge extended the team’s lead. Astemo Honda Dream SI Racing (Kosuke Sakumoto / Ryo Mizuno / Kazuma Watanabe) rider Watanabe ran into problems, forced to pit via the shortcut into pit lane. Sakumoto takes over the bike, but crashes at the hairpin, losing considerable ground. Sakumoto rejoins the race in 15th place.

On Lap 70, Vierge led Etienne Masson (Suzuki) in second, Kokoro Atsumi (Suzuki) in third. 9 seconds behind was SDG Honda Racing (Teppei Nagoe / Naomichi Uramoto / Haruki Noguchi) rider Nagoe, fourth, followed by TOHO Racing (Ryuichi Kiyonari / Takuma Kunimine / Ikuhiro Enokido) rider Enokido in fifth, Honda Dream RT SAKURAI Honda (Kazuki Ito / Daijiro Hiura / Kota Arakawa) rider Ito. On Lap 75, Enokido was third, Ito fifth and Uramoto ninth.

As the third rider changes began, Vierge pitted on Lap 80. With a 1 min 45s gap, he handed the bike to Takahashi, who returned to the track retaining the lead. Masson was second, Enokido third, Ito fourth, Uramoto eighth, and Honda Asia-Dream Racing with SHOWA (Md Zaqhwan Bin Zaidi / Andi Farid Izdihar / Nakarin Atiratphuvapat) rider Atiratphuvapat tenth.

By the time Takahashi finished Lap 90, his lead increased to 1 min 53s. Masson was still second, while Marcel Schrötter (Suzuki) and Takuya Tsuda (Suzuki) battled for third. Uramoto was catching up to the fight for the third podium place.

On Lap 98, Kunimine takes third, followed by Atsumi fourth, Dan Linfoot (Suzuki) fifth, Hiura sixth, and Noguchi eighth. On Lap 100, Takahashi still led, and still kept up a 2 min 8s pace.

On Lap 107, Takahashi leads, Greg Black (Suzuki) is second, Kunimine third, Atsumi fourth, Linfoot fifth, Hiura sixth, and Noguchi seventh. Zaidi moved up to tenth as the race reached its half way mark.

On the team’s fourth rider change, Takahashi handed the bike over to Nagashima. On Lap 110, Nagashima led, Sylvain Guintoli (Suzuki) was second, Atsumi third, Linfoot fourth, Hiura fifth, Noguchi sixth, Arakawa seventh, Kiyonari eighth, and Zaidi ninth.

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