Exclusive Interview: Takumi Takahashi on the Suzuka 8 Hours

Takumi Takahashi

Born November 26, 1989, in Saitama, Japan. In 2024, he achieved his sixth Suzuka 8 Hours victory, setting the all-time record for wins in the event. Former champion of the All-Japan GP250 series in 2008 and JSB1000 in 2017. Competed full-time in the SBK (Superbike World Championship) in 2020 and BSB (British Superbike Championship) in 2021–2022.

He has participated in the Suzuka 8 Hours since 2008, recording 15 races, 6 victories (2010, 2013–2014, 2022–2024), and 11 podium (6 first-place, 1 second-place, and 4 third-place). Every race machine he has ridden has been a CBR (CBR1000RR Fireblade/RR SP/RR-R/RR-R SP), making him a pure CBR rider through and through. This year (2024), he achieved his third consecutive victory since 2022. As an HRC contract rider, he also serves as a MotoGP test rider.

Training to Overcome the Heat at Suzuka

There’s a strong impression that Takumi Takahashi has an extraordinary tolerance for heat. Even after riding a full stint under the blazing sun, he seems unaffected, calmly answering official TV interviews without much sign of sweat.

"I did my own heat tolerance training. I trained during the hottest hours and in hot environments" said Takumi Takahashi. "Whether it was 35 degrees or higher, I would go outside, put on a sauna suit, and go running. I pushed my body to work in conditions even tougher than the temperature itself. That doesn’t mean I’m fully immune to it ... hot is hot. But I think it was better than doing nothing at all."

Normally, this could easily lead to dehydration.

"Right now, I’m supported by a sponsor who provides me with supplements, and I try to manage my body with those. I believe that as long as I take the necessary nutrients, I can avoid severe dehydration. As for the duration of my training, a single stint in the Suzuka 8 Hours lasts about an hour, or longer if the safety car comes out. So, I make sure to keep moving for over an hour. If I only trained for 30 minutes, I wouldn’t know how my body would hold up in the remaining half-hour."

When does training for the Suzuka 8 Hours typically begin?

"I regularly train as part of competing in the All-Japan series, but I start specific heat training around May or June" continued Takahashi. "I plan my training sessions targeting on days when it's likely to be hot and train outdoors... basically, it's my routine plus heat training. I think I’m more sensitive to heat than the average person, so I really don’t like the heat. Thanks to this training, I don’t find the Suzuka 8 Hours particularly tough. But running for an hour is gruelling no matter what, just like it is for everyone else. To be honest, I don’t like this race that much. Still, once you win, you feel like you have to compete again, and if you’re going to race, you have to win."

Could the reason for “not liking the Suzuka 8 Hours” be because a rider must pair up with others, or because the lengthy race duration brings many uncertainties, or perhaps because there are just too many factors beyond individual control?

"No, none of that bothers me. It’s just that it’s physically demanding. I don’t think anyone actually likes the Suzuka 8 Hours. It’s really tough."

Yet despite this gruelling nature, Takahashi has claimed the most victories in Suzuka 8 Hours history with six wins.

"It’s a once-a-year race, and I’ve finally managed to surpass the record of Toru Ukawa (5 wins). From here, I want to keep extending that record. And to do so, I have to participate every year, enduring the pain each time."

2024 CBR1000RR-R "Takahashi Spec" at 60-70% of Its Potential

In the past two editions, the team was built around Tetsuta Nagashima, and the machine development focused on his preferences too. However, this time the team was centered on Takahashi, with the machine entirely developed to his specifications. The 2024 base model has also been changed. The 2024 CBR1000RR-R Fireblade/SP has been tuned for enhanced low and mid-range power delivery, while its chassis features deliberately reduced rigidity to improve cornering performance.

"To some extent, the bike reflects my preferences" said Takahashi. "My goal was to make it easier to ride and faster. This year, the machine underwent significant changes, and while we ultimately won, I can’t honestly say it was in perfect shape. Although we had an advantage over other teams with our private testing sessions, I felt that 'two test sessions weren't enough' (though there were also two joint test sessions). So, the machine still has significant room for improvement. I'd say it was only at about 60-70% of its potential during the 8 Hours. If we can get that up to around 90%, we should be able to achieve better qualifying lap times, and the race itself should be much more manageable to ride."

Given that the base machine was designed with improved cornering performance, it would be natural for the 8 Hours HRC factory machine to inherit these characteristics. The base model itself was designed around the lower-rigidity Pirelli tyres used in the SBK (Superbike World Championship), which likely resulted in the reduced frame rigidity. However, the Suzuka 8 Hours uses Bridgestone tyres, known for their high rigidity. How did the HRC factory machine address this?

"I think many All-Japan riders using Bridgestone tyres on kit CBRs were dissatisfied at first. The frame’s rigidity wasn’t sufficient to match the tyres. Before the tyres could compress fully (to maximise contact), the frame would yield.

"So I proposed increasing the frame rigidity. But it’s not just about the frame; there’s also the balance with the swingarm (the kit bikes still use the traditional swingarm designed for higher-rigidity frames). Seki (the lead developer for the Suzuka 8 Hours machine) from HRC first visited the All-Japan series and heard these complaints, which led to the development of the 8 Hours-spec machine. By the first private test, it was already reasonably rideable, even with the Bridgestone tyres.

"After the 8 Hours, even in All-Japan series we’ve been working on things like reducing the machine’s weight by removing unnecessary components. For the 8 Hours-spec HRC factory machine, however, areas of the frame identified as weak were reinforced, the swingarm was redesigned, and of course, the weight and balance were recalculated. It’s a machine where rigidity and weight have been meticulously optimised."

In other words, the 8 Hours-spec HRC factory machine was fundamentally different from the kit bike.

"During the first private test, I wasn’t fully confident in it at first, but it turned out quite good, and right from the start, I was able to clock lap times in the 2 min 5s range. Of course, the temperature in late May was cooler than during the 8 Hours, but I don’t think the All-Japan-spec bike had ever achieved a 2 min 6s lap."

Perfecting the Inside Line at Dunlop Corner

Takumi Takahashi believed that riding the 2024 model CBR1000RR-R in the same way as previous models wouldn’t make the most of its characteristics. For example, Nagashima, riding the 2023 model, leaned the bike into an extreme full lean for extended periods during corners. In contrast, Takahashi, riding the 2024 model, minimized the time spent in full lean and navigated corners like the Dunlop Corner by cutting sharply inside, taking a tight inner line.

"From a rider's perspective, I thought changing the riding approach might better bring out the 2024 model's potential" Takahashi continued. "I've always believed that taking a tight inside line at Dunlop Corner is the best approach, and we've developed the machine to match that riding strategy."

Because the 2024 Suzuka 8 Hours-spec machine was fine-tuned by Takahashi, riding along his preferred lines made it faster and smoother. His teammates, Johann Zarco and Teppei Nagoe, adapted to the machine without changing Takahashi's setup, learning his riding style and lines to apply them in actual competition. Zarco expressed his thoughts:

"I have confidence that I can adapt to any machine, and while I have the speed as a MotoGP rider, Takumi is the Suzuka master. My challenge was to adapt myself to his settings without disrupting them. Unlike MotoGP, where power and aggressive braking dominate, the 8 Hours CBR requires smooth, high-speed riding. It reminded me of Moto2, where there’s no electronic aid—you can adapt through extensive track time."

Zarco transitions from scraping his right elbow at the Reverse Bank (off-camber corner, right-hander) to scraping his left elbow at the Dunlop Corner (uphill left-hander) with sharper and smoother precision than anyone else. However, at the Dunlop Corner, he follows Takahashi’s tight inside line.

"Since the machine was designed with that line in mind, I think it’s the best and easiest way to ride" said Takahashi. "Zarco is only one year younger than me, and he already knew I had competed in the Suzuka 8 Hours 15 times and won five of them. It might not have been a machine tailored to his preferences, but he understood that riding it as intended would yield the best results. He studied my data and incorporated the strengths he saw into his own approach."

Takahashi informed his teammates from the beginning that the machine was set up for tight inside lines.

"For Zarco, it was his first time running at Suzuka, and he said he 'wanted to follow my lines,' so we rode together, and sometimes I followed him too... We discussed things like where he could improve his approach. For Teppei, I told him that ‘this way of riding is both easier on the tyres and more effective, and we've set up the machine specifically to work with this style.'”

Given Zarco’s status as a MotoGP rider, one might expect him to have strong pride and insist on his preferred machine setup. Instead, he showed his cleverness by accepting his role as a “guest rider” and placed his trust in Takahashi, the main rider, acknowledging this as the best strategy to achieve victory.

Zarco also highlighted the HRC factory machine’s superior traction. "The YART Yamaha slides at the rear in the final corner, but the HRC machine can maintain grip there, allowing us to accelerate smoothly onto the straight," Zarco observed. This advantage in traction stems from the engine characteristics.

"The machine was designed to generate excellent traction. Comparing engine characteristics, the previous model lacked low-end torque. Since the 2020 redesign of the CBR, I have consistently emphasised that with corners being inevitable, low-end acceleration is crucial. What matters more is not having a 5 km/h higher top speed, but how quickly you can reach that speed."

"I really felt this when I participated in BSB (British Superbike Championship). It’s not just about horsepower. In Britain, there are many small circuits, and without low-end torque, you can’t do much. My teammate back then was fast simply because he knew the tracks well enough to compensate for the machine’s weaknesses. I think the direction we took for the 2024 model was correct. These improvements are beneficial for the future as well. Even on the straights, Honda was undoubtedly faster than its rivals. Plus, its excellent fuel efficiency became another key advantage for us."

Top 10 Trial on Race Tyres!?

Interestingly, Takumi Takahashi, who had not participated in the Top 10 Trial before, made an appearance in 2024.

"Honestly, for the Suzuka 8 Hours, qualifying doesn’t really matter, and I don't necessarily have to be the one riding in the Top 10 Trial. That’s why, in previous years, we had Tetsuta (Nagashima), Iker (Lecuona), and Xavi (Vierge) do those sessions. But this year, people were asking ‘Why aren’t you riding? You’re setting good lap times.’ I would have been fine with Zarco and Teppei doing it if they wanted to, since our lap times were similar.

"In the end, I ended up riding, but I went with hard race tyres instead of soft qualifying tyres. Teppei and Zarco used soft tyres for their time attacks, but I didn’t like how the soft tyres would compress too much and change the bike’s posture. That’s why I chose to ride on race tyres. At that time of the year, with tyre warmers, race tyres could warm up within a single lap and deliver good lap times."

Takahashi knew he could set even faster lap times with a setup tailored for soft tyres but didn’t want to adjust the machine’s setup before the race. Both Takahashi and Zarco participated in the Top 10 Trial, with Takahashi clocking 2’05.621 and Zarco slightly faster at 2’05.553, securing the third grid position. (Incidentally, Nagoe had set a time of 2’05.980 during qualifying.)

As Takahashi proved, fast lap times can be achieved even on race tyres. The pole position was taken by YART Yamaha with a time of 2’05.130. However, the team’s objective was simply to be within the top five, and this goal was achieved.

"With new tyres on both front and rear and a full tank of gas, we kept everything in race conditions. And with that setup, I think that lap time was my personal best during the 8 Hours week."

For reference, Takahashi holds the all-time lap record in the All-Japan JSB1000, set during the MFJ Grand Prix qualifying on November 9, 2019, with a time of 2’03.592.

The Importance of the First Stint

In the race, Takahashi served as the starting rider. The first stint is crucial, as it determines how the race unfolds.

"This year, YART Yamaha (Niccolò Canepa) broke away in the lead, with DUCATI Team KAGAYAMA (Ryo Mizuno) chasing and making some very close passes—they were really battling it out. (Running in third until mid-race) I watched them from behind, thinking ‘those two are going to be trouble.’ The first stint is particularly demanding because there are two additional laps (sighting lap and warm-up lap, making it 27 laps total).

"I stayed in the slipstream to avoid going full throttle on the straights and conserved the tyres in the corners. For the first 30 minutes or so, I think it’s better to take that approach. However, this year, the pace wasn’t picking up as much as I expected, so I moved into the lead on the 10th lap. Once I got in front, the gap to second place started to grow gradually, so I decided that pace was good enough."

The YART Yamaha team, which had opted for soft tyres, began to gradually lose pace. Takahashi led from laps 10 to 14 with a margin of over 3 seconds, but midway through lap 14, he ceded the lead to Ryo Mizuno. Just before this, a safety car was deployed, resulting in a full-course caution that lasted only 14–15 seconds. Shortly after, another incident triggered a localised yellow caution that was quickly cleared, creating a chaotic course situation. Takahashi’s lap time for lap 15 was 2’17.802, while the previous lap (lap 14) had been 2’07.795. By lap 16, he recovered with a 2’07.802 and reclaimed the lead.

"While I appreciate the officials handling the situation quickly, I wish they had at least shown the green flag. I was watching the safety car signals carefully as I didn't want to get a penalty. So when Ryo (Mizuno) caught up and passed me, I took that as confirmation that it was OK to race and picked up my pace."

Takahashi immediately regained the lead from Mizuno. Running consistent 2 min 7s lap times, Takahashi remained calm and built a gap of about 10 seconds to second place by the end of the first stint.

"Even if Yamaha or DUCATI had been lapping in the 2 min 6s range, I could have responded to that pace as well."

Due to Nagoe suffering from dehydration, Takahashi was unexpectedly assigned the final stint to take the chequered flag.

"On the positive side, I got the best parts of the race—the start and the finish—but you could also say it was a huge responsibility. For Teppei, this was his first Suzuka 8 Hours as part of the HRC factory team, and the pressure of leading must have been more intense than he anticipated. Plus, he was riding during the hottest part of the day. Still, as his senior, I’d say, ‘Let’s make sure to do more heat tolerance training next time.’"

The Confusing Pit Board

The race's final stages saw unexpected drama. During HRC’s pit stop, the team was penalised for a crew member other than the refueller touching the bike during refuelling. The penalty options were either a 10-second stop-and-go or a 40-second time addition to the final race time. The team opted for the 40-second time addition, but the problem was how to communicate this to Takahashi. Then the team decided to change the pit board, which had previously shown "+50" (indicating a 50-second lead), to "+10," reflecting the reduced lead by 40 seconds.

"The gap suddenly dropped so much that I thought I was looking at someone else’s pit board. But it was shown as I passed by … "

Near Turn 1 past the pit lane, there is a tower displaying race positions and time countdown. The tower is tall, requiring riders to lift their heads quite high to see it (which is particularly difficult while in a tucked position on the straight). There, Takahashi checked how much race time was left.

"When I saw the tower, there were less than five minutes left. I thought there’s no way anyone could close a 10-second gap in two laps, but I still couldn’t understand what was going on. I never imagined there was a penalty."

HRC Factory ultimately won the race with a time of 8 hr 1 min 29.693s including the 40-second penalty. The gap to second-place YART Yamaha was just 7.860s. Takahashi learned the full story after the finish. The mechanic in charge of the rear section had lowered the swingarm stand before the refuelling rig was removed. Simply put, the bike was touched. Whether the "Hai" (Yes/OK) signal meant the refuelling was complete, the rig had been removed, or was misheard from elsewhere… it became the source of confusion. The mechanic responsible for the +40-second penalty had no choice but to apologise.

"The mechanic has been with us for a long time, and he sincerely apologised to me, so I joked half-seriously, ‘It’s fine because we won, but if we’d lost, you’d be in big trouble.’ I watched the footage as well, but I think there was a lack of coordination between the team management and the mechanics at that point."

Precisely because this was not a routine pit stop, accuracy was especially crucial. However, the refuelling amount was unusual (less than normal), and for the mechanic, the timing was different from usual.

"Looking at it calmly, we had about a 50-second lead, so there was no need to rush. The mistake occurred because they were working until the end with the mindset of wanting to save even a second in the pit work. As a rider, you really appreciate when crews can save you a second during pit stops. So, a win is a win even with a 7-second margin, and I'm not concerned about it."

Whether it’s a 50-second or a 7-second margin, a victory is still a victory. At the Suzuka 8 Hours, the CBR1000RR-R Fireblade/SP achieved its third consecutive win, and Takahashi secured an unprecedented sixth victory in the race's history.

Written by: Tomoya Ishibashi　Photography by: Naoyuki Shibata/Honda　Edited by: Shigeki Ueno

Source: https://mc-web.jp/life/154937/