Yamaha Celebrates the R1’s 20th Anniversary with Special Suzuka 8 Hours Bike
Yamaha has recently revealed the special bike that Katsuyuki Nakasuga, Alex Lowes and Michael van der Mark will be using at this year’s Suzuka 8 Hours.
The team will reportedly be aiming for their fourth straight win on the factory R1, which will be decked in a red and white colour scheme to celebrate the bike’s 20th anniversary.
Photo credits: MCN
Lowes was a first-time winner for the World Superbike championship in the past, and according to Visor Down, to be back with his squad and racing for their fourth consecutive crown is a huge honour for him.
“It’s a great honour to be asked back by Yamaha to represent them again at Suzuka. It’s such an important race and one I really enjoy. Also, I’m looking forward to working with Michael and Nakasuga-san again after our success last year. I have a chance to win there with the Yamaha Factory Racing Team for the third year in a row and on the 20th anniversary of the R1, I can’t wait,” he said.
Van der Mark added: "I'm really honoured to be asked again to be a part of the Yamaha Factory Racing Team for the Suzuka Eight-Hours. We had an amazing race last year and I have the feeling that, together with my teammates Alex and Nakasuga-san, we can have another good result in the race to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Yamaha YZF-R1."
Photo credits: MCN
The Suzuka 8 Hours Endurance Road Race, as its name suggests, is a motorcycle endurance race held at the Suzuka Circuit in Japan every year. The prestigious race runs for eight hours consecutively and entrants are composed of two or more riders who will alternate during pit stops.
Beginning in 1978, the Suzuka 8 Hours was originally meant as a race for prototype Tourist Trophy Formula One motorcycles. The big four Japanese companies who took part were Honda, Kawasaki, Suzuki and Yamaha.
Throughout the years, though, changes were made - with the major shift moving to a concentration on superbikes.
High-level Japanese riders often return to the race annually as well, as it is considered by the Japanese as one of the biggest motorsport events. As part of the FIM World Endurance Racing Championship, the Suzuka 8 Hours also holds a significant place in the international calendar for motorsport races.
Star riders from MotoGP and Superbike racing factions around the world also flock to this race, once again proving its prominence in the motorcycle racing culture.
Check out this video of the 20th Anniversary of the YZF-R1 put together by Yamaha below!