2026 FIM EWC Round 3 — Suzuka 8 Hours | Official Test Report (30 June–1 July)
The official test right before the race. In DAY1's FP4 qualifying simulation Hikari Okubo crashed, but an all-hands overnight rebuild had the bike back out on DAY2 morning. In the dry, all three riders lapped consistently in the 2:08–2:09 range, and the afternoon rain added valuable wet-weather running ahead of race weekend.
DAY1 — Building the foundation, and an unexpected setback. On the first day, we ran through several sessions in dry conditions, focusing on the final verification of a setup direction that had already been established at the previous test. Our choice of the medium as the main dry tyre for the race was also confirmed during our on-track running.
However, during the qualifying simulation in FP4 in the afternoon, Hikari Okubo crashed. The machine sustained significant damage, and the running time we had planned afterwards could not be secured. Nevertheless, through an all-hands overnight repair effort by the entire team, the machine was ready to head out on track without issue on the morning of DAY2.
DAY2 — Recovery through long runs, and building the package for the rain. On the second day, we placed each rider's completion of a long run (a full stint) in the dry morning at the core of our program. This effectively made up for the running time we had lost on DAY1, and all three riders were able to lap consistently in the 2:08–2:09 range through their full stints, allowing us to confirm the level of preparation of the machine with the race in mind.
In the afternoon, the track surface gradually turned wet, and the final session saw proper rain. Facing the wet as a distinct challenge from the dry, we progressively refined the direction of our setup as the sessions went on. Over the course of the second day's entire afternoon, we were somehow able to bring things together, and each of the three riders returned with a feel for the wet as we closed out the official test.
Between the official test and the qualifying and race weekend, we have a single rest day. We will consolidate what we have gained from the test so far, and as one team we will prepare in a way that will not be swayed by changes in the weather.
Rider & team principal comments
Rider
Hikari Okubo
“It became a tough test, with the crash included. The dry felt good, but when the rain came I couldn't lift the pace, and the reality is that there's still a gap to our rival teams. We have a day off before qualifying and the race, so together with the team we'll work hard toward that.”
“The machine is in very good shape, so if we three riders can put it together properly, I believe we can run a race in which we can win.”
Rider
Kaito Toba
“In the dry, I have the feeling that the three of us have really come together well. A one-lap time looks within reach, and our three-rider average time is very strong as well, so I think we are in a fully prepared state. On the wet side, we struggled a lot at first, but by the end things came together, so we would like a little more running time in the rain.”
“But it isn't such a bad situation, so I hope it doesn't rain. My goal this week is to keep a calm mind and do our job properly, and I've been thinking about that constantly.”
Rider
Motoharu Ito
“The environment was relatively cool. Ikuhiro Enokido and Ryo Toyoshima were watching from outside and giving me advice, and I rode with that in mind while also working on my own points. I was able to confirm the conditions, and I could lap consistently in the 2:08–2:09 range through the morning full stint, so while there are still things to work on, it was very positive.”
“As for the rain, I can't say it was in a good state, but considering how it went from the start of the rain, in the final session the three of us were able to raise our times to a certain extent, which was positive. As a team we are aiming for the win; we want to prepare, do what we can, and turn it into a result. That result will also carry into the final round, so we will focus together as one team on this important race.”
Team Principal
Takashi Ichikawa
“First of all, I would like to express my gratitude to the riders, and to all of the staff who supported us, for being able to complete the two days of the official test.”
“On DAY1, we advanced the final verification of the direction that had been established at the previous test, but during the FP4 qualifying simulation, Hikari crashed, and the damage to the machine meant that part of the running time we had planned could not be secured. The overnight response of all of our members made it possible to send the machine out without issue on DAY2 morning, and I take this as proof of the strength of our team.”
“On DAY2 morning, we focused on long runs on the dry surface, and we were able to align the pace of the three riders. There was a genuine sense of having recovered the time that had been lost on DAY1, and the content of that running gives us confidence in the way the machine is coming together.”
“The wet in the afternoon was a more difficult condition than we had anticipated, and in the early part there were moments when we could not lift the pace as we wished. However, session by session, we brought the three riders' feel together, and by the final session of the second day of the test, we managed to bring things into a certain shape.”
“The weather outlook for the race weekend remains fluid. Whether it is dry or wet, as a team we will prepare for what we can do. To all of our supporters, we will stay focused right through to the final stage in order to deliver a good race.”
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