SERT on Suzuka 8-Hour Podium

 

SERT finished on the podium at this year's Suzuka 8-Hour, claiming third place at the 45th running of the prestigious event.

 

With Gregg Black sidelined through injury and Etienne Masson switching to the Suzuki CN Challenge Team for the event, it was left to Dan Linfoot, Cocoro Atsumi, and former Moto3 world champion, Albert Arenas to continue SERT's EWC championship challenge.

In the hot, gruelling conditions, it was anything but a straight forward race. Atsumi took the first stint, and he and Linfoot traded sessions to put SERT into podium contention.

 

With Arenas new to superbikes and the discipline of endurance racing, he sat waiting as Atsumi and Linfoot established the team's position in the running order, before stepping in to share some of the load. Setting fast, consistent times, he kept the team fighting for third place.

A small mistake during re-fuelling saw the team slapped with a ride-through penalty, which cost valuable time. However, Atsumi took the 'bars for the final stint, and racing into the darkness, he recovered third position.

 

Yohei KATO, Yoshimura SERT team director, said, "I'm very happy with this result. A podium finish at Suzuka is very special for Yoshimura, especially this year as the brand celebrates its 70th anniversary.

 

"The riders worked really well. Cocoro did an incredible last stint, Albert put in a brilliant performance, and Dan pushed right to the end to help taking back third place. I'd like to thank them very much for this result, even though the very hot weather didn't make things any easier."

Cocoro Atsumi said of a podium at his home race, "I've been the reserve rider for the team since the Bol d'Or 2023 so I've learnt a lot with them and I was honoured to be able to participate in this very important race and fight for the championship.

 

"We finished on the podium and the gap in the championship is very small so we're still in a good position to challenge for the title. I'd also really like to congratulate Albert because he wasn't able to do much testing before the race."

Dan Linfoot commented, "Cocoro did an incredible last stint in the dark. Albert also did an excellent job with just a few hours and a few laps of practice in which to learn the bike and the circuit. He did a stint that gave us a bit of a rest, which was perfect. After that I just tried to stay solid, do the best laps possible despite the traffic and respect the team's strategy. I'm very proud and happy to be on the podium in Suzuka after my fourth-place last year. A result like that, together with the atmosphere and the Japanese fans, is a memory of a lifetime."

 

Albert Arenas added, "It was an incredible weekend that ended very well. I stayed totally focused from the start to try and help the team as much as possible. It was a big challenge for me to ride at a new circuit with a new bike, new tires, and the pressure of fighting for the title. But the very warm welcome I received gave me the confidence to stay positive. I gave my best and I'd like to thank Yoshimura SERT for this opportunity in Japan, which I really enjoyed."