Suzuki to enter Suzuka 8 Hours with sustainable fuel project

Suzuki has announced an entry into this year's Suzuka 8 Hours, with a GSX-R1000R promoting sustainability, from sustainable fuel to oil and tyres.

 

This year's Suzuka 8 Hours will be the 45th running of the prestigious event, and takes place 19-21 July. The team - under the team name Team Suzuki CN Challenge and managed by former MotoGP and World Superbike project leader, Shinichi Sahara - will run in the experimental class, and will use 40% bio-sourced sustainable fuel from Elf.

In addition to the fuel, the GSX-R will also utilise sustainable technology in its Yoshimura exhaust system, as well as with its Bridgestone tyres with increased ratio of recycled and recyclable materials, Motul engine oil made with bio-sourced base oil, JHI fairings with recycled carbon material, front brakes from Sunstar Engineering, using non-heat treatment steel discs and low-dust pads, and fenders made from a natural flax fibre composite material from Bcomp.

 

The entry into the world famous race is designed to accelerate the development of environmental performance technologies through the participation and exposure to the demanding conditions endurance racing, feeding back to future production models.

Toshihiro Suzuki, Suzuki Motor Corporation president, said, "I would like to thank the FIM, EWC organisers, and Suzuka Circuit, who have given us this opportunity to participate in the Suzuka 8 Hours with sustainable fuel.

 

"Suzuki has been making efforts in re-allocating resources toward promoting the development of sustainability-related technologies. EWC is an extremely demanding race series for the machine, riders, and the team, forced to make long hours of running. By making development of sustainable fuel and other sustainable items of Yoshimura Japan, who has been fighting alongside us for a long time, and other partners in such a challenging environment, I believe that it would lead not only to improve Suzuki’s environmental performance technologies but also to contribute to personnel development and to increase motivation, which will be linked to making even better products in the future."

 

Tsuyoshi Tanaka, executive general manager of motorcycle operations, added, "I believe this initiative has a very significant meaning to realise carbon neutrality, especially for mid to large displacement motorcycles which we believe that combustion engines will still be needed.

 

"I can say with confidence that endurance racing, which simultaneously requests running performance and endurance, is the optimal place for testing and development of not only fuel but also various sustainable items, and it is an activity that would revitalise the future of the motorcycle industry.

 

"We will not make it a one-time initiative but make firm efforts so that we can continue the initiative by aiming for higher goals in the years to come."