Motorcycle endurance: Stoner back in the race at the 2015 Suzuka 8H

Would the arrival of spring cause itching of the right wrist to young retirees from motorcycle racing? After Troy Bayliss in WSBK, it is Casey Stoner’s turn to announce his return to a starting grid, still riding a Honda but no MotoGP: the Australian will try his hand at endurance in the part of the 8 Hours of …

Would the arrival of spring cause itching of the right wrist to young retirees from motorcycle racing? After, it is Casey Stoner’s turn to announce his return to a starting grid, still riding a Honda but not MotoGP: the Australian will try his hand at endurance in the 8 Hours by Suzuka (Japan).

Stoner ready to endure 

Under contract with Honda as – valuable! -, Stoner accepted the invitation of the HRC to come and assist Michael van der Mark and Takumi Takahashi on the CBR1000RR of the MuSASHi RT HARC-PRO team during the famous Japanese endurance event at Suzuka.

At the dawn of his 30 years (October 16), the double MotoGP world champion (on and on) will therefore exceptionally come out of his retirement and take part in an international motorcycle race, for the first time since 2012. 

Stoner has already been able to take the measure of his future bike during his, during which the HRC had made available a CBR1000RR in Suzuka configuration as an appetizer. Obviously, the n ° 27 appreciated and wishes to take back the rab ‘ ! 

“After testing the bike at Sepang a while back, I discussed with Honda the possibility of racing at Suzuka. It has always been an event I wanted to participate in and it’s something I couldn’t do. when I was racing MotoGP because the schedule was too busy ", says Stoner.

The occasion to recall that in the not so distant past, the "tops gun" employed by the HRC in Grand Prix and in WSBK had the obligation to go to defend the Honda colors during the 8 Hours of Suzuka, very important race for the coat of arms winged in terms of image. A certain Valentino Rossi won there in a VTR alongside Colin Edwards in 2001, the year of his first GP500 world title. !

"I am now looking forward to racing there! The bike is very different from a MotoGP prototype, but it will be a new challenge and the opportunity to try something new that I have not experienced in my career" , continues Stoner.

"Focus on my training to be ready for the race"

"Michael van der Mark (Honda rider in WSBK, Editor’s note) impressed me this year and Takumi Takahashi (HRC test rider, Editor’s note) knows this bike very well. So I can’t wait to hear what they can m ‘say and work with them to prepare for the July race. Now I need to focus on my training to be ready for the race! ".

To complete his preparation, the Australian will once again have the opportunity to ride the Honda Superbike on July 7, 8, 14 and 15.

Because the face of it, the challenge is huge: Honda has six consecutive victories at Suzuka !

In the meantime, Stoner sharpens his skills in karting and motocross sessions in his native Australia, under the admiring eye of his wife Adriana and daughter Alessandra….

"Mom, daddy is so fast", notably lets the little girl know through her mother’s twitter ! 

Related articles

• Suzuka 8H – Endurance – Moto GP: Yamaha lines up Bradley Smith and Pol Espargaro at the Suzuka 8H 2015 –

  Endurance / Moto GP: Yamaha lines up Bradley Smith and Pol Espargaro at the 2015 Suzuka 8H The 2015 edition of the Suzuka 8 Hours revives the tradition…

• Suzuka 8am – Suzuka 8am 2015: HRC apologizes to Stoner – Used HONDA

  8am Suzuka 2015: HRC apologizes to Stoner The Australian driver Casey Stoner had mentioned a blocked accelerator to explain his violent fall in his first…

• Suzuka 8H – Motorcycle Endurance: Honda wins the Suzuka 8H 2012 –

  Motorcycle endurance: Honda wins the Suzuka 8H 2012 The Honda FCC TSR crew (Rea, Akiyoshi and Okada) won the 35th edition of the Suzuka 8 Hours, the…

• Suzuka 8H – Yamaha wins the 2015 Suzuka 8 Hours – Stoner’s impressive crash at Suzuka

  Yamaha wins the 2015 Suzuka 8 Hours Qualified on Saturday from pole position , the R1 of the Yamaha Factory Racing Team won the prestigious Suzuka 8…

• Suzuka 8H – Motorcycle endurance: Yamaha passes the two at Suzuka (2016) – Used YAMAHA

  Motorcycle endurance: Yamaha passes the two at Suzuka (2016) The formidable official R1 driven by Alex Lowes, Katsuyuki Nakasuga and Pol Espargaro gives…

• Suzuka 8H – Motorcycle endurance: victory for FCC TSR Honda at the Suzuka 8H 2011 –

  Motorcycle endurance: FCC TSR Honda wins at the 2011 Suzuka 8H The FCC TSR Honda team (Kosuke Akiyoshi , Shinichi Ito and Ryuichi Kiyonari) won Sunday…

• Suzuka 8H – Cancellation of the 2020 Suzuka 8H, EWC Motorcycle Endurance World Championship final –

  Cancellation of the 2020 Suzuka 8H, final of the EWC Motorcycle Endurance World Championship The 43rd edition of the Suzuka 8H, an iconic motorcycle…

• Suzuka 8H – Yamaha wins the 2015 Suzuka 8 Hours – Yamaha’s first victory in 19 years!

  Yamaha wins the 2015 Suzuka 8 Hours Qualified on Saturday from pole position, the R1 of the Yamaha Factory Racing Team won the prestigious Suzuka 8 Hours…

• Suzuka 8am – The SERT will give everything to Suzuka for Dominique Meliand’s last race! – Used SUZUKI

  SERT will give everything to Suzuka for Dominique Meliand’s last race ! This weekend in Japan, Gregg Black, Etienne Masson and Vincent Philippe will do…

• Suzuka 8H – Kawasaki wins Suzuka 8H and becomes 2019 world endurance champion – Used KAWASAKI

  Kawasaki wins Suzuka 8H and becomes 2019 endurance world champion The official Kawasaki team won the final of the World Endurance Championship in Suzuka…