On August 1, 2025, Round 3 of the FIM Endurance World Championship (EWC), the 46th Coca-Cola Suzuka 8-Hour Endurance Road Race, officially began once again at Suzuka Circuit.
In addition to the regular Japanese teams, many full-season EWC teams have entered the event, bringing the total number of participating teams to 55. An even more intense battle than usual is expected this year.
F.C.C. TSR Honda France, racing on home ground, spent the early part of the week adapting to the intense heat and humidity while refining the race setup of the #5 Honda CBR1000RR-R Fireblade.
On qualifying day, Friday, August 1, according to the Japan Weather Association, the temperature at Suzuka at 2:00 PM reached 37.6°C. Conditions were brutally hot, with temperatures exceeding normal body temperature. With similarly extreme heat forecast for race day on August 3, F.C.C. TSR Honda France strategically chose to dedicate the first qualifying session to confirming race setup, while saving new tires for the second session.
During the first session, Alan Techer rode the race-spec machine fitted with used tires and recorded a lap time of 2:07.348. In the second session, Corentin Perolari posted a 2:07.713, while Taiga Hada improved further with a 2:06.591, making effective use of the grip from fresh tires despite the lingering heat and humidity.
Based on the average lap times of the team’s two fastest riders (2:06.970), F.C.C. TSR Honda France will start the final race from 14th on the grid.
The final race will begin on Sunday, August 3, at 11:30 AM local time. Forecasts indicate another scorching day with temperatures expected to reach 35°C under the midsummer sun. The 46th edition of the legendary Suzuka 8 Hours is set to become a battle against the heat in every sense of the word.
Armed with the skill of its riders and the overall strength of the team, F.C.C. TSR Honda France aims to climb even higher from its current provisional 4th place in the FIM Endurance World Championship (EWC) standings.
Thank you very much for your passionate support!!
Riders & Machine
- Rider Blue / Alan TECHER
- Rider Yellow / Corentin PEROLARI
- Rider Red / Taiga HADA
- Machine / HONDA CBR1000RR-R Fireblade（#5）
Team comments
Alan TecherToday, we were able to complete a very productive session.
In the first session, we prioritized confirming our race pace using used tires under conditions similar to what we expect in the final race.
The average pace was not quite as strong as we had hoped, but I don’t think it was bad at all.
What truly matters is the race itself, and on Sunday we want to fight for a top-eight finish — ideally even a top five.
Corentin PerolariToday was the first time I was able to ride with new tires, and I was really happy with the level of grip they provided.
Rather than going all-out for a qualifying lap time, we focused more on confirming our race pace with the final race in mind.
If we can stay relaxed and composed during the race, I believe we can have a very good result.
Taiga HadaThe beginning of the week was quite difficult, but from today the bike underwent major setup changes, and the feeling improved significantly, allowing me to ride properly and with confidence.
There are still a few concerns remaining, but I was able to put together a solid lap time in qualifying.
Starting from 14th is a little further back than ideal, but in the final race I want to maintain a consistent rhythm and steadily chase the riders ahead.
