Team SUZUKI CN CHALLENGE Demonstrates Resilience and Unity in Completing 2025 Suzuka 8 Hours Endurance Race
Team SUZUKI CN CHALLENGE proudly crossed the finish line at the 2025 FIM Endurance World Championship “Coca-Cola” Suzuka 8 Hours 46th Annual Event, held at Japan’s iconic Suzuka Circuit from August 1 to 3. Finishing in 33rd place after a grueling and emotionally charged race, the team showcased not only their technological commitment to sustainability but also the remarkable power of teamwork and perseverance in the face of adversity.
This year, Team SUZUKI CN CHALLENGE entered the race with a strong focus on environmental responsibility, using 100% sustainable fuel and incorporating numerous other eco-conscious components throughout their setup. These efforts aligned with Suzuki’s broader corporate vision of reducing environmental impact and advancing carbon neutrality within motorsports and beyond.
Despite the intense competition, the team started from a respectable 12th position on the grid, based on the results of the qualifying session. From the onset of the race, the Suzuki crew demonstrated impressive performance, consistently improving their lap times and steadily moving up the rankings. Within just three hours of racing, they had climbed into 6th position, and at one point were running as high as 4th place, a promising sign of what could have been a breakout performance.
However, motorsports is as much about endurance and resilience as it is about speed. On the 102nd lap, disaster struck when the team suffered a turnover incident, forcing an unscheduled and urgent pit stop. The crash posed a serious threat to their race completion, and with precious time slipping away, the pressure mounted in the pit lane.
What made this challenge even more significant was the unique composition of the team. Unlike other professional racing outfits that are staffed entirely by seasoned pit crew and mechanics, Team SUZUKI CN CHALLENGE was supported by a team of Suzuki employees—mechanics, engineers, and support staff—selected from within the company. This “in-house” team, many of whom were not full-time motorsport personnel, faced a daunting task in repairing the damaged machine under race conditions.
Nonetheless, what followed was a display of unwavering determination and unity. Despite the technical hurdles and the ticking clock, every member of Team Suzuki refused to give up. They worked tirelessly and methodically to restore the bike to racing condition, driven by a shared commitment to their mission. After approximately an hour of intense repairs and collaboration, the machine was finally ready to rejoin the race.
When the bike emerged from the pit lane and the rider took off once again, the entire team erupted into cheers and applause, a moment that symbolized their hard-fought victory—not in terms of podiums, but in spirit and teamwork. From that moment on, Team SUZUKI CN CHALLENGE continued to press on, eventually finishing in 33rd place, a finish that belied the monumental effort and resolve that had gone into completing the race.
In addition to the efforts of the CN CHALLENGE team, another Suzuki-affiliated squad made headlines. YOSHIMURA SERT MOTUL, competing with the Suzuki GSX-R1000R in the same endurance championship, secured a third-place podium finish for the second consecutive year, reinforcing Suzuki’s competitive legacy in international motorcycle racing.
Reflecting on the race, Toshihiro Suzuki, Representative Director and President of Suzuki Motor Corporation, praised the effort and spirit of all involved:
“I would like to offer my deepest gratitude to our many fans who have given us such enthusiastic cheers, and to those who have supported and cooperated with us in many fields surrounding our motorcycle racing activities aimed at realizing a carbon-neutral society. Although the team encountered an accident during the race, that very challenge brought them closer together. The experience they gained—especially under such exceptional circumstances—is something they could never obtain through ordinary racing. I believe that what they’ve learned will become a personal treasure for each and every team member.”
He continued by reaffirming Suzuki’s commitment to sustainability:
“We will continue to refine and develop our environmental technologies through activities like these and strive to meet the expectations of society and our customers as Team Suzuki.”
The 2025 Suzuka 8 Hours served not only as a platform for high-speed competition but also as a stage for demonstrating how motorsports can drive innovation, test the strength of human spirit, and promote sustainability in a traditionally resource-intensive sport. For Team SUZUKI CN CHALLENGE, the event was more than just a race; it was a testament to perseverance, corporate unity, and the belief that teamwork can overcome even the most challenging setbacks.
