40th Team Lineup

Fujio Yoshimura / President

The first Suzuka 8 Hour Endurance Race in 1978 was the most memorable race in my whole life! The race plan that we’ve had towards Suzuka 8 hours was just simple, “Go flat out for 8 hours, just like a sprint race!” but the race plan of Honda RCBs would have been different that they kept their theoretical endurance style. It is obvious that Yoshimura’s style for the endurance race was far different from what most Japanese fans and motorcycle manufactures have imagined. It is because their thoughts were based on Honda RCBs who have won 4 consecutive FIM Endurance World Titles. In 1977, Takazumi Katayama won his first 350class World GP Title and his lap time in European circuits were about equal to so called “Unsinkable Fleet of RCB”! Well, in the US side, on the other hand, Wes Cooley on the Yoshimura tuned Z1 was doing fair battle against Yamaha TZ350 at local race events. So, we knew we’ve got the power to fight against RCB. But we’ve never known “8 Hours Endurance Race” was going to be held at Suzuka Circuit at that time! In late 1977, we’ve heard the news of the world-class race event would be scheduled at Suzuka Circuit and Honda would bring their triumphant RCB for the first time to the Japanese fans, wow!! We’ve never ever thought, one year later, we would show up in Suzuka with Suzuki GS1000 and head against the Honda RCBs which were supposed to be rewarded at Suzuka Circuit for another glorious victory to their record books. In those days, American road races were never highly valued by any of Japanese fans neither motorcycle manufacturers but Europe was the place to be for all the glorious heritage of racing. So, Honda RCBs and its riders were more than special that, as we all knew, they’ve won 4 consecutive world endurance titles in Europe. Meanwhile Yoshimura tuned GS1000 only had high street type handle bar and small bikini fairing, and our riders, Wes Cooley and Mike Baldwin, were showing their unique riding style from the US ready for 8 hours of battling! Yoshimura GS1000 qualified 2nd place ahead of RCBs. Obviously, everyone had the same question, “Can Yoshimura Team finish the race?”. Well, we’ve done it and won the “The First Suzuka 8 Hour Endurance Race” in the dramatic way that anyone never thought of! After the checker flag was dropped, Pops and rest of us at Yoshimura felt “Hey, are we not dreaming? Right?”
After 40 years of our racing history of Suzuka 8 hours, I am deeply impressed by the fact that we are still here.
See you in Suzuka!

Fujio Yoshimura

Team Manager: Yohei Kato

Yoshimura Suzuki MOTUL Racing will race to win the 40th Suzuka 8 hours World Endurance Championship with 3 experienced riders, Takuya Tsuda, Sylvain Guintoli, and Josh Brookes. The new GSX-R1000 has been developed through All Japan Championship JSB1000 series, and it will be faster and stronger than ever by the time of the Suzuka 8 hours. Carrying expectations of Suzuki who released the new GSX-R1000 and all Yoshimura fans with their great support, we will race for the 5th champion of Suzuka 8 hours together with 3 reliable riders. Thank you very much for your great support of Yoshimura Suzuki MOTUL Racing.
I’ve Got The Power!
Yoshimura Suzuki MOTUL Racing

Team manager Yohei Kato.

Takuya Tsuda

Name	Takuya Tsuda
Place of birth	Wakayama, Japan
Date of birth	27 April, 1985
Height	171cm
Weight	71kg

The Suzuka 8hours of this year is the 40th anniversary and also the final round of FIM Endurance World Championship, so it will gather a great deal of attention. Yoshimura has won the first Suzuka 8 hours back in 1978 and they have been challenging every race after this. I am very looking forward to racing this year with two solid riders, Sylvain and Josh, and we will fight 8 hours together for the top of podium with the new GSX-R1000. Thank you very much for supporting Yoshimura Suzuki MOTUL racing.

Race Career

2013	Suzuka 8H　2nd place All Japan Championship JSB1000 Ranking　Ranking　4th
2014	Suzuka 8H　2nd place All Japan Championship JSB1000 Ranking　Ranking　3rd place
2015	Suzuka 8H　5th All Japan Championship JSB1000 Ranking　Ranking　4th
2016	Suzuka 8H　3rd place All Japan Championship JSB1000 Ranking　Ranking　2nd place

Sylvain Guintoli

Name	Sylvain Guintoli
Place of birth	France
Date of birth	24 June, 1982
Height	179cm
Weight	62kg

The 8 hours of Suzuka is famous for being one of the most important and difficult motorcycle race in the World. It represents a great challenge so I am very excited to be a part of the prestigious Yoshimura Suzuki Team with the new GSX-R1000. My last experience in Endurance racing was fantastic with Suzuki GSX-R1000 in 8 hour of Doha 2010. We won the race and the World Championship for Suzuki so I hope we can go to the top step again.

Race Career

2014	World Superbike Championship　Series Champion
2015	World Superbike Championship　Ranking　6th
2016	World Superbike Championship　Ranking　11th
2017	Suzuka 8H / Yoshimura Suzuki MOTUL Racing British Superbike Championship

Josh Brookes

Name	Josh Brookes
Place of birth	Autsralia
Date of birth	28 April, 1983
Height	176cm
Weight	72kg

The Suzuka 8 Hours is very important to me and I have always had aspirations of winning here. It is a great privilege to be invited to join Yoshimura Suzuki again this year and after our podium success together in 2013 and 2016, I’m really looking forward to riding the new bike and aiming for the top step together again this year.

Race Career

2013	British Superbike Championship Ranking　3rd place Suzuka 8H 2nd place / Team Yoshimura
2014	British Superbike Championship Ranking　4th
2015	British Superbike Championship Series Champion
2016	World Superbike Championship　Ranking　14th Suzuka 8H 3rd place / Yoshimura Suzuki Shell ADVANCE
2017	Suzuka 8H / Yoshimura Suzuki MOTUL Racing British Superbike Championship

2017 Denso Suzuka 8H Promotion Girl

Name	Tsukasa Arai
Date of birth	29 November, 1994
Height	168cm
B/W/H	83/60/86
Place of birth	Gunma, Japan
Blog	Tsukasa Arai (Japanese only)