42th Team Lineup

Fujio Yoshimura / President

Does any of you know Suzuka Circuit hosted several motorcycle endurance races prior to the ever so famous “Suzuka 8 Hour Endurance Race” started in 1978? Suzuka circuit was built and opened in November 1962 and the first professional endurance race “Suzuka 18 Hour” was held two years later. I was a high-school boy at that time and still remember clearly how Yoshimura- tuned Honda Super Hawk (305cc) won the 18 hours race! It was a fierce battle between Honda R&D Team and Yoshimura Team until the end of the race! This inaugural victory made the “Yoshimura” name well known and motorcycle racing was becoming ever so important in Japan along with the growth of motorcycle industry. It pushed my dad, Pop Yoshimura to decide to move the workshop to Tokyo in 1965, where new industrial movements of motorcycle racing became popular.
It is already 55years since the first “Suzuka 18 Hour” and I am proud of what Yoshimura has achieved in the past and glad that we made a lots of memorable histories with Suzuka Circuit for motorcycle endurance races together. The first “Suzuka 8 Hour” in 1978 was a pure surprise for everyone in the world and it was a great “Triumph over adversity” story made by Yoshimura! We wish to get another victory at the Suzuka 8 Hour this year in front of our fans, and hope Yoshimura history and sprits will be know even wider.

Yoshimura Japan Co., Ltd.
President　Fujio Yoshimura

Yoshimura history

Team Manager: Yohei Kato

Yoshimura Suzuki MOTUL Racing Team is taking part in the 42th FIM Suzuka 8hours Endurance World Championship with our regular All Japan Championship riders, Yukio Kagayama, Kazuki Watanabe and Suzuki MotoGP Test rider, Sylvain Guintoli. It is going to be a very challenging Suzuka 8H race ever, since the 3 Japanese factory teams will be very fast and tough. We are representative for Suzuki & GSX-R and getting ready to fight against these strong competitors! We are a private team and our brilliant histories from Suzuka 8H were never made in easy way, and we will be working hard and making maximum effort for the victory.
I’ve Got The Power!
It is our slogan and Yoshimura Suzuki MOTUL Racing will race to win the 42th Suzuka 8hours!

Yoshimura Suzuki MOTUL Racing
Team manager　Yohei Kato

Yukio Kagayama

Name	Yukio Kagayama
Place of birth	Yokohama, Japan
Date of birth	7 May, 1974
Height	164cm
Weight	67kg

I am very excited to join Yoshimura team again this year for Suzuka 8hours since some of my best racing memories is from Suzuka 8H in 2007 to get on the podium in the 1st place, and it was such an amazing experience. As it is very well known, Suzuka 8 hour is extremely hard, competitive, very hot and changing race event. I know how to fight this race from my experiences and I am excited to get going with my mates and see what I can do. I’m really looking forward the race weekend and aiming for the top step with Yoshimura Suzuki MOTUL Racing again this year.
Yukio Kagayama

Race Career

2019	Suzuka 8H / Yoshimura Suzuki MOTUL Racing All Japan Championship JSB1000
2018	Suzuka 8H / Yoshimura Suzuki MOTUL Racing All Japan Championship JSB1000
2017	Suzuka 8H 11th place Suzuka 8H 17th place
2016	All Japan Championship JSB1000 Ranking 10th Suzuka 8H 6th place
2015	All Japan Championship JSB1000 Ranking 8th All Japan Championship JSB1000 Ranking 12th
2014	Suzuka 8H 3rd place All Japan Championship JSB1000 Ranking 5th
2007	Suzuka 8H 1st place / Yoshimura World Superbike Championship

Sylvain Guintoli

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

It’s a great pleasure and an honour to be back in Japan for the 2019 Suzuka 8H with YOSHIMURA Suzuki Motul racing team. Last year we had a promising start of the race, leading for a while and maintaining our place in the top3 before a crash that forced us to fight all race to recover places. I hope this year we can have a trouble free race and fight for the podium all the way.
Sylvain Guintoli

Race Career

2019	Suzuka 8H / Yoshimura Suzuki MOTUL Racing
2018	Suzuka 8H 10th place / Yoshimura
2017	Suzuka 8H 7th place / Yoshimura British Superbike Championship: Ranking 13th
2016	World Superbike Championship: Ranking 11th
2015	World Superbike Championship: Ranking 6th
2014	World Superbike Championship: Series Champion

Kazuki Watanabe

Name	Kazuki Watanabe
Place of birth	Yamanashi, Japan
Date of birth	2 October, 1990
Height	170cm
Weight	68kg

I’m very excited be a part of legendary Suzuka 8 hours with YOSHIMURA SUZUKI MOTUL RACING. I missed the opportunity to race with the team in 2018 and I am so glad to take the chance this year. It is my second season at Yoshimura Suzuki MOTUL Racing for All Japan Championship, and we had positive results this year. It makes me feel “we are making the GSX-R stronger and faster than ever” for Suzuka 8hours, and I am really motivated. Of course there are many strong competitors and it’s never been easy. So we are keep working hard till the last moment to achieve our goal to win the race.
Kazuki Watanabe

Race Career

2019	Suzuka 8H / Yoshimura Suzuki MOTUL Racing All Japan Championship JSB1000
2018	Suzuka 8H 4th place All Japan Championship JSB1000 Ranking 7th
2017	World Supersport Championship
2016	Suzuka 8H 2nd place All Japan Championship JSB1000 Ranking 6th
2015	Suzuka 8H 9th place All Japan Championship JSB1000 Ranking 3rd
2014	Suzuka 8H 12th place All Japan Championship JSB1000 Ranking 7th
2013	All Japan Championship JSB1000 Ranking 7th

2019 Denso Suzuka 8H Promotion Girl

Name	Akimi Tsukinaka
Date of birth	25 August, 1994
Height	168cm
B/W/H	83/53/85
Place of birth	Iwate, Japan
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