Jack Miller and Andrea Locatelli participated in the initial pre-event test for the 2025 Suzuka 8 Hours race on July 3rd and 4th. This two-day session marked their first experience with the endurance-spec Yamaha R1.
Miller returned to Suzuka for the first time since competing as a Honda MotoGP rider in 2017 and expressed satisfaction with the bike’s performance. “I’m happy to be back here with Suzuki, especially riding the R1. It’s a lot of fun,” he said after the test. Miller also noted that his long session with Rocatelli went smoothly, with strong pace and speed. He expects to find additional improvements during the race weekend while still getting comfortable with the Suzuka circuit’s challenges, a track where precision is tough to master.
Locatelli also showed positive results, gaining confidence with the durable R1. He shared that the second day of testing was much better as he adapted to the bike and the track. He’s eager for race weekend to continue improving, gain more experience with the tires, and enjoy the competition. Locatelli admitted that while they’re still unsure how they stack up against rivals, the team is pleased with consistent lap times, a crucial factor in endurance racing. He also looks forward to returning for both the Suzuka 8 Hours and the WorldSBK Championship.
Veteran Yamaha rider and four-time Suzuka 8 Hours winner Katsuyuki Nakasuga completed his test earlier, confirming that the baseline setup developed by him and Soichiro along with team input is solid. He praised Miller and Locatelli for adapting well to sharing the same bike and making progress on every outing. Though track conditions and on-track traffic will differ during the actual race, Nakasuga is optimistic about their competitiveness and believes fine-tuning communication could put them in contention for a podium finish.
Fan Take: This test signals strong Yamaha potential at Suzuka, with promising performances from both veteran and newer riders. Racing fans should watch closely as Yamaha looks poised to challenge top contenders in one of the sport’s most grueling endurance events.
