The Suzuka 8 Hours gives us a rare chance to see just how good MotoGP riders are compared to other professional riders. Apart from this, it's Japan's largest motorcycle endurance race and is positioned as a round of the FIM Endurance World Championship (EWC). The 8-hour race, which has a mid-morning start and an early evening finish, is often considered the toughest on the EWC calendar.
This year, it's not the race, but the race preparation that's catching riders out—namely MotoGP stars.
A few months ago, MotoGP and Honda Factory rider Luca Marini sustained a dislocated hip, fractures to the sternum, a right collapsed lung, and knee ligament damage while training for the race at the Suzuka Circuit. Now, Pramac Yamaha rider, Jack Miller, has hit the asphalt hard at the same circuit.
After topping the Yellow Rider group for Yamaha Racing Team (YRT) in the second qualifying session, Miller high-sided at turn one halfway through the 20-minute session. Although his Yamaha YZF-R1 was severely damaged, Miller was able to walk back to the garage and appeared to be uninjured.
According to Miller, "All okay, I’m suffering honestly, there’s a lot to stop the bike. We’re a little bit soft in the front, and in full-time attack mode, you know, you ask a little bit more, and she said ‘no más’. It’s been a good day so far, and thankfully, I’m okay. Turn 1 is a fast spot, and the wall is quite close, so I’m glad [I’m okay].”.
Even with Miller's crash, YRT finished qualifying in third place. The fact that we see riders like Miller and Marini competing in an EWC round is amazing, but it comes with a serious risk to the manufacturers that have invested millions in these riders. Marini missed three MotoGP rounds before returning to action after his Suzuka crash.
More than anything, putting a MotoGP rider on the grid for an EWC round highlights just how important this round is to manufacturers, particularly Japanese ones, as it's on home soil—bragging rights are on the line.
