Yamaha team manager Wataru Yoshikawa has outlined the key to success in endurance racing as MotoGP rider Jack Miller prepares to compete in the Suzuka 8 Hours. This weekend, Miller joins Yamaha’s factory team alongside Andrea Locatelli and Katsuyuki Nakasuga in an effort to challenge Honda’s recent dominance at the Japanese endurance event.
Miller is returning to Suzuka for the first time since 2017, when he debuted on a Honda bike and finished fourth. Now with Yamaha and experienced in MotoGP for Pramac Yamaha, Miller faces a very different challenge in the highly strategic endurance race.
The Need for Clear Roles to Achieve Team Success
Wataru Yoshikawa emphasized how vital it is for the team to have clearly defined roles and disciplined cooperation. While all riders excel individually in their respective categories, endurance racing demands selflessness and teamwork to succeed.
None of us are endurance riders, and we’re all top riders in our respective categories, so it’s difficult in nature,
Yoshikawa said.
He explained that success depends on mutual respect and everyone committing fully to the team‘s plan.
So the team needs to present a routine and your role, and everyone needs to follow that.
Yoshikawa acknowledged the natural tendency of top riders to want to be the best and seek individual glory, which can complicate teamwork in endurance formats.
He added that while each rider may try to prove their ability even on used tyres, pushing that competitive edge too hard can disrupt the team’s overall performance.
But if they push that too hard, the team won’t work in endurance.
Early Suzuka 8 Hours Testing Results
During Wednesday’s test day, Honda’s HRC team, consisting of Johann Zarco, Xavi Vierge, and Takumi Takahashi, set the fastest lap at 2m05.645s. Yamaha’s No.21 Racing Team with Miller, Locatelli, and Nakasuga closely followed with a 2m05.981s lap time, while the No.7 YART Yamaha bike placed third overall.
Challenges Ahead for Yamaha and Miller at Suzuka
Jack Miller Suzuka 8 Hours campaign faces the challenge of balancing exceptional individual skill with the harmony required for endurance success. Yamaha’s bid to break Honda’s winning streak depends heavily on each rider’s ability to fulfill their role within the team structure, as Yoshikawa stressed. As Miller, Locatelli, and Nakasuga collaborate this weekend, their unity and disciplined approach will be critical factors in their chances of victory, shaping the dynamics of this prestigious motorcycle endurance race.
