Somkiat Chantra teamed up with Honda HRC to claim first place in sessions 3 and 4 during heavy rain on the track, aiming to defend the championship. Meanwhile, Nakarin Athiratphuvapat achieved an optimal setup for the Suzuka 8 Hours competition.
Honda HRC continued preparations for the FIM Endurance World Championship 2026, 47th edition, Suzuka 8 Hours 2026, with the second day of bike testing held at Suzuka Circuit on 1 July.
Somkiat Chantra continued his second day of bike testing with Honda HRC riding bike number 30. The morning's first two sessions took place in dry conditions with relatively cool temperatures. All three riders took turns on the track; Somkiat was the first to test, followed by Takumi Takahashi and Jonathan Rea. The team’s best lap time was 02:05.600 minutes, placing them fourth.
In the second session, Somkiat rode throughout, steadily improving his speed while gaining more experience with the bike. He set a personal best lap time of 02:05.598 minutes, helping the team finish third in this session.
During the midday break, heavy rain fell, so sessions 3 and 4 were conducted on a wet track. The team gathered important data and recorded times of 02:18.898 and 02:18.678 minutes, securing first place in both sessions.
In the final session, Somkiat took solo testing duties to familiarize himself further and improve lap times, posting a best time of 02:19.377 minutes and finishing fifth. He commented on the second day’s testing: "I'm satisfied with today's performance. My best lap time this morning on the dry track improved by about half a second. We also tested long runs, and my riding rhythm was quite good. In the afternoon, rain began, marking my first time riding a race bike on a wet Suzuka track. The start was challenging, so I tried to ride as much as possible to learn and understand the bike and tire behavior. I've watched this race every year and always hoped to compete here someday. Now, that opportunity has come."
Nakarin Athiratphuvapat, known as "Chip," rode bike number 88 alongside Malaysian rider Khairul Idham Pawi and Indonesian rider Adnan Putra for the second day of testing. The Honda Asia-Dream Racing with Astemo team focused on familiarization and bike setup to ensure all three riders are ready to deliver their best performance in the race.
The Coca-Cola Suzuka 8 Hours Endurance Road Race will take place on Sunday, 5 July 2026, from 09:30 to 17:30.