Zarco Obliterates Suzuka 8-Hour Lap Record to Take Pole

Drama filled Top Ten Trial sees Honda HRC team top the timesheets

French MotoGP ace Johann Zarco delivered a lap for the ages to secure a stunning pole position for Honda HRC in tomorrow’s 46th Coca-Cola Suzuka 8 Hours Endurance Race—the third round of the 2025 FIM Endurance World Championship.

Zarco, the last of 20 elite riders to take to the track in the iconic Top 10 Trial session, scorched to a remarkable 2:04.290 lap around the legendary Suzuka Circuit. Not only did it seal Honda HRC’s place at the pointy end of the grid, but his time also smashed the previous lap record of 2:04.796 set just a day earlier by Naomichi Uramoto in Second Qualifying.

Zarco’s ten-tenths flyer hands teammate Takumi Takahashi the honour of leading the pack when the flag drops on Sunday. It’s a vital boost for the Honda camp, which is down to just two riders after both Iker Lecuona and late-call-up Xavi Vierge were ruled out—Lecuona due to injuries sustained in a WorldSBK crash last weekend, and Vierge due to “procedural reasons” per the team.

Honda HRC enters the race as defending champions following a landmark 30th win in 2024, with Zarco, Takahashi, and Teppei Nagoe combining for the victory. Nagoe has since departed to a different squad, leaving the ultra-experienced Takahashi and MotoGP-regular Zarco to face the notoriously demanding eight-hour enduro as a duo.

Second place on the grid went to the Yamaha Racing Team after a high-pressure session that saw drama and redemption in equal measure. Aussie favourite Jack Miller was on fire through the first three sectors and looked on course to smash the lap record, before a bizarre ultra-slow highside at the final Astemo Chicane threw his chances away in the final moments.

The pressure then fell squarely on teammate Andrea Locatelli, who kept a cool head and delivered a textbook lap. The Italian WorldSBK rider took the existing lap record himself in the process and recorded the fastest final sector of the session, vaulting Yamaha Racing to the top—at least temporarily—before Zarco’s final run knocked them to P2.

Another standout performance came from Naomichi Uramoto, who piloted the privateer AutoRace Ube Racing Team to third position aboard his BMW—an impressive feat against factory outfits. The team, which also features Loris Baz and Isle of Man TT winner Davey Todd, showcased their competitiveness in the prestigious race, ensuring three different manufacturers—Honda, Yamaha, and BMW—locked out the top spots.

The Top 10 Trial, a beloved staple of the Suzuka 8 Hours weekend, features a one-at-a-time shootout format that never fails to deliver drama, adding extra layers of tension to the already electric atmosphere surrounding the endurance classic.

In the Superstock category, it was Team Étoile who shone brightest, clinching pole position for the Dunlop-equipped class following Friday’s traditional two-part qualifying. The BMW-powered Japanese squad outpaced Kaedear-Dafy-RAC 41-Honda and Honda No Limits to claim top grid honours.

With varied lineups, three manufacturers in the front three, and weather conditions always a factor at Suzuka, the stage is set for another unforgettable instalment of Japan’s endurance crown jewel.

Johann Zarco – Team Honda HRC (02:04.290)
“I didn’t expect to go that low in the 2:04s. When I saw Yamaha responding in practice and improving a lot, I was a little bit worried. And when Jack didn’t finish the lap, I could finally breathe — but then when I saw Locatelli’s 2:04.3, I thought, ‘I need to try, and let’s see what happens. Then I saw the flag and the time, and it said I had the best lap… I was happy. I didn’t expect to go that low in the 2m04s, I was thinking 2m04.5s but I knew 2m04.5s wouldn’t be enough for pole position so this was a nice surprise for me and it’s kind of a pleasure to have this good lap time to give the opportunity for Takumi to start in pole position tomorrow. We knew that we are strong for Sunday about the pace, but I repeat that we also know some other riders have an extra with new tyres and it’s difficult for us to make big difference, but today it came.”

Andrea Locatelli – Yamaha Racing Team (02:04.316)
“Like Jack said, I had a little bit of pressure because I couldn’t make any mistakes. I tried to do my best. It’s my first time here at Suzuka, so yeah, a bit of extra pressure to set the best lap time. Unfortunately, Jack crashed in the last sector, so we had no lap time in the bank. I was just riding trying to avoid mistakes — but for sure, a bit of pressure. We lost a couple tenths and yeah, it’s a bit of a shame because we were really close to pole position. But anyway, I think it’s a good result for the team. We showed that we’re strong.”

Naomichi Uramoto – AutoRace Ube Racing Team (02:05.001)
“Zarco and Locatelli were very fast, and just before I attacked, I saw they had already done a 2:04.3. I thought, ‘Oh my god!’ So I pushed and made some mistakes, but finally I did a 2:05.0. Tomorrow we will start from P3—I’m very happy. Maybe I lost something in the first sector, or made a small mistake somewhere… but yeah, it’s not a perfect time.”

Jack Miller – Yamaha Racing Team (02:16.236)
“Like my career it’s almost perfect until it’s not. The lap was really good and the bike was working really well but I got too excited to finish the lap and it fell over in the last chicane. Thankfully ‘Loka’ was clutch for the team because I left him in a difficult position with a 2m16s and he had to carry the weight. I was all-in on the lap, trying to achieve the pole for Yamaha and, unfortunately, it kind of unravelled at the last corner.”

“I just changed directions a little bit too quickly in the chicane — she said no more! It was a perfect lap up until that point, like you say. I felt really comfortable, the bike’s working really well. Unfortunately, I made it hard for Andrea, not having a good lap in the bank, but he did a fantastic job — almost a perfect lap as well for him. Yeah, we missed a little bit today, but we have eight hours tomorrow.”

2025 SUZUKA 8-HOUR TOP 10 TRIAL