MotoGP stars Francesco Bagnaia and Fabio di Giannantonio are ‘pushing’ Ducati to enter the Suzuka 8 Hours endurance race.

Ducati are the reigning champions in both MotoGP and WorldSBK, with Suzuka one of the few prestigious events left where the Japanese factories still dominate.

Johann Zarco is the latest MotoGP rider to add his name to the 8 Hours winners’ list, as part of the Honda Team HRC with Japan Post squad in last month’s 2024 edition.

But Ducati also dipped its toe into this year’s event by backing ‘Team Kagayama’, which finished in fourth place with Ryo Mizuno, Josh Waters and Hafizh Syahrin.

Speaking at the event, Ducati Corse’s Paolo Ciabatti confirmed the factory has its sights set on making Suzuka history in the near future:

“The Suzuka 8-Hours is… still a very important race for a manufacturer,” Ciabatti told Motomatters.com. “It’s never been won by a non-Japanese manufacturer. So the dream will be one day, hopefully soon, to be the first non-Japanese manufacturer to win Suzuka.”

“The plan will be in the future to come probably with a factory bike from Bologna and with MotoGP riders alongside Yukio [Kagayama’s team],” Ciabatti added. “Because obviously doing it from Italy is complicated.

“I don’t know about Marc [Marquez] or Bautista, but for sure among the GP riders of Ducati for the future, Pecco and Fabio Di Giannantonio, they would like to do the Suzuka 8 Hours.

“Then we just need to look for a third rider, between [our] other GP riders and Superbike riders there will be someone happy to do it. Whether it will be next year or in 2026, it’s too early to say.”

At Silverstone, reigning double MotoGP champion Bagnaia made his Suzuka intensions clear.

“I am pushing a lot to Ducati to give to me the possibility to go to Suzuka and do the 8 Hours,” Bagnaia said.

“For sure I know how stressful it can be, because it’s in the [MotoGP] summer break, but I love this kind of race. I always think for a world championship rider it’s a target for your career.

“But what I said is that before I arrive, they have to be prepared to have a chance to win. Because I would love to go there and win.”

VR46’s di Giannantonio, signed as an official Ducati Corse rider for 2025 and 2026, was equally enthusiastic:

“I’m pushing a lot honestly. I would love to do the 8 hours of Suzuka, so I’m pushing a lot with my staff at home to try to organise it.

“It is one of my races on my bucket list, so in case we will be together with Ducati it would be amazing to ride for them in the 8 Hours.”

di Giannantonio’s new two-year contract, which includes a factory GP25 in MotoGP next season, was duly announced after Silverstone.

MotoGP stars Francesco Bagnaia and Fabio di Giannantonio are ‘pushing’ Ducati to enter the Suzuka 8 Hours endurance race.

Ducati are the reigning champions in both MotoGP and WorldSBK, with Suzuka one of the few prestigious events left where the Japanese factories still dominate.

Johann Zarco is the latest MotoGP rider to add his name to the 8 Hours winners’ list, as part of the Honda Team HRC with Japan Post squad in last month’s 2024 edition.

But Ducati also dipped its toe into this year’s event by backing ‘Team Kagayama’, which finished in fourth place with Ryo Mizuno, Josh Waters and Hafizh Syahrin.

Speaking at the event, Ducati Corse’s Paolo Ciabatti confirmed the factory has its sights set on making Suzuka history in the near future:

“The Suzuka 8-Hours is… still a very important race for a manufacturer,” Ciabatti told Motomatters.com. “It’s never been won by a non-Japanese manufacturer. So the dream will be one day, hopefully soon, to be the first non-Japanese manufacturer to win Suzuka.”

“The plan will be in the future to come probably with a factory bike from Bologna and with MotoGP riders alongside Yukio [Kagayama’s team],” Ciabatti added. “Because obviously doing it from Italy is complicated.

“I don’t know about Marc [Marquez] or Bautista, but for sure among the GP riders of Ducati for the future, Pecco and Fabio Di Giannantonio, they would like to do the Suzuka 8 Hours.

“Then we just need to look for a third rider, between [our] other GP riders and Superbike riders there will be someone happy to do it. Whether it will be next year or in 2026, it’s too early to say.”

At Silverstone, reigning double MotoGP champion Bagnaia made his Suzuka intensions clear.

“I am pushing a lot to Ducati to give to me the possibility to go to Suzuka and do the 8 Hours,” Bagnaia said.

“For sure I know how stressful it can be, because it’s in the [MotoGP] summer break, but I love this kind of race. I always think for a world championship rider it’s a target for your career.

“But what I said is that before I arrive, they have to be prepared to have a chance to win. Because I would love to go there and win.”

VR46’s di Giannantonio, signed as an official Ducati Corse rider for 2025 and 2026, was equally enthusiastic:

“I’m pushing a lot honestly. I would love to do the 8 hours of Suzuka, so I’m pushing a lot with my staff at home to try to organise it.

“It is one of my races on my bucket list, so in case we will be together with Ducati it would be amazing to ride for them in the 8 Hours.”

di Giannantonio’s new two-year contract, which includes a factory GP25 in MotoGP next season, was duly announced after Silverstone.

The Japanese manufacturer dominated on home soil, racking up a 1-2-3-4 finish in the world’s longest motorcycle race. It was Honda’s 29th win, a record.

2023 Suzuka 8 Hours results#FIMEWC #Suzuka8hours pic.twitter.com/qM7JM7S0Bh

— FIM EWC (@FIM_EWC) August 6, 2023

The victorious #33 HRC Fireblade trio beat their nearest challengers, the #104 Toho Racing, by a full lap.

Takahashi’s fifth win at the race makes him the joint-most successful-ever rider at the Suzuka 8 Hours, alongside Tohru Ukawa.

He initially started poorly but his advantage in machinery came to the fore and he had reclaimed the lead by Lap 11.

The #7 Yamaha, which threatened the eventual winners in the early stages, retired with a mechanical problem in the second hour.

Ex-WorldSBK rider Ryuichi Kiyonari, Takuma Kunimine and Ikuhiro Enokido were the runners-up.

The #73 SDG Honda Racing, with Naomichi Uramoto, Teppei Nagoe and Haruki Noguchi, completed an all-Honda podium.

The best non-Honda finish was fifth, the #76 Suzuki of Dan Linfoot and Takuya Tsuda.

The Instagram post confirms that the 32-year-old – who has raced in Moto2, World Supersport and BSB as well as EWC – sustained ‘serious head injuries’ and remains ‘under sedation to reduce swelling on his brain’.

The next CT scan will be taken on Wednesday and the family is confident that Rea ‘being so fit and healthy will help him to a Speedy-G recovery’:

‘This post is made by Gino’s immediate family.

‘We couldn’t make a post earlier this is due to the Japanese culture as they do not release any news to media without the direct contact with the family first.

‘We arrived in Japan on the 8th of August at 8 pm with many thanks to the EWC, FIM, Suzuka Circuit, British Consulate and TSR racing team for all the help in arranging emergency Visas for us.

‘At 2.30pm We had the opportunity to see Gino so we now have confirmation from the doctor about his condition.

‘Gino was admitted to the intensive care unit on Saturday 6th August following an accident in Free Practice 2. He was concussed and sustained serious head injuries, he also has injuries to his left clavicle. He is still under sedation to reduce swelling on his brain and to control his temperature, he is due for another CT scan on Wednesday for a re-evaluation of his condition.

‘Thank you for the excellent work from the Suzuka Medics, Helicopter Crew and the Hospital staff.

‘Gino is very strong minded, lives life to the full and gives 100% to any situation. With him being so fit and healthy it will help him to a Speedy-G recovery.

‘Thanks for all the support and messages.

‘We will keep you updated as soon as we have any new information.

‘The Reas and Berdinis

‘#keepfightingGino’

The British rider’s family released their latest update on his condition on Saturday morning, a week after his accident in Japan.

“Had a good message from the doctor this morning,” the update read.

“His condition [on Saturday] morning was stable.

“Once we reduced the dose of anaesthesia medicine,he opened his eyes, and made eye contact in a very short term.

“By our direction, he could hold his hand.

“To keep him safe we administered sedation – this will help with his recovery.   

“Elaine, Shannon and Peter visited him today, as well as me and Isaella, he opened his eyes for short bursts and kicked his legs and moved his arms many times.

“Heading in the right direction.”

Rea crashed at the same part of the Suzuka circuit where Dajiro Kato was killed in 2003 – MotoGP no longer use the circuit as a result.

He was airlifted to hospital and was in a coma, police said.

A previous update on Rea’s condition read: “The results of the CT-Scan showed signs of recovery with [reduced] swelling. 

“He is in a stable condition and recovering from the usual side effects from such a trauma. 

“We are looking forward to a Speedy G recovery from him as we all know he is capable of it.”

The British rider was involved in a terrible crash at the Suzuka 8 Hours and was immediately airlifted to hospital, where it was confirmed he had fallen into a coma.

But encouraging news has slowly been revealed by his family ever since.

On Monday morning, nine days after his crash, former rider Terry Rymer who now acts as Rea’s manager revealed a message that he had received from Rea’s family.

It read: “Gino has made our day, David his dad and Elaine his mum have said.

“We were by his side and, as soon as we spoke, he opened his eyes and looked right at me, then at Elaine.

“We could see he was pleased to see us and tried to talk.

“We could hold his hand, he was squeezing ours.

“Gino is communicating by raising his eyebrows.

“Shannon, his sister, and Bella, his wife, went in next. They said ‘blink twice if you understand me’ and he did!

“The doctor said he didn’t respond to any nurses but was amazed when he saw the response to the family. He said it’s a great sign.”

News from Gino’s family: #KeepFightingGino pic.twitter.com/tKfRYnVtMD

— Terry Rymer (@TerryRymer7) August 15, 2022

The British rider was in a coma following a terrible crash at the Suzuka 8 Hours in Japan. He was airlifted to hospital.

On Tuesday, 10 days after his crash, his family posted to social media: “Positive results on Gino’s recovery.

“The ventilator has been removed. He is now breathing on his own and beginning to communicate with family.  

“Family and the hospital team are very happy with his progress.

“Thanks for the support.”

Twenty-four hours earlier, his manager Terry Rymer shared a message that he received from Rea’s family which read: “Gino has made our day, David his dad and Elaine his mum have said.

“We were by his side and, as soon as we spoke, he opened his eyes and looked right at me, then at Elaine.

“We could see he was pleased to see us and tried to talk.

“We could hold his hand, he was squeezing ours.

“Gino is communicating by raising his eyebrows.

“Shannon, his sister, and Bella, his wife, went in next. They said ‘blink twice if you understand me’ and he did!

“The doctor said he didn’t respond to any nurses but was amazed when he saw the response to the family. He said it’s a great sign.”

Rea crashed on the same part of the Suzuka circuit where Daijiro Kato died in 2003, leading to MotoGP no longer using the circuit on safety grounds.

The British crashed nearly two weeks ago at the Suzuka 8 Hours, on the same notorious part of the track where Daijiro Kato died in 2003.

Rea was airlifted to hospital and was in a coma but his condition has steadily got better.

“Gino’s health still improving,” Terry Rymer, his manager, updated on Thursday. 

“Doctors [are] very happy with his progress. What a warrior.”

His family’s latest update was: “Positive results on Gino’s recovery.

“The ventilator has been removed. He is now breathing on his own and beginning to communicate with family.  

“Family and the hospital team are very happy with his progress.

“Thanks for the support.”

A quick update.. Ginos health still improving, Doctors very happy with his progress. (What a warrior) Please keep an eye out for family updates for a more detailed account on Ginos instagram #KeepFightingGino pic.twitter.com/JZXVEYv0oX

— Terry Rymer (@TerryRymer7) August 18, 2022