Suzuki to compete in the “Experimental Class” at the Suzuka 8 Hours Endurance Road Race
Suzuki CN Challenge to compete in the Experimental Class for the second consecutive year
Suzuki has announced that it will continue to compete in the experimental class of the 2025 Suzuka 8 Hours Endurance Road Race as “Team Suzuki CN Challenge,” following on from last year. This time, the team will use sustainable items aimed at reducing environmental impact, including 100% sustainable fuel. The team staff will be made up of Suzuki employees, and the entire manufacturer will work together to implement this initiative.
The participating vehicle will be the 2025-spec “Team Suzuki CN Challenge GSX-R1000R.” It will be given the special number “#0” and will compete in the Experimental Class. Suzuki aims to accelerate the development of environmentally friendly technologies through actual riding under the harsh conditions of endurance races, achieving both reduced environmental impact and performance.
! [Suzuki GSX-R1000R Suzuka 8 Hours Race Vehicle: 2025 Spec Machine with Lime Green Livery]
World champion Masson and Takuya Tsuda are confirmed riders
Etienne Masson’s profile
The rider lineup for this year’s race will feature Etienne Masson, a current Yoshimura SERT Motul rider. Masson is a talented rider who won the FIM Endurance World Championship in 2020 and 2024. In particular, he placed 8th in last year’s Suzuka 8 Hours Endurance Road Race as a Team Suzuki CN Challenge rider, and has ample experience riding Suzuki machines.
Masson, a native of France, is known for his extensive experience and consistent driving skills gained through his participation in the Endurance World Championship, and is expected to demonstrate his abilities in this challenge in a special edition vehicle that uses sustainable fuel.
Etienne Masson
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“Team Suzuki CN Challenge” Team / Etienne Masson (France)
Takuya Tsuda has extensive experience at Suzuka
The other confirmed rider is Takuya Tsuda. He has previously worked as a test rider for Suzuki MotoGP and is currently working as a development rider for the Suzuki CN Challenge. Tsuda has an impressive track record at the Suzuka 8 Hours Endurance Road Race, finishing second in 2013 and 2014, and third in 2016.
He also boasts strong performance in domestic races, having placed second in the All Japan Road Race JSB1000 class in 2016. Tsuda’s participation, with his intimate knowledge of the characteristics of Suzuki machines, will be a great asset to the team.
Takuya Tsuda (Japan)
“Team Suzuki CN Challenge” Team / Takuya Tsuda (Japan)
Three people will be participating, with the remaining person to be announced at a later date.
Suzuki is planning to enter a three-rider team this time. Two of the riders, Masson and Tsuda, have been confirmed, but the remaining rider is currently being determined. Once a decision has been made, it will be announced on the Suzuki official website.
A three-rider team is an effective strategy for reducing the burden on the riders and maintaining a steady pace during a long eight-hour race. This time, sustainable fuel is a new element, so verification with multiple riders will be important from the perspective of data collection.
Significance as a demonstration experiment for environmental technology development
Use of 100% sustainable fuel
The 100% sustainable fuel that Suzuki will adopt is a product certified by an EU-accredited certification body based on the mass balance system. The use of this fuel is expected to significantly reduce CO2 emissions compared to conventional fossil fuels.
The fuel performance data obtained through racing activities will provide valuable technical feedback for future Suzuki product development. Verification in an actual racing environment will allow development to proceed with a view to applying the technology to production vehicles.
Team Structure and Management
Shinichi Sahara will serve as team director, Koji Tamura as technical manager, and Gaku Konno as crew chief. The team staff, made up of Suzuki employees, will work together to take on the challenge of balancing the development of environmentally friendly technology with results in competitions.
This employee participation system fosters closer cooperation between the development and racing departments, aiming for more efficient technological development. Data obtained from races is fed back directly to the development department and used to improve future products.
Suzuki’s challenge goes beyond simply participating in races; it is an important initiative to pave the way for a sustainable future for motorsports. Attention is focused on how they will perform at the Suzuka 8 Hours Endurance Road Race in August.
