Kawasaki Wins Controversial
Suzuka 8 Hours
T
he 2019 Suzuka 8 Hours will go
down as one of the most con-
troversial in history after a series of
late-race events saw Yamaha initially
declared the winners, a fatal swing
in the world championship for Suzuki
and Kawasaki eventually taking the
win under protest.
By the end of the first hour, five
different teams were incredibly within
one second of each other, with KRT
sitting in third place. By the end of
hour five, only six seconds were cov-
ering the top three of KRT, Red Bull
Honda and Yamaha Racing Team.
After seven long hours in the Jap-
anese heat and humidity in which the
leading three teams of the Yamaha
Factory Racing Team (Alex Lowes,
Michael van der Mark and Katsuyuki
Nakasuga), Kawasaki Racing Team
(Jonathan Rea, Leon Haslam and
Toprak Razgatlioglu—who did not
complete a stint), and the Red Bull
Honda team (Stefan Bradl, Ryuichi
Kiyonari and Takumi Takahashi) were
never more than seconds apart,
incredible drama followed just 20
minutes from the finish.
The Suzuki Endurance Racing
Team (SERT), on course to take the
2019 Endurance World Champion-
ship, blew its motor at turn three,
dumping oil on the racing surface
IN
THE
WIND
P48
Jonathan Rea leads Nakasuga
early in the 8 Hours. The Kawasaki
Racing Team and Yamaha Factory
Racing Team were never more
than a few seconds apart.
