Kawasaki reveals its 3-rider line up for Suzuka 8 Hours

Bruno Gomes

March 26, 2018

The race version ZX-10RR for the Suzuka 8 Hours is based on the road version anyone can buy at the dealership! Photo credit: Kawasaki

This year’s edition of the prestigious Suzuka 8 Hours endurance race, to be held on the 28 and 29th of July, is growing in interest with some manufacturers revealing their one-off factory backed teams for this special event.

The latest manufacturer to confirm its rider line up is Kawasaki, and the names that the Akashi factory team announced, will make the “green machine” fight for the win!

The main rider for the factory Kawasaki Team Green is, of course, Jonathan Rea, current World Superbike champion with Kawasaki and recent winner of race one of the Superbike category in Chang International Circuit, in Thailand. Rea has the talent and also the experience to lead the team to victory, not to mention one win at the Suzuka 8 Hours.

The second big name to join Kawasaki Team Green is another British rider, Leon Haslam, who currently rides for Kawasaki at the highly competitive British Superbike Championship. Haslam has competed at the Suzuka 8 Hours race quite a few times already, having won at the Japanese event twice, not forgetting wins in BSB and World Superbike where he raced for many years.

And last but not least, the third rider to join Kawasaki Team Green is Japanese rising star Kazuma Watanabe, who currently competes in JSB1000 class at the All Japan Road Race Championship.

Now that the rider line up is officialy revealed, Kawasaki Team Green will start to prepare and test the Ninja ZX-10RR race bike, specifically built to be used at this endurance race in Suzuka, and all three riders will have the chance to complete many laps with the bike to make sure everything is ready for race weekend in July.