Pecco Bagnaia Eyes Suzuka 8 Hours

The two-time World Champion Francesco Bagnaia Expresses Desire to Compete at Suzuka 8 Hours, But Ducati MotoGP Commitments May Delay Dream.

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Ducati Lenovo rider and reigning MotoGP World Champion Francesco Bagnaia has expressed his wish to compete in the legendary Suzuka 8 Hours endurance race, though he admits it may be a long wait before he gets the opportunity.

Historically, factory Ducati riders have been absent from Suzuka, with the Italian brand rarely fielding an official team in the race. However, recent developments may hint at a changing landscape. 

Ducati has begun to show increased interest in the event, providing official support to Team Kagayama, which featured Malaysian rider Hafizh Syahrin aboard a Panigale V4 R. Team Kagayama finished fourth in the 2024 edition of Suzuka, narrowly missing out on the podium, with Yoshimura SERT Suzuki securing third and eventually winning the 2024 Endurance World Championship at the Bol d’Or.

According to Crash.net, Ducati’s growing involvement in the endurance race, combined with past remarks from Paolo Ciabatti, former Ducati Corse Sporting Director, suggests the manufacturer has ambitions to secure a Suzuka victory in the near future. Ciabatti had previously mentioned Ducati’s desire to triumph in the iconic race, sparking speculation that the Italian factory might involve its MotoGP riders.

With the 2025 MotoGP and Endurance World Championship (EWC) calendars now published and no scheduling conflicts between MotoGP and Suzuka for the second consecutive year, Bagnaia theoretically has a window to compete. However, Bagnaia acknowledges that balancing his MotoGP commitments makes this challenging. 

Speaking ahead of last weekend’s Indonesian Grand Prix, Bagnaia said, “I’ve always dreamed of racing at Suzuka, but with 22 races in MotoGP and a very demanding calendar, it’s difficult right now. Maybe I’ll have to wait until I’m retired, but I want to race there while I’m at my best.”

Bagnaia’s current focus remains on MotoGP, where he is chasing his eighth victory of the 2024 season, which would mark his most successful premier-class campaign. 

The last rider to achieve eight or more wins in a single MotoGP season was Marc Marquez, who claimed 12 in 2019. If Bagnaia secures a win at this weekend’s Japanese GP at Motegi, it will cement Ducati’s dominance in 2024, extending the Bologna manufacturer’s record to 13 consecutive victories.

Ducati, aiming for their eighth MotoGP win at Motegi, will also be looking to maintain their streak of 76 consecutive front-row starts, which dates back to Valencia 2020. A victory in Japan would continue Ducati’s march towards MotoGP history, as the last manufacturer to achieve 13 consecutive premier-class wins was Honda in the early 2000s.

Bagnaia remains optimistic but realistic about his Suzuka ambitions: “Next year will surely be difficult, but I’ll keep asking. Let’s see what the future holds.”

As the Italian prepares for the MotoGP race at Mobility Resort Motegi, Japan, fans eagerly await to see if he can continue his dominant form and secure his place among MotoGP legends.