{"id":2026112,"date":"2026-07-03T10:38:05","date_gmt":"2026-07-03T07:38:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=2026112"},"modified":"2026-07-03T10:38:05","modified_gmt":"2026-07-03T07:38:05","slug":"jonathan-rea-puts-honda-on-top-in-suzuka-8-hours-qualifying","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=2026112","title":{"rendered":"Jonathan Rea puts Honda on top in Suzuka 8 Hours qualifying"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>[analyse_image type=&#8221;featured&#8221; src=&#8221;https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-07\/6a44d0f05c1b10.35764935_1600x900.jpg?width=1600&amp;aspect_ratio=16:9&#8243;]<\/p>\n<article>\n<header id=\"lbs-article\" class=\"article header article-header section layout layout--article-header\">\n<div class=\"col headline\">\n<div>\n<h1>Jonathan Rea puts Honda on top in Suzuka 8 Hours qualifying<\/h1>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div class=\"summary body\">\n<p>Jack Miller&#8217;s Yamaha team trails Jonathan Rea&#8217;s Honda entry after Friday qualifying for the 2026 Suzuka 8 Hours.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"section two-column\">\n<div class=\"col article-info\">\n<div>\n<address> Peter McLaren <\/address>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div><time datetime=\"2026-07-03T11:38:05+01:00\">03 Jul 2026<\/time><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"col article-actions\">\n<div class=\"block block-better-social-sharing-buttons block-social-sharing-buttons-block\">\n<div class=\"social-sharing-buttons\"><span class=\"ssb-title\"> Share<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/header>\n<div id=\"lbs-content\" class=\"content wide-two-column-sticky section layout layout--wide-two-column-sticky\">\n<div class=\"col first-column\">\n<div>\n<div>\n<figure> <source srcset=\"https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-07\/6a44d0f05c1b10.35764935_1600x900.jpg?width=1920&amp;format=webp&amp;aspect_ratio=16:9 1920w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-07\/6a44d0f05c1b10.35764935_1600x900.jpg?width=1800&amp;format=webp&amp;aspect_ratio=16:9 1800w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-07\/6a44d0f05c1b10.35764935_1600x900.jpg?width=1600&amp;format=webp&amp;aspect_ratio=16:9 1600w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-07\/6a44d0f05c1b10.35764935_1600x900.jpg?width=1500&amp;format=webp&amp;aspect_ratio=16:9 1500w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-07\/6a44d0f05c1b10.35764935_1600x900.jpg?width=1200&amp;format=webp&amp;aspect_ratio=16:9 1200w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-07\/6a44d0f05c1b10.35764935_1600x900.jpg?width=900&amp;format=webp&amp;aspect_ratio=16:9 900w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-07\/6a44d0f05c1b10.35764935_1600x900.jpg?width=800&amp;format=webp&amp;aspect_ratio=16:9 800w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-07\/6a44d0f05c1b10.35764935_1600x900.jpg?width=600&amp;format=webp&amp;aspect_ratio=16:9 600w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-07\/6a44d0f05c1b10.35764935_1600x900.jpg?width=400&amp;format=webp&amp;aspect_ratio=16:9 400w\" sizes=\"(min-width:1024px) 710px, (min-width:768px) 62vw, 97vw\" type=\"image\/webp\" \/><figcaption>\n<div>Honda HRC #30 (Chantra\/Rea\/Takahashi), 2026 Suzuka 8 Hours.<\/div>\n<div class=\"source\"> \u00a9\u00a0Honda Racing<\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"block block-preferred-source\">\n<div class=\"preferred-source-cta\">  Add as a preferred source <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div class=\"body\">\n<p>Jonathan Rea led the defending HRC team to the top of Friday\u2019s qualifying sessions for the 2026 Suzuka 8 Hours.<\/p>\n<p>The six-time WorldSBK champion, a Suzuka winner for Honda (2012) and Kawasaki (2019), set the pace with a 2m 4.422s lap.<\/p>\n<p>However, the Suzuka qualifying system is split into three sessions, one for each rider, with the best lap by two riders in each team averaged for the final classification.<\/p>\n<p>Rea\u2019s flyer was backed up by 2m 5.055s by Takumi Takahashi, who won last year\u2019s event alongside Johann Zarco, giving HRC the best average of 2m 4.7638s.<\/p>\n<p>LCR Honda&#8217;s 2025 MotoGP rider Somkiat Chantra, now competing in WorldSBK and called up to replace the injured Zarco, set a 2m 5.465s.<\/p>\n<aside>\n<div class=\"block\">\n<div class=\"mpu-block\">\n<div class=\"mpu-title\"><span>Article continues below<\/span><span>ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<aside>\n<div class=\"block\">\n<div class=\"mpu-block\">\n<div class=\"mpu-title\"><span>Article continues below<\/span><span>ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<p>HRC\u2019s average edged out the BMW team of Markus Reiterberger, Steven Odendaal and Michael Van Der Mark by just 0.075s heading into Saturday\u2019s Top 10 Trial, which will decide pole position.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div>View this post on Instagram<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>A post shared by Jonathan Rea (@jonathan_rea)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"placeholder embed instagram\">\n<div>Loading this video will expose you to potential cookies and tracking by the provider<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>Former MotoGP rider Randy de Puniet is part of the Elf Marc VDS team that claimed third overall, ahead of Yamaha\u2019s full-time YART endurance team.<\/p>\n<aside>\n<div class=\"block\">\n<div class=\"ins-related_content dsp-related_content_in_article\">\n<h2>Read More<\/h2>\n<div class=\"related-content-in-body js-view-dom-id-dffb9eef8f4f2c6349efb7c13da57dac0284d48ac587dbb1c54bc04ffaf68365\">  \u201cQualifying didn&#8217;t go as I&#8217;d hoped\u201d &#8211; Jack Miller chasing Suzuka 8 Hours turnaround   \u201cStill some margin\u201d &#8211; Jonathan Rea tops Suzuka 8 Hours qualifying for HRC <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<h2>Jack Miller&#8217;s factory Yamaha team in 5th<\/h2>\n<p>Jack Miller, Katsuyuki Nakasuga and Andrea Locatelli were fifth quickest for the Yamaha Factory Racing Team entry.<\/p>\n<p>WorldSBK\u2019s Locatelli set the team\u2019s best lap of 2m 4.971s, followed by Miller on a 2m 5.422s for an average of 2m 5.196s.<\/p>\n<p>That put the #21 machine, runner-up in last year\u2019s event, 0.458s behind the leading HRC average.<\/p>\n<aside>\n<div class=\"block\">\n<div class=\"mpu-block\">\n<div class=\"mpu-title\"><span>Article continues below<\/span><span>ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<aside>\n<div class=\"block\">\n<div class=\"mpu-block\">\n<div class=\"mpu-title\"><span>Article continues below<\/span><span>ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<aside>\n<div class=\"block\">\n<div class=\"ins-related_content dsp-related_content_in_article_2\">\n<h2>Read More<\/h2>\n<div class=\"related-content-in-body js-view-dom-id-1e0c890f4026f21ade5b6e8b148c9bcf352a3025bcbf926d69b3c2b18e9e9540\">  &#8220;One of those historic races&#8221; &#8211; Jack Miller chasing Suzuka 8 Hours victory this weekend   Starting grid for the 2026 Assen MotoGP race after a penalty <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<p>Former Moto3 race winner John McPhee is part of the F.C.C. TSR Honda France team in sixth.<\/p>\n<figure> <source srcset=\"https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-07\/jg9_1725_1600x900.jpg?width=1920&amp;format=webp 1920w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-07\/jg9_1725_1600x900.jpg?width=1800&amp;format=webp 1800w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-07\/jg9_1725_1600x900.jpg?width=1600&amp;format=webp 1600w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-07\/jg9_1725_1600x900.jpg?width=1500&amp;format=webp 1500w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-07\/jg9_1725_1600x900.jpg?width=1200&amp;format=webp 1200w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-07\/jg9_1725_1600x900.jpg?width=900&amp;format=webp 900w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-07\/jg9_1725_1600x900.jpg?width=800&amp;format=webp 800w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-07\/jg9_1725_1600x900.jpg?width=600&amp;format=webp 600w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-07\/jg9_1725_1600x900.jpg?width=400&amp;format=webp 400w\" sizes=\"(min-width:1024px) 710px, (min-width:768px) 62vw, 97vw\" type=\"image\/webp\" \/><figcaption>\n<div>Jack Miller, 2026 Suzuka 8 Hours.<\/div>\n<div class=\"source\"> \u00a9\u00a0Yamaha Racing<\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Miller is the only current MotoGP rider in this year&#8217;s event after Zarco was forced out by his Catalunya injuries.<\/p>\n<p>Yamaha hasn\u2019t won the 8 Hours since its 2018 factory entry of Nakasuga, Alex Lowes and van der Mark.<\/p>\n<p>Friday\u2019s track action ends with a night practice.<\/p>\n<aside>\n<div class=\"block\">\n<div class=\"mpu-block\">\n<div class=\"mpu-title\"><span>Article continues below<\/span><span>ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<aside>\n<div class=\"block\">\n<div class=\"mpu-block\">\n<div class=\"mpu-title\"><span>Article continues below<\/span><span>ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<p>A 45-minute free practice session will be held on Saturday before the Superpole-style Top 10 Trial starts at 14:15 local time.<\/p>\n<p>The race then starts at 11:30 on Sunday.<\/p>\n<div class=\"table-overflow\">\n<table class=\"crash-report\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td colspan=\"4\">\n<h2>2026 Suzuka 8 Hours &#8211; Friday Qualifying Results (Top 10)<\/h2>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><em>Pos<\/em><\/td>\n<td><em>Team<\/em><\/td>\n<td><em>Riders<\/em><\/td>\n<td><em>Best Lap Average<\/em><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>1<\/td>\n<td><strong>Honda HRC<\/strong><\/td>\n<td>Takumi Takahashi\/Jonathan Rea\/Somkiat Chantra<\/td>\n<td>2m 04.738s<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>2<\/td>\n<td><strong>BMW MOTORRAD WORLD ENDURANCE TEAM<\/strong><\/td>\n<td>Markus Reiterberger\/Steven Odendaal\/Michael VD Mark<\/td>\n<td>2m 04.813s<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>3<\/td>\n<td><strong>Elf Marc VDS Racing Team\/KM99<\/strong><\/td>\n<td>Randy De Puniet\/Florian Marino\/Alessandro Delbianco<\/td>\n<td>2m 04.960s<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>4<\/td>\n<td><strong>YART Yamaha Official EWC Team<\/strong><\/td>\n<td>Karel Hanika\/Marvin Fritz\/Leandro Denis Mercado<\/td>\n<td>2m 05.169s<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>5<\/td>\n<td><strong>YAMAHA FACTORY RACING TEAM<\/strong><\/td>\n<td>Katsuyuki Nakasuga\/Jack Miller\/Andrea Locatelli<\/td>\n<td>2m 05.196s<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>6<\/td>\n<td><strong>F.C.C. TSR Honda France<\/strong><\/td>\n<td>Alan Techer\/Corentin Perolari\/John McPhee<\/td>\n<td>2m 05.321s<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>7<\/td>\n<td><strong>Astemo Pro Honda SI Racing<\/strong><\/td>\n<td>Kohta Nozane\/Taiga Hada\/Kohta Arakawa<\/td>\n<td>2m 05.323s<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>8<\/td>\n<td><strong>Yoshimura SERT Motul<\/strong><\/td>\n<td>Gregg Black\/Dan Linfoot\/Cocoro Atsumi<\/td>\n<td>2m 05.359s<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>9<\/td>\n<td><strong>AutoRace Ube Racing Team<\/strong><\/td>\n<td>Naomichi Uramoto\/Sylvain Guintoli\/Christophe Ponsson<\/td>\n<td>2m 05.461s<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>10<\/td>\n<td><strong>SDG Team HARC-PRO. Honda<\/strong><\/td>\n<td>Yuki Kunii\/Teppei Nagoe\/Keito Abe<\/td>\n<td>2m 05.851s<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n<aside>\n<div class=\"block block-echobox\">\n<h2>Subscribe to our MotoGP Newsletter<\/h2>\n<div class=\"info js-form-wrapper form-wrapper\" data-drupal-selector=\"edit-info\" id=\"edit-info--2\">\n<p>Get the latest MotoGP news, exclusives, interviews and promotions from the paddock direct to your inbox<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"extra-info js-form-wrapper form-wrapper\" data-drupal-selector=\"edit-legal\" id=\"edit-legal--2\">\n<p>For more information see our Privacy Policy<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div>View this post on Instagram<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>A post shared by WorldSBK (@worldsbk)<\/p>\n<\/article>\n<div class=\"summary body\">\n<p>Jack Miller&#8217;s Yamaha team trails Jonathan Rea&#8217;s Honda entry after Friday qualifying for the 2026 Suzuka 8 Hours.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"body\">\n<p>Jonathan Rea led the defending HRC team to the top of Friday\u2019s qualifying sessions for the 2026 Suzuka 8 Hours.<\/p>\n<p>The six-time WorldSBK champion, a Suzuka winner for Honda (2012) and Kawasaki (2019), set the pace with a 2m 4.422s lap.<\/p>\n<p>However, the Suzuka qualifying system is split into three sessions, one for each rider, with the best lap by two riders in each team averaged for the final classification.<\/p>\n<p>Rea\u2019s flyer was backed up by 2m 5.055s by Takumi Takahashi, who won last year\u2019s event alongside Johann Zarco, giving HRC the best average of 2m 4.7638s.<\/p>\n<p>LCR Honda&#8217;s 2025 MotoGP rider Somkiat Chantra, now competing in WorldSBK and called up to replace the injured Zarco, set a 2m 5.465s.<\/p>\n<aside>\n<div class=\"block\">\n<div class=\"mpu-block\">\n<div class=\"mpu-title\"><span>Article continues below<\/span><span>ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<aside>\n<div class=\"block\">\n<div class=\"mpu-block\">\n<div class=\"mpu-title\"><span>Article continues below<\/span><span>ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<p>HRC\u2019s average edged out the BMW team of Markus Reiterberger, Steven Odendaal and Michael Van Der Mark by just 0.075s heading into Saturday\u2019s Top 10 Trial, which will decide pole position.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"body\">\n<p>Jonathan Rea led the defending HRC team to the top of Friday\u2019s qualifying sessions for the 2026 Suzuka 8 Hours.<\/p>\n<p>The six-time WorldSBK champion, a Suzuka winner for Honda (2012) and Kawasaki (2019), set the pace with a 2m 4.422s lap.<\/p>\n<p>However, the Suzuka qualifying system is split into three sessions, one for each rider, with the best lap by two riders in each team averaged for the final classification.<\/p>\n<p>Rea\u2019s flyer was backed up by 2m 5.055s by Takumi Takahashi, who won last year\u2019s event alongside Johann Zarco, giving HRC the best average of 2m 4.7638s.<\/p>\n<p>LCR Honda&#8217;s 2025 MotoGP rider Somkiat Chantra, now competing in WorldSBK and called up to replace the injured Zarco, set a 2m 5.465s.<\/p>\n<aside>\n<div class=\"block\">\n<div class=\"mpu-block\">\n<div class=\"mpu-title\"><span>Article continues below<\/span><span>ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<aside>\n<div class=\"block\">\n<div class=\"mpu-block\">\n<div class=\"mpu-title\"><span>Article continues below<\/span><span>ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<p>HRC\u2019s average edged out the BMW team of Markus Reiterberger, Steven Odendaal and Michael Van Der Mark by just 0.075s heading into Saturday\u2019s Top 10 Trial, which will decide pole position.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>[analyse_source url=&#8221;http:\/\/crash.net\/motogp\/news\/1100002\/1\/honda-top-after-friday-qualifying-2026-suzuka-8-hours&#8221;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>[analyse_image type=&#8221;featured&#8221; src=&#8221;https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-07\/6a44d0f05c1b10.35764935_1600x900.jpg?width=1600&amp;aspect_ratio=16:9&#8243;] Jonathan Rea puts Honda on top in Suzuka 8 Hours qualifying Jack Miller&#8217;s Yamaha team trails Jonathan Rea&#8217;s Honda entry after Friday qualifying for the 2026 Suzuka 8 Hours. Peter McLaren 03 Jul 2026 Share Honda HRC #30 (Chantra\/Rea\/Takahashi), 2026 Suzuka 8 Hours. \u00a9\u00a0Honda Racing Add as a preferred source Jonathan Rea [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[47,226],"class_list":["post-2026112","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-politics","tag-crash-net","tag-crawlmanager"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2026112","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=2026112"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2026112\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=2026112"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=2026112"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=2026112"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}