Yamaha completes factory Suzuka EWC line-up with Locatelli signing
Yamaha Racing Team’s line-up for the 46th Coca-Cola Suzuka 8 Hours Endurance Race, Japan’s round of the FIM Endurance World Championship, is complete with World Superbike star Andrea Locatelli joining forces with MotoGP race winner Jack Miller and multiple All Japan Road Race champion Katsuyuki Nakasuga.
Currently fifth in the FIM Superbike World Championship with the Pata Maxus Yamaha WorldSBK Official Team, the 28-year-old Italian will join Miller in making his debut in one of international motorcycle racing’s most prestigious events, which takes place from 1-3 August.
A Yamaha Motor Europe rider since 2021, one year after he won the FIM Supersport World Championship, Locatelli has been consistent performer in WorldSBK and won the third race at Assen in April. Based on this and his other strong contributions, Locatelli has been rewarded with a contract extension until the end of the 2027 season.
“For me it is a pleasure to be invited to ride the Suzuka 8 Hours for Yamaha,” said Locatelli. “For my whole WorldSBK career, I have been a Yamaha rider and this is an honour, especially as I have just signed a new contract to extend my relationship with Yamaha. It means a lot to me for Yamaha to give me this opportunity; it has been something I have always wanted to do, but to do it with the Yamaha Factory Racing team is really special.
“Suzuka is an amazing track, and this is a new opportunity and experience for me, so I am very much looking forward to it. Thank you to Yamaha and all of the people working on this project, I can’t wait to go for the test and then the race as we look to achieve the best result for Yamaha in this important race.”
Yamaha hasn’t won the EWC-counting Suzuka 8 Hours since 2018 and last entered a factory team in its home EWC counter in 2019, making its 2025 entry particularly significant.
Tetsu Ono – General Manager, Motorsport Strategy Division – Yamaha
“First of all, I’m very happy to welcome Andrea to the team. Him joining completes the third piece of our puzzle, with all three riders bringing something unique to the team. Nakasuga has a wealth of experience on the R1, at the 8 Hours and around Suzuka Circuit. Miller brings the passion and fighting spirit to fire up the team, and Locatelli has his signature consistency, along with a spirit of challenge and special motivation to take on his first 8 Hours.
“I’m sure that Team Manager Wataru Yoshikawa can combine the three riders’ strengths and will add to that the potential of the YZF-R1 that’s been honed through All Japan competition, bringing it all together to get the best possible package to take on this year’s race.
“For the race on August 3, I think it will be just like Nakasuga said at the team launch in March, when he talked about going back to get our revenge for 2019 with a newly formed factory effort. We want to celebrate Yamaha’s 70th anniversary with an 8 Hours win, and to do it with our fans from all around the world.”
Yamaha Racing Team is planning two days of private testing at Suzuka from 3-4 July.
Yamaha’s Suzuka 8 Hours Victories
1987 – Shiseido TECH21 Racing Team – YZF750 (Martin Wimmer, Kevin Magee)
1988 – Team Lucky Strike Roberts – YZF750 (Kevin Magee, Wayne Rainey)
1990 – Shiseido TECH21 Racing Team – YZF750 (Tadahiko Taira, Eddie Lawson)
1996 – Yamaha Racing Team – YZF750 (Colin Edwards, Noriyuki Haga)
2015 – Yamaha Factory Racing Team – YZF-R1 (Katsuyuki Nakasuga, Pol Espargaró, Bradley Smith)
2016 – Yamaha Factory Racing Team – YZF-R1 (Katsuyuki Nakasuga, Alex Lowes, Pol Espargaró)
2017 – Yamaha Factory Racing Team – YZF-R1 (Katsuyuki Nakasuga, Alex Lowes, Michael van der Mark)
2018 – Yamaha Factory Racing Team – YZF-R1 (Katsuyuki Nakasuga, Alex Lowes, Michael van der Mark)
