2025 Suzuka 8 Hours
Jack Miller to race Suzuka 8H
Jack Miller will join the factory Yamaha Racing Team line-up this year at the 46th edition of the FIM Endurance World Championship “Coca-Cola” Suzuka 8 Hours Endurance Road Race.
The 2025 edition of the Suzuka 8 Hours holds extra significance as Yamaha celebrate their 70th anniversary this year with a factory effort at the Suzuka 8 Hours for the first time since 2019.
Miller already has experience in endurance racing. He took part in the Suzuka 8 Hours once before in 2017. Though he finished just off the podium in fourth place, he caught the endurance racing bug and fell in love with the prominent Japanese event. He has been dreaming of a do-over ever since, and he feels all the more honoured to have been selected by Yamaha for the 2025 factory line-up.
Jack Miller
“It’s obviously a massive honour for me to be able to represent Yamaha at the Suzuka 8 Hours this year. It’s a race I’ve been wanting to go back to since 2017 when I finished fourth, losing to Yamaha that time. It’s a big pleasure that I get to ride that Yamaha R1 motorcycle this time and represent the factory Yamaha Racing Team in Japan at such a prestigious race. Like I said, I’ve been dreaming of this race, and to have the opportunity to come back with such a strong team is a massive pleasure. I look forward to hopefully a good result for them at home and receiving some big support from the Japanese fans.”
Miller will be joined by seasoned Suzuka 8 Hours rider Katsuyuki Nakasuga, who played an integral part in Yamaha Factory Racing Team’s four-consecutive victories (2015-2018) and is also a 12-time All Japan Road Race JSB1000 Champion. Yamaha’s third rider for the 2025 Suzuka 8 Hours event will be selected from Yamaha’s current crop of WorldSBK riders, with an announcement to follow shortly.
The appointed Team Manager for the factory entry is a rider who himself contested in the 1999 Suzuka 8 Hours and took the All Japan Road Racing Superbike title that same year: Wataru Yoshikawa, one of Yamaha’s iconic stars of the 1990s.
The Yamaha Racing Team will complete two private test days on July 3-4 before they officially return to action at the 46th “Coca-Cola” Suzuka 8 Hours Endurance Race on Friday, August 1 when practice and qualifying get underway ahead of the traditional Top Ten Trial on Saturday and the Race on Sunday.
Tetsu Ono – Yamaha Motor Co., Ltd.‘s Motorsports Strategy Division General Manager
“This year marks the 70th anniversary of Yamaha’s founding, and our factory entry in the Suzuka 8 Hours Endurance Race is a major part of our commemorative racing programme. With the goal of writing a new page in our 70-year history of taking on challenges and to deliver excitement to our fans worldwide who have supported us throughout those 70 years, we have been looking for the best rider line-up to win the Suzuka 8 Hours. I am now proud to announce that our second rider will be current MotoGP regular Jack Miller.
“Miller has been a very important part of our double factory line-up in MotoGP. Since the opening round of the season, he has contributed not just to testing and development but has also spurred on the entire Yamaha team with his fighting attitude and strong presence. With his previous experience in the Suzuka 8 Hours he is the perfect fit for the Yamaha Racing Team as we aim for victory in 2025.
“Just as he already does in MotoGP, Miller will bring to the team his experience, knowledge, passion, and fighting spirit. With Miller in our line-up, we’re aiming to put on a race that will be remembered by fans around the world. The team’s third rider will be announced at a later date, so please keep an eye on future announcements.”
