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Suzuka 8 Hours Japan
Issued 16th July 2008
Formula EWC and Superstock meet different challenges
 The “Coca Cola Zero” Suzuka 8 Hours, third round of the 2008 Qtel FIM Endurance World Championship, will take place in Japan on 27 July.
This year, for a better equity and sportive interest, the new regulation makes the Japanese bikes previously engaged in JSB (Japanese Superbike, without any World Championship points) to compete in Formula EWC, the main class competing for the title in the 2008 Qtel FIM World Endurance Championship.
That makes an even more challenging contest for the permanent teams of the 2008 Qtel FIM Endurance World Championship who will have to fight even harder to score points against the well-prepared factory or even semi-official Japanese teams.
Even within the strict technical regulations of the Formula EWC class, the local teams have more than sufficient resources to score big points for the World Championship.
The permanent teams might be able to fight back though. Current World Champion Suzuki Endurance Racing Team, seventh last year at Suzuka, is perfectly capable of ending up within the top 5.
The permanent teams are now starting to feel at home at Suzuka, where experience is crucial to deal with a demanding track, sultry heat and passionate spectators.
This gained familiarity allows many permanent teams to beat a good number of Japanese counterparts on their home track.
Yamaha Austria Racing Team had already scored its name on the event’s history, by finishing in the top 10 in 2005 and 2006, and can repeat it this year.
Phase One Endurance or Bolliger Switzerland, respectively fifteenth and eighteenth last year, are coming back with the ambition of scoring big points at Suzuka.
 The winner will go back home with 30 points for this 8 Hours race.
It will be easier though, to compete for the title in the Superstock FIM World Cup, since the Japanese don’t show much interest for this class.
The Suzuka round will put together again the five permanent teams.
At present, Qatar Endurance Racing Team IJT leads the class ahead of LTG 57. Endurance Moto 45 has a good card to play in taking third place over Junior Team Suzuki, which won’t be at Suzuka.
There are currently 82 teams on the list of runners for the Suzuka 8 Hours.
The joint project between permanent team La Fortezza Amadeus X-One and Japanese team FCC TSR will finally not happen.
Therefore, La Fortezza Amadeus X-One stays on Yamaha with its normal team of riders, Paolo Tessari, Will Gruy and Riccardo Ricci. FCC TSR entering the Honda number 2 with the 2006 winners Takeshi Tsujimura and Shinichi Itoh, is also entering with the Honda number 6 ridden by Satoru Iwata and Hiroyuki Kikuchi.
The first free practice sessions will take place at Suzuka on July 24th.
www.fimendurance.com
2008 Calendar
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April 19th / 20th
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France
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Le Mans 24 H
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May 10th
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Spain
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Albacete 6 H
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July 27th
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Japan
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Suzuka 8 H
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August 9th
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Germany
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Oschersleben 8 H
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September 13th / 14th
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France
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Bol d’Or 24 H
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November 8th
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Qatar
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Doha/Losail 8 H
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