Suzuka reminded us why endurance racing is a unique discipline.
A week of work, progress, emotions… and a race that took us through every emotion.
It all started with our arrival in Japan and meeting the members of our Japanese team. For Loïc, it was his first time experiencing the legendary Suzuka circuit. Lucas Mahias and Robin Mulhauser, meanwhile, were getting reacquainted with a track featuring a brand-new surface.
From the very first practice sessions, the hard work paid off. Lap after lap, the lap times improved and confidence grew. Qualifying confirmed this impressive progress with a 6th place finish in the Stock category.
The start lived up to our ambitions. Loïc completed a superb first leg of over 30 minutes, battling in the Top 3 Stock with a fast and consistent pace.
Then, everything changes.
Following a competitor's crash, oil spilled onto the track. Loïc couldn't avoid falling. Fortunately, he got up uninjured and managed to bring the motorcycle back to the pits.
That's where another race begins.
Our mechanics carry out an express repair and we leave... last in the Stock category.
But nobody is giving up.
Relay after relay, Loïc, Lucas and Robin deliver outstanding performances and stage a magnificent comeback to the very edge of the Top 10. The whole team is mobilized, everyone is giving their all.
Another setback during a refueling stop unfortunately forces us to return to the pit box. Once again, we have to move forward.
Thanks to everyone's efforts, we are back in the Top 10 Stock after several relays.
With less than 40 minutes to go, a final technical problem dashed all our hopes. For 29 long minutes, our mechanics fought tirelessly to get the bike back on track.
They succeed.
We finally crossed the finish line in 14th place in the Stock category.
This result does not reflect our potential, but it perfectly reflects our state of mind: that of a team that refuses to give up, that gets back up after every difficulty and that fights until the checkered flag.
A huge thank you to our drivers, the entire technical team, our partners, and everyone who supports us. This race will make us even stronger.
At Suzuka, the stopwatch determines the standings. But it's how they recover that writes a team's history.
Thank you for sharing this adventure with us. See you at the next challenge! 💪🏁🇯🇵
