Team SUZUKI CN CHALLENGE goes sustainable
Suzuki has announced their intention to compete at the 2024 Suzuka 8 Hours (July 19-21), but their entry is now what you call conventional. The Japanese manufacturer will enter in the ‘Experimental Class’, a category for experimental purposes.
Suzuki will use the 40 per cent bio-sourced Sustainable Fuel, certified by the FIM (International Motorcycling Federation). Since this is not the official fuel of the EWC, they will instead participate in the Experimental Class, a category set for experimental purposes.
Besides Sustainable Fuel, new sustainable technologies will also be developed, including mufflers, tyres, oil, fairings, and brakes, which will be provided by sponsor partners who have agreed to take part in the challenge and are involved in the development and support of the project.
The team is named ‘Team SUZUKI CN CHALLENGE’ and is mainly composed of Suzuki employees. Yoshimura Japan is also part of the collaborative partnership.
Suzuki states that the purpose of the participation is to accelerate the development of environmental performance technologies through testing and competing in the demanding conditions of endurance racing.
Verifying information gathered through this participation to discover new and higher goals, as well as promoting the feedback of technologies to future production models.
Toshihiro Suzuki – Representative Director and President3
“I would like to thank the FIM, EWC organizer, and Suzuka Circuit who have given us this opportunity to participate in the Suzuka 8 Hours with Sustainable Fuel. Suzuki has been making efforts in re-allocating resources toward promoting development of sustainability-related technologies. EWC is an extremely demanding race for the machine, riders, and the team, forced to make long hours of running. By making development of Sustainable Fuel and other sustainable items of Yoshimura Japan, who has been fighting alongside us for a long time, and other partners in such a challenging environment, I believe that it would lead not only to improve Suzuki’s environmental performance technologies but also to contribute to personnel development and to increase motivation, which will be linked to making even better products in the future. I kindly ask for your enthusiastic cheers.”
Tsuyoshi Tanaka – Executive General Manager, Motorcycle Operations
“I believe this initiative has a very significant meaning to realize carbon neutrality especially for mid to large displacement motorcycles which are believed that combustion engine will still be needed. I can say with confidence that endurance racing, which simultaneously requests running performance and endurance, is the optimal place for testing and development of not only fuel but also various sustainable items, and it is an activity that would revitalize the future of motorcycle industry. We will not make it a one-time initiative but make firm efforts so that we can continue the initiative by aiming for higher goals in the years to come. I ask for your kind support.”
| Team SUZUKI CN CHALLENGE | |
| Riders | TBC (three riders) |
| Project leader/Team director | Shinichi Sahara |
| Fuel | Elf, Moto R40 FIM 40% bio-sourced material |
| Muffler | Yoshimura Japan, Silencer with catalyst |
| Tires | Bridgestone, Racing tires with increased ratio of recycled and recyclable materials |
| Engine Oil | MOTUL, Engine oil made with bio-sourced base oil |
| Fairings | JHI, Recycled carbon material (pre-preg material) |
| Fenders | Tras, Bcomp (Natural flax fibre composite material) |
| Front brake | Sunstar Engineering, Non-heat treatment steel discs, Low-dust pads |
| Battery | ELIIY Power, LFP battery for motorcycle, Storage battery for the garage |
Team SUZUKI CN CHALLENGE Gallery
