Michael van der Mark has a nasty crash going into the chicane, just moments after the footrest of his factory BMW broke.
This cut short his stint, with van der Mark immediately pitting to hand over the No. 37 bike to Markus Reiterberger, who is now running 20th.
Jason O'Ohalloran has brought the No. 7 YART Yamaha back in the garage for more repairs.
After just four minutes in the pits, the YART Yamaha team has managed to send Jason O'Ohalloran back out on track again. However, given he spent a fair bit of time on the ground before bringing the bike back, he has dropped three laps down in 27th place.
Jason O'Ohalloran has dropped it at the chicane while running in traffic. He was trying to keep up with third-placed Michael van der Mark.
O'Ohalloran remounts on the bike and brings it back to the garage immediately.
It's important to note that YART Yamaha arrived in Suzuka as the championship leader.
Kawasaki last competed in the Suzuka 8 Hours with its factory WSBK team in 2023. But there are still a number of outfits running the ZX-10R this year. The #11 Kawasaki Webike Trickstar bike is currently placed 13th with Gregory Leblanc, just behind the recovering No. 1 Yoshimura Suzuki of Cocora Atsumi.
Michael van der Mark has moved up to third place on the factory No. 37 BMW after passing the No. 73 Honda of Teppei Nagoe and the No. 7 YART Yamaha of Jason O'Halloran in quick succession.
Unfortunately for him, Jack Miller is 46s up the road in second place.
Factory Yamaha rider Jack Miller is currently running 13s behind Takumi Takahashi in second. Here is a look at his recent lap times.
2m08.428s
2m09.299s
2m07.499s.
2m08.769s
With the pitstops now complete, the No. 7 YART Yamaha is now running in third place with Jason O'Ohalloran. Teppei Nagoe has dropped to fourth on the No. 73 Harc-Pro Honda.
Johann Zarco brings the race-leading No. 30 Honda into the pits at the end of the hour. Takumi Takahashi is back aboard the bike.
Jack Miller begins his first stint in the Suzuka 8 Hours. Miller takes over the No. 21 Yamaha from Andrea Locatelli and will be hoping to close the gap to the race-leading No. 30 Honda, which is yet to pit.
Apart from the Yoshimura team, the winner of the inaugural Suzuka 8 Hours back in 1978, Suzuki is also represented by its own factory team this year.
Takuya Tsuda, Albert Arenas and Etienne Masson are riding the No. 0 GSX-R1000R in the experimental class on 100% sustainable fuel.
Odendaal pits from sixth place aboard the factory BMW, kicking off the second round of pitstops.
The Kagayama Ducati is also in the pits
Johann Zarco has quickly built a gap of 14s aboard the factory Honda. His best lap so far been a 2m07.059s, which is just a little over a tenth slower than the best lap of the race so far set by Naomichi Uramoto on the Ube Racing BMW.
Here is a look at Zarco's recent lap times
2m08.118s
2m07.720s
2m08.951s
2m08.203s
2m07.183s
Ducati is represented in the Suzuka 8 Hours with a single entry from Team Kagayama. Marcel Schrotter is currently running ninth on the No. 3 Panigale V4 R, 53s down on Johann Zarco's Honda.
Alan Techer has just revealed that F.C.C. TSR Honda is retiring from the race after his teammate reported a lack of power in the second stint. Techer fears this could also mean the end of the team's chances of winning the EWC title.
Don't discount the YART Yamaha yet. Karel Hanika has just demoted Isle of Man TT winner Davey Todd (Ube Racing BMW) to grab fourth place aboard the EWC points-leading bike.
The F.C.C. TSR Honda bike is in the garage with mechanical issues. The Honda squad has been immensely successful at Suzuka and most recently won the race in 2012 a certain Jonathan Rea in its line-up.
Dan Linfoot has crashed in the first sector aboard the No. 1 Yoshimura Suzuki. He quickly remounted on the bike, but is now down in 12th place
We are now an hour into the race. For those who are unfamiliar with the Suzuka 8 Hours' Le Mans-style start, here is a video
2025鈴鹿8時間耐久ロードレース
— FIM EWC JAPAN (@fimewc_JAPAN) August 3, 2025
スタート！🟢🟢🟢#鈴鹿8耐#Suzuka8hours#ewcjp#fimewcpic.twitter.com/jlpJx3V6zy
The No. 21 Yamaha is now running in a net second place after the pitstops. Andrea Locatelli is running just over a second clear of third-place Keito Abe on the No. 73 Harc-Pro Honda
Takumi Takahashi has finally pitted from the lead after 27 laps and just under an hour on the bike.
Johann Zarco hops on the factory Honda!
Nakasauga brings the factory Yamaha into the pits after 26 laps, with Andrea Locatelli taking over. Jack Miller will have to wait for his stint.
The first pitstops have begun. Erstwhile race leader Kunii are among those to pit.
Keito Abe has taken over the No. 73 Harc-Pro Honda from Kunii.
