Honda to field Nicky Hayden at Suzuka 8 Hours endurance race

New Delhi: Honda has announced its racers that will be competing in the 3rd round of the 2016 FIM Endurance World Championship Series, the 39th Suzuka 8 hours FIM Endurance World Championship (Suzuka 8 hours), which will be held at the Suzuka circuit in Japan's Mie Prefecture on Sunday, July 31.

FCC TSR Honda, runners-up in the 2015 Suzuka 8 hours, will field Kazuma Watanabe, who finished 3rd in first round of 2016 FIM World Endurance Championship – the 24 Hours of Le Mans, Dominique Aegerter, currently a Moto2 rider who makes his 3rd consecutive appearance at Suzuka, and Patrick Jacobsen, who is competing in the Supersport World Championship as of now.

MuSASHi RT HARC-PRO will be aiming to cross the checkered flag first with its 2013-2014 winning riders' team – Japan's Takumi Takahashi, currently racing in the JSB1000 class in All-Japan Road Race Championship Series, and Michael van Der Mark, currently racing in the World Superbike Championship Series. Moreover, former MotoGP champion Nicky Hayden, who makes his return to Suzuka 8 Hours after a gap of 13 years, will join Satu HATI. Honda Team Asia marks its fifth consecutive year of racing in the Suzuka 8 hours.

Seven Honda associate teams will also race at the Suzuka 8 Hours. Honda Kumamoto Racing, a team from the earthquake-affected Kumamoto factory, will join Honda Ryokuyoukai Kumamoto Racing, with Kumamon and Honda Blue Helmet MSC Kumamoto to race at Suzuka, representing Kumamoto's strong will to overcome the effects of the natural disaster.

Source: bikedekho.com