MANFREDI PROTAGONIST IN THE SUZUKA 8 HOURS

The 47th edition of the Coca-Cola Suzuka 8 Hours has concluded, the historic and selective motorcycle marathon on the legendary Japanese track, considered one of the world's greatest challenges for manufacturers. For Kevin Manfredi, this was his third consecutive participation in the Japanese classic, the second aboard the Honda of Team RAC41 Dafy-Kaedear Honda, with which he had already come close to pole position and a podium finish last year.

While in 2025, scorching heat had dominated, this year's edition was marked by rain. Despite the treacherous conditions, Manfredi confirmed his position as one of the absolute protagonists from the first practice session, proving to be the team's fastest rider and the only European in the Superstock class able to consistently compete with the best local specialists.

In the second qualifying session, only four drivers managed to dip below the 2'07" mark. Among them was Kevin, who posted an excellent 2'06.8", reaffirming his competitiveness on a track as technical as it is challenging. At the end of the sessions, Team RAC41 Dafy-Kaedear Honda finished fifth in their class on the starting grid.

It was the La Spezia-born driver who took the lead, calmly approaching the most delicate phase of the race: the start. Manfredi played the role perfectly, immediately taking the lead in the Superstock class and setting a blistering pace until the Safety Car came out. In the following stints, he maintained extraordinary consistency, lapping at the pace of the best and proving, at various points, to be the absolute benchmark in the category.

A small technical problem in the early stages forced the driver to adopt complex driving techniques, which he brilliantly overcame to maintain the lead for three consecutive hours. Subsequently, during their teammate's session, an unfortunate crash compromised their comeback and podium finish, forcing the crew to a narrow seventh-place finish, but thanks to the points earned, they now hold third place in the championship standings.

Kevin: "Another top weekend. I'm very happy to have shown my speed and potential here in Japan. Not having had the opportunity to test, I didn't expect to find this feeling with the track right away. Instead, thanks to the team's extraordinary work, I was able to be competitive right from free practice, both in the dry and the wet.

I tackled the start and the first three hours of the race straight away. At the start of the stint, we had a small technical issue, which I managed by adapting my riding style and maintaining the lead for three hours. Unfortunately, my teammate's subsequent crash compromised the result. Seventh place leaves a bitter taste in the mouth because our speed was podium-worthy, but the points earned allow us to move up to third in the championship. At the 24 Hours of Bol d'Or in September, everything will still be decided."

With the Japanese trip behind us, Manfredi will return to the track in the next few days at Misano for the Racing Night of the Italian Speed ​​Championship. The grand finale of the 2026 World Endurance Championship is set for September, when Team RAC41 Dafy-Kaedear Honda will return to the lineup for the 24 Hours of Bol d'Or, with the title race still wide open.

Kevin thanks the sponsors and technical partners of the 2026 season.