Johann Zarco Targets Suzuka 8 Hours 2026 Hat-Trick Bid

MotoGP, Sportrik Media - Johann Zarco has confirmed he will return to the Suzuka 8 Hours in 2026 with LCR Honda, targeting a third consecutive victory in the prestigious endurance race.

The French rider secured victory in last year’s event alongside Takumi Takahashi, delivering a record-extending 31st win for Honda Racing Corporation. The result was achieved under challenging conditions, with the team forced to continue with just two riders after Xavi Vierge withdrew, while facing strong opposition from Yamaha, including fellow MotoGP rider Jack Miller.

“Just doing it with two riders was really, really difficult,” Zarco said.

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“Thanks to Takumi because he's always doing the job, every stint, and that's so impressive.”

“I tried to do the same, and I hope next year we will be three riders.”

Although Honda’s full 2026 Suzuka line-up has yet to be officially confirmed, Zarco made clear that he will once again be part of the effort. His participation reflects Honda’s continued reliance on experienced MotoGP riders to maintain competitiveness in the Endurance World Championship.

“The 8 Hours of Suzuka has almost become a tradition for me with Honda,” Zarco told the official EWC website.

“It’s also part of our contract because they need a top rider to try to win, and I really enjoy racing there.”

This year’s edition presents an additional challenge, as the race is scheduled between MotoGP rounds rather than during the summer break. Zarco will therefore face an intense sequence of events, competing in the Czech Republic, the Netherlands, Suzuka, and Germany across four consecutive weeks.

“What’s going to be tricky this year is that it falls between two Grand Prix races,” he explained.

“So I’ll be racing back-to-back in the Czech Republic, the Netherlands, Suzuka and Germany.”

“That means four weeks straight.”

Despite the demanding schedule, Zarco remains confident in his ability to perform. His previous experience at Suzuka is expected to play a crucial role in quickly reaching a competitive level within a limited preparation window.

“Given the experience I’ve gained at Suzuka, I know I have enough speed to, let’s say, get there, get up to speed on Wednesday and be competitive on Sunday.”

Takumi Takahashi is expected to return, while six-time WorldSBK champion Jonathan Rea has been linked to the third seat. Meanwhile, Miller has yet to confirm his participation with Yamaha due to the MotoGP calendar constraints.

“I'd like to do it, but it’ll be tight,” Miller said previously.

“It's during the weekend off between Assen and Sachsenring, and takes a little bit to recover from.”

“I’m not saying I can’t do it, but whether they want me to do it is another thing.”

The 2026 Suzuka 8 Hours is scheduled to take place from 3–5 July, forming part of one of the most demanding phases of Zarco’s racing calendar. As he targets a third consecutive victory, the event will serve as a key performance indicator ahead of the second half of the MotoGP season, particularly with the Sachsenring round immediately following this intensive sequence.