[Breaking News] Ryo Mizuno to Race the GSX-R at Suzuka 8 Hours! Set to Compete with Team Suzuki CN Challenge

Suzuki announced that Ryo Mizuno, currently competing in the All Japan Road Race Championship with Ducati Team Kagayama, will be the third rider for Team Suzuki CN Challenge, which will compete in the Experimental class of the "2026 FIM Endurance World Championship Coca-Cola Suzuka 8 Hours Endurance Road Race 47th Race."

The Face of Ducati in Japan Rides for Suzuki at the 8 Hours!

Ryo Mizuno, a top rider in the All Japan Championship and currently competing in the JSB1000 class with a Panigale V4R for Ducati Team Kagayama, will be riding a GSX-R1000R at the Suzuka 8 Hours!

On May 8th, Suzuki announced that Ryo Mizuno will be the third rider for Team Suzuki CN Challenge, competing in the Experimental class at the Suzuka 8 Hours. Alongside the already announced riders Etienne Masson and Takuya Tsuda, they will aim for the 8 Hours podium while achieving carbon neutrality.

Mizuno has been competing in the All Japan JSB1000 with Ducati since 2024. He is currently on a three-race winning streak from the start of the season, truly in peak form!

Mizuno has been competing in the All Japan JSB1000 class with a Ducati Panigale V4R since 2024, and is now considered the face of Ducati in Japan. There is no doubt about his speed as a top contender in the All Japan Championship, and he is in excellent form this year with three consecutive wins from the opening round. If he carries this momentum into the 8 Hours, which begins on July 3rd, the Team Suzuki CN Challenge's GSX-R1000R will be a very interesting contender.

Team Kagayama recently announced their non-participation in the 8 Hours, and Mizuno's participation this time is likely related to this development. In any case, Honda is likely to have MotoGP rider Johann Zarco participate again this year, and Yamaha has already announced their participation with a factory team. With Suzuki entering with a top-class rider like Mizuno, this year's Suzuka is shaping up to be exciting!

Team Suzuki CN Challenge has been participating in the Suzuka 8 Hours since 2024. Although they compete in the Experimental class using carbon-neutral parts and fuel, their speed is comparable to the EWC class where factory teams compete. Can they aim for the top this year?!

(From left) Etienne Masson, Takuya Tsuda, and Ryo Mizuno. Team Suzuki CN Challenge for 2026 will tackle the 8 Hours with these three star riders!

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