[Race Report] Team Kawasaki Webike Trickstar Kaedear Finishes Suzuka 8 Hours in 13th Place Despite Severe Weather

Team Kawasaki Webike Trickstar Kaedear participated in the "2026 FIM ENDURANCE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP Coca-Cola Suzuka 8 Hours Endurance Road Race" held on July 5, 2026, and reports the final race results. The team, which qualified in 14th place, developed its race strategy by leveraging its excellent fuel efficiency amidst rapidly changing weather conditions. Although they climbed to the top positions at one point, they finished in 13th place overall due to a crash in the final stages. This race was a crucial step towards the next round, the Bol d'Or 24 Hours, with the riders and team crew overcoming challenges together.

■ Race: 2026 FIM ENDURANCE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP Coca-Cola Suzuka 8 Hours Endurance Road Race
■ Circuit: Suzuka Circuit, Japan
■ Date: July 5, 2026
■ Team Name: Team Kawasaki Webike Trickstar Kaedear
■ Bib Number: #11
■ Riders: Romain Ramos / Christian Gamarino / Grégory LeBlanc
■ Results: Qualifying 14th (2:06.007) / Race 13th (Laps: 182, Best Lap: 2:18.620)

Record Team Time of 2:05 in Clear Qualifying Conditions

During the two days of practice sessions held in the first half of the race week, the team confirmed the bike's feel in both dry and wet conditions, proceeding smoothly with the setup. On the qualifying day, blessed with clear skies and rising track temperatures, rider blue Romain Ramos recorded 2:06.518 in the first qualifying session. In the second qualifying session, he executed a strategic time attack, marking a new team record of 2:05.711.

Rider yellow Christian Gamarino used new rear tires in the first qualifying session, recording 2:06.661, and steadily improved his time to 2:06.303 in the second session. Rider red Grégory LeBlanc, prioritizing a setup for the race, recorded 2:06.869 in the second qualifying session. Based on the combined times of Ramos and Gamarino, the team secured a 14th grid position for the final race.

Start of the Race in the Rain and a Precise Pit Strategy Leveraging Fuel Efficiency

The race day was marked by intermittent rain, creating unstable conditions. As the track was wet before the start, the team appointed Grégory LeBlanc, a rider with extensive experience in rainy races, as the starting rider. LeBlanc got off to a good start, passing the opening lap in 11th position.

Despite a chaotic start with multiple crashes leading to safety car periods, the team maintained a calm race pace. Leveraging their excellent fuel efficiency, they executed longer stints than their rivals and opted for a double stint by LeBlanc, anticipating the challenging conditions. They climbed as high as second place at one point, and on lap 52, they moved from 11th to 10th position.

Approximately three hours into the race, Romain Ramos took over the bike. After pitting in 5th place, he rejoined the track in 9th. With other teams dropping out, they had climbed to 7th place by the halfway point of the race (4 hours). Christian Gamarino then took over in 7th place and rejoined the track in 8th, maintaining a high average pace and engaging in a fierce battle for 7th position.

With just over an hour and a half remaining in the race, the team opted for another double stint by Grégory LeBlanc. While running in 8th place, they aimed for further position gains. However, with less than 50 minutes left and the rain intensifying, LeBlanc crashed entering the Spoon Curve.

Fortunately, the rider was uninjured, and the bike sustained only minor damage. He managed to return to the pits under his own power. The mechanics, utilizing their endurance racing expertise, performed a swift repair, replacing the seat, footpegs, and fairing in just under six minutes, successfully getting the bike back on track in 12th position.

Shortly after, the rain intensified further, causing more crashes and another safety car period. A missing taillight was then discovered, necessitating another pit stop for installation. Team Kawasaki Webike Trickstar Kaedear rejoined the track in 13th position. They continued to fight until the very end, crossing the finish line to secure an overall 13th place finish.

Comments from Riders and Team Manager

Romain Ramos (Rider)

This year's Suzuka 8 Hours Endurance Road Race was challenging, with rain throughout the day and very heavy downpours at times, making it a difficult condition where we were at the mercy of the weather.

The team's strategy worked well, with Grégory handling a double stint from the start. I then took over the bike, and the three of us smoothly progressed through the race. However, due to an incident late in the race, we ended up with a disappointing 13th place finish. Despite this, the entire team did a fantastic job, and I remain positive. We will prepare thoroughly for the final round at Bol d'Or.

Also, thanks to the support of our Japanese Kawasaki fans, I always look forward to racing at Suzuka every year. This year, with the rain all day, I imagine it was tough for those watching from the venue, but I sincerely thank everyone who cheered us on until the end. Thank you very much.

Christian Gamarino (Rider)

I was confident in wet conditions, but the race turned out to be more difficult than I imagined. Furthermore, the crash caused us to lose positions, resulting in a frustrating outcome.
However, I am confident that we can show a good performance again in the next round at Bol d'Or. I will put this behind me and give my all for the final race of the season.

Thank you very much to all the race fans who came to Suzuka to support us. I look forward to seeing you all again next summer.

Grégory LeBlanc (Rider)

This year's Suzuka was a very difficult race due to the unstable track conditions caused by the rain.

We were battling for 7th place until the final stages, but I made a mistake during my last stint, resulting in a crash and a 13th place finish, which I deeply regret. I completed two double stints today, riding for a total of 5 hours and 15 minutes out of the 8 hours. Perhaps becoming too accustomed to the speed during the long stints led to my mistake. I feel very sorry towards my teammates, the KWT members, and everyone at Kawasaki.

Nevertheless, I gave my all until the end, and the fact that we finished and earned championship points is a positive takeaway. We are still in a strong position in the rankings, and the possibility of winning the title remains. I aim to get back on the podium at the final round at Bol d'Or and finish the season on a high note.

With the rain all day this year, I know it was a very tough day for the fans supporting us from the venue. I sincerely thank all the fans, not just the Kawasaki fans, but fans of all manufacturers. Thank you very much. I look forward to seeing you all again at Suzuka next year.

Ryuji Tsuruta (Team Manager)

I would like to express my sincere gratitude to all the fans who always support Team Kawasaki Webike Trickstar Kaedear, as well as to Kaedear and all our sponsors and related parties for their tremendous support.
We approached this special Suzuka 8 Hours Endurance Road Race with the momentum and confidence gained from two consecutive podium finishes at the opening round at Le Mans 24 Hours and the second round at Spa 8 Hours.

The final race was challenging due to heavy rain, but we believed that such conditions offered us a chance to win and fought as a unified team. Our strategy was to extend our stints by leveraging our excellent fuel efficiency and minimize pit stops to aim for a top position. However, with over two hours of safety car periods during the race, the actual running time was significantly reduced, preventing us from fully utilizing our strengths.

Despite this, the riders and crew fought tenaciously, and we even climbed to 6th place at one point. However, as the rain intensified towards the end of the race, we experienced a crash under extremely challenging track conditions, leading to a drop in our position. We are deeply frustrated and disappointed that we could not achieve the results we were aiming for.

On the other hand, the experience of pushing to the limit in these harsh rainy conditions has become a valuable asset for the riders, mechanics, and the entire team. I am confident that this experience will undoubtedly lead to future success and make us even stronger.

Next is the final round of the season, the Bol d'Or 24 Hours Endurance Road Race.
As long as there is a possibility of winning the championship, we will believe in that possibility and fight with all our might as a team until the very end.
We ask for your continued warm support for Team Kawasaki Webike Trickstar Kaedear.