A chaotic end to this year’s Suzuka 8 Hour eventually ended in victory for Kawasaki Team Green and heartbreak for the Yamaha Factory Racing squad, but whichever way the result had been called, it was going to be a 14th straight win for Bridgestone!
The Japanese brand have been the dominant tyre manufacturer at the 8 Tai for more than a decade, with the majority of the field from top factory squads to privateer teams all choosing to fit the Battlax race range.
Three factory backed squads were vying for the lead this year as the race headed into it’s final two hours, separated by just 6 seconds.
As the race headed into it’s final throws with just a few minutes left to run, Team Green’s Jonathan Rea crashed out after hitting a patch of oil left on track by a blown engine.
The red flags came out, and Yamaha were initially crowned the winners for a fifth straight year. However, that result would go on to be reversed in the aftermath of the race, and with Kawasaki leading at the end of the lap prior to the red flags coming out they were declared the winner.
Alongside Rea was WorldSBK teammate Leon Haslam, and Turkish young gun Toprak Razgatlioglu. With Yamaha second on the podium and Red Bull Honda in third, it was an all Bridgestone podium for 2019!
Of all the FIM Endurance World Championship regulars, reigning champions and Bridgestone partners FCC TSR Honda France took the top result, fending off a strong challenge from Yoshimura Suzuki to hold on to 4th place. Unfortunately this wasn’t enough to claim back-to-back titles, but they fought until the very end of the season none the less. Fellow Bridgestone regulars Yamaha Austria came home in sixth.
You can check out the Battlax race range here.
