Whilst working on claiming a ninth consecutive victory at the Suzuka 8 Hour, the team at Bridgestone Motorsport have been speaking exclusively with MuSASHi RT HARC-PRO Honda rider Michael van der Mark about the experience of riding in one of the world’s top motorcycle endurance races. The Dutchman is one of the rising stars of the motorcycle racing world and currently has a 52 point lead in the World Supersport Championship riding for the Pata Honda World Supersport team, and after taking a debut Suzuka 8 Hour win in 2013 he returned to the circuit in Japan this year to make it two in a row alongside teammate Leon Haslam.
Last year you were part of the winning team at the 8 hours, how does that achievement rank in your racing career?
Yeah, it’s a big honour to be part of this race and to be invited here again by Honda and HRC. The Suzuka 8 Hour is a race that every rider I think wants to experience at least once in their life, last year it was my first chance and I was able to win here immediately, which was amazing. It’s probably been the best thing I’ve done so far.
When you first came to this event, were you surprised by just how popular the 8 Hour is?
I already knew that this race was important in Japan, but then coming here and seeing how many people there are here and they stay all day in the heat to watch the race was impressive. Then when you’re on the podium and you see this huge crowd, I have never experienced something like that.
How much have you been able to learn being in a team with such quick guys as Takumi Takahashi and Leon Haslam?
Last year we had the same team at HARC-PRO with Leon and Takumi, at the start so that has helped me a lot as we all can go fast on the same setup .Last year It was my first time on a big bike but I could show that I was fast and it helped having these guys give a great setup for the bike. I have learned something each time I come here and we have shown how strong our team, the riders and also the bike are these last two years.
You’re doing great in World Supersport at the moment and comfortably lead that championship. You seemed to have managed racing in that championship and coming to Japan for the Suzuka 8 Hour test sessions quite well.
This year it’s been easier to manage than last year. After the last WSBK race at Portimao, we had two months of summer break which worked quite well for coming to the Suzuka test. This year the 8 Hour has fit perfectly around the World Superbike schedule and after this weekend’s race we have a month’s break still to go before the next Supersport race, so it’s been quite easy for me.
When you first came to the 8 Hour, you were very quick on the Honda CBR1000RR from the first time you rode it and have proved that affinity with larger-capacity bikes again this year. If you were to win the World Supersport championship this year, would World Superbike be the natural progression for you, or are there other options out there which interest you?
Yes, I’ve showed that I’m really fast on a one-thousand cc bike, so probably it suits my style a bit better than a six-hundred so of course World Superbike could work well for me. Now I’m just focusing on World Supersport as even though it’s going really well and I have a fifty-two point lead, there’s still a job to do. As for next year I need to wait a little longer before I can talk about that.
Are you one of those riders that has a ritual they go through before they get on the bike?
Yes, I have a little bracelet that I carry everywhere in my wallet and before I get on the bike I always place it in my right boot which I put on first, then I put on my right glove.
Describe the Suzuka 8 Hour in one word…
Painful!
