Francesco Bagnaia Aspires to Fulfill Suzuka 8 Hours Dream Before Retirement Amid Ducati’s Rising Presence

Pecco Bagnaia expresses hopes for Suzuka 8 Hours participation: "Perhaps it'll be post-retirement."

"My wish is to compete sooner, at my peak performance," he adds.

Francesco Bagnaia has expressed his interest in participating in the Suzuka 8 Hours endurance event, though he suspects it might be some time before he gets the opportunity.

Traditionally, competing in Suzuka has been out of reach for Ducati's factory riders, given the Italian brand's infrequent participation with a factory team in the event.

Nonetheless, Ducati extended formal backing to Team Kagayama, which competes with a Panigale V4 R in the JSB1000 category of the All-Japan Road Racing Championship, during this year's event.

The team led by Yukio Kagayama, a veteran of both BSB and World Superbike competitions, secured a fourth-place finish in this year's 8 Hours race. In a twist that could be seen as ironic given Kagayama's past racing connections, they were edged out of a podium position towards the end by the Yoshimura SERT Suzuki team. This team ultimately clinched the 2024 Endurance World Championship title at the previous month's Bol d’Or event.

Ducati's expanded involvement in the Suzuka race, along with statements from Paolo Ciabatti, the former Ducati Corse Sporting Director who now leads the brand's off-road initiatives, about Ducati's goal to clinch victory at the Suzuka 8 Hours, suggests that Ducati's premier MotoGP racers might compete in the event.

The schedules for the MotoGP and EWC in 2025 have been released, presenting a chance starting from next year, as for the second consecutive year, there's no overlap of a MotoGP event with the Suzuka weekend.

"Reflecting on the situation, Francesco Bagnaia mentioned on Friday during the previous weekend's Indonesian Grand Prix, 'Considering the circumstances, there's a chance that a race might be canceled or delayed, making it impossible for me to attend. However, I believe they [Ducati] prefer that I stay.'"

"The season is quite challenging, with 22 races, doubling to 44 in MotoGP, but I'm eager to compete at Suzuka. Competing in the 8 Hours at Suzuka has always been one of my greatest aspirations; it's a dream I've long harbored."

Bagnaia's role in the MotoGP World Championship, coupled with the expanding schedule of MotoGP events, suggests that the Italian racer could face a significant delay before he has the opportunity to participate at Suzuka.

"Perhaps I'll need to wait until retirement," he mentioned. "I'd rather not, as I aim to accomplish it sooner, at my peak, but we'll see.

"I'll request it, though it's challenging at the moment. Definitely, next year will also be tough."

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