This weekend, Jonas Folger will compete for the second time in what is arguably the most prestigious endurance race, the «Suzuka 8 Hours». As he did last year, he is part of the Japanese team S-PULSE DREAM RACING SUZUKI.
Jonas Folger, 32, certainly can’t complain about a lack of work right now. After the race weekend in Most, the Bavarian rider headed directly to Suzuka, Japan. After just one night’s rest, the race week there got underway on Tuesday with the first preparations for the legendary eight-hour race.
Actually, the matter had already been settled last August, after Folger had done an outstanding job for the S-PULSE team during his debut at Suzuka, where he particularly shone as a start- and finish rider for the team, so he is more than welcome to return. The final confirmation from both sides was practically just a formality.
This time, Folger will share the team’s Suzuki GSX-R1000R which is headed by Hideyuki Ogata, who retired from racing at the 2025 Suzuka race, with French rider Jerémy Guarnoni and Japanese rider Sho Nishimura.
Suzuka also stands out because of its unique schedule. The race week begins as early as Tuesday with the first test sessions. Qualifying takes place on Friday, and on Saturday afternoon, the top ten teams from the qualifying standings compete against each other in the «Top Ten Trail» to secure the best starting positions. The main event, the «Suzuka 8 Hours» starts on Sunday at 11:30 a.m. local time (3:30 a.m. CEST) and ends after dark at 7:30 p.m. local time (11:30 a.m. CEST).
#94 Jonas FOLGER (S-PULSE DREAM RACING Suzuki, Suzuki GSX R1000R):
«I’m really looking forward to being back in Suzuka. It’s not just any race weekend; it’s something very special. It’s also hard to believe how quickly a year goes by; it feels like my debut at Suzuka in early August of last year wasn’t that long ago. I’m really happy to be back and racing for the same team. I’m truly grateful for that, and I’d also like to take this opportunity to thank KTM for their understanding and approval. The fact that I’m working with the S-PULSE team again this week naturally makes things a bit easier. We know each other, and the mechanics know what’s important to me and how I work. Plus, the team has put together a strong rider lineup. So, I think that if everything goes smoothly, we can have a good weekend. On top of that, we have an update for the bike and good tires from Bridgestone. In theory, we actually have everything we need to really enjoy Suzuka.»
«The trip went well, even though things were a bit tight because of the last-minute assignment in Most. But I arrived safely and settled in quickly. During the first test sessions on Tuesday, everything came a bit more easily to me since I knew the track from last year. That helped me get into a good rhythm pretty quickly, and we were able to start working on the bike’s setup right away. But with the new rider lineup, it felt like we were starting all over again. I have two new teammates: Sho Nishimura and Jerémy Guarnoni. So, the setup of the bike is heading in a slightly different direction. But both are top-notch, great team players, and very fast to boot. Jerémy knows the scene well, having raced for BMW in the Endurance World Championship for a long time. So, he brings a lot of experience and good ideas to the table. Sho, our Japanese rider, knows the track inside and out and is therefore very fast.»
«So far, we’ve been able to try out a lot of things, and we also spent a lot of time on a rain-soaked track starting at noon today. In the end, we discovered something that helped us improve significantly. We’re currently in twelfth place, but we still have plenty of potential to tap into. If it turns out to be a wet race, we’ve already found a good setup. So far, everything has gone well, and we can be satisfied, especially with the big step forward we took this afternoon. I’m really happy and thrilled to be back here at this truly unique race. Many thanks to the S-PULSE team management for selecting me again. The warm welcome they gave me once more was incredibly heartfelt.»
