Honda at the 2026 Suzuka 8 Hours with algae-based fuel!

The Suzuka 8 Hours has always been the showcase for Japan’s four motorcycle manufacturers to display their technological supremacy. In recent years, however, it has also become a proving ground for projects tied to the so-called ecological transition.

Racing with the result in mind, yet at the same time focused on protecting the planet. With some curiosities among their Suzuki GSX-R 1000R and Honda CBR 1000RR-R entries.

While Suzuki left MotoGP at the end of the 2022 season, in Endurance it is a protagonist with the Yoshimura SERT Motul team and, for three years now, at the Suzuka 8 Hours with Team Suzuki CN Challenge. An in-house, 100% official program from the parent company, to the point that the project leader is Shinichi Sahara, who for years headed the MotoGP project. The team’s very name underscores Hamamatsu’s intent: CN stands for “Carbon Neutrality,” with the race number 0 identifying the mission related to zero carbon emissions.

After a promising debut in 2024, last year the #0 GSX-R 1000R was in full contention for the podium until a heavy crash by Albert Arenas. Performance is essentially similar to the “traditional” Gixxer, but it features several “eco” elements: 100% sustainable TotalEnergies Excellium Racing fuel, Bridgestone tires with a higher percentage of recycled and recyclable materials, bio-based Motul engine oil, and fairings made from recycled carbon. Notable too is the front brake with steel discs without heat treatment and low-dust pads, resulting in a 15% reduction in particulate emissions in 2024 and 50% last year. With even an eco titanium Yoshimura exhaust, the goal for 2026 is to at least return to the Top 10 with the crew of Etienne Masson, Takuya Tsuda, and Ryo Mizuno.

In response to Suzuki’s project, Honda will field two CBR 1000RR-R machines in the Experimental class this year. The #51 of the Honda Hamamatsu ESCARGOT team, the squad made up of employees from the Hamamatsu factory, will race with 100% eco-sustainable gasoline and the colors of the Honda DREAMO project. The claim says it all: “In pursuit of carbon neutrality thanks to algae.” Honda is conducting research and developing technologies to capture CO2 from the atmosphere and convert it into zero-carbon fuels.

One of the areas the company has decided to explore is the vast potential of algae, present on Earth since prehistoric times, roughly 3 billion years ago. Over the years Honda has conducted research on biofuels, including bioethanol. To increase the efficiency of the carbon cycle, among various research avenues, they have focused on algae, which have great potential as a renewable resource. In the presence of sunlight, water, and nutrients such as nitrogen and phosphorus, algae absorb CO2 through photosynthesis, multiply by cell division, and produce valuable components such as carbohydrates and proteins. Honda DREAMO is the product of this study, making its debut in a motorcycle race like the Suzuka 8 Hours.

Also noteworthy is the participation of the Honda Tochigi Racing & Koyokai team, a group of employees from Honda factories in the two cities. Their #112 CBR will use 3D-printed components made from recycled automotive scrap: from license plates to headlights, everything repurposed for the cause. Together with Nagoya Kogeisha, the Honda Tochigi team has also developed a method for producing car license plates using resin waste materials derived from vehicle headlights, a project that will be unveiled in detail this week on the occasion of the Suzuka 8 Hours.