31 July 2005
Round 3– Suzuka, Japan
This third race of the 2005 season would be another milestone for the Diablo 666 Team, our first appearance at the famous Suzuka 8hrs race in Japan. After the brilliant start to the season, third at Assen and eighth at Albacete, could the Team afford to miss out on the possibility of scoring further points and to trying to maintain our current 4th in the table? Team principal Miles Hutchins made the decision, no way!

Traditionally this race is the one that all of the big Japanese manufacturers want to win. It is vital not only for the prestige but to sell motorbikes in the Japanese market. Diablo already race against works machinery in the World Endurance Championship but in this round the Team would be up against the full works bikes and boys with riders as well known as Vermeulen from WSB and Kyonari from BSB both on official factory but separate works Honda Fireblades. The entry list read like a who’s who of the top riders and factory teams of the world.

Bolliger Kawasaki also made the decision to travel to Suzuka, again to defend their current 2nd position in the table. The same “pooling” of resources with slick pit stops would be crucial during the race.

Apart from the works boys, the cream of the Japanese superbike Championship also enter this race. So not only are Diablo 666 racing against the best bikes, riders and Teams in the world as well as the top World Endurance Championship (WEC) Teams but also hordes of Japanese riders who know this track like the back of their hands.

Not to be daunted by the task in hand the flights and hotel were booked, and the Team were going come what may. Arriving at the Honda owned track for the first time the scene was incredible, breathtaking in fact. The long expensive trip was certainly worth it, the circuit and facilities are awesome.

Late July in Japan the heat and humidity is unbearable, another factor for the Team to consider. The riders for this race were to be Diablo 666 regulars James Hutchins and Steve Mizera with new recruit from BSB, Gary Mason, one of Stobart Racing’s Honda riders. Team Principal, Miles Hutchins had pulled off yet another amazing signing of this talented and experienced rider to stand in for Kevin Falcke who has recently moved to France.

However the trip to Japan was going to be made even more difficult, not only had the Diablo and Bolliger team riders to learn the circuit in two quick practice sessions but were having to do so on borrowed tyres, the teams Pirelli’s having gone missing in the typhoon which had descended on Tokyo.

Qualifying
Following qualifying the Team were lying in a 61st position (out of approx 80 entries) after trying to qualify on unknown rubber, but qualify the Team did and would be in the race. Bolliger Kawasaki had fared slightly better and would start from 58th.

What had been incredible to watch was the speed of the massed Japanese bikes but even so many had not qualified on their home track.

Sunday 31st July 2005
The Race
Expectations were still very high within the team starting from 61st on the grid, with rain expected to be a major factor during the race.

After two hours Diablo 666 were up to 40th place and it was to get better, much better. During the third hour the rain fell and did it fall! Diablo 666 were now in 31st with even Japanese riders falling off everywhere.

After 4 hrs the field was sorting itself out, Yamaha Austria were in 13th, Suzuki Castrol 16th, Phase 1 Endurance 21st and hanging in there Diablo 666 were up to 24th with no major problems so far. Could this be the result we were praying for? Bolliger were in 49th having had a couple of minor spills which had put them right down the order.

Five hours gone and the lads were still hanging in there in 23rd, Suzuki Castrol were in 2nd, Yamaha Austria 10th, Phase One 22nd, Shell Endurance Academy 29th with Bolliger Kawasaki still running in 56th. Could our luck hold? It seemed not!

Into the sixth hour with James Hutchins on board, disaster struck. Out on intermediates in decidedly tricky conditions - part wet and part dry - James was high sided off the bike. No damage to the rider but unfortunately the bike slammed at high speed into a trackside concrete wall and was too badly damaged to be pushed back to the pits - it didn’t help to be told afterwards by experienced Japanese teams that they never use intermediate tyres at Suzuka! One for next year. Bolliger Kawasaki also crashed out during this time which meant that both Bolliger and Diablo bikes were out.

Team Principal Miles Hutchins was gutted,” After all the problems during qualifying, the riders and pit team did a fantastic job to be running as high as we were. We have certainly made people sit up and take notice of the very young Diablo 666 Team on a pretty standard bike. The riders constantly found it difficult to judge speeds with 200+ bhp factory set up bikes with sticky tyres coming past and under them as if on rails. But what really made it all worth while was that each of the riders came up to me and said it was just an awesome experience to ride at Suzuka!”

This leaves the mechanics with a barrel load of work when they get to Oschersleben. The bikes only arrive at Bolliger HQ on the Saturday before the Oschersleben race so the repairs to our Suzuka race bike will have to be done at the circuit.

All digits will be well and truly crossed for another good result for the first time in Germany which will hopefully pull us back up the table. Due to the non score at Suzuka, Diablo 666 drop to 7th in the championship table.

World Endurance Championship Positions:
After 3 rounds

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