18 July 2006
Round 5 – Suzuka, Japan
Diablo 666 Kawasaki have arrived in Suzuka, ahead of Sunday’s 8hrs race against the might of the Japanese factory teams.

After yet more heartache at the fourth round of the 2006 World Endurance Championship, the Zolder 6hrs, crashing out of a safe 3rd place in the race, Diablo 666 Kawasaki, have dusted themselves down and have been busily preparing for this round of the Championship, the world famous, 8hrs at Suzuka.

Here the Team will be competing against the best superbike teams in the world and it has now been confirmed that not only will Suzuki and Honda be fielding full works squads, but this year, Yamaha have entered Colin Edwards and Nori Haga on the official works Yamaha R1! Just a bit of competition for a change!

Along with the works entries and the hordes of super fast banzai Japanese superbikes, 11 permanent teams from the WEC series have entered the Suzuka race this year.

Wednesday (26th) was spent unpacking the bikes from their shipping crates and preparing the garage, which we will once again be sharing with our sister team, Bolliger Kawasaki, with whom we travelled out to Japan.

The set ups that some of the works teams and local Japanese Superbike teams have is incredible. Try and count the number of Seven Stars works Honda mechanics and helpers is impossible, there are so many.

The Diablo 666 riders, James Hutchins, Marko Rohtlaan and Alex Cudlin were able to spend part of the day chilling out at the local water park, which adjoins the famous Suzuka circuit. This is likely to be the last chance to chill out before Sunday’s race.

The temperatures are in the high 90’s, the humidity incredible, walk a few paces and you are drenched. These are the conditions the riders and mechanics will have to endure for this round of the World Endurance Championship.

As usual with so many entries practice has had to be split into two separate groups. Diablo 666 would be running in group A, while sister Team Bolliger Kawasaki would be running in Group B. There are 84 entries chasing the 60 places on the grid. To just qualify for this race is tough enough against the works bikes and massed hordes of Japanese Superbike Teams, who know the circuit like the backs of their hands.

Fortunately, this year both James Hutchins and Marko Rohtlaan have experience of racing here at Suzuka. Once again, young Aussie, Alex Cudlin will be thrown in at the deep end, attempting to learn the circuit whilst trying to put in some good times.

After the first free sessions Diablo were reasonably happy with their progress. Marko Rohtlaan put in a best lap of 2:20.995. during one of his rare uninterrupted sessions. The big problem out on the circuit today has been the lack of grip afforded by Diablo 666’s Pirelli tyres in the searing heat and the constant stoppages, particularly in Group A, while yet another crashed motorcycle was cleared away. Some teams seemed to be trying to go just a bit too quickly, too soon.

Miles Hutchins commented, “I have been really pleased with the way our young riders have shown such maturity in these early stages, getting used to the track conditions and of course the heat. Friday will be the time to show the pace we can run ultimately in the race”.

The fastest time in these first sessions was recorded by the No. 48 FCC TSR Honda bike with a time of 2:09.178. Probably one of a squillion laps the team would have completed round the Honda owned circuit.

Of the permanent World Endurance teams somewhat surprisingly, Castrol Suzuki No. 1, were quickest with a time of 2:12.178, putting them in 7th position overall. Of the other British entries, Yamaha Phase 1, bike No. 3, recorded a 2:17.270, Diablo 666 2:20.995 and Shell Endurance Academy No. 6, 2:22.885.

The Diablo 666 riders were all reasonably happy with the times they had recorded during the day but all said that the heat here was going to be a major problem during the race. There have been rumours also of thunderstorms being a major problem over the next few days.

Things are looking extremely good for the race on Sunday, but qualifying is up next with Diablo 666 going out in Group A early on Friday at 9:30. The times will then begin to count for final race positions for Sundays race. Qualifying will be held on Friday (28th) and Saturday (29th) with the race due to start at 11:30 am.

After session 1, Diablo 666’s riders had all improved their times from the first free sessions. The lads got down to the real stuff on Friday afternoon. James Hutchins was up first and produced Qualifying 1 time of 2:18.659. The sky had become very overcast, were the forecasted heavy downpours going to happen? Time would tell.

James finished his second qualifying, being unable to improve upon his morning time. The temperature had dropped noticeably. Within his group he finished 32nd. By comparison the Phase 1, bike No. 3 (Warwick Nowland) was 26th, Fagersjo-el, bike No. 12 (Paul Young) was 27th.

Next up would be Marko Rohtlaan. In the morning session it was discovered that the transponder on the bike had gone awry for 4 laps and with the organisers permission this was changed.

During the previous B group qualifying session, the anticipated rain began falling very lightly but falling all the same, affecting David Morillon on board the sister Bolliger Kawasaki. He also was unable to improve upon his morning time, his morning time of 2:17.627 putting him in 27th position in his group.

Marko therefore went out on a damp track during his final half hour session, with the sky looking darker and darker by the minute. The ever increasing spectators umbrellas were going up and down at the usual rate as those at Wimbledon on a good day!

With fifteen minutes to go Marko emerged from pit lane and was able to finally put in four relatively fast laps and on his final lap but one lap was able to record a time faster than his morning session time, namely 2:19.491 but still behind that of colleague James Hutchins.

The skies appeared to have cleared as young Alex went out for the final qualifying session. In fairness to Alex the Team had not expected him to be close to his more experienced team mates but he managed to take over three seconds off his first qualifying time posting a best time of 2:19.267 in his final session. “I have finally been able to throw away the road map taped to the tank and now feel as though I know where I’m going!”, joked young Alex.

“A brilliant performance by everyone in the Team to once again qualify for Sunday’s race, lets just hope for a bit more luck than we had in last year’s race,” commented Diablo 666 Team Principal, Miles Hutchins.

One other ride worth a very special mention was that of Patrick Muff, riding for the Bolliger Kawasaki team, with a broken shoulder (!) amazed both team squads by putting in a fantastic 2:16.348 lap time. What a star!

After the long and lengthy build up to the race, James Hutchins was finally relieved to get away and did he do well, you bet. Putting in 2:19 laps James slowly but surely climbed up the table and at the end of 20 laps was lying in 42nd place before handing over to Alex Cudlin. Alex again settled into a good rythmn and was regularly knocking out 2:22 sec laps, occasionally dropping into the 2:21’s.

After 30 laps as the pit stops evened themselves out, Alex was up to 35th ! Yamaha Austria are in 14th, Phase 1 Endurance in 25th, Fagersjo-el in 40th, Shell Endurance Academy in 44th and Team No limits in 45th. There had already been high drama with sister team, Bolliger Kawasaki going out of the race after only one lap with a blown engine.

Current World Endurance Champions, Castrol Suzuki had crashed and were down in 61st, six laps behind the Diablo 666 bike. Both works Yamaha Blue Racing Yamaha’s were out.

After last years race ending crash it was a major relief for the Team to finish the arduous Suzuka 8hrs race. With the large number of Japanese Class Superbikes in the field, Diablo 666 had finished in 31st position overall, but more importantly 6th in Class of the World Endurance Specification Superbike class. The long and expensive trip had been worth it, Diablo 666 had collected yet more world championship points to add to its 2006 tally already.

Next up was the Oschersleben 24hrs.Diablo 666 would be there hoping to repeat last years fantastic result of 3rd Overall.

“Entering Suzuka is a very special opportunity for a team and riders in particular. To qualify is the first major task, to finish it is a massive challenge and to finish it as well as the boys did - warmed my heart still further!”

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