Miller and Locatelli Join Yamaha Factory Racing Team for 2026 Suzuka 8 Hours

May 11, 2026

May 11, 2026—Yamaha Motor Co., Ltd. is pleased to announce that MotoGP rider Jack Miller and WorldSBK rider Andrea Locatelli will complete the Yamaha Factory Racing Team lineup for the 47th FIM Endurance World Championship "Coca-Cola" Suzuka 8 Hours Endurance Road Race set to be held on July 3-5 at Suzuka Circuit in Mie Prefecture, Japan. The same world-class roster of Katsuyuki Nakasuga, Miller, and Locatelli returns for this year’s Suzuka 8 Hours. Racing on the factory YZF-R1, the team will sport Yamaha's traditional #21 as they aim for a ninth victory—the brand's first since 2018.

As part of celebrating Yamaha Motor’s 70th anniversary last year, the factory team was brought back for the first time in six years (since 2019), and finished the race having completed 217 laps—the same number as the winner—to finish in 2nd. Immediately following the race, the decision was made to compete in the 2026 Suzuka 8 Hours, triggering a comprehensive review of the team’s machinery and a wide range of performance metrics.

With last year's trio already having built a foundation of teamwork and achieved a high-level proficiency on the factory YZF-R1, it was determined that they remain the ideal lineup for victory, and the decision was made to retain them for this year’s event.

Nakasuga will lead the initial testing at the Suzuka Test Session on May 12–13, where he will focus on finding a base setup for the YZF-R1. While regular season commitments prevent Miller and Locatelli from attending, they will link up with the team for final test in the days leading up to the race weekend.

*Photos taken at 2025 Suzuka 8 Hours

Jack Miller
“I’m absolutely stoked to be lining up for the Suzuka 8 Hours again this year. Last year was a bit of a tough one, having that off in the Top 10 Trial and then finishing second in the race was pretty frustrating, to be honest. But seeing the massive turnout from the Yamaha fans and staff, and getting to ride with Nakasuga-san and Loca, plus the team putting in the hard work, it actually turned out to be a real blast. For 2026, the goal is simple. We want to go one better and take pole, take the win, and get ourselves onto that top step for Nakasuga-san’s final year before he hangs up the leathers! With the home crowd, the fans from all over the world, and the whole Yamaha family behind us, we’re going to give it everything we’ve got to make this the best Suzuka 8 Hours yet.”

Andrea Locatelli
“I got some great news from Japan this year! I’m super thankful to compete in the Suzuka 8 Hours again with the factory team. Getting to ride the factory R1 and join incredible teammates like Jack and Nakasuga-san is so good for my growth as a rider. This year, our target is to get the win we missed last year. Jack and I were picked to join Nakasuga because we both have 8 Hours experience. We’ll be going against some tough teams, but we’re definitely not losing out to anyone! We’ll do our best to get a great result for all the Yamaha fans!”

Tadashi Nakamura, General Manager, Motor Sports Value Creation Division
We are incredibly pleased to finally confirm our full rider lineup for the 2026 Suzuka 8 Hours. We decided to retain the same three riders as last year because we strongly believe they offer the best way to get us back on the top step of the podium.
In 2025, both Jack Miller and Andrea Locatelli delivered world-class performances—from qualifying and the Top 10 Trial through the race, but our decision to call them up again is mostly because of their incredible dedication to the team. Their 'team-first' mentality was what kept us working together and let us battle our rivals right down to the end. We’re also excited to be able to organize a support visit and tour of the race for our employees. The 8 Hours is a company-wide effort, and we want every member of the Yamaha family, along with all our fans, to feel the thrill of this challenge right along with us.
This year is especially significant as it marks Katsuyuki Nakasuga’s final Suzuka 8 Hours appearance before his retirement. Racing for victory with him one last time is a deeply meaningful mission for everyone involved. We believe this year’s challenge will bring together riders, staff, and the entire Yamaha Motor group as one, further strengthening our unity in pursuit of victory.
We’re looking forward to seeing everyone at the Suzuka 8 Hours, and we hope you’ll get behind the Yamaha Factory Racing Team as we give it our all."

Jack Miller Profile

Date of birth	18-01-1995
Place of birth	Townsville, Queensland, Australia
Nationality	Australian
Instagram	@jackmilleraus
Height	173cm
Weight	64kg

Racing Career

2025	MotoGP World Championship (17th – 79 points)
2024	MotoGP World Championship (14th – 87 points)
2023	MotoGP World Championship (11th – 163 points)
2022	MotoGP World Championship (5th – 189 points)
2021	MotoGP World Championship (4th – 181 points)
2020	MotoGP World Championship (7th – 132 points)
2019	MotoGP World Championship (8th– 165 points)
2018	MotoGP World Championship (13th – 91 points)
2017	MotoGP World Championship (11th – 82 points)
2016	MotoGP World Championship (18th – 57 points)
2015	MotoGP World Championship (19th – 17 points)
2014	Moto3 World Championship (2nd – 276 points)
2013	Moto3 World Championship (7th – 110 points)
2012	Moto3 World Championship (23rd – 17 points)
2011	125cc World Championship (NC – 0 points)

Andrea Locatelli Profile

Date of Birth	16-10-1996
Place of Birth	Alzano Lombardo, Italy
Nationality	Italian
Instagram	@locatelliandrea55
Height	173cm
Weight	65kg

Racing Career

2025	FIM Superbike World Championship (4th – 310 points)
2024	FIM Superbike World Championship (7th – 232 points)
2023	FIM Superbike World Championship (4th – 327 points)
2022	FIM Superbike World Championship (5th – 274 points)
2021	FIM Superbike World Championship (4th – 291 points)
2020	FIM Supersport World Championship (Champion – 333 points)
2019	Moto2 World Championship (18th – 46 points)
2018	Moto2 World Championship (15th – 52 points)
2017	Moto2 World Championship (28th – 8 points)
2016	Moto3 World Championship (9th – 96 points)
2015	Moto3 World Championship (20th – 33 points)
2014	Contested Moto3 World Championship