Tetsuta Nagashima has officially been confirmed to participate as a Honda wildcard entry at the upcoming WorldSBK season finale in Jerez.
The event, set to take place this weekend, marks a significant moment for both Japanese rider and Team HRC, as they aim to leverage his extensive experience and skills on one of the most challenging circuits in the racing calendar.
Tetsuta Nagashima’s return to the WorldSBK arena is particularly noteworthy, as it represents his second outing in this prestigious series. His first experience came two years ago when he stepped in to replace the injured Iker Lecuona during a race in Australia.
Despite being relatively new to the WorldSBK scene, Nagashima has made a name for himself through his impressive performances, notably winning the renowned Suzuka 8 Hours endurance race twice, first in 2020 and again in 2023.
As he prepares for the WorldSBK season finale in Jerez, Nagashima expresses enthusiasm about returning to competition. He has been actively involved in testing with Honda’s CBR1000RR-R and is eager to apply this knowledge on the track.
“I’m really looking forward to competing in the final round of the WorldSBK Championship at Jerez,” the Japanese rider said.
“I’ve been carrying out WorldSBK testing for a while now, and in 2022, I took part in my first and only race weekend in Australia, where the results weren’t bad.
“I’m curious to see how the bike performs now and what we can achieve. I hope to gain a better understanding of the bike and identify the differences with respect to two years ago.
“I can’t wait to be back in action.”
Despite its ongoing struggles in MotoGP, Honda’s Superbike effort has been getting better every season, and Estoril marked an important turning point going forward.
Both full-time factory riders Iker Lecuona and Xavi Vierge finished in the top eight five times altogether, while Lecuona finished on the podium in race one for the first time this season.
Lecuona and Vierge have consistently finished in the top 10 since mid season reflecting Honda’s significant progress. Going into the WorldSBK season finale in Jerez, the duo remains only two points apart in 11th and 12th respectively.
Nagashima will not be the only Honda wildcard entry at the final round of the 2024 season. British Superbike rider Tommy Bridewell will make his second appearance of the year.
