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Masakazu Fujii: “With today's high-power engines, it’s necessary to protect each part”

24.09.2020

Earlier this month, the F.C.C TSR Honda France team pulled off an amazing win at the 24H Motos at Le Mans. It was a win made all them more special because the team was running a brand-new bike, the CBR 1000 RR-R Fireblade SP. For 816 laps, the team worked hard to maintain an impressive lead, securing a win that moves them into second place in the FIM Endurance World Championship. At this weekend’s final round in Portugal, the Honda France team will be pushing hard to win the title back.

The extremely reliable, MOTUL-lubricated Honda CBR 1000 RR-R is very much the bike to beat. Working alongside Honda and using the All Japan Road Race Championship as a test bed, engineers at Motul developed an experimental oil dedicated to the CBR, a fitting example of our “living laboratory” philosophy.

This has a resulted in a new product from Motul, the factory-line 300V Racing Kit Oil for Honda CBR 1000 RR-R models fitted with the HRC Kit. To find out how important it is for bike and lubricant to work as one, we spoke to Masakazu Fujii, manager of the Le Mans winning F.C.C. TSR Honda France team.

Masakazu Fujii: “With today's high-power engines, it’s necessary to protect each part”

Your team took the win at the 24 hours Le Mans Motos. That’s no mean feat. How important are lubricants in ensuring you complete the 24 hours and make it to the finish line?

High-performance oil is essential for today's high-performance engines. Oil leads to victory!

Your team took the win at the 24 hours Le Mans Motos. That’s no mean feat. How important are lubricants in ensuring you complete the 24 hours and make it to the finish line?

What was your team’s involvement in developing the Racing Kit oil in partnership with Motul?

We worked really closely with Honda’s research and development department to develop an oil that is designed from the ground up for this bike. This engine has only used this oil from the beginning. We know Motul well. Honda trusts Motul and we trust Honda. There is no other choice.

What was your team’s involvement in developing the Racing Kit oil in partnership with Motul?

Good lubricants mean less friction in the engine. What does this mean on the track?

Oil alone is not enough if the engine has little friction. In today's high-speed, high-power engines, it is a must to protect each part. Therefore, it is necessary to have an oil which performs multiple, conflicting tasks at the same time. The results this time proved that. Nothing went wrong. Nothing happened to us. That's why we won!

Good lubricants mean less friction in the engine. What does this mean on the track?

You’ve been partners with Motul a long time. How does the partnership benefit your team and help you on the road to success?

Our fight was not limited to the 24-hour race. It was a battle with coronavirus and the pandemic. Motul helped us in that battle as a lubricant partner. We fought the world and won. Thanks, Motul.

You’ve been partners with Motul a long time. How does the partnership benefit your team and help you on the road to success?

   

Masakazu Fujii: “With today's high-power engines, it’s necessary to protect each part”