Fresh off his second Suzuka 8 Hours appearance, Max Stauffer came home 13th with Team Kodama at the 2025 edition of the legendary endurance race – a standout result given he raced just a week after collarbone surgery. CycleOnline caught up with the 21-year-old for this Conversation feature to break down the weekend in Japan from his perspective.

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Max, 13th overall with Team Kodama at the Suzuka 8 Hours – congratulations on a solid result. Your second time at the event, run us through how the weekend unfolded.

Yeah, it was a tough one. I had collarbone surgery only seven days before I was on track, so things were a bit of a rush getting over there. We had an unofficial test session on the Wednesday, so it was a scramble to get organised – but Tom [Toparis] sorted everything and made it happen. I was still in a bit of pain from the flight and surgery, but once I got on the bike and started moving, I actually started to feel okay. Because of the injury, I didn’t get a huge amount of laps in – especially during the race – but I was still stoked to be back racing at Suzuka. The atmosphere was unreal, the fans were amazing, and getting to do the in-lap behind the pace car again is one of those moments you just can’t describe unless you’ve done it.

Collarbone surgery one week out, you kept that quiet! That would’ve made it difficult.

Honestly, there just wasn’t much time to talk about it. As soon as I broke it, we were rushing around to get it plated before flying out. Then after the surgery, I was doing everything I could in those four days to stay strong and get ready. I didn’t want to make it public until after the event. My mindset was just to get there, block it out, and treat it like it hadn’t even happened. I wanted to go about things as normal, then let everyone know afterwards what was going on. It was definitely tough, but I think I managed it well and just got on with the job.

Looking at the race itself – how did it go from your perspective? Did last year’s experience help despite the setback with injury?

Yeah, 100 percent. I learnt a lot from last year. Endurance racing is just so different to what we’re used to in Australia. I mean, Suzuka is probably the equivalent of doing three ASBK races back-to-back – it’s a completely different mindset. I came into it this year with that knowledge, but I also had to adjust my approach again because of the injury. I learnt a lot about myself and the mental side of it this time around. I’ve still got things I want to work on, but I feel like I’ve taken another step forward.

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There were a few Aussies over there this year – including Jack Miller and Jason O’Halloran on Yamaha machinery, and obviously Josh Brookes. Did you guys spend much time together across the weekend?

Yeah, we chatted a fair bit while we were over there. I spent a bit of time around the YART setup, and it was cool just being around the other Aussie boys. We didn’t talk too much about the bikes – even though Jason, Jack and I were all on Yamahas, the specs were completely different, so it’s hard to compare. But it was just a good vibe all weekend. Everyone was focused but still having fun, and it was a great experience being part of it with those guys around.

What was it like lining up against someone like Jack Miller – an Australian who’s been in MotoGP for years and someone you’ve likely looked up to growing up?

Yeah, for sure, it was awesome. But it’s not even just Jack – there were so many guys there who are at the top of their game, whether it’s MotoGP, WorldSBK, or other top-level national championships. These are the people you stay up late to watch on TV every weekend, and then all of a sudden, your name’s on the same results sheet as theirs. That’s a pretty surreal feeling and definitely something I want more of.

Talk a little bit about the bike over there, how did it compare the YZF-R1M you normally race here in ASBK with the Yamaha Racing Team?

Essentially, the rules here in Australia mean our bikes are pretty stock – probably even more stock than the Superstock classes overseas – so it definitely takes a bit of adjusting. The bike over there has a much different overall feel compared to what I race at home. Our bikes in Australia tend to flex a lot more, so you really have to adapt your riding style quite a bit. Probably the biggest difference, though, is the tyres. The Pirellis we run here are very different to the Bridgestones used at Suzuka, so you’ve got to adapt your style to suit that and really understand the feedback you’re getting through the handlebars. You’ve just got to go with the feeling the bike’s giving you and adjust your style accordingly.

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You’re back home now after Suzuka, and it’s a quick turnaround with ASBK back on this weekend at Queensland Raceway. The injury is still fairly fresh, but aside from that, are you heading into the round with some confidence after a strong result in Japan?

Yeah, definitely. I feel pretty good now – I don’t have any real concerns going into the weekend. The goal at QR is to try and work through the issues we’ve had throughout the year and start moving forward again. We’ve just got to keep going through the process, I’ve got to keep doing the laps and trying to better myself. Once we fix the problems we’ve been having with the bike, I’m confident we’ll get back to where we were last year. I’m definitely feeling more confident coming off the back of Suzuka. I feel like I did a pretty good job there, especially considering I was injured, so I’m heading into this weekend feeling positive and looking forward to having a good round.

Thanks heaps for your time today, mate! Good luck this weekend.

Cheers!