Things are hotting up in Japan with the first qualifying sessions for the Suzuka 8 Hours. Fifth after the free practice, the Yoshimura Suzuki Racing Team took control again this morning with a best lap signed by Takuya Tsuda in 2’07.688, just squeaking ahead of the FCC TSR Honda, qualified by Jonathan Rea in 2’07.857. A 2’08.197 lap by Katsuyuki Nakasuga kept the Monster Energy Yamaha YART in the top three.

Fourth in these first qualifiers, the Honda of Musashi RT Harc-Pro is looking like a serious contender with a best lap time of 2’08.363 chalked up by the twenty-year old Dutch rider Michael Van Der Mark and very nearly matched by team mates Takumi Takahashi and Leon Haslam.

The Team Kagayama clocked up the fifth best time with a lap by team manager Yukio Kagayama in 2’08.751 while Noriyuki Haga (2’10.146), who crashed, and Kevin Schwantz (2’12.007) are expected to up their game.

The three best European teams are currently in sixth, seventh and eighth. The Yamaha France GMT 94 Michelin Yamalube leads the trio thanks to David Checa (2’09.039) ahead of BMW Motorrad France Team Thevent with Erwan Nigon in 2’09.088 and the Suzuki Endurance Racing Team qualified by Vincent Philippe in 2’09.114. However, the BMW Motorrad France Team Thevent has a challenging race ahead of it without Damian Cudlin, injured yesterday in free practice.

Team R2CL with the experienced Gwen Giabbani clocked up a best lap of 2’11.398. Honda TT Legends and Bolliger Team Switzerland are still in the leading pack ahead of Flemmbo Leader Team and Suzuka rookies Motobox Kremer by Shell Advance, who gained 3 seconds since the free practice.

The second qualifiers take place this afternoon.

On Saturday, in the Top10 Trial, a Superpole specific to the Suzuka 8 Hours, the ten best teams coming out of the qualifiers will fight it out for the top places on the grid of this 36th edition of the Suzuka 8 Hours, second round of the FIM Endurance World Championship.



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