Suzuki replaces Zarco with Haga for Suzuka 8h

Zarco had originally penned a deal to ride for the Suzuki squad in the Japanese endurance race earlier this year as part of a testing agreement with the manufacturer.

The Frenchman admitted he hoped this would act as a stepping stone to a Suzuki MotoGP seat, but this hope was dashed when Davide Brivio's squad confirmed Alex Rins as its second rider on Monday.

With Zarco's best chance of a premier class graduation now seeming to be with the Tech 3 Yamaha squad, the 25-year-old has dropped out of Yoshimura's Suzuka 8h line-up.

Instead, former World Superbike rider Noriyuki Haga has been drafted into the squad alongside British Superbike champion Josh Brookes and All-Japan Superbike regular Takuya Tsuda.

Haga contested the race last year for the Kagayama Suzuki team, finishing third - two places ahead of Yoshimura's trio of Tsuda, Josh Waters and Alex Lowes.

Lowes will make his return to the race this year for Yamaha, alongside reigning champions Pol Espargaro and Katsuyuki Nakasuga.