Yamaha reveals line-up for Suzuka 8 Hours title defence
Yamaha will field an unchanged line-up of Katsuyuki Nakasuga, Alex Lowes and Michael van der Mark for the second successive year as it chases a fourth straight win in Suzuka 8 Hours.
Photo by: Yamaha Motor Racing
Multiple All-Japan Superbike champion Nakasuga has been a part of Yamaha’s winning line-up for the last three years and was joined by Alex Lowes, who secured his first World Superbike win at Brno earlier this month, from 2016 onwards.
Van der Mark, who moved to Yamaha last season after two wins with the HARC-Pro Honda squad, has also been retained by the Japanese manufacturer.
The three riders will be seen on a red-and-white liveried YZF-R1, a departure from the familiar all-blue colour scheme, as Yamaha celebrates the 20th anniversary of the production bike of the same name.
The same livery will also apply to bikes run by YART Yamaha and the defending EWC Champions GMT94 Yamaha.
Broc Parkes will spearhead the charge for YART and will be joined by fellow WSBK race winner Max Neukirchner, German IDM Superbike Champion Marvin Fritz, and up-and-coming Japanese Superbike racer Takuya Fujita.
GMT94’s rider line-up comprises former MotoGP racers David Checa and Mike Di Meglio as well as 2017 EWC riders’ champion Niccolo Canepa.
The 41st Suzuka 8 Hours will be held at the iconic Japanese circuit on July 27-29.
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