In 2015 the Yamaha Factory Racing Team returned to the Suzuka 8-Hour with a full factory effort, Bradley Smith (Monster Yamaha Tech 3) and Pol Espargaro (Monster Yamaha Tech 3) leading them to victory alongside Katsuyuki Nakasuga. Pol Espargaro is back and looking to win once again with the same team joined by WorldSBK rider Alex Lowes and Nakasuga once again. Espargaro hasn’t been able to attend all the tests due to the hectic MotoGP™ World Championship calendar but his teammates have been flying in public testing.
Near the top of testing has been Musashi RT Harc-Pro, Suzuka 8-Hour ace and MotoGP™ wildcard Takumi Takahashi joined by Michael van der Mark and MotoGP™ Legend Nicky Hayden. They’ll be on the Honda CBR1000RR, a machine both van der Mark and Hayden are familiar with from WorldSBK.
Dominique Aegerter (CarXpert Interwetten) is a regular Suzuka challenger, the Swiss Moto2™ rider back for his third race. He’s taken to the podium on both of his previous visits and is looking for the top step of the podium with the F.C.C TSR Honda team. He’ll be joined by WorldSSP title contender P.J Jacobsen.
Former Moto2™ rider Gino Rea will rider alongside current Moto2™ racer Ratthapark Wilairot (Idemitsu Honda Team Asia) under the TOHO Racing banner on a Honda. Moto2™ race winner and former Kawasaki MotoGP™ rider Anthony West will also be racing with the AKENO SPEED team on a Yamaha R1.