Source: Supplied.

Yoshimura Suzuki Shell Advance Racing Team has announced Noriyuki Haga will join Australian Josh Brookes and team regular Takuya Tsuda for the 2016 Suzuka 8 Hours on 31 July in Japan.

Former World Superbike legend and grand prix campaigner Haga is currently contesting the Asia Road Racing Championship with Kagayama Suzuki, called in to replace Moto2 World Champion Johann Zarco.

Zarco was initially announced to be riding alongside Brookes and Tsuda at Suzuka and tested the MotoGP GSX-RR recently, however opted out of the 8 Hours after the factory signed Alex Rins for next season.

Brookes worked with the Yoshimura Suzuki team at the 2013 Suzuka 8 Hour event, finishing second despite an unfortunate crash when he was recovering from a pit lane speed limit penalty by his teammate. The Yoshimura team were impressed by his fighting spirit at that event.

Tsuda has been the regular Yoshimura Suzuki rider in the All Japan Championship and Suzuka 8 Hour since 2013. He has continued to post solid results this year and improved both his riding and mental approach and remains the nucleus of the Yoshimura Suzuki team.