Source: Supplied.

All-Japan champion Katsuyuki Nakasuga will make a wildcard entry in the Motul Grand Prix of Japan, scheduled for the Twin Ring Motegi circuit on 9-11 October, on board a Yamaha Factory Racing YZR-M1 sporting special Yamaha 60th anniversary livery.

This will mark the fourth time in a row that Nakasuga has entered the Grand Prix of Japan in the MotoGP class. Including his second place podium finish at Valencia in 2012, this will be his sixth time racing in the premier class.

“Of course, I have my development duties for this year’s Grand Prix of Japan, but being able to enter with special livery commemorating Yamaha’s 60th anniversary has me even more motivated than usual,” Nakasuga said.

“I’ll do my best to show Yamaha’s strengths and how fast the M1 is together with Rossi and Lorenzo on the world stage and I hope that I can make it a race to remember for Yamaha in its 60th year.”

Yamaha’s goals in this wildcard entry for the Motul Grand Prix of Japan include having Nakasuga, who is a development and test rider for the YZR-M1, evaluate the results of the YZR-M1’s development, but also to have the spectators feel the history behind Yamaha’s 60 years in racing through this special livery.

This season, Nakasuga is racing in the JSB1000 class of the All Japan Road Race Championship with the all-new 2015 YZF-R1. After four of seven rounds, he has three wins and is at the top of the standings on his quest to become the first-ever consecutive four-time champion.

Nakasuga also teamed up with MotoGP regulars Pol Espargaro and Bradley Smith for the Suzuka 8 Hours held at the end of July, helping to bring Yamaha its fifth Suzuka victory and the company’s first win in 19 years since 1996.