Source: Supplied.

Japanese ace Katsuyuki Nakasuga set the fastest lap of the Top 10 Trial today to take pole position at the Coca-Cola Suzuka 8 Hours for the Yamaha Factory Racing Team.

Although his 2m06.038s did not match Pol Espargaro’s record of 2m06.000s in 2015, Nakasuga secured the Yamaha factory squad its third successive pole.

Yoshimura Suzuki Motul Racing confirmed its second place on the starting grid thanks to Takuya Tsuda with a 2m06.282s, ahead of Kawasaki Team Green, which moved up into third place thanks to Leon Haslam’s 2m06.381s lap.

F.C.C. TSR Honda also did well, improving its qualifying result to advance one place on the grid with Dominique Aegerter’s 2m06.600s lap-time. MuSASHi RT HARC-PRO Honda was third after qualifying, but will start the race from fifth place.

YART Yamaha Official EWC Team remains sixth on the starting grid after a 2m07.634s lap by Australia’s own Broc Parkes. The team is ahead of Moriwaki Motul Racing, Honda Suzuka Racing Team, Team Kagayama and Satu Hati Honda Team Asia.

Two riders crashed during the fastest flying lap at Suzuka – Sylvain Guintoli (Yoshimura Suzuki Motul Racing) and Yudai Kamei (Honda Suzuka Racing Team).

The 2016-2017 Endurance World Championship finals, the 40th anniversary of the Suzuka 8 Hours, will start tomorrow at 11:30am local time. The remainder of the grid will be based upon Friday’s qualifying times.