Pata Honda’s World Superbike star Leon Haslam will defend the Suzuka Eight-Hours title he won last year when he teams up with fellow Pata man Michael Van Der Mark and current All-Japan Superbike series leader Takumi Takahashi in the MuSASHi RT HARC-PRO team
Haslam’s WSBK team-mate Jonathan Rea will be back to the scene of his 2012 triumph as he partners three-time winner Kousuke Akiyoshi in the two-man FCC-TSR team.
But their rivals are currently stealing a march as the Yoshimura Suzuki squads, which feature Kevin Schwantz, Randy De Puniet and Josh Waters, are just about to start testing at the Japanese track as is the Monster YART team of Josh Brookes, Broc Parkes and Kats Nakasuga.
The Honda Racing team will also be in attendance with Julien Da Costa, Freddie Foray and Sebastien Gimbert going for gold in the iconic race.
