Tyco Suzuki’s Josh Waters will return to the Suzuka Eight-Hours and team-up with 500ccGP legend in the Yoshimura Suzuka stable for 2014.

The Australian will ride alongside Takuya Tsuda in the Yoshimura Shell Advance squad while Schwantz partners veteran Satoshi Tsujimoto in the Yoshimura Legends squad.

“Competing in the 2013 Suzuka Eight-Hours with Team Kagayama reminded me of what racing with a great team is all about. I am really looking forward to celebrating Yoshimura's 60th anniversary of being in business by competing in the 2014 Suzuka 8-Hour on a ‘Pops Yoshimura’ Suzuki,” said Schwantz.

“Pops was a very influential man in my career; I first met him mid-way through the 1985 season riding for Yoshimura. Riding for Pops taught me a lot and helped groom me to be the competitor that I am. He was a real motivator and got the best out of everyone that worked around him.

“In 1994, I presented Pops with my winning Suzuka Grand Prix trophy - the fourth Japanese win of my career - in the Suzuki garage. That photo is still one of my favourites of all time. Before his passing, he told me I was his only rider to ever win a 500cc World Championship, or as it is known today MotoGP, and since his passing his words still hold true. To be teamed with my team-mate from 1986, Satoshi Tsujimoto, is a real honour. Thank you to the Suzuka circuit and everybody at Yoshimura Japan for the opportunity.”

Waters added: “I am very excited to be joining Yoshimura Suzuki Shell Advance for this Suzuka Eight-Hours race; some of my best racing memories have been at Suzuka and with Yoshimura Suzuki.

“My team-mate Takuya is very fast and we have a great team behind us, so we are going to be one of the strongest teams this year. Yoshimura Suzuki every year at the Suzuka 8 hour has been fighting for the victory, so this year we will try even harder to achieve the best result as it is a very special year for the team and I feel very lucky to be a part of it.”