Suzuki paid tribute to the creator and boss of Suzuki Endurance Racing Team prior to the start of the Suzuka 8 Hours, the last Endurance World Championship race to be managed by Dominique Méliand.

Yamaha Factory Racing Team topped warm-up ahead of Red Bull Honda, Kawasaki Racing Team and F.C.C. TSR Honda France at the Suzuka 8 Hours, to be flagged off at 11.30am local time in Japan today (Sunday).

Following the cancellation of the Top 10 Trial, the starting grid of the Suzuka 8 Hours retains the positions taken in qualifying. This means Yamaha Factory Racing Team remain on pole, followed by Kawasaki Racing Team and Red Bull Honda.

Slovakian team Omega Maco Racing are competing in the Suzuka 8 Hours with a line-up consisting of Polish champion Pawel Szkopek and Endurance World Championship winner James Ellison.

After taking control in first qualifying at the Suzuka 8 Hours, Yamaha Factory Racing Team confirmed pole position on the provisional starting grid ahead of Kawasaki Racing Team and Red Bull Honda. The final grid line-up will be decided tomorrow after the Top 10 trial.

Yamaha Factory Racing Team, the winners of the past four editions of the Suzuka 8 Hours, are already taking up their positon as the favourites. The Japanese team were fastest in the first qualifying session, ahead of Kawasaki Racing Team and Red Bull Honda.

Yamaha Factory Racing Team stepped up the pace to top the times in the third and final session of private tests, ahead of F.C.C. TSR Honda France and Red Bull Honda.

Honda Endurance Racing have set themselves an ambitious goal to wind up their season on a high note at Suzuka.

F.C.C. TSR Honda France posted the fastest time in the second session of tests at Suzuka today. The Japanese team were quicker than Kawasaki Racing Team.

Most of the teams competing in the 42nd Suzuka 8 Hours were on the track this morning. Red Bull Honda posted the fastest time, ahead of Yamaha Factory Racing Team and Musashi RT Harc-Pro Honda. F.C.C. TSR Honda France and YART Yamaha were in the Top 5.