Reigning World Endurance Champions Suzuki Endurance Racing Team along with Yoshimura Suzuki Shell Advance and Team Kagayama are on track and ready for Japan’s most-prestigious race, the 39th Coca-Cola Zero Suzuka 8-Hours World Endurance race this weekend.

Following two pre-Suzuka tests – the second at which SERT riders Vincent Philippe, Anthony Delhalle and Etienne Masson attended to get their GSX-R1000 set up for the demanding race – the 14-time World Champions are aiming to improve upon their third place in the series. The French team currently lies seven points behind series leaders after two rounds, Team April Moto Motors Events, comprising Gregg Black, Gregory Fastre and Alex Cudlin.

With possibly the strongest field ever in the Suzuka 8-Hour, Yoshimura Shell Advance - Takuya Tsuda, Josh Brookes and Noriyuki Haga – are looking strong following two positive pre-race tests: The #12 GSX-R1000 topped the timesheets in the opening test with Tsuda and Haga, and in the second, with Brookes - focused on different set-up options that they hope will put them on the top-step of the podium in Sunday’s race.

Team Kagayama Suzuki’s Yukio Kagayama, Ryuichi Kiyonari and Naomichi Uramoto are also upbeat after featuring in the top-three in the tests and are also slated as contenders for victory, but the opposition is strong; with 2015 race winners Yamaha Factory Racing Team, Musashi RT Harc-Pro and F.C.C. TSR Honda all in the running to stop them.

A total of 56 World Endurance and 12 Superstock-class riders begin initial testing today before qualifying starts today and the final shakedown on Saturday before Sunday’s race-start at 11:30hrs local time.