World Superbike legend Noriyuki Haga has replaced Johann Zarco alongside Josh Brookes in the Yoshimura Suzuki squas for this year’s Suzuka Eight-Hours.

Zarco was due to make his debut with the team but that has fallen by the wayside as he is due to or has already done a deal to ride for the Monster Yamaha MotoGP team in 2017 despite a test on the Ecstar GSX-RR, so veteran Haga has been wheeled in.

“I am glad to announce that I will be racing Suzuka Eight-Hours with Yoshimura Suzuki Shell ADVANCE this year,” said Haga.

“It is a surprise for me but honour that Yoshimura has asked me to take part and I am very excited to join the team as they have lots of experiences with long racing history. In the last the years, I raced with Team Kagayama and have ridden Yoshimura tuned GSX-R1000 engine. And finally, I would be able to ride genuine Yoshimura GSX-R1000 and it makes me thrilled.

“I won Suzuka in 1996 and made third finish in the last three years. My target is of course climbing back to the center of the podium with my team-mates, and I will do the best to make it true.”