Leon Haslam will return to the Suzuka 8 Hour Endurance race this year after been selected by the official ‘Team Green’ World Endurance squad.
The JG Speedfit Kawasaki rider will line-up alongside Akira Yanagawa and Kazuki Watanabe at the prestigious event.
Haslam won the prestigious event in 2013 and 2014, and the British Superbike rider cannot wait to head back out to Japan in a few months time.
He said: “I’m very pleased to have been selected to race in the three-man Kawasaki team and I’m really looking forward to the race and going back to Suzuka.
“I’ve been comfortable on the ZX-10R since I started testing for the BSB season on it and I will have raced on it at six British Superbike rounds by the time Suzuka arrives, so I’ll have had plenty of time aboard the machine.”
Haslam will compete in three official tests in Japan on the brand-new Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10R machine before taking part in the 39th edition of the race.
Kawasaki’s decision to include Haslam in the endurance team has pleased JG Speedfit team principal Mark Smith-Halvorsen, who believes that it shows his team’s strong connection with the manufacturer.
He said: “We were very pleased to hear Leon had been chosen by Kawasaki to front their official entry in the Suzuka 8 Hour event. It is one of the most prestigious events on the calendar and is something every manufacturer wants to win – as evidenced by the numerous MotoGP stars who compete each year.
“It’s a testament to British Superbikes that Kawasaki have chosen Leon as one of their three riders and demonstrates our strengthened position with the factory. On behalf of everyone at JG Speedfit Kawasaki, we wish him the best of luck in his pursuit for a third win.”
The Suzuka 8 Hour Endurance race takes place on July 29-31.