Suzuka 8 Hours: Top 10 Trial qualifying results

LCR MotoGP rider Johann Zarco delivered the factory Honda team pole position for the 46th running of the Suzuka 8 Hours on Saturday with a new lap record.

Zarco was the last rider to go out on track based on the running order and set a blistering time of 2m04.290s on the No. 30 Honda to edge out the factory Yamaha of Andrea Locatelli by just 0.026s.

After the first two legs of qualifying on Friday, the 10 fastest teams advanced to the Top 10 Trial, with each outfit nominating two riders for a single flying lap. Unlike Friday’s sessions, which used average lap times from the quickest two riders of each team, the Top 10 Trial relied solely on the best individual effort from each team to set the grid.

Six-time event winner Takumi Takahashi put Honda on provisional pole after the first rider from all 10 teams had set a flying lap, thanks to a 2m05.223s, but lap times tumbled significantly in the second part of Top 10 Trial.

World Superbike regular Locatelli looked to have secured pole for Yamaha with a 2m04.316s, after teammate Jack Miller crashed at the final chicane on his attempt. But Zarco’s last-gasp flyer ensured Honda would start Sunday’s race from the front.

The two factory teams from Honda and Yamaha were miles clear of the rest of the pack, with Naomichi Uramoto No. 76 AutoRace Ube BMW finishing seven tenths off the pace in third position.

Fourth place went to the No 73 Harc-Pro Honda, while the top five was completed by the No. 37 BMW Motorrad team.

The FIM Endurance World Championship’s points-leading Yart Yamaha team ended up sixth courtesy of Marvin Fritz, just ahead of Dan Linfoot on the rival Yoshimura Suzuki.

Ducati’s sole Top 10 Trial representative, the Kagayama squad, wound up eighth ahead of Honda's ATJ and Astemo Pro teams.

Suzuka 8 Hours - Top 10 Trial results: