Qualifying concludes in Suzuka

New hands were dealt this afternoon in the second qualifying session of the Suzuka 8 hours, third round of the 2012 FIM Endurance World Championship. Whereas Monster Energy Yamaha YART came up trumps this morning with a best lap by Katsuyuki Nakasuga, it was the Yoshimura Suzuki Racing Team that moved to the top of the timing sheets this afternoon with a breath-taking lap by Josh Waters in 2'07.704. Winners last year at Suzuka, FCC TSR Honda riposted with a lap in 2'08.169 by Kosuke Akiyoshi that puts them in a provisional second place at the start. After a crash by Katsuyuki Nakasuga which did no real damage, the Monster Energy Yamaha YART is just behind in third place on the provisional grid (2'08.352). The Suzuki Endurance Racing Team held on valiantly to its fourth place thanks to Yukio Kagayama's best laptime of 2'08.429. The French Suzuki is ahead of the Japanese Honda of Musashi RT Harc-Pro and the Kawasaki Eva RT Trick Star. Making up the top 10 are four Japanese Hondas: Teluru Kohara RT, Honda Dream Sakurai, Toho Racing with Moriwaki, and Honda Team Asia. These are the ten teams that will be chancing their places on the grid in the Top 10 Trial at Suzuka tomorrow afternoon. This Superpole takes the form of a single timed lap. Held back by a braking problem, the BMW Motorrad France Team Thevent is currently in eleventh place, having missed out on the Top 10 Trial by a narrow margin (2'09.443). Three other FIM World Endurance Championship permanent teams are bunched between the 15th and 20th spot. Yamaha France GMT 94 Michelin Yamalube is 15th, Honda TT Legends 17th and the Kawasaki of Bolliger Team Switzerland will be starting from the 20th position on the grid. The R2CL team is now in 49th place after its practice sessions and Team Flembbo Dijamant Serbia in 59th. The first ten places on the grid will be up for grabs in the Top 10 Trial tomorrow afternoon. The race will begin on Sunday at 11 h 30 local time. 

Source: http://www.fim-live.com/en/media/news/news-detail/article/1343396291-qualifying-concludes-in-suzuka/

Kees Besseling Max Biaggi Pier Paolo Bianchi Stefano Bianco Fabio Biliotti