The Latest Breaking News from Suzuka

A total of 40 cars, 15 in GT500 and 25 in GT300, are entered for Sunday's 77-lap race, slated to begin slightly later than usual at 2.45pm local time (GMT +9).

The team revealed its decision to end its participation in Japan's top sportscar series on Wednesday, ahead of this weekend's Suzuka 450km.

Four down, four to go: there's still everything to play for after an action-packed first half of the season that has seen honours divided equally between Toyota and Nissan, whose respective top crews sit at the top of the championship standings.

The FIA rules specify that every race driver has to give up an FP1 session for a rookie who has started no more than two grands prix.

With three rounds left this season, TOM’S driver Miyata sits a single point clear of Mugen rival Lawson in the drivers’ standings.

An entry list for the fifth round of the season released on Monday features the regular cast of 15 GT500 cars and 25 GT300s, with both the #25 Hoppy Team Tsuchiya and #244 Max Racing entries missing.

In the absence of factory opposition from Honda’s fellow Japanese manufacturers, Nagashima, Takumi Takahashi and Xavi Vierge dominated the 44th running of the Japanese endurance classic aboard their #33 Honda CBR1000RR-R.

Takumi Takahashi held a two-minute advantage on the #33 HRC CBR1000RR-R he shares with Tetsuta Nagashima and Xavi Vierge after four hours of racing at the Suzuka Circuit, putting the factory Honda squad on course for a second consecutive win in the Japanese endurance classic.

In the absence of a factory entry from Kawasaki, YART has taken up the mantle as nearest challengers to the works Honda team, topping the opening two legs of qualifying and finishing right behind the pole-sitting HRC squad in the Top 10 shootout.

Xavi Vierge and Tetsuta Nagashima combined to set an average time of 2m05.624s at the Suzuka circuit, claiming pole position by 0.193s on the #33 factory HRC entry they share with Takumi Takahashi.

The #24 Kondo Nissan Z of Sasaki and Kohei Hirate entered qualifying firmly among the favourites for pole, carrying only 6kg of success ballast and having taken the top spot last time out at Suzuka, only to be stripped of pole due to a fuel tank infraction.