Honda's MotoGP championship hopes will be riding on the shoulders of this man, Dani Pedrosa.
With its motorsports activities as the symbol of Honda's challenging spirit, the company has competed in a variety of races since the days of its founding, aiming for the top level in the world. Constantly striving to fulfill big dreams and high aspirations, Honda has pursued the challenge of leading-edge innovation.
In 1954, Soichiro Honda, the company's founder, announced Honda's intention to take part in the Isle of Man TT Race, a Road Racing World Championship Grand Prix (WGP) race. Honda started competing in the WGP five years later in 1959. In 1961, only the company's third season, Honda succeeded in dominating the 125cc and 250cc classes of the Isle of Man TT Race, winning the top five positions in both classes. Honda also earned its first rider’s and manufacturer’s titles in both the 125cc and 250cc classes, titles the company had eagerly awaited. Since then, Honda has taken on challenges in a variety of motorcycle race categories.
For 2009, the 50th anniversary of the start of Honda participation in the WGP, the company has set its sights on recapturing the championship in the MotoGP class, the top WGP class. Honda will tackle this challenge by drawing on its advanced technologies. Honda aims to continue working on new endeavors with the know-how it has accumulated up to now, along with the spirit of challenge fostered through these motorsports activities, with the hope of sharing the dreams and excitement from these activities with its customers
MotoGP Class
Honda has set its sights on recapturing the three championship titles of rider, manufacturer and team in the MotoGP class, the top class of the Road Racing World Championship Grand Prix (WGP), with a total of six riders competing, including satellite team members. Honda plans to race six RC212V machines, which have been further evolved with state-of-the-art technologies.
The Repsol Honda works team will compete with two riders: Dani Pedrosa, in his fourth year in the MotoGP class, and Andrea Dovizioso, Pedrosa’s new works teammate. Yuki Takahashi moves up from the 250cc to the MotoGP class this season to compete as a satellite team member. As the only Japanese rider in the MotoGP class, expectations for his success in the series are high .
Team Number Rider Age Nationality 2008 Result
Repsol Honda Team 3 Dani Pedrosa 23 Spain MotoGP 3rd
4 Andrea Dovizioso 22 Italy MotoGP 4th
Team San Carlo Honda Gresini
15 Alex De Angelis 24 San Marino MotoGP 14th
24 Toni Elias 25 Spain MotoGP 12nd
Scot Racing Team MotoGP
72 Yuki Takahashi 24 Japan WGP 250cc 5th
LCR Honda MotoGP
14 Randy De Puniet 27 France MotoGP 15th
Main Honda teams and riders participating in the World Superbike (WSB) Championship
A total of six riders will take part in the World Superbike (WSB) Championship as members of private teams supported by overseas subsidiary Honda Motor Europe Ltd. (HME), including Ryuichi Kiyonari, Carlos Checa and Jonathan Rea on even more competitive CBR1000RRs. Having started competing in the WSB last season, Ryuichi Kiyonari will draw
Ryuichi Kiyonari cracked the top ten in the final World Superbike standings last year in his rookie season.
on last year's experience in the series and excellent riding skills to aim for the championship title. Carlos Checa, Kiyonari’s teammate and friendly rival, also competed as a rookie in the WSB last season and will spend his second year in the WSB capitalizing on his wealth of experience in racing. Jonathan Rea moves up to the WSB this year after competing in the World Supersport (WSS) Championship Series and ranking second last season. Expectations for his success in the future are high.
For the World Supersport (WSS) Championship, Honda will continue its activities through support from HME as was done for WSB. Honda riders include Andrew Pitt, last year's champion, and Kenan Sofuoglu, who is returning to the WSS after winning the championship in 2007 and competing in the WSB last season. Anthony West comes to the WSS, a new category for competition for him, after having competed in MotoGP races until last year. Including these riders, a total of eight riders will compete in the WSS this season. In each of the seven years since 2002, Honda has won the WSS championship, building up an unshakable position in the series with rider skills, machine performance and teamwork that overwhelm other teams. Honda will again aim for the championship this season with the further evolved CBR600RR.
For the World Motocross (WMX) Championship as well, HME will provide support to two teams in the MX1 class, the top class in the series. A total of four riders will ride CRF450Rs: Billy Mackenzie and Marc de Reuver, back to compete again after last season, and new team members, Cedric Melotte and Kevin Strijbos.
Major teams/riders for 2009 World Super Bike Championship (WSB)
Team Rider 2008 Result
WSB Ten Kate Honda Racing Ryuichi Kiyonari WSB 9th
HANNspree Ten Kate Honda Carlos Checa WSB 4th
HANNspree Ten Kate Honda Jonathan Rea WSS 2nd
HANNspree Honda Althea Tommy Hill WSS
Stiggy Motorsport AB Leon Haslam BSB (British Superbike) 2nd
Stiggy Motorsport AB Roberto Rolfo WSB 17th
