In August this year, 56 years since first participating in the FIM Road Racing World Championship Series in 1959, Honda achieved an unprecedented 700 victories by winning in the MotoGP class. To Honda, racing activities are its driving force, and Honda’s participation in the world’s top class of motor sports not only enables it to hone its technologies, but apply the racing spirit and ideas to many of its products. As the leading personal mobility company, Honda continues to provide people worldwide with enjoyment and happiness through its products and racing activities, and, with its belief in its corporate slogan “The Power of Dreams,” will realize its - and customers’ - dreams.

Review of Honda’s 2015 Motorcycle World Championship Racing Activities

In the 2015 season, Honda participated in 8 classes in 6 categories of Motorcycle World Championship racing, and the Dakar 2015. In the FIM^*1 Trial World Championship Series (WCT), Toni Bou achieved an unprecedented 9th consecutive championship title. Tim Gajser won his first championship in the FIM Motocross World Championship Series (MXGP) MX2 class, as did Danny Kent in the MotoGP FIM Road Racing World Championship Series Moto3 class.

Honda’s 2016 Participation in Motorcycle World Championship Racing

1.FIM Road Racing World Championship Series (MotoGP)
＜MotoGP Class＞
Honda aims to win back the MotoGP class title, with double-world champion (2013 / 2014) Marc Márquez, and 11-year MotoGP class veteran Dani Pedrosa riding for Honda’s factory team^*2 “Repsol Honda Team” on 2016 RC213V factory machines. With Cal Crutchlow (CWM LCR Honda), and Jack Miller (MARC VDS Racing Team) and Tito Rabat (Estrella Galicia 0,0 Marc VDS) will also ride 2016 RC213Vs, Honda aims to win the “Triple Crown;” the riders’, constructors’, and team titles.

＜Moto3 Class＞
Victorious in the 2015 season, Honda will compete in the Moto3 class with 2016 model NSF250RW factory machines. 11 riders, including Enea Bastianini (3rd in 2015 season) and Niccolò Antonelli (4th in 2015 season) will aim to give Honda its third consecutive championship title.

2.FIM Trial World Championship Series (WCT)
Honda aims to claim an unprecedented 11th consecutive constructors’ title and 10th consecutive riders’ title, with 9-time consecutive champion Toni Bou, 21-year WCT veteran Takahisa Fujinami, and this season rising star Jaime Busto riding COTA4RT factory machines for Honda’s factory team, “Repsol Honda Team.”

3.FIM Motocross World Championship Series (MXGP)
＜MXGP: 450cc Class＞
In the MXGP class, which Honda missed out on taking the title by the smallest of margins this year, Gautier Paulin, 2nd in the 2015 season, and Evgeny Bobryshev, ranked 3rd, will continue to represent Honda’s factory team, “Team HRC.” 2015 MX2 class champion Tim Gajser will join the premier class, racing for Team Honda Gariboldi Racing. All three riders will aim to win the championship on the 2016 CRF450RW factory machine. HRC rider Kei Yamamoto will ride a CRF450R to compete in the class for Team Assomotor Honda.

＜MX2: 250cc Class＞
In the MX2 class, Honda aims to defend its 2015 title with 19 year old Jorge Zaragoza racing for the championship team, Team Honda Gariboldi Racing, on a factory machine CRF250RW.

4.AMA^*4 SuperCross World Championship Series (450SX)
Honda’s factory team “Team Honda HRC” will aim for a more successful season in 2016, with Cole Seely, winner of 1 race prix in his rookie year, and Trey Canard, winner of 2 races despite fighting injuries, riding CRF450Rs to challenge for the title.

*4 AMA: American Motorcyclist Association

5. FIM Superbike World Championship Series (WSB)
Honda World Superbike Team, supported by Honda Motor Europe Ltd. (Honda’s European regional headquarters), will compete in the series with 2006 MotoGP world champion Nicky Hayden and Michael van der Mark riding CBR1000RR machines.

6. FIM Supersport World Championship Series (WSS)
PTR World Supersport Team, supported by Honda Motor Europe Ltd., will compete in the series with Kyle Smith riding CBR600RR machines.

The Dakar 2016
In its fourth year after returning to the Dakar, Honda’s factory team “Team HRC,” armed with 2016 CRF450 RALLY factory machines, will once again be represented by ace rider Joan Barreda and 2015 runner-up Paulo Goncalves, joined by Michael Metge, Paolo Ceci and Ricky Brabec, to win its first title in 27 years, since its Paris Dakar victory in 1988.