Honda 2015 Motorsports Program Overview

February 13, 2015, Japan

News Release

February 13, 2015 - Honda Motor Co., Ltd. announced its 2015 motorsports strategy and initiatives for expanding the popularity of motorsports.

Since the days of its founding, Honda has always tackled the challenge of competing in motorsports events around the world, using the races as a springboard for the company’s growth by testing, refining and proving the worth of its original technologies on the global stage. Under its corporate slogan of “The Power of Dreams,” Honda aims to satisfy the expectations of its customers by putting more power behind its motorsports activities, so that through racing it can bring fun, joy and excitement to people across the globe.

1. Motorsports Strategy

【Motorcycle activities】

In the MotoGP, the premier class of the FIM*1 Road Racing World Championship Grand Prix Series, Repsol Honda, a Honda factory team will again put forward the lineup of Marc Márquez, who was the champion for the second year in a row last season, paired with Dani Pedrosa who won 4th place, aiming to win the three titles for the third season running.

Based on our desire to satisfy the expectations of many customers and fans as a manufacturer of motorcycles in all categories, we are determined to raise our commitment to the four categories of road racing, motocross, trials world championships, and the Dakar.

In the premier MXGP (450 cc) class of the FIM Motocross World Championship Series (MXGP), Honda will again compete with its Team HRC factory team. Evgeny Bobryshev will now be joined by Gautier Paulin, who ranked eighth in the MXGP in the 2014 season.

In AMA Supercross, an FIM World Championship held in the U.S., Honda has reinforced its team structure this season through technical support from Honda Racing Corporation (HRC) and the Motorcycle R&D Center of Honda R&D Co., Ltd., with the aim of capturing the title.
In the FIM Trial World Championship Series (WCT), three riders will compete:Toni Bou, crowned as champion for an unprecedented eight years in a row, Takahisa Fujinami, the only Japanese rider in WCT racing, and Jaime Busto, the WCT World Cup Class champion. The Honda team has their eyes on a ninth straight riders’ championship and tenth straight manufacturers’ championship.

Team HRC factory team competed in the Dakar 2015 Argentina-Bolivia-Chile in January. Paulo Goncalves placed second overall, and Laia Sanz came in ninth overall, the highest ranking ever for a female rider in the race.

HRC does not limit its racing activities to ones focusing on the pinnacle races, but also works on sales of commercial racing machines. The RC213V-RS commercial racer will be supplied to four riders in three teams in the Open Category, and the Dakar Rally machine CRF450 Rally has already been put on the market. HRC will continue to launch motorcycles based on factory machines, which will help expand the popularity of these vehicles.

  • *1FIM: Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme

【Automobile activities】

Honda will participate this season in the FIA*2 Formula One World Championship as a power unit supplier for the McLaren Honda team, which will enter two machines driven by Fernando Alonso and Jenson Button. McLaren Honda aims to win the dual titles of drivers’ and constructors’ championships.

In the FIA World Touring Car Championship (WTCC), Castrol Honda World Touring Car Team, a Honda factory team, will again feature Gabriele Tarquini and Tiago Monteiro as the drivers in this third season of full-year participation. Among private teams, in addition to Zengő Motorsport, competing in its third season, Nika Racing will be supplied with Honda cars for the first time. Honda aims to capture the dual titles of drivers’ and manufacturers’ championships.

In the GT500 class of the SUPER GT Series, Honda will compete with its NSX CONCEPT-GT equipped with a 2.0-liter inline 4-cylinder direct injection turbo engine and a racing hybrid system, in its attempt to recapture the dual title of drivers’ and team championships with its five teams and five machines. In the GT300 class, Honda will continue its support for AUTOBACS RACING TEAM AGURI, supplying them with a racing hybrid system, in cooperation with M-TEC Co., Ltd.

In the Japanese Championship SUPER FORMULA Series, Honda will supply the HR-414E, a 2.0-liter, inline, 4-cylinder direct injection turbo engine, to nine machines raced by five teams. Using this engine with greater power, Honda aims for the dual titles of drivers’ and team championships. 
In the IndyCar® Series, Takuma Sato, now in his sixth season, will again compete for A.J. Foyt Racing.

2. Developing world-class talent

Honda is proactively working on various programs to foster racers who can be active worldwide. 
Through a wide range of programs, Honda has actively taken on the challenge of fostering racing talent who can compete at the global level.

In road racing, Honda aims to help young riders tackle the challenge of competing in the Road Racing World Championship Series races and realize their dreams, through links with Honda’s racing endeavors in the Asian region that has seen a rapid rise in enthusiasm for motorcycle racing. With the aim of fostering future GP race rider talent, Honda continues its active support of the Asia Dream Cup (ADC), part of the FIM Asia Road Racing Championship Series (ARRC) for selecting riders from countries in the Asian region including Japan, and of the Shell Advance Asia Talent Cup (SAATC) hosted by Dorna Sports, S.L., which also hosts MotoGP. Honda also supports the FIM CEV Repsol Moto3 Junior World Championship, the destination for riders stepping up from the ADC and SAATC, and the team activities of IDEMITSU Honda Team Asia towards competition in the Moto2 class of the FIM Road Racing World Championship Grand Prix.

In motocross racing, Honda continues to host training camps in Japan for team riders competing in the MFJ All-Japan Motocross Championship Series, and also conducts a program for fostering talent by providing opportunities for young riders with future potential to join a training camp in the U.S. and compete in MXGP races.

Beginning this season, Nobuharu Matsushita, the champion in the 2014 Japanese Formula 3 Championship Series, will compete for the racing team ART Grand Prix in the GP2 Series*3, recognized as a gateway to the F1. Honda’s participation in the GP2 Series is a part of the company’s project for turning out more Japanese F1 drivers. Through collaboration with McLaren Racing, Honda will create more opportunities to encourage Japanese drivers to succeed on a global scale.

  • *2FIA: Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile
  • *3The GP2 Series is a category positioned as a gateway to the F1. GP2 Series races are held internationally, mostly in Europe, as support races for F1. Past GP2 Series champions have moved on to further success at F1.

3. Motorsports Promotion Activities

Honda has actively developed programs to expand the popularity of motorsports, including a diversity of activities undertaken to communicate the appeal of motorsports to a broad spectrum of fans around the world. These activities complement the company’s programs for developing motorcycle and automobile racing talent with a variety of events that can be enjoyed in a casual setting.

To offer riders with no prior experience in racing an opportunity to casually take part in races to enjoy the fun and excitement, HRC holds one-make races such as the CBR250R Dream Cup and the NSF100 HRC Trophy. Starting this year, the HRC NSF250R Challenge races will be held using the NSF250R, a road racing model widely available on the market.

As for automobile activities, Honda will hold a participatory motorsports program called the N-ONE OWNERS’ CUP in its second year, which is a one-make race using a mini vehicle, N-ONE. A total of ten races will be held in six locations across Japan.

Honda Eco Mileage Challenge*4, an event for competing in how far the participants can travel on one liter of gasoline, will mark its 35th year in 2015. These fuel-efficiency competition events have been held not only in Japan but in other countries such as Thailand, China and Vietnam as well.

  • *4The event name was changed to Honda Eco Mileage Challenge starting in 2010.

《Overview of Motorcycle Racing Strategy》

【Road Races】

◆FIM Road Racing World Championship Grand Prix Series

<MotoGP class>

Honda will compete in the “Factory Option*5,” aiming to take home the three titles of the riders’, constructors’ and team championships for the third season in a row. This year, Honda will field a 2015 version of the RC213V with maximum output and controllability further enhanced.

As Honda’s factory team*6, Repsol Honda Team will again feature the duo of Marc Márquez, who emerged as MotoGP champion for the second year in a row last season, and Dani Pedrosa, who ranked fourth in the 2014 racing season. Racing for Honda’s satellite teams*7 will be Cal Crutchlow of CWM LCR Honda and Scott Redding of Estrella Galicia Marc VDS.

In the Open category*5, Honda will compete using the RC213V-RS, which uses the pneumatic valves installed on the RC213V and produces higher output, instead of the commercially available RCV1000R racing machine. The riders competing on this machine will be Nicky Hayden, Karel Abraham, Eugene Laverty, all of whom competed in the FIM Superbike World Championship Series last season, and Jack Miller, who is moving up from Moto3.

Factory Option*5

Team Number Rider Age Nationality 2014 result
Repsol Honda Team 93 Marc Márquez 21 Spain MotoGP, Champion
26 Dani Pedrosa 29 Spain MotoGP, 4th
CWM LCR Honda 35 Cal Crutchlow 29 U.K. MotoGP, 13th
Estrella Galicia Marc VDS 45 Scott Redding 22 U.K. MotoGP, 12th

Open Category*5

Team Number Rider Age Nationality 2014 result
Drive M7 Aspar 69 Nicky Hayden 33 U.S.A. MotpGP, 16th
50 Eugene Laverty 28 Ireland WSB, 10th
CWM LCR Honda 43 Jack Miller 20 Australia Moto3, 2nd
AB Motoracing 17 Karel Abraham 25 Czech MotoGP, 17th
  • *5The MotoGP, the premier class of the FIM Road Racing World Championship Grand Prix Series, staged its races in two categories starting in 2014, the “Factory Option” and the “Open Category.” In the Factory Option, it is possible to modify the ECU (engine control unit) software provided by the organizer, while up to five engine units may be used on the same vehicle in one season and a fuel tank capacity of up to 20L is allowed. In the Open Category, ECU software modifications are not allowed, but up to 12 engine units can be used per vehicle during a season and the maximum fuel tank capacity is 24L.
  • *6Factory team: A team managed directly by the manufacturer that creates the racing machine
  • *7Satellite team: A self-managed team that competes in a race by using a factory machine created by the manufacturer that manages the factory team

<Moto2 class>

Established in 2010, the Moto2 class has been supported by Honda as the sole official engine supplier starting with that first year. The machines ridden by each team have been powered by an engine developed exclusively for the Moto2 class and based on the inline 4-cylinder engine of the commercially available CBR600RR supersports model. It has also been decided that Honda will continue supplying the engine to all teams through the 2016-2018 seasons.

<Moto3 class>

Honda will provide the NSF250RW and technical support to twelve riders in six teams in the Moto3 class. One of those riders, Hiroki Ono, was the champion in the 2013 Asia Dream Cup and ranked third after racing in the 2014 FIM CEV Repsol International Championship Moto3 class for Honda Team Asia. Stepping up to Moto3 class this season, Ono will compete for Leopard Racing.

Team Number Rider Age Nationality 2014 result
Estrella Galicia 0,0 20 Fabio Quartararo 15  France CEV Moto3, Champion
99 Jorge Navarro 19  Spain  CEV Moto3, 2nd
Saxo Print - RTG 10 Alexis Masbou 27  France  Moto3, 6th
17 John Mcphee 20  U.K.  Moto3, 13th
 Ongetta- Rivavold 23 Niccolò Antonelli 18  Italy  Moto3, 14th
95 Jules Danilo 19  France  Moto3, 30th
 LEOPARD Racing 7 Efren Vazquez 28  Spain  Moto3, 4th
52 Dany Kent 21  U.K.  Moto3, 8th
76 Hiroki Ono 22  Japan  CEV Moto3, 3rd
Junior Team Gresini Moto3 33 Enea Bastianini 17  Italy  Moto3, 9th
55 Andrea Locatelli 18  Italy  Moto3, entry
 RW Racing GP 11 Livio Loi 17  Belgium  Moto3, 21st

◆FIM Endurance World Championship Series - Suzuka 8hours Endurance Road Race

For the 38th Suzuka 8hours Endurance Road Race, Honda will enter Takumi Takahashi of MuSASHi RT HARC-PRO. Takahashi is vying for the championship title for the third year in a row. F.C.C. TSR Honda will enter Josh Hook (Australia) who placed seventh in the Suzuka 8hours Endurance Road Race.
To heighten the attraction of the race, Honda plans to enter riders who have been turning in strong performances in Japan and around the world, such as the FIM Superbike World Championship Series. The riders from Honda Team Asia, who have been turning in strong showings in races throughout Asia, will also take on the Suzuka 8hours for the third time. (Details will be announced as soon as they are determined.)

◆FIM Superbike World Championship Series

The Pata Honda World Superbike Team, supported by Honda Motor Europe Ltd., Honda’s local affiliate in Europe, will vie for victory in the Superbike World Championship Series (WBS) by riding the CBR1000RR. The team will feature the two riders of Sylvain Guintoli, the WSB champion last season, and Michael van der Mark, the champion in the Supersport World Championship (WSS) who also claimed victory two years in a row at the Suzuka 8hours Endurance Road Race.

Team Number Machine Rider Age Nationality 2014 result
Pata Honda World Superbike Team 1 CBR1000RR Sylvain Guintoli 32 France WSB champion
60 Michael van der Mark 22 the Netherlands WSS champion

◆FIM Asia Road Racing Championship Series

A team from Boon Siew Honda SDN. BHD., Honda’s local affiliate in Malaysia; teams from A.P. Honda Co., Ltd. and Thai Honda Manufacturing Co., Ltd., Honda affiliates in Thailand; and a team from P.T. Astra Honda Motor, Honda’s local affiliate in Indonesia, will race in the SS600 class of the FIM Asia Road Racing Championship Series (ARRC). Boon Siew Honda, joined by Yuki Takahashi, the champion in last year’s All-Japan Championship J-GP2 class, will vie to capture the championship title for the fourth consecutive season.

Team Machine Rider Nationality 2014 results
MuSASHI Boon Siew Honda Racing CBR600RR Md Zamri Baba Malaysia ARRC 4th
Yuki Takahashi Japan JRR J-GP2,
Champion
A.P. Honda Thailand Ratthapong Wilairot Thailand ARRC 10th
Jakkrit Swangswat Thailand ARRC 8th
Thai Honda Racing Suhathai Chaemsup Thailand ARRC 14th
TBC    
Astra Honda Racing Dimas Ekky Pratama Indonesia ARRC 9th
Md Fadli Imammudin Indonesia ARRC 12th
T. Pro Yuzy Honda Tomoyoshi Koyama Japan ARRC 5th
Taiga Hada Japan ARRC SS130, 2nd
TBC    

【Motocross】

◆FIM Motocross World Championship Series

In the MXGP class, the premier class of the FIM Motocross World Championship Series, Honda has entered Team HRC as its factory team since 2014. The team features the two riders of Evgeny Bobryshev and Gautier Paulin, who will now join the team after placing eighth in MXGP in the 2014 season, and will vie for podium finishes and the championship.

In the MX2 class, Honda will support the Honda Gariboldi team featuring Tim Gajser and Jorge Zaragoza as its riders.

MXGP

Team Number Machine Rider Age Nationality 2014 results
Team HRC 21 CRF450RW Gautier Paulin 24 France MXGP 8th
777 Evgeny Bobryshev 27 Russia MXGP 14th

2-stroke: 175cc-250cc; 4-stroke: 290cc-450cc

MX2

Team Number Machine Rider Age Nationality 2014 results
Honda Gariboldi 243 CRF250RW Tim Gajser 18 Slovenia MX2 5th
101 CRF250R Jorge Zaragoza 18 Spain EMX250 13th

2-stroke: 100cc-175cc; 4-stroke: 175cc-250cc
EMX: Europe Motocross Championship

◆AMA Supercross, An FIM World Championship

In the premier 450 class (450SX) of the AMA*8 Supercross, an FIM World Championship, the two teams of Team Honda HRC operated by American Honda (AH), Honda’s local subsidiary in the U.S., and GEICO Honda, supported by AH, will compete, featuring a total of three riders.

Starting this season, HRC and Honda R&D Co., Ltd. will provide technical support to reinforce the teams and to vie for the title.

Team Class Number Machine Rider Age Nationality 2014 results
Team Honda HRC 450SX 41 CRF450R Trey Canard 24 U.S.A. 450SX 18th
14 Cole Seely 24 U.S.A. 250W.SX 2nd
GEICO Honda 3 Eli Tomac 21 U.S.A. 450SX 12th

2-stroke: 175cc-250cc; 4-stroke: 290cc-450cc

  • *8AMA: American Motorcyclist Association

◆MFJ All-Japan Motocross Championship Series

Team HRC will again compete as Honda’s factory team in the MFJ*9 All-Japan Motocross Championship Series. In the top IA1 class*10, Akira Narita, who won the championship for the third consecutive year for Team HRC, and Makoto Ogata, who ranked second, will compete for victory in the fourth consecutive year. In the IA2 class*11, Toshiki Toyama, who ranked second last year, will attempt to recapture the championship.

Team Class Number Machine Rider Age Nationality 2014 results
Team HRC IA1 1 CRF450RW Akira Narita 34 Japan IA1 Champion
2 Makoto Ogata 29 Japan IA1 2nd
IA2 317 CRF250RW Toshiki Tomita 25 Japan IA2 2nd
  • *9MFJ:Motorcycle Federation of Japan
  • *10IA1 includes engine displacements of 2-stroke/175cc-250cc and 4-stroke/290cc-450cc.
  • *11IA2 includes engine displacements of 2-stroke/100cc-125cc and 4-stroke/175cc-250cc.

【Trial】

◆FIM Trial World Championship Series

Starting in the 2014 season, Honda has competed in the FIM Trial World Championship Series (WCT) by fielding the Repsol Honda Team as the Honda factory team, which will again compete in WCT by featuring the three riders of Toni Bou, the reigning champion for an unprecedented eight years in a row, Takahisa Fujinami who ranked fifth last season and will be competing in WCT for his 20th year this season, and Jaime Busto, the WCT World Cup Class champion from last season. These members of the Honda team have their eyes on a ninth straight riders’ championship and tenth straight constructors’ championship.

Team Number Machine Rider Age Nationality 2014 results
Repsol Honda Team 1 COTA4RT Toni Bou 28 Spain WCT Champion
5 Takahisa Fujinami 35 Japan WCT 5th
15 Jamie Busto 17 Spain WCT WorldCup Class, Champion

【Rally racing】

◆The Dakar 2015 Argentina-Bolivia-Chile

Team HRC factory team competed in the Dakar 2015 Argentina-Bolivia-Chile in January, where Paulo Goncalves came in second overall, and Laia Sanz placed ninth overall, the highest ranking ever for a female rider. Four of the team’s five riders lasted the entire distance, with Helder Rodrigues in 12th and Joan Barreda in 17th place, as Team HRC won 6 of 13 stages overall. Honda’s racing strategy including its riders will be announced for the 2016 rally as soon as it is determined.

Team Number Machine Rider Age Nationality 2014 results
Team HRC 7 CRF450 RALLY Paulo Goncalves 36 Portugal Dakar 2015
2nd overall
Victories in 1 stage
29 Laia Sanz 29 Spain Dakar 2015
9th overall
5 Helder Rodrigues 35 Portugal Dakar 2015
12th overall
Victories in 2 stages
2 Joan Barreda 31 Spain Dakar 2015
17th overall
Victories in 3 stages
12 Jeremias Israel 33 Chile Dakar 2015
Withdrew

【MFJ All-Japan Championship Series】

In collaboration with Honda, HRC and the Motorcycle R&D Center of Honda R&D Co., Ltd., Honda Motorcycle Japan Co., Ltd. will support the racing activities of all riders who choose to compete on a Honda at each circuit where the MFJ All-Japan Road Race Champions Series and Motocross Championship Series races are held, by making available the Honda Racing Circuit Service for advice on riding techniques and the tuning of machines for their best performance.
In collaboration with the Motorcycle Federation of Japan (MFJ) and industry associations, Honda will continue working towards revitalizing motorcycle racing in Japan to bring even greater fun to motorsports.

◆MFJ All-Japan Road Race Championship Series (JRR)
<JSB1000> Main teams and riders

Team Number Machine Rider 2014 results
MuSASHi RT HARC-PRO. 634 CBR1000RR Takumi Takahashi JRR JSB1000, 2nd
73 Naomichi Uramoto JRR J-GP2, 3rd
TOHO Racing Powered by MORIWAKI 104 Tatsuya Yamaguchi JRR JSB1000, 4th
F.C.C. TSR Honda 15 Josh Hook Suzuka 8hours Endurance, 7th
au & teluru Kohara RT 090 Kosuke Akiyoshi JRR JSB1000, 17th

53

Kazuma Watanabe JRR J-GP2, 4th

<J-GP2> Main teams and riders

Team Number Machine Rider 2014 results
MORIWAKI RACING 1 MD600 Yuki Takahashi JRR J-GP2, Champion
mistresa With HARC-PRO. 44 HR6 Taro Sekiguchi JRR J-GP2, 6th
MOTO BUM HONDA 9 CBR600RR Takayuki Ohki JRR J-GP2, 9th
Team Kotake RSC 75 HR6 Kosuke Sakumoto JRR J-GP3, 5th

<ST600> Main teams and riders

Team Number Machine Rider 2014 results
Team Kotake RSC 45 CBR600RR Ryosuke Iwato JRR J-GP3, 9th
Y! mobile & Kohara RT 39 Hikari Okubo JRR J-GP3, 6th

◆MFJ All-Japan Motocross Championship Series (JMX)
<IA1> Main teams and riders

Team Number Machine Rider 2014 results
SEKI Racing MotoRoman & KBF-RS 7 CRF450R Yuui Hoshino JMX IA1, 7th
MOTO.SPORTS.FUKAYA 8 Koichi Fukaya JMX IA1, 8th

<IA2> Main teams and riders

Team Number Machine Rider 2014 results
Nakaki Honda 113 CRF250R Masami Tanaka IA2 7th
T.E.SPORT 36 Gota Otsuka IA2 8th
TEAM ITOMO 38 Kohei Ogawa IA2 10th
TEAM 887 42 Taiki Baba IA2 14th
02 Ryota Baba IB2 Champion
N.R.T. 01 Taiki Koga IBO PEN Champion
SEKI Racing MotoRoman&KBF-RS 04 Yoshiki Takanawa IB2 4th

<Ladies Class (LX)> Main teams and riders

Team Number Machine Rider 2014 results
TEAM HAMMER 1 CRF150R Yuna Takeuchi LX Champion

◆All-Japan Trial Championship Series (JTR)

Honda will support a team belonging to HRC Service Shop for competition in the All-Japan Trial Championship Series.

<IAS> Main teams and riders

Team Number Machine Rider 2014 results
HRC CLUB MITANI 1 RTL260F Tomoyuki Ogawa IAS Champion
5 Akira Shibata IAS 5th

《Overview of Automobile Racing Strategy》

◆FIA Formula One World Championship (F1)

Honda will compete in the F1 as part of the McLaren Honda team, with two cars driven by Fernando Alonso and Jenson Button, who aim to win the dual titles of the drivers’ and constructors’ championships.

Team Number Driver Age Nationality 2014 result
McLaren‐Honda 14 Fernando Alonso 33 Spain F1 6th
22 Jenson Button 35 U.K. F1 8th

◆FIA World Touring Car Championship (WTCC)

Honda will again feature Gabriele Tarquini and Tiago Monteiro as drivers for Castrol Honda World Touring Car Team, a factory team.

Honda will also continue to supply machines to private teams this season. Norbert Michelisz will race for Zengő Motorsport in its third season of competition, who will be joined by Rickard Rydell racing for Nika Racing. Honda aims to capture both the drivers and manufacturers titles this season.

Team Number Driver Age Nationality 2014 result
Castrol Honda World Touring Car Team 2 Gabriele Tarquini 52 Italy WTCC 6th
18 Tiago Monteiro 38 Portugal WTCC 5th
Zengő Motorsport 5 Norbert Michelisz 30 Hungary WTCC 4th
Nika Racing 19 Rickard Rydell 47 Sweden -

◆SUPER GT Series <GT500 class>

Honda, with its further refined NSX CONCEPT-GT and with newly added riders Tomoki Nojiri, Oliver Turvey and Takuya Izawa, will compete with five teams racing five machines again this year.
With an aim to recapture the dual titles of drivers’ and team championships, the machine is being developed again this year under the auspices of the Honda GT Project by Honda R&D Co., Ltd., in cooperation with M-TEC Co., Ltd.

Team Number Tire Driver Age Nationality 2014 results
AUTOBACS RACING TEAM AGURI 8 Bridgestone Kosuke Matsuura 35 Japan GT500 16th
Tomoki Nojiri 25 Japan GT300 10th
Drago Modulo Honda Racing 15 Bridgestone Takashi Kogure 34 Japan GT500 14th
Oliver Turvey 27 U.K. Entry starting in 2015
KEIHIN REAL RACING 17 Bridgestone Koudai Tsukakoshi 28 Japan GT500 12th
Hideki Mutoh 32 Japan GT500 14th
Epson Nakajima Racing 64  Dunlop Daisuke Nakajima 26 Japan GT500 17th
Bertrand Baguette 28 Belgium
TEAM KUNIMITSU 100 Bridgestone Naoki Yamamoto 26 Japan GT500 4th
Takuya Izawa 30 Japan GP2 Series, 18th

◆SUPER GT Series <GT300 class>

Under the CR-Z GT project this season, Honda will provide the racing hybrid system and also support the participation of AUTOBACS RACING TEAM AGURI in cooperation with M-TEC., Ltd.

Team Number Tire Driver Age Nationality 2014 results
AUTOBACS RACING TEAM AGURI 55 Bridgestone Shinichi Takagi 44 Japan GT300 11th
Takashi Kobayashi 27 Japan

◆Japanese Championship SUPER FORMULA Series

In response to the change in regulations last season, Honda has developed the HR-414E, a 2.0-liter, inline, 4-cylinder, direct injection turbo engine, which will be supplied via Japan Race Promotion Inc. to nine machines raced by five teams. The team of Drago Corse, which participated in the latter half of the races last year, will fully participate in the 2015 series. Honda’s goal is to have racing teams powered by Honda engines make 2015 a dual title season by capturing both the drivers’ and team titles.

Team Number Driver Age Nationality 2014 results
REAL RACING 10 Koudai Tsukakoshi 28 Japan SF 11th
11 Takuya Izawa 30 Japan GP2 Series, 18th
TEAM MUGEN 15 Fabio Leimer 25 Switzerland WEC 17th
16 Naoki Yamamoto 26 Japan SF 9th
DORAGO CORSE 34 Takashi Kogure 34 Japan -
DOCOMO TEAM DANDELION RACING 40 Tomoki Nojiri 25 Japan SF 10th
41 Narain Karthikeyan 38 India SF 13th
NAKAJIMA RACING 64 Daisuke Nakajima 26 Japan SF 15th
65 Bertrand Baguette 28 Belgium Entry starting in 2015

SF: Japanese Championship Super Formula Series

◆IndyCar® Series

In the IndyCar® Series this year, Honda Performance Development, Inc. (HPD), an affiliate of American Honda Motor Co., Inc., will supply the new 2.2-liter V6 HI15R twin turbo engines for the 12 machines*12 of 6 teams, as it gears up for capturing both the drivers’ and engine manufacturers’ titles.

Takuma Sato will again drive for A.J. Foyt Racing this season.

Team Number Driver Age Nationality 2014 results
A.J. Foyt Racing 14 Takuma Sato 38 Japan IndyCar® Series, 18th
  • *12Plan as of Feb. 13, 2015

《Fostering World-class Riders and Drivers》

Motorcycles

◆FIM Road Racing World Championship

<Moto2>
IDEMITSU Honda Team Asia will be in its third season competing in the Moto2 class. Led by team manager Tadayuki Okada, a former rider in the Honda factory team, the team aims to help young riders tackle the challenge of competing in the Road Racing World Championship Series races and realize their dreams, through links with Honda’s racing endeavors in countries throughout Asia. This season, the team will again feature the two riders of Takaaki Nakagami and Azlan Shah Kamaruzaman.

Team Number Rider Age Nationality 2014 results
IDEMITSU Honda Team Asia 30 Takaaki Nakagami 23 Japan Moto2 22th
25 Azlan Shah Kamaruzaman 30 Malaysia Moto2, entry

<Moto3>
In the Moto3 class, Hiroki Ono, who is the champion of the 2013 Asia5 Dream Cup and ranked third while racing in the 2014 FIM CEV Repsol International Championship Moto3 class for the team of Honda Team Asia, has stepped up to compete for Leopard Racing.

Team Number Rider Age Nationality 2014 results
LEOPARD Racing 76 Hiroki Ono 22 Japan CEV Moto3, 3rd

◆FIM Motocross World Championship Series

Honda will continue supporting Kei Yamamoto, a Japanese rider who had his first season of full competition in the FIM Motocross World Championship Series by taking part in the MX2 class last season. Yamamoto will now move up to the MXGP class in the 2015 season, competing for Team Assomotor Honda.

Team Number Machine Rider Age Nationality 2014 results
Team Assomotor Honda 400 CRF450R Kei Yamamoto 23 Japan MX2 26th

◆FIM CEV Repsol Moto3 Junior World Championship

This championship is renamed this season from the FIM CEV Repsol International Championship Moto3 class and is now positioned as a world championship. A total of eight races will be held, starting in Portugal and followed by races in Spain and France.

Competing in the series will be Khairul Idham Pawi of Malaysia, who was ranked No. 1 in the Asia Dream Cup series last season; Kaito Toba and Yuta Date, ranked No. 1 and No. 2 in Asia Talent Cup last year; and Sena Yamada, the champion of the All Japan Road Race Championship J-GP3 for two years in a row.

Team Number Machine Rider Age Nationality 2014 results
Junior Team Estrella
Galicia 0,0
17 NSF250RW Sena Yamada 20 Japan JRR J-GP3, champion
Honda Team Asia 98 NSF250R Khairul Idham Pawi 16 Malaysia ADC champion
ASIA TALENT CUP TEAM 32 Kaito Toba 14 Japan Asia Talent Cup, 1st
31 Yuta Date 15 Japan Asia Talent Cup, 2nd

【Fostering Rider Talent in the Asian Region】

◆Asia Dream Cup

The rapid rise in enthusiasm across Asia for motorcycle racing led to the introduction in 2012 of the Asia Dream Cup, a program for helping develop rider talent and a part of the FIM Asia Road Racing Championship Series. Honda continues its active support of this project, which will select riders from various countries in the Asian region including Japan, with the aim of fostering future GP race rider talent. 
Honda also continues to use the CBR 250R-based race spec machine. Japanese riders for this season will be Yusuke Nakamura and Daiki Nakamura, both of whom turned in good performances in races in Japan last year while riding in the CBR250R Dream Cup.

◆Shell Advance Asia Talent Cup

Starting this season, Dorna Sports which oversees the MotoGP races will stage the Shell Advance Asia Talent Cup program for fostering next-generation rider talent in the Asia region. HRC will continue to support this program by supplying the NSF250R as the racing machines.

Automobiles

【Honda Formula Dream Project (HFDP)】

For developing racing talent, Honda directs the Honda Formula Dream Project (HFDP), which focuses on discovering and cultivating young drivers to be active in motorsports. Participation in the GP2 series which started last year will be continued this year, to further strengthen the work of developing F1 drivers. Enhanced collaboration with McLaren Racing will create more opportunities for the Japanese drivers to be active worldwide. For this season, Honda will support three drivers competing in the Japanese Formula 3 Championship Series (F3) and three drivers competing in the F4 Japanese Championship (FIA-F4)*13, a junior formula car race.

  • *13FIA-F4 is a new category established by FIA, with the major purpose of fostering young drivers who can aim to move up from cart racing to F3 class. Starting in 2015, this category is expected to expand to the world.

◆GP2 series

Nobuharu Matsushita, who won the championship in Japanese Formula 3 Championship Series (F3) last season, will begin competing this season for the France-based racing team ART Grand Prix in the GP2 Series, which is seen as a gateway to the FIA Formula One World Championship (F1).

Team Number Driver Age Nationality 2014 result
ART Grand Prix 6 Matsushita Nobuharu 21 Japan Japanese Formula 3, Champion

◆Japanese Formula 3 Championship

Honda will support the three drivers competing in the Japanese Formula 3 Championship.

Team Number Driver Age Nationality 2014 result
HFDP RACING 7 Tsubasa Takahashi 19 Japan Japanese Formula 3, 7th
8 Nirei Fukuzumi 18 Japan Formula 4 FC Class, Champion
TODA RACING 2 Keishi Ishikawa 20 Japan Formula 4 FC Class, 3rd

◆F4 Japanese Championship

The key stage for Honda’s focus on discovering and cultivating young, skilled drivers to be active in motorsports has shifted to the new FIA-F4 this season, with race support provided to three drivers.

Team Number Driver Age Nationality 2014 result
HFDP/SRS-F/Kochira Racing - Hiroki Ohtsu 20 Japan Formula 4 FC Class, 4th
- Yuta Kamimura 19 Japan -
- Mizuki Ishizaka 19 Japan -

◆Suzuka Circuit Racing School (SRS)

Seeking to develop riders and drivers who will become formidable contenders on the global motorsports stage, Mobilityland Corporation opened the Suzuka Circuit Racing School Junior (SRS-J) for motorcycles in 1992, the Suzuka Circuit Racing School Kart (SRS-K) for Kart in 1993, and the Suzuka Circuit Racing School Formula (SRS-F) for automobiles in 1995, and has continued to operate these schools. Top-class riders and drivers provide guidance at these schools as instructors. Also a new program “SRS-F Challenge” will be offered starting in 2015.

The Suzuka Circuit Racing School has produced competitive racers for the MotoGP and Formula One Grand Prix. Many graduates have been active in numerous motorcycle and automobile racing categories both in Japan and overseas. Racers in training who demonstrate outstanding results at SRS-F will receive training scholarships for their participation in FIA-F4, a category for stepping up to higher level competition.

《Motorsports Promotion Activities》

Honda has actively developed programs to expand the popularity of motorsports, including a diversity of activities undertaken to communicate the appeal of motorsports to a broad spectrum of fans around the world. These activities complement the company’s programs for developing motorcycle and automobile racing talent with a variety of events that can be enjoyed in a casual setting.

<NSF100 HRC Trophy,CBR250R Dream Cup and HRC and NSF250R Challenge>

The NSF100 HRC Trophy, held since 2006 at over 20 circuits throughout Japan, is a one-make race featuring the NSF100 machine made exclusively for racing. The race, which marks its tenth season this year, is recognized as a gateway to success for junior riders.

CBR250R Dream Cup is a one-make race featuring the CBR250R, a commercially available motorcycle, and has been held since 2012 at circuits throughout Japan. In 2014, a new class has been added to encourage entrants with no formal racing experience. This new class together with the current class for experienced riders will constitute the two classes of the Dream Cup.

Starting this year, riders will compete in the HRC NSF250R Challenge on the NSF250R, a commercially available motorcycle. The Japanese local championship for this race is held together with the race in the J-GP3 class at each circuit where J-GP3 is held. Using standard vehicles (HRC factory spec) helps to curb running cost, thereby enabling race participation at lower cost.

Riders who rank high in individual local races will win admittance to the Grand Championships held at Suzuka Circuit and Twin Ring Motegi. HRC will support these programs, while putting on sale the machines used in these races.

<Honda Sports & Eco Program>

Honda will continue its support for the Honda Sports & Eco Program, where anyone can take part. Run jointly by Mobilityland Corporation and M-TEC Co., Ltd., the program was started in 2012 under the theme of “eco-friendly sports driving.” This motor recreation program enables all participants to freely enjoy the fun of “maneuvering, polishing their driving skills, and competing,” while pushing the limits of eco-friendly performance behind the wheel of a rented Honda CR-Z with racing specifications, towards the ultimate goal of promoting coexistence of the environment and sports driving. A four-step school program and a racing program held four times a year will again be offered to let motorsports beginners feel at ease as they aim for their racing debut. A new price structure is offered to allow more people including beginners and skilled sports drivers alike to casually experience motorsports, making the program even more attractive to everyone.

<The 1.5 Challenge Cup (Motegi, SUGO) and the FIT 1.5 Challenge Cup (Suzuka)>

The Motegi 1.5 Challenge Cup hosted by Mobilityland Corporation since 2012, and which is a race competed in by Japan Automobile Federation (JAF) registered cars, will renew its name to the FIT 1.5 Challenge Cup from this season, where a one-make race using the Fit will be held. Honda will proactively support this race as well as the FIT1.5 Challenge Cup (Suzuka) held since 2014.

<N-ONE OWNERS’ CUP>

Honda supports the N-ONE OWNERS’ CUP, a participatory motorsports program utilizing the N-ONE mini-vehicle that has proven popular with a large number of customers. With the aim of letting many motorsports fans including racing beginners actively take part, the N-ONE OWNERS’ CUP started in 2014, taking the form of a sprint race with commercially available vehicles licensed for public roads. With this concept that has proven popular intact, the motorsports event will again be held at six circuits spread around Japan: Suzuka Circuit, Twin Ring Motegi, Okayama International Circuit, Fuji Speedway, Autopolis International Racing Course, and Sportsland SUGO. A total of 10 races at these circuits is planned for this season, with more extensive support provided to racing beginners.

<Honda Eco Mileage Challenge 2015>

Since 1981, Honda has hosted Honda Eco Mileage Challenge, an event focused on the environment. Participants combine their creativity, free imagination and technology to create their own handcrafted vehicles, and then compete to see how far they can travel on one liter of fuel. This event will mark its 35th year in 2015, and a total of 13,000 teams have participated through the years. These events have been held not only in Japan but also in other countries such as Thailand, China and Vietnam.

Honda Eco Mileage Challenge 2015: Schedule in Japan

Schedule Event name Circuit
June 13 (Sat.) 29th Honda Eco Mileage Challenge 2015, Suzuka East Circuit,
Suzuka Circuit, Mie
June 20 (Sat.) 7th Honda Eco Mileage Challenge 2015, Motegi West Road Course,
Twin Ring Motegi, Tochigi
August 2 (Sun.) 31th Honda Eco Mileage Challenge 2015, Kyushu Circuit Course,
Honda Safety & Riding PLAZA Kyushu, Kumamoto
September 19-20
(Sat.-Sun.)
Sept. 19: Practice runs
Sept. 20: Finals
35th Soichiro Honda Cup
Honda Eco Mileage Challenge 2015
National Competition
Super Speedway,
Twin Ring Motegi, Tochigi

《Motorsports Events》

<Enjoy Honda 2015>

With the aim of providing more opportunities for people to watch, participate in and enjoy activities related to Honda motorcycles, automobiles, and power products, the Enjoy Honda program will be held again this year as a fan appreciation event. Honda will now hold these events at eight venues: Kumamoto, Mie, Hokkaido, Shizuoka, Tochigi, Miyagi, Hiroshima, plus a new venue in Ehime Prefecture. The events in Mie and Tochigi will be held at Suzuka Circuit and Twin Ring Motegi  respectively, on the day when the following concurrent races of motorcycle and automobile will be held: Round 1 of the MFJ All-Japan Road Race Championship Series and Round 1 of Japanese Championship SUPER FORMULA Series at Suzuka Circuit, and Round 5 of the MFJ All-Japan Road Race Championship Series and Round 4 of Japanese Championship SUPER FORMULA Series at Twin Ring Motegi.

The Enjoy Honda program includes the display of Honda motorcycles, automobiles, and power products, parent-and-child motorcycle lessons, live demonstrations of trial bike and Honda’s humanoid robot, ASIMO*14.

Enjoy Honda 2015 schedule

Schedule Venue Concurrent races
April 4-5
(Sat. - Sun.)
HSR Kyushu
(Kumamoto)
 
April 18-19
(Sat. - Sun.)
Suzuka Circuit, Mie Suzuka motorcycle & automobile races
May 9-10
(Sat. - Sun.)
Ehime World Trade Center
(Ehime)
 
July 11-12
(Sat. - Sun.)
Axes Sapporo
(Hokkaido)
 
July 18-19
(Sat. - Sun.)
Fuji International Speedway, Shizuoka Japanese Championship SUPER FORMULA
August 22-23
(Sat. - Sun.)
Twin Ring Motegi, Tochigi Motegi motorcycle & automobile races
October 17-18
(Sat. - Sun.)
Sportsland SUGO, Miyagi Japanese Championship SUPER FORMULA
November 14-15
(Sat. - Sun.)
Hiroshima City Exhibition Hall
(Hiroshima)
 
  • *Schedule as of Feb. 13, 2015

<Honda Racing THANKS DAY 2015>

To show its appreciation to motorsports fans, Honda will host Honda Racing THANKS DAY again in 2015.

Honda Racing THANKS DAY 2015 schedule

Schedule Event Venue
TBD Honda Racing THANKS DAY 2015 TBD

<Honda Motorsports Park>

For developing the next generation of Honda fans, Honda will again host the Honda Motorsports Park this year, targeting grade schoolers and soccer fans who come to Todoroki Athletics Stadium to enjoy the game. This event is realized with the cooperation of Kawasaki Frontale, a J League professional soccer (football) team. In the event, test-rides on the CRF50R are provided for children, racing machines used in MotoGP and the other races are exhibited, and demonstration runs are performed inside the stadium, through which Honda will offer first-hand experience for kids and their families to watch, touch, and ride motorcycles and also let them know what Honda has been doing in its motorsports activities.

<Mobilityland to host world premier races>

Mobilityland Corporation will continue to provide the venues along with a multitude of opportunities for racing fans to watch, participate in, and enjoy racing together with other mobility-oriented events. By hosting these racing events, Mobilityland will extend its contribution toward further growth of Japan’s motorsports culture.

Since opening in 1962 as the first full-scale racing course in Japan, Suzuka Circuit has hosted a large number and wide variety of racing events during its rich history spanning over 50 years. The circuit will host a multitude of events again in 2015 including the FIA Formula One World Championship (F1), FIM Endurance World Championship Series (Suzuka 8hours Endurance Road Race), and FIM Asia Road Racing Championship Series (ARRC) races.

Twin Ring Motegi will host the FIA World Touring Car Championship (WTCC) for the first time and also the FIM Road Racing World Championship Series (MotoGP) races and FIM Trial World Championship Series (WCT) . Starting with the Motorsports Fan Appreciation Day to be held on March 7-8 (Sat.-Sun.), Mobilityland continues to offer fans the opportunity to watch and experience a wealth of Japanese and international motorsports events, including the following world top-class motorcycle and automobile races.

Main international races to be hosted by Mobilityland

Category Schedule Title Circuit
WCT April 25-26
(Sat. - Sun.)
2015 FIM Trial World Championship Series
Round 1&2 Grand Prix of Japan
Twin Ring Motegi,
Tochigi
ARRC July 3-5
(Fri. - Sun.)
2015 FIM Asia Road Racing Championship Series
Round 3 Race of Japan
Suzuka Circuit,
Mie
EWC July 23-26
(Thu. - Sun.)
2015 Endurance World Championship Series
Round 2 Suzuka 8hours Endurance Road Race
Suzuka Circuit,
Mie
WTCC September 11-13
(Fri. - Sun.)
2015 FIA World Touring Car Championship
Round 9 Race of Japan
Twin Ring Motegi,
Tochigi
F1 September 25-27
(Fri. - Sun.)
2015 FIA Formula One World Championship
Round 15 Japanese Grand Prix
Suzuka Circuit,
Mie
MotoGP October 9-11
(Fri. - Sun.)
2015 FIM Road Racing World Championship Grand Prix Series
Round 15 Grand Prix of Japan
Twin Ring Motegi,
Tochigi