On November 7, 2016 (local time), Honda announced plans for its participation in motorcycle motorsports world championship racing activities for the 2017 season, at EICMA 2016 in Milan, Italy.

For Honda, racing activities are its driving force, and participation in the world’s premier class racing hones its technology and associates’ skills, and the racing spirit and ideas gained are applied 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.

In the 2016 season, Honda participated in 8 classes in 6 categories of Motorcycle World Championship racing, and the Dakar 2016. In the FIM^*1 Trial World Championship Series (WCT), Toni Bou achieved an unprecedented 10th consecutive championship title. Tim Gajser won his first championship in the FIM Motocross World Championship Series (MXGP) MXGP class. On Honda’s 50th anniversary since first participating in premier class World Grand Prix racing, Marc Marquez won his third MotoGP FIM Road Racing World Championship Series premier MotoGP class title. Honda became the first manufacturer to win riders titles in three premier class categories within the same season.

＜MotoGP Class＞
Honda aims to defend its MotoGP class title, with triple-world champion (2013 / 2014 / 2016) Marc Márquez, and 12-year MotoGP class veteran Dani Pedrosa riding for Honda’s factory team^*2 “Repsol Honda Team” on 2017 RC213V factory machines. With Cal Crutchlow (LCR Honda), Jack Miller (Estrella Galicia 0,0 Marc VDS) and Tito Rabat (Estrella Galicia 0,0 Marc VDS) also riding 2017 RC213Vs, Honda aims to win the “Triple Crown;” the riders, constructors, and team titles.

＜Moto3 Class＞
Honda will compete in the Moto3 class with 2017 model NSF250RW factory machines. 15 riders from 8 teams will aim to regain the championship title for Honda.

Honda aims to claim an unprecedented 12th consecutive constructors title and 11th consecutive riders title, with 10-time consecutive champion Toni Bou, WCT veteran in his 22nd season Takahisa Fujinami, and rising star Jaime Busto, riding COTA4RT factory machines for Honda’s factory team, “Repsol Honda Team.”

＜MXGP: 450cc Class＞
In the MXGP class, 2016 rookie and MXGP class champion Tim Gajser will be joined by 5th-ranked Evgeny Bobryshev to represent Honda’s factory team, “Team HRC.” The two riders will aim to win the championship on the 2017 CRF450RW factory machine.

＜450SX: 450cc Class＞
Honda’s factory team “Team Honda HRC” will aim to win the championship, with newcomer Ken Roczen, and Cole Seely in his second year with the team, riding CRF450Rs.

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 2016 MotoGP rider Stefan Bradl riding CBR1000RR machines.

In its fifth year after returning to the Dakar, Honda’s factory team “Monster Energy Honda Team,” armed with 2017 CRF450 RALLY factory machines, will once again be represented by ace rider Joan Barreda and Paulo Goncalves, joined by 2016 Dakar 4th-place finisher Kevin Benavides, Michael Metge and 9th-place finisher Ricky Brabec, to win its first title in 28 years, since its Paris Dakar victory in 1988.