Global Plans for Honda Works Teams
Milan, Nov 5, 2014 - (JCN Newswire) - Honda Motor Co., Ltd. today announced plans for Honda's works teams(1) for global motorcycle racing activities in the 2015 season, at the 2014 EICMA Show (Milan Show) in Milan, Italy.
Honda Motorsports Presentation for 2015zoomHonda Motorsports Presentation for 2015
Since its foundation, Honda has been committed to taking on challenges in racing activities, recognizing them as a "driving force of Honda." Honda has been honing its technologies by competing in a number of motorsports all around the world, and the Racing Spirit and new ideas amassed through racing activities have been utilized for many Honda products. As a leading mobility company, Honda will continue providing fun and joy to its customers and fans through both mass-production models and racing activities. In doing so, Honda, together with its customers, will realize aspirations under Honda's corporate slogan of "The Power of Dreams."
1. Review of 2014 global motorcycle racing activities by Honda works teams
- MotoGP/FIM(2) Road Racing World Championship Grand Prix Series:
The Honda works team, Repsol Honda Team, competed in the MotoGP, the premier class in the FIM Road Racing World Championship Grand Prix Series. In the 2014 season, Marc Marquez won the riders' title for the second consecutive year, and Honda clinched the constructors' title for the fourth year running. At the Valencia Grand Prix - the final race of this season - to be held this weekend, the team will be aiming to win the team title, securing back-to-back Triple Crown (all three titles).
- FIM Trial World Championship Series (WCT):
Starting with this 2014 season, Honda began competing in the WCT as a works team, the Repsol Honda Team, and Toni Bou won the championship for an unprecedented 8th consecutive year.
- FIM Motocross World Championship Series (MXGP, formerly known as WMX):
Starting with this 2014 season, Honda began competing in the premier MXGP (450 cc) class as a works team, Team HRC, and finished the season with its highest rank of 6th.
- The Dakar Rally 2014:
The Honda works team, Team HRC, competed in the Dakar Rally in January 2014. In this second season of the challenge, the team won in 6 out of 13 stages. Moreover, the team competed in the 2014 FIM Cross Country Rally, known as a run-up to the Dakar Rally 2015, which will begin on January 4, 2015, and Helder Rodrigues, Joan Barreda and Paulo Goncalves finished into top 5th ranking or better, representing the steady advancement being made by the team.
2. Outline of 2015 Global Motorsports Participation by Honda Motorcycle Works Teams
- FIM Road Racing World Championship Grand Prix Series
Honda will compete in the "Factory Option",(3) aiming to replicate last season's success by winning the "triple crown" titles of the riders', constructors' and team championships.
Honda's works team, Repsol Honda Team, will again feature the duo of Marc Marquez, who won the rider's championship for the second consecutive year, and Dani Pedrosa, who currently ranks 4th (as of November 4, 2014).
FIM Trial World Championship Series (WCT)
In 2015 season, the team will strive to win the riders' championship for the ninth consecutive season and the constructor's championship for the tenth consecutive season with Toni Bou, the reigning for the eighth year running, and Takahisa Fujinami who finished last season in 5th.
FIM Motocross World Championship Series
Honda will aim to take the podium in any given race in the premier MXGP class (formerly known as MX1) of the FIM Motocross World Championship Series (MXGP), as a works team, Team HRC, featuring Evgeny Bobryshev and newly-contracted Gautier Paulin, who ranked 8th in 2014 season.
The Dakar 2015 Argentina-Bolivia-Chile
Honda works team, Team HRC, will compete in the Dakar 2015 Argentina-Bolivia-Chile which will begin on January 4, 2015. The team will strive to win overall victory with five riders, namely Helder Rodrigues, Joan Barreda, Paulo Goncalves, the top Chile rider, Jeremias Israel, and highly talented Laia Sanz who was named the best female rider in Dakar 2014.
Notes:
(1) Works team is a team operated by the manufacturer of the racing machine.
(2) FIM is an abbreviation for the Federation Internationale de Motocyclisme.
(3) Since 2014, the MotoGP, the premier class of the FIM Road Racing World Championship Grand Prix Series, has been staging its races in two categories, namely the "Factory Option" and the "Open Category" (replaces the former CRT class). 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.
About Honda
Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (TSE:7267/NYSE:HMC) is one of the leading manufacturers of automobiles and power products and the largest manufacture of motorcycles in the world. Honda has always sought to provide genuine satisfaction to people worldwide. The result is more than 120 manufacturing facilities in 30 countries worldwide, producing a wide range of products, including motorcycles, ATVs, generators, marine engines, lawn and garden equipment and automobiles that bring the company into contact with over 19 million customers annually. For more information, please visit http://world.honda.com.
Source: Honda
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