Honda announced the key features of its 2012 motorsports program, including its motorsports strategy and initiatives for expanding the popularity of motorsports. For Honda, motorsports activities are the symbol of the company’s challenging spirit. Honda has aimed for the world’s top level from the days of its founding, taking on challenges in a variety of racing categories. With the know-how and challenging spirit cultivated through its motorsports activities, Honda will continue to expand our activities that meet customers’ expectations that bring more joy and excitement in the year 2012.
In the MotoGP, the premier class of the FIM Road Racing World Championship Grand Prix (WGP), the Honda factory team of Repsol Honda Team will put forward a lineup of two riders, last year’s series champion Casey Stoner together with Dani Pedrosa. In line with the regulation change of 2012, Honda will enter the newly developed RC213V machine, Honda is targeting to win all three championship titles this year, capturing the rider’s, team’s, and constructor’s titles for the second year in a row.
In the Moto2 class, Honda will continue its active support as the sole official engine supplier, based on the CBR600RR motorcycle. The Moto3 class, which replaces the 125cc class, will be competed with 4-stroke 250-cc engines. For this purpose, Honda has developed the NSF250R, which is now also commercially available.In the premier IA1 class of the MFJ All-Japan Motocross Championship Series, Honda relaunched its factory team involvement last year. This Team HRC will compete with three riders this season; Akira Narita, last year’s series champion in the IA1 class, and Makoto Ogata, moving up from the IA2 class, will join Yu Hirata for a total of 3 riders.
