From a press release issued by Honda:
Speech by Takeo Fukui at the 2003 Motor Sports Season Kick Off Gathering
Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. My name is Takeo Fukui and I am a Senior Managing Director at Honda.
Let me start by expressing my heartfelt appreciation to our sponsors, the media, and all those involved with our racing team for your ongoing support of our motor sports activities. Thank you all for coming here today to attend the
2003 Motor Sports Season Kick Off Gathering.
Honda’s involvement in racing dates back 49 years, to 1954 when we first declared our intention to enter and win the Isle of Man TT, the world’s greatest motorcycle race. Although our racing history is somewhat shorter than those of makers overseas, we are proud that the Honda name has become synonymous with the term “racing spirit”. I am convinced that this is due not only to our world-renowned human resources and technological innovations, but also to our deeply rooted passion for sharing dreams with our fans and living up to their expectations.
Looking back over our racing performance last year it is evident that, in MotoGP and F1—the top motorcycle and car races in the world––we experienced both the thrill of victory and the bitterness of defeat. I trust that, as Honda racing fans watched the MotoGP and F1 races on television, the joy they experienced watching the bikes helped dispel any disappointment over the performances of our F1 racers.
At this gathering last year we announced the debut of the RC211V with its V-5 engine, and we were confident from the start that it would be our ticket to winning the championship. With the RC211V we won 14 of the 16 races, and Valentino Rossi of REPSOL Honda, who rode the bike to eleven of these victories, was crowned MotoGP champion. Of course, much of the credit for this achievement goes to the skill and tenacity of our riders and teams, but it also reconfirmed the notion that there’s nothing like a highly competitive machine to bring it all together, letting everyone involved share in the dream and the sweet joy of victory.
In F1, however, our results were not so glorious. With four cars competing we failed to make it to the podium even once, which made me feel sorry for letting our fans down. Fortunately, our fans are extremely loyal and continue to provide tremendous support, for which I’d like to express my heartfelt thanks.
I’d now like to talk about our racing plans for this year.
In MotoGP, we will further strengthen our structure by using the RC211V bike for all seven entries by our four racing teams. We are incredibly proud of our strongest-ever rider lineup, anchored by Valentino Rossi, who has now scored two consecutive victories in the top WGP class, as well as some talented new recruits.
This year we anticipate some furious competition in the 4-stroke MotoGP, which features bikes from seven manufacturers in all. As we set the bar higher and strive to attain increasingly difficult goals, our racing team is more determined than ever to demonstrate our true potential. I suggest you keep a close eye on us in the months ahead as we do battle with the RC211V, which is continuing to evolve.
Moving on to car racing, this year we will participate in the Indy car series as an engine supplier through American Honda Motor Co., Inc. Today we announced the Honda Indy V8 powered teams and released information about HPD operations in Fontana, California. I understand that American superstar Michael Andretti and Japanese rookie Roger Yasukawa obtained superb results during trials, and I’m sure they will be prove to be formidable competitors in our first year of Indy racing.
The legendary Indianapolis 500 is the pinnacle of American motor sports. With its glorious 90-year history, the Indy 500 is one of the most exciting motor sport festivals in the world. Each May when the race takes place, racing fans gather in Indianapolis from all over the world, transforming the city.
In April, Indy racing is coming to Japan for the first time, at the Indy Japan 300 to be held at Twin Ring Motegi. To generate the excitement and fun of an Indy race and give Japanese fans the feeling that they are part of this thrilling American classic, we have incorporated concepts from the Indy 500. In short, we aim to reproduce the Indianapolis spirit. Indy Week starts on April 5th, and culminates in the big race. Please come and join in on the excitement.
In Formula 1, this season marks the fourth year of our third era of participation on the circuit. This year, in an effort to generate more power and maximize revs, we have developed an innovative engine that is much smaller and lighter than its predecessors with a lower center of gravity.
We are also pouring our technical expertise into the development of a new, high-performance chassis. This year we are focusing all our energies on the BAR Honda team in an all-out effort to rise to the top. As you may know, the 2003 car recently unveiled in Europe bears the Honda logo on its rear wing. This is a sign of our determination to deepen our relationship with BAR, and, by collaborating on a new chassis, to make the BAR team a force to be reckoned with. Test results indicate that we have made great strides with the chassis, and we are confident that we will make similar advances with our other technologies as well.
Last year Ferrari was the team to beat, but this year we are doing our best to ensure that our team will regularly challenge for podiums , and will be poised to win the championship in 2004. We hope you will keep cheering us on in our climb to the top.
I would now like to mention some of the upcoming races in Japan, where we will be giving our utmost in a variety of venues. This includes the Suzuka 8-Hour World Endurance Championship Race, where we are shooting for our seventh consecutive victory, and the Japanese GT Championship, where we are seeking to claim both the driver and team titles. We will also be participating in a variety of activities designed to broaden the base of Japanese race fans.
Honda is also putting a great deal of effort into human resource development programs for race drivers and riders through the Suzuka Formula Racing School and the Formula Dream races. We are also seeking to create more opportunities for people to participate in motor sports by expanding the Verno Exciting Cup—Integra One-make Race series.
In closing, I would like to inform you of another new challenge. Volunteers from the Asaka R&D Center have developed a mountain bike––with no engine, of course––specifically for downhill racing. Although the number of volunteers working on this project is limited, we intend to enter the Japan Series this year. Work on the project actually began last year on a small scale, but team members found that more resources were required to produce the desired results. Recognizing this, we have given them an opportunity to refine their technology by engaging in rigorous competition. This involves a lot of trial and error, but it’s a process they are all really enjoying. I am impressed by their enthusiasm and determination to make things happen. We will introduce our rider to you later.
At Honda, we are grateful for the encouragement and support our customers give us, and for the enthusiasm for our endeavors expressed by those in the field of motor sports. We will continue to follow our vision, and to generate fun and excitement. Your dreams are our dreams and we will strive to realize them together. The challenges before us are numerous, but that is what we thrive on. We appreciate your ongoing support. Thank you for your time, ladies and gentlemen. I hope you enjoy the rest of your evening.
2003 Honda Motor Sports Highlights
February 3, 2003—At Honda we are promoting corporate activities with our global brand slogan, “The Power of Dreams,” which expresses our resolve to share the pursuit and realization of dreams with individuals and society. Motor sports activities form the foundation of our challenging spirit; through creating our own dreams with a desire to excel and through continuing our challenge to create breakthroughs, we share these dreams and our passion with our customers.
(Summary of Motorcyle Racing Plans)
Race Plans for the Honda Works Team and HRC Works Machine
FIM 2003 Road Race Championship Series and the MotoGP Class In the MotoGP class of the FIM 2003 Road Race Championship Series (known as the GP World Championship), Honda is aiming for its third straight title*. Here is an outline of how Honda plans to meet this challenge.
Last year in the MotoGP class we won 14 of 16 races and took both the rider and manufacturer titles. This year we will further strengthen our front line by using the RC211V bike for all seven entries by our four racing teams.
In 2002 the Repsol Honda Team was crowned champion, and in 2003 riders Valentino Rossi (#46, Italy) and Nicky Hayden (#69, USA) will lead the way in an effort to duplicate this feat. Rossi dominated last year’s series, racking up 11 victories on his way to his second consecutive title. He is now hungry for three in a row. Hayden was also impressive last year, becoming the youngest winner ever of the AMA Superbike Championship Series. His sights are now set on being a champion in the MotoGP class.
The Camel Pramac Pons Team has a completely new roster of riders. Max Biaggi (#3, Italy), who last year fought hard and held onto second place until the final race, will be joined by Tohru Ukawa (#11, Japan). Both Biaggi and Ukawa won races last season, experiences that should help them in their quest for victory in 2003.
Team Telefonica Movistar Honda features the promising young rider Daijiro Kato (#74, Japan), who, in his first year, made it to the winner’s podium on his way to being named Rookie of the Year for 2002**. New face Sete Gibernau (#15, Spain) will join Kato in vying for honors in their new MotoGP class.
The Pramac Honda Team is now led by Makoto Tamada (#6, Japan). Although new to MotoGP, Tamada, who will ride atop Bridgestone tires***, took the overall title on the Japanese legs of the FIM Superbike Championship Series in both 2001 and 2002.
* Although designated as 500cc in 2001, the class name was changed to MotoGP in 2002.
** The Rookie of the Year title is given to the first-year rider deemed to have had the best overall performance during the year.
*** The Repsol, Camel, and Telefonica teams use Michelin tires.
FIM 2003 World Trials Championship Series
Honda will introduce three HRC Works bikes called montesa COTA315R at the World Trials Championship Series, where Team montesa HRC has claimed the rider and manufacturer titles for the last three years.
Champion montesa HRC will be led by Dougie Lampkin (#1, England), who has won the World Outdoor Championship for six consecutive years, Takahisa Fujinami (#2, Japan), the second-ranked rider who fought a furious battle with Lampkin through to the final race, and Marc Freixa (#7, Spain), the seventh-ranked rider. This formidable three man-team will be gunning for its fourth straight
championship.
2003 MFJ All-Japan Motocross Championship Series
Last year, Team HRC, part of the Honda Works Team, failed in its bid to take the title in the 250cc class of the All-Japan Motocross Championship Series for the third straight year. Looking to regain championship form, this year Team HRC has decided to use a two-stroke Honda RC250M and a four-stroke CRF450R as their bikes of choice. 2000 champion Ryuichiro Takahama (#3, Japan) will be atop the CRF450R and Takeshi Katsuya (#111, Japan) will ride the RC250M.
In the 125 cc class, we are seeking to further refine the four-stroke Honda CRF250R, and Team HRC has chosen rider Naoki Serizawa (#1, Japan) to challenge for the championship with it.
World Championship Entry Planning for Honda’s Japanese Riders
FIM 2003 Road Race World Championship Series (125cc Class)
Last year Masao Azuma (#8, Japan) took top honors in the 125cc class of the Brazilian Grand Prix. This year Azuma will be riding a Honda RS125R (Ajo Motorsports) as he tries to build on last year’s success.
FIM 2003 Motocross World Championship Series
Injuries made for a disappointing season for HRC contract rider Yoshitaka Atsuta (#78, Japan) in the 250cc class last year. Switching to a Honda CRF450R, Atsuta will once again go after the 250cc title under the banner of CAS Honda Racing.
Honda’s Racing Plans for Individual Countries
(Japan)
2003 MFJ All-Japan Road Race Championship Series
Honda’s participation in this year’s All-Japan Road Race Championship Series will be centered on teams run by Honda dealerships and supported by Honda Motorcycle Japan (HMJ).
In the JSB1000 class, Honda will focus its efforts on a racing version of the CBR954RR super sport touring bike, to be ridden by Tatsuya Yamaguchi (Japan, Castrol Honda Dream RT), who was last year’s series champion, and Ryuichi Kiyonari (Japan, Team Takatake RSC), who racked up honors as last year’s ST600 class champion.
To continue Honda’s winning ways after taking the ST600 class the last two years, we have carried out a full model change on a racing version of the CBR600RR, which is now on the market, along with other innovations to help in the push for three in a row.
* Starting in 2003, the Superbike class will mainly feature the JSB1000 class and its accompanying promotion and activation.
(Europe)
FIM 2003 Supersports World Championship Series
The Supersports World Championship Series will be supported by Honda Europe Motorcycle S.R.L (H.E.M.), which will deploy eight Honda CBR600RR bikes.
Riders for this series under the Ten Kate Honda flag will include Chris Vermeulen and Karl Muggeridge, both from Australia. The Klaffi Honda team will send out Robert Ulm (Austria) and Gianluigi Scalvini (Italy), while riders for the BKM Honda Racing Team AG will be Christophe Cogan (France) and Parker Broc (Australia). Werner Deamen (Belgium) and Iain MacPherson (England) will mount the bike for Van Zon Honda.
FIM 2003 Motocross World Championship Series
As with the Supersports Series, the FIM 2003 Motocross World Championship Series will be supported by H.E.M. Riders for this series will come from the CAS Honda Racing team and include Joshua Coppins (New Zealand) on a Honda CR250R, as well as Gordon Crockard (Ireland) and Jussi Vehvilainen (Finland) on the CRF450R .
(USA)
2003 AMA Supercross/National Motocross Series
The AMA Supercross and National Motocross races will have the support of American Honda Motor Co., Inc. Five Honda CR250Rs and one Honda CRF450R will be primed for these events.
The championship American Honda Motor Co. team is led by Ricky Carmichael (USA), who has dominated the circuit over the last two seasons, taking the series title both years. Last year he posted an impressive 11 victories in 16 races. Carmichael’s fellow riders include Ernesto Fonseca (Costa Rica) on a CR250R and Nathan Ramsey (USA) on a CRF450R. Last year Ramsey notched his first victory in his 13th race of the season.
Riders on the Factory Connection Honda team are Mike LaRocco (USA), Travis Preston (USA), and Michael Byrne (Australia), all on the Honda CR250R.
MOTOGP WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP
Repsol Honda Team
Camel Honda Pons
Team Telefonica Movistar Honda
Pramac Honda Team
Valentino Rossi Italy
Repsol Honda Team – Team manager Shoji Tachikawa
Racing number: 46
Race machine: RC211V
Racing number: 46
Race machine: RC11V
Date of birth: February 16, 1979.
Place of Birth: Urbino, Italy
First race: 1990 Mini Bike Racing
Grand Prix debut: 1996 Malaysian Grand Prix – Shah Alam 125cc Aprilia
First grand prix win: 1996 Czech Republic Grand Prix, Brno 125cc Aprilia
Total podium places: 74
15 x 125cc – Aprilia
21 x 250cc – Aprilia
23 x 500cc – Honda
11 x MotoGP – Honda
Total grand prix wins: 50
12 x 125cc – Aprilia
14 x 250cc – Aprilia
13 x 500cc – Honda
11 x MotoGP – Honda
World titles: 4
1 x 125cc in 1997 – Aprilia
1 x 250cc in 1999 – Aprilia
1 x 500cc in 2001 – Honda
1 x MotoGP in 2002 – Honda
VALENTINO ROSSI
Valentino Rossi rates as one of the greatest motorcycle racers in history. At just 24-years of age the Italian has climbed motorcycle racing’s dizziest peaks, successively and uniquely conquering the 125, 250, 500 and MotoGP World Championships. He has won 50 Grand Prix victories in those four categories, a win rate of almost 50 percent since he first joined the GP circus as a fresh-faced 16-year old in 1996. Last year he dominated the fist-ever MotoGP World Championship, winning 11 of 16 races, just as he had dominated the previous year’s last ever 500cc World Championship. This year Rossi will again ride for the Repsol Honda Team.
Career Highlights – Valentino Rossi
1994: 125cc Italian Sports Production Champion
1995: 125cc Italian Champion
1995: 3rd 125cc European Championship
1996: 9th 125cc World Championship – race wins 1
1997: 125cc World Champion – race wins 11
1998: 2nd 250cc World Championship – race wins 5
1999: 250cc World Championship – wins 9
2000: 2nd 500cc World Championship – race wins 2
2001: 500cc World Champion – race wins 11
2001: Winner Suzuka Eight Hours
2002: MotoGP World Champion – race wins 11
Nicky Hayden, USA
Repsol Honda Team – Team manager Shoji Tachikawa
Racing number: 69
Race machine: RC211V
Date of birth: July 30, 1981
Birthplace: Owensboro, Kentucky, USA
First race: 1986, Dirt Track race. Aged five
First AMA National win: 1998 600cc Supersport, Willow Springs
Total AMA National wins: 35.
5 x 750cc Supersport
7 x Formula Xtreme
6 x 600cc Supersport
17 x Superbike
AMA National Championship titles: 2.
1 x 600 Supersport 1999
1 x Superbike 2002.
NICKY HAYDEN
American Superbike Champion Nicky Hayden will make his debut in the MotoGP World Championship when the season opens on April 6 at Suzuka, Japan. Hayden has been racing motorcycles since age five, starting his fledgling career on local dirt tracks. In 1998 he took to road racing at 16-years of age and turned pro the same year. In his debut season he finished fourth in the AMA 600 Series, already showing the talent that would make him America’s youngest ever 600 Champion a year later. The same year He finished second in the Formula Xtreme Series to his Erion Honda Teammate Kurtis Roberts. Hayden’s 1999 season was capped by his ‘AMA Dirt Track Rookie of the Year ‘ award. In 2000 he signed for American Honda and rewarded the team with his first Superbike National win, at Road Atlanta, on his way to second in the championship. He finished third in 2001 before taking the crown in 2002. Hayden has 17 AMA Superbike victories to his credit. Hayden will race an RC211V along side Valentino Rossi in the Repsol Honda Team.
Career Highlights – Nicky Hayden
1998: 4th AMA 750 Supersport Series
1998: 4th AMA 600 Supersport Series
1999: AMA 600 Supersport Champion
1999: 2nd AMA Formula Xtreme Series
1999: AMA Dirt Track ‘Rookie of the Year
1999: ‘Speedvision Pro Athlete of the Year
2000: 2nd AMA Chevy Trucks Trucks Superbike Series
2000: 4th AMA Pro Honda Oils 600 Supersport Series
2001: 3rd AMA Superbike Series
2002: AMA Superbike Champion
Daijiro Katoh Japan
Fortuna Honda Gresini – Team manager Fausto Gressini
Racing number: 74
Race machine: RC211V
Date of birth: July 4, 1976.
Place of birth: Saitama Prefecture, Japan.
First race: 1992 Pocket Bike racing
Grand prix debut: 1996 Japanese Grand Prix, Suzuka – NSR250 Honda
First Grand Prix win: 1997 Japanese Grand Prix, Suzuka – NSR250 Honda
Total podium places 27
25 x 250cc – NSR250 Honda
1 x NSR500 – 1 x RC211V
Total grand prix wins 17
17 x 250cc – NSR250 Honda
World titles 1
1 x 250cc in 2001- NSR250 Honda
DAIJIRO KATOH
Daijiro Kato only commenced his full-time World Championship career in 2000 but is already on his way to becoming Japan’s most successful GP rider. By the end of 2001 when he secured the 250 world title, he had scored 17 GP wins to equal Japan’s greatest GP winner Tetsuya Harada. Kato started motorcycle racing at the tender age of five, in Pocket Bike racing. By 1985 he had won the Japanese Championship, then moved on to larger Mini Bikes, taking four National Championship titles. Kato moved to real motorcycles on his 16th birthday, racing 125 and 250 machines until 1994 when he contested the All Japan series and won his first big race at Aida. He joined HRC in 1996, and raced to third place in the Japanese GP that year, riding as a wild card. Kato went on to win the race in the next two seasons, again as a wild card entry before moving to the world championship in 2000, forming an enduring partnership with the Gresini Honda Team which last to this day. He finished third in the 250cc World championship in his debut season, scoring four grands prix victories. Kato’s 2001 season was little short of sensational. He scored 11 victories on his way to the world crown, beating Mike Hailwood’s previous record of ten wins in a season. For 2002 Kato moved to MotoGP, initially racing an NSR500 two-stroke, but was promoted to an RC211V at the German GP, in July. Kato raced to a second place finish on each machine during the season, eventually finishing seventh in the series. Kato will again race an RC211V for Gresini Honda, this time in Telefonica MoviStar Honda livery.
Career Highlights – Daijiro Katoh
1994: 7th 250cc All Japan Championship Honda
1995: 5th 250cc All Japan Championship Honda
1996: 2nd 250cc All Japan Championship Honda,3rd 250cc Japanese Grand Prix (Wild card entry)
1997: 250cc All Japan Champion Honda, 1st 250cc Japanese Grand Prix (Wild card entry)
1998: 8th 250cc All Japan Championship Honda, 1st 250cc Japanese Grand Prix (Wild card entry)
1999: 2nd 250cc All Japan Championship Honda
2000: 3rd 250cc World Championship Honda–race wins 4–Winner Suzuka 8 Hours
2001: 250cc World Champion Honda–race wins 11–4th Suzuka 8 Hours
2002: 7th MotoGP World Championship, Winner Suzuka 8 Hours
Sete Gibernau – Spain
Telefonica MoviStar Honda Gresini – Team manager Fausto Gressini
Racing number: 15
Race machine: RC211V
Date of birth: December 15, 1972
Place of birth: Barcelona, Spain
First race: 1991 125cc Sports Production
Grand Prix debut: 1992 250cc Spanish Grand Prix Jerez – Yamaha
First Grand Prix win: 2001 500cc Grand Prix of Valencia – Suzuki
Total Grand Prix wins: 1 x 500cc
Total podiums: 6 x 500cc
SETE GIBERNAU
Sete Gibernau, 30-years old from Barcelona, is a member of Spain’s new generation of MotoGP riders, stars that have a massive profile in their own country. Grandson of Francesco Bulto, founder of the Bultaco mark, Gibernau has ridden motorcycles most of his life but surprisingly did not start racing until he was 19 years old. He made his debut in 1991, in production racing, where he raced in 1992. The keenly contested 250cc Spanish Open Series was his next challenge where he raced a 250 Yamaha for the Kenny Roberts team. He spent three years in the Spanish Open, finishing third in 1995. He also made wild card appearances in the GPs held in Spain. His full time GP career began in 1996, with a 250cc Honda ride moving to the Rainey Yamaha late in the season. Rainey moved Gibernau to 500s in 1997 experiencing a tough learning year. Gibernau switched to Honda for the 1998 season, racing an NSR50V-twin and scored his first ever podium finish with third at Jarama. A further two years with Honda delivered four more podiums before he moved to Suzuki. He spent two years with the British based team, taking his first GP victory in his first season with a well-timed win at Valencia. The inaugural MotoGP season saw his team developing a new machine and he struggled to impress, ending the year in a lowly 16th place. He rejoins Honda for 2003 racing an RC211V for Telefonica MoviStar Honda Gresini.
Career Highlights – Sete Gibernau
1991: First race 125cc Production Racing
1992: 2nd 125cc Spanish Gilera Championship
1993: 5th 250cc Spanish Open Class Yamaha
1994: 4th 250cc Spanish Open Class Yamaha
1995: 3rd 250cc Spanish Open Class Yamaha
1996: 22nd 250cc World Championship Honda
1997: 13th 500cc World Championship Yamaha
1998: 11th 500cc World Championship Honda
1999: 5th 500cc World Championship Honda
2000: 15th 500cc World Championship Honda
2001: 9th 500cc World Championship Suzuki – race wins 1
2002: 16th MotoGP World Championship Suzuki
Max Biaggi – Italy
Camel Pramac Honda Team – Team manager Sito Pons
Racing number: 3
Race machine: RC211V
Date of birth: June 26, 1971
Place of birth: Rome – Italy
First race: 1989 Valelunga
Grand Prix debut: 1991 French Grand Prix – Le Castellet 250 Aprilia
First Grand Prix win: 1993 European Grand Prix – Catalunya, NSR250 Honda
Total podium places: 89.
36 x 500cc
53 x 250cc
Total grand prix wins: 39.
10 x 500cc
29 x 250cc
World titles: 4 x 250cc in 1994, 95, 96, Aprilia, 1997 Honda
MAX BIAGGI
One of racing’s all-time greats, Max Biaggi has scored 39 GP wins and 50 pole positions. The 31-year old from Rome made his name in 250cc racing and his record in the class is awe-inspiring. During six seasons he scored 29 wins and 33 pole positions to make him the second most successful 250 rider in history. Biaggi moved to the 500 class in 1998 racing Kanemoto NSR500 Honda. Amazingly he won his first ever 500cc race, at Suzuka. He scored another win later in the year, eventually finishing second in the series. Biaggi switched allegiance to Yamaha in 1999 and spent the next four seasons with the mark scoring 10 race wins. In the inaugural MotoGP season Biaggi was the only man to beat the RCV, winning two races on his way to second in the series. He returns to Honda for the 2003 campaign racing an RC211V for the newly launched Camel Pramac Honda Team.
Career Highlights – Max Biaggi
1989: First race
1990: 125cc Italian Sports Production Champion – Aprilia
1991: 250cc European Champion Aprilia
1991: 27th 250cc World Championship Aprilia
1992: 5th 250cc World Championship Aprilia – race wins 1
1993: 4th 250cc World Championship Honda – race wins 1
1994: 250cc World Champion Aprilia – race wins 5
1995: 250cc World Champion Aprilia – race wins 8
1996: 250cc World Champion Aprilia – race wins 9
1997: 250cc World Champion Honda – race wins – 5
1998: 2nd 500cc World Championship Honda – race wins 2
1999: 4th 500cc World Championship Yamaha – race wins 1
2000: 3rd 500cc World Championship Yamaha – race wins 2
2001: 2nd 500cc World Championship Yamaha – race wins 3
2002: 2nd MotoGP World Championship Yamaha – race wins 2
Tohru Ukawa Japan
Team: Camel Pramac Honda Pons – Team manager Sito Pons
Racing number: 11
Race machine: RC211V
Date of birth: May 18, 1973
Place of birth: Chiba Prefecture, Japan
First race: 1989
Grand prix debut: 1994 Japanese Grand Prix Suzuka – NSR250 Honda 3rd
First Grand Prix win: 1999 French Grand Prix, La Castellet – NSR250 Honda
Total podium places 39
29 x 250cc–NSR250 Honda
1 x 500cc–NSR500
9 x MotoGP–RC211V
Total Grand Prix wins 5
4 x 250cc Honda
1 x MotoGP Honda
TOHRU UKAWA
Like most modern sportsmen Tohru Ukawa started early, riding a Honda mini-bike from age ten. But he didn’t race real motorcycles until he was 16-years old, racing a Honda NSR250 streetbike modeled on the GP racer that would later make him famous, and he won a local title in his first season. Ukawa was a man in a hurry and scored a 250 national title win in 1991 before moving up to the ultra-competitive All Japan 250 Championship in 1992. He finished 13th in his debut season and signed to race for HRC the next season. He rewarded their faith in him by delivering HRC back-to-back titles in 1993 and ’94. Ukawa made his GP debut in 1994 at Suzuka. Racing as a wild card entry he finished a superb third. He joined the GP circus in 1996. Ukawa spent five years in 250 GP racing steadily improving from fifth in the championship in his debut season to take second in 1999, fourth a year later before moving to the 500cc class for 2000. He acquitted himself reasonably well, taking one podium place on his way to 10th in the series. The inaugural MotoGP championship gave Ukawa his chance to shine. Having undertaken much of the development work on the RC211V Ukawa came out all guns blazing in 2002. He won one race, famously beating Repsol Honda teammate Valentino Rossi, and took nine podiums on his way to third in the final standings. Ukawa races for the newly launched Camel Pramac Honda Team in
2003.
Career Highlights – Tohru Ukawa
1993: 250cc All Japan Champion
1994: 250cc All Japan Champion
1995: 2nd 250cc All Japan Championship
1996: 5th 250cc World Championship
1997: 5th 250cc World Championship, Winner Suzuka 8 Hours
1998: 4th 250cc World Championship, Winner Suzuka 8 Hours
1999: 2nd 250cc World Championship – race wins 2
2000: 4th 250cc World Championship – race wins 2, Winner Suzuka 8 Hours
2001: 10th 500cc World Championship, 4th Suzuka 8 Hours
2002: 3rd MotoGP World Championship – race wins 1
Makoto Tamada – Japan
Team: Pramac Honda Racing – Team manager Gianluca Montiron
Racing number: 6
Race machine: RC211V
Date of birth: November 4, 1976
Birthplace: Shikoku Island, Japan.
First race: 1994 Kyushu, NSR250 (Production).
First win: 1994 Kyushu, NSR250
Grand Prix debut: 1998. 250 Japanese Grand Prix – Suzuka (wild card). NSR250 Honda
MAKOTO TAMADA
Makoto Tamada enters the MotoGP World Championship in 2003 equipped with solid
four-stroke credentials. Although this is his Grand Prix debut season, the happy-go-lucky former 250 rider has already proved himself in World Superbike racing, winning three of the four world rounds he entered in 2001 and 2002. He started racing in local 250cc production championships in 1994, taking the title at his first attempt. Tamada then moved to the 250cc All Japan Championship, riding an NSR250. He spent four years in the class with fourth his best championship finish. Already well acquainted with big four-strokes Tamada finished fifth in the series in his debut season of 1999, and third the next year. In 2001 Tamada made headlines when victorious in both races at the Japanese round of the World Superbike Championship, at Sugo. Last year he confirmed his credentials with a win at Sugo, second in the Suzuka 8 Hours, racing with team manager Tadayuki Okada and four wins from seven starts in his national Superbike series.
Career Highlights – Makoto Tamada
1994: 250c Production Regional Championship
1995: 11th All Japan 250cc Championship
1996: 14th All Japan 250cc Championship
1997: 6th All Japan 250cc Championship
1998: 4th All Japan 250cc Championship, 10th Suzuka 8 Hours (with Shinya Nakatome).
1999: 5th All Japan Superbike Championship, 8th Suzuka 8 Hours (with Daijiro Kato).
2000: 3rd All Japan Superbike Championship, 43rd Suzuka 8 Hours (with Alex Barros).
2001: 2nd All Japan Superbike Championship
2002: 4t
