SEPANG: In conjuction with the Sepang MotoGP race weekend, Honda Racing has unveiled their latest programme to produce 'Asian riders (who) would challenge in all top races of each category', as stated by Shinji Tanaka, Block Leader Honda Motor Co., Motor Supports Division.
Drawing on the success of past programmes which produced Asian riders with the calibre of Takaaki Nakagami (Moto 2) and Khairul Idham Pawi (Moto 3) , Honda Racing will now integrate the Asia Dream Cup and the Asia Talent Cup into a single, new programme.
This will create a shorter path to MotoGP, the ultimate goal for Asian riders.
Shinji Aoyama, Honda Motor Operating Officer and Director Chief Operating Officer Motorcycle Operations, calls it the 'GP rider from Asia' concept.
The new programme will utilise the Honda NSF250, a production racer similar to those used in CEV and Moto 3.
This will hopefully result in easier familiarisation for the Asian riders as they graduate to more premier classes of racing.
The new programme will hopefully encapsulate the major Asian markets, especially Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia and Vietnam as roadracing is currently dominant in Asia.
The dream is to place Asian riders in MXGP, Trials, Supercross and even the Paris-Dakar Rally.
Also present at the event were CEO of Boon Siew Honda, Nobuhide Nagata, CEO of Sepang International Circuit, Datuk Razlan Razali as well as all the Honda Team Asia riders, namely Takaaki Nakagami, Ratthapark Wilairot, Hiroki Ono and Khairul Idham Pawi.
