In 2020, Honda will continue its participation in top-tier motorcycle and car racing events worldwide, including various races around the globe. The entire team involved in Honda’s sports racing activities, such as athletes, engineers, mechanics, and other members, will unite as “Team Honda” and compete with utmost dedication.
Motorcycle Activities
In the 2019 season, Honda secured championships in the FIM Grand Prix World Championship, FIM Motocross World Championship, and FIM Trial World Championship.
In the 2020 season, Honda, as part of the Honda Racing Corporation (HRC), will compete with other manufacturers aiming to clinch consecutive championships in the road race, motocross, and trial categories. Additionally, HRC’s racing team will participate in the Dakar Rally, which will take place from South America to Saudi Arabia this year.
In the MotoGP category of the FIM Grand Prix World Championship, the Repsol Honda Team, led by 6-time world champion Marc Márquez and joined by his younger brother Alex Márquez, the reigning Moto2 champion, is determined to secure the “Triple Crown” for the fourth consecutive year.
In the FIM Superbike World Championship, Honda will compete with its new factory racing team named HRC, featuring riders Alvaro Bautista and Leon Haslam, riding the newly developed CBR1000RR-R FIREBLADE SP.
In the MFJ All-Japan Championship, Honda will vie for titles in the highest categories, including Road Race Championship (JRR), Motocross Championship (JMX), and Trial Championship (JTR). By aiming for championships in Motocross and Trial and reclaiming the Road Race championship, Honda is determined to win the MFJ All-Japan Championship in all three categories, which it last achieved in 2017.
Moreover, Honda will continue to nurture young riders. In collaboration with Honda’s racing activities in Asia, where motorcycle racing is gaining prominence and growing rapidly, Honda is working closely with young riders in the region to help them realize their dreams of competing in MotoGP. In the 2020 season, Honda will continue its support for the Honda Team Asia’s participation in the Moto2 and Moto3 categories of MotoGP. Furthermore, Honda will provide ongoing support for riders competing in the FIM CEV Repsol Moto3 Junior World Championship. Additionally, through the IDEMITSU Asia Talent Cup (IATC), Honda will encourage young riders to discover their potential and raise the skill level of many others who can compete in world-class races.
For off-road racing, Honda will conduct training sessions in Japan for the team’s riders competing in the MFJ All-Japan Motocross Championship. Furthermore, Honda will continue training programs for promising young riders to participate in training camps and compete in MXGP races worldwide.
Car Activities
In the FIA Formula One World Championship (F1), Honda serves as an engine supplier and achieved three victories in the 2019 season. In the 2020 season, Honda aims to secure more wins by continuing to supply engines with identical technical specifications to the Scuderia AlphaTauri and Red Bull Racing teams.
Furthermore, Honda will continue supporting young Japanese racers competing in the FIA Formula 2 Championship (F2) and the French F4 Championship organized by FFSA.
In Japan, Honda aims to reclaim the championship in prestigious races by utilizing the brand-new NSX-GT model in the GT500 category of the SUPER GT, a category that will enforce new technical regulations in the 2020 season. Simultaneously, Honda is restructuring competing teams in the SUPER FORMULA Championship, a Japanese racing series.
In customer racing events involving vehicles developed from mass-market models, Honda will enhance its support for teams to ensure more competitive participation. Alongside providing engines, Honda will increase its involvement and support by entering the FIA World Touring Car Cup (WTCR) with the racing models CIVIC Type R and CIVIC TCR. The WTCR, a popular worldwide series launched in 2018, and the NSX GT3 Evo model will also be employed in the Intercontinental GT Challenge (IGTC). This event is held on five continents, in addition to various GT championships and endurance races organized in North America, Asia, and Europe.
In North America, Honda Performance Development (HPD) will supply engines to five teams, totaling 13 cars, competing in the IndyCar Series.
Trang Nguyen (forum.autodaily.vn)