On November 6, 2017, Honda announced plans for its participation in motorcycle motorsports world championship racing activities for the 2018 season, at EICMA 2017 in Milan, Italy.

In 2018, Honda will continue to compete in the various Motorcycle World Championship categories and the Dakar Rally 2018. In the FIM*1 Road Racing World Championship Series MotoGP class, Honda welcomes Takaaki Nakagami, the first Japanese in four years to compete in the series, Franco Morbidelli and Thomas Lüthi into the fold to embark on a fresh challenge. This season, Honda aims to win every category it competes in.

To Honda, racing activities are its driving force, and participation in the world's premier classes hones its technology and associates' skills, and the racing spirit and ideas gained are applied to many of its products. Honda continues to provide people worldwide with enjoyment and happiness through its products and racing activities, and, with its belief in its corporate slogan 'The Power of Dreams,' will realize its - and customers' - dreams.

Honda's 2018 Participation in Motorcycle World Championship Racing

1.FIM Road Racing World Championship Series (MotoGP)

<MotoGP Class>

In the 2018 season MotoGP class, Marc Márquez, currently leading the series, and 13-year MotoGP class veteran Dani Pedrosa will ride for Honda's factory team*2 'Repsol Honda Team' on 2018 RC213V factory machines. With Cal Crutchlow (LCR Honda CASTROL), Takaaki Nakagami (LCR Honda IDEMITSU), Franco Morbidelli (Estrella Galicia 0,0 Marc VDS) and Thomas Lüthi (Estrella Galicia 0,0 Marc VDS) riding RC213V racing bikes, Honda aims to win the 'Triple Crown;' the riders, constructors, and team titles.

Team Machine No. Rider Age Nationality 2017 results
Repsol Honda Team
RC213V
93 Marc Márquez
24 Spain MotoGP
1st
(as of Nov. 6)
26 Dani Pedrosa
32 Spain MotoGP
5th
(as of Nov. 6)
LCR Honda CASTROL RC213V 35 Cal Crutchlow
32 United Kingdom MotoGP
9th
(as of Nov. 6)
LCR Honda IDEMITSU 30 Takaaki Nakagami
25 Japan Moto2
7th
(as of Nov. 6)
Estrella Galicia 0,0 Marc VDS 21 Franco Morbidelli 22 Italy Moto2
Champion
12 Thomas Lüthi 31 Switzerland Moto2
2nd
  • *1FIM: Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme
  • *2Honda factory team operated by Honda Racing Corporation (HRC)
  • *3Team ★ indicates factory team, machine ★ indicates factory bike, rider ★ indicates HRC rider

<Moto3 Class>

In the 2017 season, Honda became the riders and constructors champions. In 2018, Honda will compete in the Moto3 class with thirteen 2018 model NSF250RW factory machines. 7 teams will attempt to give Honda consecutive riders and constructors titles.

Team Machine No. Rider Age Nationality 2017 results
Estrella Galicia 0,0 NSF250RW
44 Aròn Canet 18 Spain Moto3
3rd
(as of Nov. 6)
TBA TBA - - -
Leopard Racing 33 Enea Bastianini 19 Italy Moto3
6th
(as of Nov. 6)
48 Lorenzo Dalla Porta 20 Italy Moto3
28th
(as of Nov. 6)
Team Del Conca Gresini Moto3 88 Jorge Martin 19 Spain Moto3
4th
(as of Nov. 6)
21 Fabio Di Giannantonio 19 Italy Moto3
5th
(as of Nov. 6)
Marinelli Rivacold Snipers 14 Tony Arbolino 17 Italy Moto3
33rd
(as of Nov. 6)
PETRONAS Sprinta Racing 7 Adam Norrodin 19 Malaysia Moto3
17th
(as of Nov. 6)
71 Ayumu Sasaki 17 Japan Moto3
21st
(as of Nov. 6)
Honda Team Asia 41 Nakarin Atiratphuvapat 21 Thailand Moto3
24th
(as of Nov. 6)
27 Kaito Toba 17 Japan Moto3
30th
(as of Nov. 6)
SIC58 Squadra Corse 23 Niccolò Antonelli 21 Italy Moto3
18th
(as of Nov. 6)
24 Tatsuki Suzuki 20 Japan Moto3
14th
(as of Nov. 6)

2.FIM Trial World Championship Series (WCT)

Honda's factory team, 'Repsol Honda Team' will be represented by 11-time consecutive champion Toni Bou aiming to increase his already outstanding record, and WCT veteran in his 23rd season, Takahisa Fujinami, riding COTA4RT factory machines.

Team Machine No. Rider Age Nationality 2017 results
Repsol Honda Team
COTA4RT
1 Toni Bou
31 Spain WCT
Champion
3 Takahisa Fujinami
37 Japan WCT
5th

3.FIM Motocross World Championship Series (MXGP)

<MXGP: 450cc Class>

In the MXGP class, Tim Gajser, ranked 5th in the 2017 season, will be joined by 8th-ranked MX2 rider Brian Bogers to represent Honda's factory team, 'Team HRC.' The two riders will aim to take back the championship title on 2018 CRF450RW factory machines.

Team Machine No. Rider Age Nationality 2017 results
Team HRC
CRF450RW
243 Tim Gajser
21 Slovenia MXGP
5th
TBA Brian Bogers
21 The Netherlands MX2
8th

<MX2: 250cc Class>

In the MX2 class, 13th-ranked Calvin Vlaanderen will ride for 'Team HRC' on the CRF250R factory bike, aiming for the title.

Team Machine No. Rider Age Nationality 2017 results
Team HRC
CRF250RW
10 Calvin Vlaanderen
21 South Africa MX2
13th

4.AMA SuperCross World Championship Series (450SX)

<450SX: 450cc Class>

Honda's factory team 'Team Honda HRC' will aim to win the championship, with Ken Roczen and Cole Seely, riding 2018 CRF450R racing bikes.

Team Machine No. Rider Age Nationality 2017 results
Team Honda HRC
CRF450R 94 Ken Roczen
23 Germany 450SX
20th
14 Cole Seely
27 U.S.A. 450SX
7th
  • *4AMA: American Motorcyclist Association

5.FIM Superbike World Championship Series (WSB)

Red Bull Honda World Superbike Team, supported by Honda Motor Europe Ltd. (Honda's European regional headquarters), will compete in the series with current WSB rider Leon Camier riding the CBR1000RR SP2, aiming to capture the title.

Team Machine No. Rider Age Nationality 2017 results
Red Bull Honda World Superbike Team CBR1000RR SP2 2 Leon Camier 31 United Kingdom WSB
8th
(as of Nov. 6)
TBA TBA - - -

The Dakar 2018

In its sixth year after returning to the Dakar, Honda's factory team 'Monster Energy Honda Team,' armed with 2018 CRF450 RALLY factory machines, will once again be represented by ace rider Joan Barreda in his 8th Dakar year, and Paulo Goncalves in his 10th, joined by Kevin Benavides, Michael Metge and Ricky Brabec, to win the title.

Team Machine No. Rider Age Nationality 2017 results
Monster Energy Honda Team
CRF450
RALLY
11 Joan Barreda
34 Spain Dakar 2017
5th
17 Paulo Goncalves
38 Portugal Dakar 2017
6th
4 Kevin Benavides
28 Argentina -
15 Michael Metge
38 France Dakar 2017
14th
9 Ricky Brabec
26 U.S.A. -

Honda Motor Co. Ltd. published this content on 07 November 2017 and is solely responsible for the information contained herein.
Distributed by Public, unedited and unaltered, on 07 November 2017 02:38:03 UTC.

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