Go to the Box Repsol homepage Box Repsol
  • Competition
  • Fan Zone
  • 25/50 Anniversary
Join us
es
Live
Home / MotoGP / Repsol Honda and the riders of the rising sun

Competition

  • MotoGP
  • FIM CEV Repsol
  • Rally
  • Trial
  • Red Bull Air Race
  • ————
  • World Standings
  • Calendar
  • Repsol Team
  • ————
  • Monlau School
  • #FanStoriesRepsol
  • Racing is in our DNA

Más motor

  • Tecnología
  • Vive tu moto
  • Cultura Motera
  • De leyenda
  • 50 años de motor

Fan Zone

  • Wallpapers
  • ————
  • Enter the Fan Zone

Section

  • MotoGP
  • FIM CEV Repsol
  • Rally
  • Trial
  • Red Bull Air Race
  • ———–
  • World Standings
  • Calendar
  • Repsol Team

Last

Specials

  • Monlau School
  • #FanStoriesRepsol
Boletín Box Repsol

Aquí empieza la emoción.

Subscribe

Section

  • Tecnología
  • Vive tu moto
  • Cultura Motera
  • De leyenda
  • 50 años de motor

Last

Specials

  • #FanStoriesRepsol
Boletín Box Repsol

Aquí empieza la emoción.

Subscribe

Have fun with Box Repsol's Fan Zone

Enter the Fan Zone
Download pictures and colour them in!

Download pictures and colour them in!

Fan Kit

Fan Kit

  • Join us Join us
  • Competition
  • Fan Zone
  • Search
  • EN ES
  • MotoGP
  • FIM CEV Repsol
  • Rally
  • Trial
  • Red Bull Air Race
  • ————
  • World Standings
  • Calendar
  • Repsol Team
  • ————
  • Monlau School
  • #FanStoriesRepsol
  • Racing is in our DNA
  • Wallpapers
  • ————
  • Enter the Fan Zone

Search

MotoGP

Repsol Honda and the riders of the rising sun

2 years ago 5 minutes

The most successful team in the entire history of motorcycle racing has seen many Japanese riders among its ranks. With the Japanese GP just around the corner, we wanted to commemorate these spectacular riders, who wore the team colours with pride.

Repsol Honda and the riders of the rising sun
  • 1

Since its founding, many of the most emblematic riders of the Repsol Honda Team have hailed from the country of the rising sun.

Sinichi Itoh piloto Repsol Honda japonés
Sinichi Itoh piloto Repsol Honda japonés

Sinichi Itoh

The first rider on our list joined the Repsol Honda team during its infancy in 1995 and accompanied us for two seasons. At the time, 500cc was the top class and names like Mick Doohan and Àlex Crivillé dominated the scene. He was the first rider from Japan to wear the team colours.

Tadayuki Okada sobre NSR500 parada
Tadayuki Okada sobre NSR500 parada

Tadayuki Okada

This spectacular Japanese rider joined Repsol Honda in 1996 and stayed with us until 2000. He is rightly considered one of the team's most emblematic riders. In his four years with the team, he stepped onto the podium 21 times, secured four victories, and won second place in the top class in the 1997 world championship.

Takuma Aoki en el Podio
Takuma Aoki en el Podio

Takuma Aoki

Though he was only with us for the 1997 season, Aoki's fighting spirit continues to be an inspiration for our team. He was left paraplegic in 1998 following a tragic fall during the pre-season, but this did not dampen his ambition. Aoki continued to race in rallys and tests, including the 2009 Dakar Rally.

Tohru Ukawa sonriente
Tohru Ukawa sonriente

Tohru Ukawa

He was a highly reliable rider who experienced a time of change during his time in the World Championship with our team. He is the only rider in the team to have raced in both 500cc and MotoGP. During the 2001 and 2002 seasons, Ukawa stepped onto the podium 10 times and secured an unforgettable victory at South Africa's Welkom circuit.

Aoyama planificando el GP en el Box junto a Ramón Aurín
Aoyama planificando el GP en el Box junto a Ramón Aurín

Hiroshi Aoyama

This Japanese rider is one of the World Championship's well-known figures. Aoyama hasn't been an official Team rider, but we saw plenty of him on the track in 2011, 2015, and 2016 as a replacement rider. Hiroshi is a test rider for Honda. Joining the competition mid-season and racing in a MotoGP is never easy, making his efforts worthier than what his final score might suggest.

Takahisa Fujinami levanta los brazos celebrando un podio
Takahisa Fujinami levanta los brazos celebrando un podio

Takahisa Fujinami

Though not a MotoGP rider, there is no doubt that this trial rider is one of Repsol Honda's most iconic figures. With 20 years of professional racing under his belt, Takahisa was World Champion in 2004 and has remained in fifth place throughout his years in competition.

For Fuji, the most thrilling race of the year takes place in Motegi, at the Trial circuit integrated into the MotoGP track. Ultimately, it is at this trial race that the rider comes into contact with his Japanese fans, for whom he is an institution.

Since its founding back in 1995, many of the most emblematic riders of the Repsol Honda Team have hailed from the country of the rising sun. Together, we have written and have yet to write many chapters in racing history. Now, we head to the next Japanese Grand Prix, very eager to come out victorious.

  • Motorbike rider
1

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

By making a comment, you agree to our privacy policy.

More Box Repsol

Repsol

© Repsol 2000-2021

  • Legal notice
  • Privacy policy
  • Cookie policy
  • Contact
  • Instagram
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Youtube
  • Flickr
Confianza Online