Tadayuki Okada

Rider of Rising sun

Born in Japan in 1967, it took Okada several years to earn his spot on the results lists. In 1986, he won his first victories in Japan. He participated in several 250cc competitions and in the All Japan TT-F3 Championship. From 1989 to 1991, he won the International All Japan 250cc with Honda and appeared as a wild card each year in the Japan 250cc GP.

In 1992 he was second in this competition, but he earned a spot on the podium in his appearance as a wild card. The next year he made the leap to the 250cc World Championship, where he competed until 1995, winning a sub-championship, two victories, and two podiums along the way. In 1996 he joined the Repsol Honda Team as a rider, where he remained until 2000.

During this time he achieved several triumphs, including the 1997 sub-championship, and, without a doubt, winning over the public. In 2008 he again donned the team’s colours as a wild card in the Italian GP, trying out the new RC212V with pneumatic valves. After his season as a rider, he became the team leader for the Honda Team Asia.