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MotoGP February 3, 2004 |
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FIM 2004 Road Race Championship Series |
In the MotoGP
class of the FIM 2004 Road Race Championship Series (known as the MotoGP
World Championship), Honda plans to race six RC211Vs, bikes that last year
delivered Honda an amazing 15 victories out of 16 races. This year Honda
is gunning for its fourth straight title*1 in the MotoGP class—the
highest level of world motorcycle racing—and will field three teams
in this quest. In the 250cc class, the only class in which Honda failed
to prevail last year, Honda will field two teams and run four RS250RWs in
an all-out effort to reclaim the championship.
MotoGP class
In 2004 the “Repsol Honda Team” will be led by Nicky Hayden
(#69, USA), who rose to the podium twice in his first year and was awarded
the Rookie of the Year title*2, and new rider Alex Barros (#4, Brazil),
who in 2002 scored two victories aboard an RC211V.
“Team Telefonica Movistar Honda” features Sete Gibernau (#15,
Spain), the second-ranked rider who fought a furious battle for the championship
last year, and Colin Edwards (#45, USA), who won the Superbike World Championship
Series in 2002.
Honda Pons and Pramac Racing combined to form “Camel Honda”,
which will compete on two bikes. From Honda Pons, Max Biaggi (#3, Italy),
the third-ranked rider who posted two victories last year, will ride on
Michelin tires. From Pramac Racing, Makoto Tamada (#6, Japan), who last
year, in his first year, scored a third-place finish, will run on Bridgestone
tires.
250cc class
“Fortuna Honda” will be led by Roberto Rolfo (#2, Italy), the
second-ranked rider who fought valiantly through to the final race, and
Toni Elias (#24, Spain), the third-ranked rider last year.
“Team Telefonica Movistar Honda 250” will be led by Daniel Pedrosa
(#26, Spain), 2003 champion in the 125cc class, and Hiroshi Aoyama (#73,
Japan), last year’s champion in the GP 250cc class of the MFJ All-Japan
Road Race Championship Series..
*1 Honda won the manufacturer titles of the top-level motorcycle racing
class for the last three years, 500cc class in 2001 and MotoGP class in
2002 and 2003.
*2 The Rookie of the Year title is awarded to the first-year rider judged
to be the best overall performer of the year.
*3 The Repsol Honda Team and Team Telefonica Movistar Honda use Michelin
tires.
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