Repsol Honda Team ready for home GP
By Team TMX on 25th Apr 14
The second race of the Trial Outdoor World Championship takes place this weekend at the Motegi Circuit in Japan. Toni Bou and Takahisa Fujinami go into the GP as leaders, as Repsol Honda Team prepares to perform in front of their home crowd.
In the run-in to the Trial World Championship, Repsol Honda Team riders Toni Bou and Takahisa Fujinami, gave a press conference open to all members of the public at Honda's Welcome Plaza in Tokyo, to a full house.
Fujinami and Bou went over the beginning of the season as new Repsol Honda Team members, where a fortnight ago each of the riders picked up a victory on the Saturday and Sunday of the Australian Grand Prix.
Both Team HRC members outlined their hopes and ambitions for the Japan GP, which is to be held at the Motegi circuit, although it will be a complicated one for Toni Bou, who arrives with a cracked rib after a heavy fall during training in the build-up for Japan.
To avoid any possible complications, the reigning champion has decided not to train until tomorrow, and will monitor closely the progress of the injury.
The GP of Japan will feature a route of six kilometres, taking in three laps of the circuit, with 12 sections in each.
The Japanese Trial GP has enjoyed an uninterrupted run since it began in the year 2000, in an area of the Motegi high-speed circuit which takes advantage of its surroundings to host the different teams.
The course features some fairly demanding stretches. The sectors are very varied, in particular one part near the marvellous Honda Museum, where one can savour a breathtaking view of the whole complex. The rain usually puts in an appearance to make the rider's and team's job all the more difficult.
The Japan GP couldn't have got off to a better start for the then Montesa-Honda back in 2000: the two race days finished up with a full podium of the team's riders, led by Dougie Lampkin and Takahisa Fujinami. On the third step, Marcel Justribó and Marc Colomer took it in turns over both days.
Toni Bou, with some 11 triumphs, is the most crowned rider at Motegi, followed by his Repsol Honda Team colleague, Takahisa Fujinami, with six.
Last year the Japanese GP kicked off the World Championship; Toni Bou took the honours on Saturday, while the race closed with Takahisa Fujinami taking the laurels. Bou, with 35 points, finished the event as leader, and Fujinami, with 33, was closely-behind in second place.
"It is an honour for me to form part of the Honda team again,” says Toni Bou. "For Honda, the Japanese GP is home turf, as it is for us. In spite of not being in best physical shape with the pain that I'm in due to the cracked rib, I'll do everything to give the Japanese fans what they deserve. Fujinami and I will be fighting to win the race.”
Takahisa Fujinami commented: "I'm really thankful that in my 19th season in the Trial World Championship, that we have such a strong official Honda team. I can feel that people's expectations are higher than normal, and they want a win from us; just as we did in Australia. We are all ready to live up to their expectations, and do the job well.”
