Repsol Honda Team set for world championship opener
By TMX Archives on 22nd Apr 15
The FIM Trial World Championship fires up this weekend at the Motegi circuit in Japan with three Repsol Honda Team riders keen to embark on what is set to be a hotly-disputed season.
Repsol Honda Team adepts Toni Bou and Takahisa Fujinami line up alongside rookie Jaime Busto this weekend as the FIM Trial World Championship kicks off with the Japanese Grand Prix in Motegi. Fans can look forward to nine GPs, which will consist of 18 races, given that all are double-daters this season.
Champion Toni Bou arrives on top of his game after a fruitful pre-season saw the Spaniard collect a ninth X-Trial triumph as well as securing the top of the overall rankings in the Spanish championship. The Repsol Honda Team guru aims at consolidating yet more his formidable record as the highest-garlanded motorcycle rider of all-time with 17 world titles to his credit.
Japanese ace Takahisa Fujinami starts his 20th world championship season with various goals: to continue among trial's elite, to increase further the number of world championship participations and to beat the all-time record of accumulated points – a milestone that looks likely to be demolished later this year.
Repsol Honda Team will feature a new name among their ranks for this championship with the inclusion of Jaime Busto. The Basque youngster – last year's champion in the Junior category – makes the leap to World Pro, arriving at the sport's top level with the clear aims of honing skills and gaining experience.
Riders will be faced with three laps of some six kilometres in length, which will include twelve sections. The event is due to start at 11:00 a.m. local time with the last rider of the World Pro class heading out first.
* Last year Toni Bou arrived at the competition carrying rib injuries. In spite of the pain, the Honda rider made the podium on both days and clinched top-spot on the overall leaderboard at the Motegi.
* The Japanese Trial GP has continually been disputed at the Motegi circuit since 2000.
* Bou, with 11 triumphs, is the rider with the highest number of wins in Motegi, followed by Repsol Honda Team companion ‘ Fujigas', with 6.
* Takahisa Fujinami is the rider with most podium finishes having scaled the Japanese GP rostrum 23 times.
