Honda 2023 Motorsports Program Overview

Honda 2023 Motorsports Program Overview

■Summary of speech by Shinji Aoyama,

Director and Senior Managing Executive Officer of Honda Motor Co., Ltd.

In 1959, Honda competed in the Isle of Man TT Race for the first time, in our company founder Mr. Soichiro Honda’s quest to become the world’s number one in technology. Since then, Honda has been competing in various motorcycle and automobile races around the world. Many generations of Honda engineers and motorsports team members who came before us faced difficulties over and over again while competing on the world stage, but they overcame such difficulties and accumulated victories by taking on challenges without giving up. In motorsports, this attitude is indispensable for refining our people and technologies, and it is at the root of Honda motorsports activities. We will continue to further strengthen this ‘challenging spirit’ and keep evolving our motorsports activities together with our fellow riders, drivers and everyone who takes on challenges with us.

In the meantime, Honda has another critical mission to pursue in the area of motorsports. It is the realisation of carbon neutrality. Honda has already been conducting research and development of technologies for carbon neutrality while proactively leveraging the field of motorsports. From now onward, we will further enhance our initiatives to put such technologies into practical use in our racing activities. Moreover, starting with motorcycles, we will explore possibilities of introducing electrified vehicles in actual races where we compete.

Moreover, this year, with the aim of becoming an even stronger racing brand, we established a new structure where Honda Racing Corporation (HRC) assumes responsibility for automobile racing activities in addition to its existing functions for motorcycle racing activities. As a result of this change, we started seeing some positive effects of mutual collaboration of the technologies and know-how Honda has amassed in the respective areas of motorcycle and automobile racing. For example, in the area of automobiles, we are currently exploring the possibility of supplying base vehicles suitable for “participatory” motorsports that more people can enjoy more casually. For the development and supplying of such vehicles, we can share the know-how of Honda motorcycle racing divisions which are already engaged in similar activities. This is just one example, but by leveraging synergistic effects between motorcycle and automobile racing experience to the maximum extent, we will achieve outstanding performance in racing, and at the same time, we will strengthen our initiatives to offer more “participatory” motorsports opportunities which will enable more customers to enjoy Honda technologies and motorsports, and we will strive to popularise motorsports among a broader range of people.  

In order to fulfil the expectations of motorsports fans and Honda fans and customers all around the world and deliver more dream-inspiring and exciting experiences for people, we will continue putting our energy and effort in motorsports activities and keep taking on challenges.

【Motorcycle activities】

The 2022 FIM*1 Grand Prix World Championship (MotoGP) season ended in disappointment for Honda with no wins. However, Marc Marquez, who had been out of racing due to his fourth surgery, returned to race in the second half of the season and achieved a podium finish. Moreover, in the FIM Motocross World Championship (MXGP) and the FIM Trial World Championship (TrialGP), Tim Gajser and Toni Bou won championships, respectively. Therefore, reclaiming the championship title in MotoGP is one of the top-priority challenges for Honda.   

From the second half of the 2022 season, Honda began incorporating knowledge from its automobile racing divisions in the area of aerodynamics and began to see synergistic effects between motorcycle and automobile racing experience including an improvement in aerodynamic performance. In the future, Honda will further strengthen its competitiveness by leveraging its knowledge in automobile racing in the area of combustion technology through co-creation between motorcycle and automobile racing divisions. Moreover, in the 2023 season, Joan Mir, the 2020 MotoGP champion, will join the Repsol Honda Team, and Álex Rins will join LCR Honda. By further strengthening its teams as well, Honda will strive to recapture the triple crown, the MotoGP rider, constructor and team titles.

In the area of fostering young riders, Honda Team Asia, which competes in the Moto2 and Moto3 classes of MotoGP, reached the 10-year milestone in the 2022 season, during which Ai Ogura demonstrated outstanding performance and battled for the championship until the last race of the season. In the 2023 season, Honda will continue the activities of Honda Team Asia and also continue to utilize IDEMITSU Asia Talent Cup (IATC) as a program designed to foster young riders. Through these initiatives, Honda will strive to discover and foster more riders who can compete in world-class races.

 

【Automobile activities】

In the FIA*2 Formula One World Championship (F1TM), based on a request from Red Bull Group, HRC supported Red Bull Powertrains (RBPT) which supplies the power unit (PU) that employs Honda’s PU technologies to Scuderia AlphaTauri and Oracle Red Bull Racing, two Red Bull Group teams, and contributed to winning the drivers’ and constructors’ double title by Oracle Red Bull Racing. Honda will continue its support for RBPT in the 2023 season.

Moreover, Honda will support participation of young Japanese drivers who are striving to compete in the pinnacle of world automobile racing in the FIA Formula2 Championship (F2) and other races, following in the footsteps of Yuki Tsunoda who will be competing in F1 with Scuderia AlphaTauri for the third consecutive year.

In Japan, Honda will strive to recapture the championship title in the GT500 class of the SUPER GT Series for the first time in three years by making changes to the team structure. Moreover, in the Japanese SUPER FORMULA Championship, where the second consecutive win was achieved in the 2022 season, Honda will welcome some new drivers, including one who received a scholarship from the U.S.-based Honda Performance Development (HPD), and strive for the third consecutive win in the 2023 season.

 In North America, through HPD, Honda will supply engines to 15 cars with 6 teams competing in the IndyCar® Series. In the IMSA*3 WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, two teams will compete with the ARX-06, an Acura brand machine supplied by HPD.

*1 FIM: Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme

*2 FIA: Fédération Internationale de l‘Automobile

*3 IMSA: International Motor Sports Association

Overview of Honda Teams for the 2023 Season     As of December 12, 2022

 

<<Overview of Honda Participation in Motorcycle Racing>>

 

<<World Championship>>

◆FIM Grand Prix World Championship (MotoGP)

Team

Machine

No.

Rider

Age

Nationality

2022 result

Repsol Honda Team

*4

RC213V

*4

36

Joan Mir

*4

25

Spain

MotoGP

15th

93

Marc Márquez

29

Spain

MotoGP

13th

LCR Honda IDEMITSU

30

Takaaki Nakagami

30

Japan

MotoGP

18th

LCR Honda CASTROL

42

Álex Rins

27

Spain

MotoGP

7th

*4 ☆on a team name indicates a factory team of Honda, ☆on a machine name indicates a factory machine of Honda, ☆on a rider’s name indicates an HRC contract rider

 

◆FIM Superbike World Championship (WSBK)

Team

Machine

No.

Rider

Age

Nationality

2022 result

Team HRC

CBR1000RR-R

FIREBLADE SP

7

Iker Lecuona

22

Spain

WSBK

9th

97

Xavi Vierge

25

Spain

WSBK

10th

MIE Racing Honda Team

CBR1000RR-R FIREBLADE SP

35

Hafizh Syahrin

28

Malaysia

WSBK

23rd

TBA

Eric Granado

26

Brazil

MotoE

2nd

 

<WSSP>

Team

Machine

No.

Rider

Age

Nationality

2022 result

MIE MS Racing Honda Team

CBR600RR

TBA

Tarran Mackenzie

27

U.K.

BSB

7th

TBA

Adam Norrodin

24

Malaysia

ARRC

ASB1000

8th

◆FIM Endurance World Championship (EWC)

Team

Machine

No.

Rider

Age

Nationality

2022 result

F.C.C. TSR Honda France

CBR1000RR-R

FIREBLADE SP

1

Josh Hook

29

Australia

EWC

Champion

Mike Di Meglio

34

France

Alan Techer

28

France

FSBK

3rd

 

◆FIM Motocross World Championship (MXGP)

<MXGP class>

Team

Machine

No.

Rider

Age

Nationality

2022 result

Team HRC

CRF450RW

70

Ruben Fernandez

23

Spain

MXGP

8th

243

Tim Gajser

26

Slovenia

MXGP

Champion

 

◆FIM Trial World Championship (TrialGP)

Team

Machine

No.

Rider

Age

Nationality

2022 result

Repsol Honda Team

Montesa

COTA 4RT

1

Toni Bou

36

Spain

TrialGP

Champion

38

Gabriel Marcelli

22

Spain

TrialGP

5th

 

◆FIM World Rally-Raid Championship (2023 Dakar Rally)

Team

Machine

No.

Rider

Age

Nationality

2022 result

Monster Energy Honda Team

CRF450

RALLY

2

Ricky Brabec

31

U.S.A.

Dakar Rally

Overall 7th

7

Pablo Quintanilla

36

Chile

Dakar Rally

Overall 2nd

11

José Ignacio Cornejo

28

Chile

Dakar Rally

Overall 6th

42

Adrien Van Beveren

31

France

Dakar Rally

Overall 4th

<<Japan>>

◆MFJ*5 All-Japan Road Race Championship (JRR)

<JSB1000 class>

Team

Machine

No.

Rider

Age

Nationality

2022 result

SDG Honda Racing

CBR1000RR-R FIREBLADE

15

Teppei Nagoe

25

Japan

JSB1000

15th

 

*5 MFJ: Motorcycle Federation of Japan

 

◆MFJ All-Japan Motocross Championship (JMX)

<IA1 class>

Team

Machine

No.

Rider

Age

Nationality

2022 result

Honda Dream Racing Bells

CRF450R

4

Kainosuke Oshiro

23

Japan

IA1

4th

6

Yuki Okura

23

Japan

IA1

6th

 

◆MFJ All-Japan Trial Championship (JTR)

<IA Super class (IAS)>

Team

Machine

No.

Rider

Age

Nationality

2022 result

TEAM MITANI Honda

RTL301RR

1

Tomoyuki Ogawa

46

Japan

IAS

Champion

3

Seiya Ujikawa

19

Japan

IAS

3rd

 

*Honda teams competing in the MFJ All-Japan Championship races will be announced as soon as details are finalized.

<<North America>>

◆AMA Supercross Championship

<450SX>

Team

Machine

No.

Rider

Age

Nationality

2022 result

Team Honda HRC

CRF450R

23

Chase Sexton

23

U.S.A.

450SX

6th

45

Colt Nichols

28

U.S.A.

 

<250SX>

Team

Machine

No.

Rider

Age

Nationality

2022 result

Team Honda HRC

CRF250R

18

Jett Lawrence

19

Australia

250SX East Champion

96

Hunter Lawrence

23

Australia

250SX West

2nd

832

Chance Hymas

17

U.S.A.

Futures National

 Champion

 

◆AMA Pro Motocross Championship

<450MX>

Team

Machine

No.

Rider

Age

Nationality

2022 result

Team Honda HRC

CRF450R

23

Chase Sexton

23

U.S.A.

450MX

2nd

45

Colt Nichols

28

U.S.A.

 

<250MX>

Team

Machine

No.

Rider

Age

Nationality

2022 result

Team Honda HRC

CRF250R

18

Jett Lawrence

19

Australia

250MX

Champion

96

Hunter Lawrence

23

Australia

250MX

3rd

832

Chance Hymas

17

U.S.A.

250MX

37th

<<Overview of Honda Participation in Automobile Racing>>

 

<<Japan>>

◆Japanese SUPER FORMULA Championship (SF)

Team

No.

Driver

Age

Nationality

2022 result

TEAM MUGEN

1

Tomoki Nojiri

33

Japan

SF

Champion

15

Liam Lawson

20

New Zealand

F2

3rd

DOCOMO TEAM DANDELION RACING

5

Tadasuke Makino

25

Japan

SF

5th

6

Kakunoshin Ohta

23

Japan

SFL

2nd

ThreeBond Drago CORSE

12

Nirei Fukuzumi

25

Japan

SF

19th

B-Max Racing

50

Nobuharu Matsushita

29

Japan

SF

13th

51

Raoul Hyman

26

U.K.

Formula Regional Americas Champion

TCS NAKAJIMA RACING

64

Naoki Yamamoto

34

Japan

SF

10th

65

Ren Sato

21

Japan

SF

12th

◆SUPER GT<GT500 class>

Team

No.

Driver

Age

Nationality

2022 result

ARTA

8

Tomoki Nojiri

33

Japan

GT500

12th

Toshiki Oyu

24

Japan

GT500

14th

16

Nirei Fukuzumi

25

Japan

GT500

12th

Hiroki Otsu

28

Japan

GT500

15th

Astemo REAL RACING

17

Kodai Tsukakoshi

36

Japan

GT500

4th

Nobuharu Matsushita

29

Japan

Modulo Nakajima Racing

64

Takuya Izawa

38

Japan

GT500

15th

Kakunoshin Ohta

23

Japan

GT300

8th

TEAM KUNIMITSU

100

Naoki Yamamoto

34

Japan

GT500

3rd

Tadasuke Makino

25

Japan

 

◆SUPER GT<GT300 class>

Team

No.

Driver

Age

Nationality

2022 result

TEAM UPGARAGE

18

Takashi Kobayashi

35

Japan

GT300

8th

Syun Koide

23

Japan

FIA-F4

Champion

<<North America>>

◆IndyCar Series

Team

No.

Driver

Age

Nationality

2022 result

Meyer Shank Racing

06

Hélio Castroneves

47

Brazil

IndyCar Series
18th

60

Simon Pagenaud

38

France

IndyCar Series
15th

Chip Ganassi Racing

8

Marcus Ericsson

32

Sweden

IndyCar Series
6th

9

Scott Dixon

42

New Zealand

IndyCar Series
3rd

10

Alex Palou

25

Spain

IndyCar Series
5th

11

Marcus Armstrong

22

New Zealand

FIA-F2

13th

Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing

15

Graham Rahal

33

U.S.A.

IndyCar Series
11th

30

Jack Harvey

29

U.K.

IndyCar Series
22nd

45

Christian Lundgaard

21

Denmark

IndyCar Series
14th

Dale Coyne Racing

18

David Malukas

21

U.S.A.

IndyCar Series
16th

TBA

TBA

Andretti Autosport

26

Colton Herta

22

U.S.A.

IndyCar Series
10th

27

Kyle Kirkwood

24

U.S.A.

IndyCar Series
24th

28

Romain Grosjean

36

France

IndyCar Series
13th

Andretti Steinbrenner Autosport

29

Devlin DeFrancesco

22

Canada

IndyCar Series
23rd

TBA

TBA

Takuma Sato

45

Japan

IndyCar Series
19th

 

◆IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship

Team

No.

Driver

Age

Nationality

2022 result

Wayne Taylor Racing

10

Ricky Taylor

33

U.S.A.

IMSA

DPi

2nd

Filipe Albuquerque

37

Portugal

IMSA

DPi

2nd

Meyer Shank Racing

60

Tom Blomqvist

29

U.K.

IMSA

DPi

Champion

Colin Braun

34

U.S.A.

IMSA

LMP3

Champion

 

<Development of motorcycle riders and automobile drivers>

For the purpose of developing riders and drivers who will become formidable contenders on the global motorsports stage, Honda Mobilityland Corporation has been operating the Suzuka Circuit Racing School-Junior (SRS-Junior) for motorcycle riders since 1992, Suzuka Circuit Racing School-Kart (SRS-Kart) since 1993 and the Suzuka Circuit Racing School-Formula (SRS-Formula) since 1995. In 2022, with a goal to further increase the quality of development programs in each category, Suzuka Circuit School was renamed as the Honda Racing School (HRS), where top-class riders and drivers provide guidance as instructors. To date, these programs have produced a number of outstanding riders and drivers who have been competing their respective motorcycle and automobile racing categories inside and outside Japan.

Honda will continue to foster young riders and drivers who strive to compete in top categories.

In the area of motorcycle racing, Honda will continue the activities of Honda Team Asia, which will compete in the Moto2 and Moto3 classes of MotoGP in the 2023 season, and also continue to utilise IDEMITSU Asia Talent Cup (IATC) as a program designed to foster young riders. Through these initiatives, Honda will strive to discover and foster more riders who can compete in world-class races.

 In the area of automobile racing, Honda will further strengthen the environment to foster young drivers by offering development opportunities in formula races in Europe, FIA-F4 or Super Formula Lights races in Japan, and other races through the Honda Formula Dream Project (HFDP). Moreover, Honda will continue and strengthen its collaborative relationship with Red Bull Racing in the area of driver development. In Europe, Honda and Red Bull Racing are jointly working on plans to send Japanese drivers to GB3 Championship in the U.K. in addition to FIA-F2.

Furthermore, in Japan, as in 2022, Red Bull Racing drivers will become ambassadors to HRS and teach the driving techniques of the world’s top level drivers directly to HRS student drivers, supporting their growth toward their goal to compete in world-class races. In addition, the joint driver development program Honda conducts jointly with Red Bull Racing at the Japanese SUPER FORMULA Championship (SF) also will be continued, and starting in 2023, jointly with HPD, Honda will offer a scholarship program to invite top drivers who compete in the Formula Regional Americas Championship to the SF.

◆FIM Road Racing World Championship (MotoGP)

<Moto2>

Team

Machine

No.

Rider

Age

Nationality

2022 result

IDEMITSU Honda Team Asia

KALEX

35

Somkiat Chantra

23

Thailand

Moto2

10th

79

Ai Ogura

21

Japan

Moto2

2nd

 

<Moto3>

Team

Machine

No.

Rider

Age

Nationality

2022 result

Honda Team Asia

NSF250RW

64

Mario Aji

18

Indonesia

Moto3

26th

72

Taiyo Furusato

17

Japan

Moto3

27th

 

◆FIA Formula2 Championship (F2)

Team

No.

Driver

Age

Nationality

2022 result

DAMS

TBA

Ayumu Iwasa

21

Japan

FIA-F2

5th

 

◆GB3 Championship

Team

No.

Driver

Age

Nationality

2022 result

HITECH GP

TBA

Souta Arao

17

Japan

French F4

3rd

 

◆All-Japan Super Formula Lights (SFL)

Team

No.

Driver

Age

Nationality

2022 result

B-Max Racing

50

Iori Kimura

23

Japan

SFL

3rd

TODA RACING

2

Syun Koide

23

Japan

FIA-F4 Champion

■Honda initiatives to expand the popularity of motorsports

Honda has been making active efforts to expand the popularity of motorsports. In order to convey the fascination of motorsports to a broader range of people, Honda has been conducting various events and activities including ones that can be enjoyed more casually by those people who are not yet so familiar with motorsports.

 

<One-make race series sponsored by Honda Racing Corporation (HRC)>

HRC is hosting one-make races at approximately 30 circuits throughout Japan under two categories of races with different purposes – to simply enjoy motorsports and to foster future MotoGP riders.

The one-make race series hosted by HRC include HRC GROM Cup, CBR250R Dream Cup and CBR250RR Dream Cup, which features mass-market models, as well as the NSF100 HRC Trophy, which features the NSF100 a mass-market road racer of HRC and the HRC NSF250R Challenge which is designed to foster future MotoGP riders.

The one-make race series are being held at a number of circuits throughout Japan. In addition, HRC has been hosting some Japan-wide races (at Suzuka or Motegi) for riders who fulfil certain conditions and offering support for riders to step up through training classes. In other words, the HRC one-make race series have been a stage where participants can enjoy the races and/or strive to realise their dreams.

 

<N-ONE OWNERS’ CUP>

N-ONE OWNERS’ CUP is a participatory motorsports program that utilises the N-ONE mini-vehicle. With the aim of offering a race where more people including racing beginners can participate more casually and experience the joy of driving/operating their vehicles, the N-ONE OWNERS’ CUP started in 2014, taking the form of a sprint race with commercially available vehicles licensed for public roads. With this existing concept that has proven popular, this motorsports event will again be held at eight circuits spread around Japan in 2022: Suzuka Circuit, Mobility Resort Motegi, Okayama International Circuit, Fuji Speedway, Autopolis International Racing Course, Sportsland SUGO, Tokachi Speedway and Tsukuba Circuit.

 

<Honda Sports Driving Program [SCHOOL]>

The Honda Sports & Eco Program, which started in 2012, underwent a renewal and started in 2022 as the new Honda Sports Driving Program [SCHOOL] and will continue in 2023 at both Suzuka Circuit and Mobility Resort Motegi. The Honda Sports Driving Program [SCHOOL] is a program designed to enable more people to casually experience the fun of motorsports by using race-ready Honda Fit RS*7 with the concept of “drive, refine and compete.” In addition to the race-ready Fit RS, all necessary equipment is available as retail equipment for those who wish to participate in the program without their own equipment. The program also enables participants to obtain various types of licenses, making it possible for a wide range of people to enjoy the program, from motorsports beginners to those who are looking to compete in races.

 

For reference: Honda Sports Driving Program [SCHOOL] website URL:

https://www.honda.co.jp/drivers-challenge/hdp-school/about/ (Japanese)

*7 Previous generation Honda Fit RS

<Honda Eco Mileage Challenge 2023>

Since 1981, Honda has hosted the Honda Eco Mileage Challenge, where participants combine their creativity, freewheeling thinking and technology and compete to see how far their handcrafted vehicles can travel on one litre of fuel. The cumulative number of teams participating in the Honda Eco Mileage Challenge since 1981 has reached approximately 15,000 teams.

 

Honda Eco Mileage Challenge 2023: Schedule in Japan

Schedule

Event name

Circuit

June 3 (Sat.)

14th Honda Eco Mileage Challenge 2023, Motegi

West Course,

Mobility Resort Motegi (Tochigi)

June 10 (Sat.)

36th Honda Eco Mileage Challenge 2023, Suzuka

East Course,

Suzuka Circuit (Mie)

Aug. 6 (Sun.)

38th Honda Eco Mileage

Challenge 2023, Kyushu

Circuit Course,

HSR Kyushu (Kumamoto)

Sep. 9 (Sat.): Practice runs

Sep. 10 (Sun.): Finals

42nd Soichiro Honda Cup

Honda Eco Mileage Challenge 2023,

National Competition

Super Speedway,

Mobility Resort Motegi (Tochigi)

 

<Honda Racing THANKS DAY>

To show its appreciation to motorsports fans, Honda will host Honda Racing THANKS DAY 2023 after the completion of the 2023 season. The date and program details will be posted on the website as soon as they are available.

 

<For Reference: Main international races hosted by Honda Mobilityland Corporation>

Honda Mobilityland Corporation strives to contribute to the further growth of a motorsports culture in Japan by continuing hosting various events and races in 2023.

The Suzuka Circuit, which opened in 1962 as the first full-scale race course in Japan, will host a multitude of events again in 2023, including the F1 Japanese Grand Prix, where Yuki Tsunoda, in his third year competing as an F1 driver, is expected to show a great performance. Other races to be hosted by the Suzuka Circuit in 2023 include the Suzuka 8 hours Endurance Road Race, which will be held as a part of the FIM Endurance World Championship (EWC). Mobility Resort Motegi will continue hosting various races and events throughout the year including the FIM Grand Prix World Championship (MotoGP) race as well as the FIM Trial World Championship (TrialGP).

 

Main international races to be hosted by Honda Mobilityland

Category

Schedule

Title

Circuit

TrialGP

May 20-21

(Sat. – Sun.)

2023 FIM Trial World Championship

Japanese Grand Prix

Mobility Resort Motegi
(Tochigi)

EWC

Aug. 4-6

(Fri. – Sun.)

2023 FIM Endurance World Championship

The 44th Suzuka 8 hours Endurance Road Race

Suzuka Circuit
(Mie)

F1

Sep. 22-24

(Fri. – Sun.)

2023 FIA Formula One World Championship

Japanese Grand Prix

Suzuka Circuit
(Mie)

MotoGP

Sep. 29 – Oct. 1

(Fri. – Sun.)

2023 FIM MotoGPTM World Championship

Grand Prix of Japan

Mobility Resort Motegi
(Tochigi)