Honda Racing India
Global Motorcycle Racing
Honda Racing India
Global Motorcycle Racing
· Honda makes Indian racing pitch stronger, signsex-moto GP rider TomoyoshiKoyama as team coach
· With 8 points already in kitty, IDEMITSU HondaRacing India starts Australia round firmly in Top 7 teams
· Intense competition as 25 expert riders from 8nations battle in Asia Production 250cc class this weekend
· IDEMITSUHonda Racing India riders are the experienced Rajiv Sethu and rookie SenthilKumar
· Indian rider duo of Rajiv & Senthil challengethemselves for Top 10 and Top 15 finish respectively
Bend Motorsport Park- Australia, 24 April2019: ‘IDEMITSU Honda Racing India’ – the soloIndian two-wheeler racing team from Honda 2Wheelers India is all fired up to raisethe stakes higher in Round 2 of Asia Road Racing Championship 2019.
After theinaugural round in Malaysia earlier in March’19, Asia’s toughest motorsportsracing championship has now reached Australia and kicks off tomorrow with startof official practice.
Sharingpreparations of the IDEMITSU Honda Racing India team, Mr. Prabhu Nagaraj, Vice President – Brand and Communications, HondaMotorcycle & Scooter India Pvt. Ltd. said, “Honda made a good start to 2019 ARRC season. Both Rajiv and Senthillapped up points in the first round and put the solo Indian team among Top 7. Now,round 2 in Australia brings with it new set of challenges. Senthil faces thedaunting challenge of mastering Adelaide track but is excited to make newrecords. Rajiv is already aware of the track and his past experience willsupport him in scoring top chart. The team has come back with intense training,more learning and the final wind in the wings will be the world class guidanceby ex-GP rider TomoyoshiKoyama. We are confident that both riders will outperform and will make Indiaproud”.
Leadingthe ARRC charge is the experienced RajivSethu for whom 2019 is his 3rd season in ARRC. Rajiv has shownconsistent improvement since his ARRC debut in 2017; climbing from 46thspot in his inaugural year to closing 27th position in 2018. In2019, Rajiv opened the throttle and is ranked 14th in AP 250cc classchampionship snapping up 8 points in his kitty already.
BackingRajiv up as his teammate is the 18-year-oldpromising rookie rider Senthil Kumar. In 2018, Senthil showed promisingresults in his debut year at Thai Talent Cup and finished 3rd in the2018 INMRC Pro Stock 165cc championship on the domestic front. In 2019 season of ARRC, Senthil made his markby winning 2 points in his debut race in Sepang circuit.
Marking his third year in the championship, youngtalented Honda riderRajiv Sethu said,“Every round comes with a new learning. After riding in the Bend motorsportpark in 2018, my entire focus this weekend will be to improve my riding style. Withthe full support of my IDEMITSU Honda Racing India team and propelled under theguidance of Mr. Koyama, I feel much more confident of my race-craft in thistricky track. I am striving for a Top 10 finish.”
Goingtowards his second ARRC round, rookie rider Senthil Kumarsaid, “Representing India on aninternational circuit and scoring points in my first race in Malaysia has givenme positive momentum. Australia is a new track for me and a very technical onetoo. But with the full support of my team, I am groomed and trained for everychallenge. I aim to go ahead full steam and snap points for India.”
Parallelly, Honda Group Companies HondaAsia-Dream Racing with SHOWA team has pulled strong in the inaugural Asia SuperBike1000cc (ASB) class of the FIM Asia Road Racing Championship 2019. The team has recruitedtop personnel from Honda subsidiaries across the Asia & Oceania region,including a race technician from India. Led by former MotoGP racer MakotoTamada as team manager, the Malaysian rider Zaqhwan Zaidi on the CBR1000RR SP2racing machine is currently ranked in the top 4 in the championship.
IDEMITSUHonda Racing India team at ARRC, 2019 in the Asia Production 250cc class
| Rider | Age | Nationality | Career Highlights |
| Rajiv Sethu | Nov, 1997 (21 yr) | India | 2019: -ARRC Round-1(AP 250), Malaysia (14th) 2018: - ARRC, AP 250 class - ARRC, AP 250 (27th) - Thai Talent Cup (12th) - INMRC Super Sport 165 (2nd) 2017: - ARRC, AP 250 (46th) - Thai Talent Cup (16th) - INMRC Super Sport 165 (2nd) - CBR 250R One Make Race (1st) 2016: - Honda Asia Dream Cup (12th) - INMRC Pro Stock 165 (1st) - CBR 250R One Make Race (1st) |
| Senthil Kumar | Feb, 2001 (18 yr) | India | 2019: - ARRC Round-1(AP250), Malaysia (17th) 2018: - Thai Talent Cup (20th) - INMRC Pro Stock 165 (3rd) - IDEMITSU Honda Talent Cup CBR 250R (3rd) 2017: - CBR 150R One Make Championship - Debut in racing with Honda |
AboutFIM Asia Road Racing Championship:
FIM Asia Road Racing Championship (ARRC) isAsia’s most competitive motorcycle road racing championship in its 24thyear. The 2019 season has 7 rounds across 5 countries (Malaysia* 2, Australia,Thailand * 2, Japan & South Korea). After the Malaysian first round in theSepang circuit, the battle for 2019 championship will take place this weekend (25-28 April) at the Bend Motorsport Park in Australia.
In 2019 ARRC features four classes - thenewly introduced premier class of Asia Superbike 1000 (ASB1000), SuperSports600 (SS600), Asia Production 250 (AP250) and Underbone class (UB150).
Representing the solo Indian team at theevent - IDEMITSU Honda Racing India are two riders – Rajiv Sethu and the rookieSenthil Kumar who fight on the CBR250RR.
For more information, contact Public.relations@honda2wheelersindia.com