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Honda kick off 2006 with party in Tokyo
News, 20/02/06

Honda’s 2006 riders, alongside more than 600 other attendees, gathered today at the Honda kick off party in Tokyo. The traditional preseason event was a chance for the Japanese factory to announce their 2006 projects, which include MotoGP and the Honda Racing Scholarship.

The official statement from Honda defined their goals for the coming season, indicating that the team would “strive for victory in MotoGP, bringing together young talent to create a new generation of top-class teams. Honda will also seek to capture championships across the full range of categories”

With specific regard to MotoGP, Honda announced their pleasure at having Dani Pedrosa lining up with Nicky Hayden in the factory team, and restated their distribution to other outfits. “In the MotoGP class Honda plans to race six RC211V MotoGP machines and to supply engines to one team, with the aim of capturing both the riders' and the manufacturers' titles”

Looking at the quarter litre category, the Japanese factory announced that:

“In the 250cc class, Honda will field four riders and two teams with the RS250RW. Shuhei Aoyama, last year's All-Japan Championship GP250cc class champion, will participate as the third recipient of the Honda Racing Scholarship, started in 2004 to foster young Japanese riders. The first and second recipients were Hiroshi Aoyama and Yuki Takahashi”

After the presentation, Nicky Hayden and Dani Pedrosa headed to a fashion store GAS to give a talk show interview.

Source: MotoGP

beansbaxter

Nicky H is sportin' a new haircut, probably so it didnt add the extra two inches of height making Pedrosa feel shorter than ever.