News
YU HIRATA SET TO MAKE TWO GUEST APPEARANCES FOR MX HONDA RACING SQUAD IN LOMMEL AND LOKET
News 21/07/2010 09:02
Japanese, Yu Hirata, is set to make two back-to-back guest appearances in the ;X Honda Racing squad for Round 11 of the MX1 World Championship in Lommel, Belgium and Round 12 in Loket, Czech Republic.
The 25 year-old from Aichi, Japan currently rides in the All Japan National MX Championship and is accustomed to CRF machinery having competed aboard the Honda CRF 450R in the MFJ MX1 class. This year marks his first season riding the 450cc machine, having previously been runner up in the 250cc class for the last four consecutive seasons in Japan.
Hirata-san - who currently lies 5th in the All Japan MX1 class - is the second rider to make a guest appearance for Martin Honda in the 2010 MX1 World Championship. Australian, Dean Ferris, was drafted in for Round 8 in Teutschenthal, achieving a very respectable overall classification of 16th in what was his first World Championship Grand Prix. Hirata-san will certainly have his work cut out to better that in the next round of the World Championship on the punishing sand of Lommel.
It has been said that to master Lommel is not possible, some simply manage to survive it better than others. It is the ultimate test of fitness and technique and will certainly test the steel of the confident Japanese who chose Lommel as one of the rounds of the Championship to contest, despite having other options. It will be a tough challenge but the MX Honda racing squad expect him to rise to it and push for a strong points finish.
Resident Honda Racing MX Martin rider, Jimmy Albertson - in his rookie year in the World Championship - is once again relishing such in-team opposition, having been the solo MX1 rider in the Martin team throughout most of the season. In Teutschenthal, he rose to the opposition of his young Australian team mate and he will be looking now to assert his authority over his older Japanese counterpart and cement his number 1 rider status within the team.
Yu Hirata, MX Honda Racing
"I want to try Grand Prix because I like to challenge myself and push my limits. Of course I would love to compete in the World Championship full-time next year if the opportunity was there but for now I am just concentrating on proving myself and showing what I can do. My main aim is really to learn and to experience. Hopefully what I learn can help me develop as a rider and become stronger. I would like to say thank you to all of the team for giving me this opportunity and I hope I can repay them with good results in the next two Grand Prix."
