A special home Grand Prix for Honda: 60 years in the premier class of the World Motorcycle Championship

The Japanese Grand Prix is the most important MotoGP event of the year for Honda and Yamaha. In front of their home fans and their respective company bosses, the Japanese manufacturers are keen to make a good impression – a difficult task given the dominance of European teams in recent years.

Although this year’s weekend at Motegi is set to be another challenging one, Honda has come up with something special this time round. In 2026, the Tokyo-based brand will celebrate a significant anniversary: the world’s largest motorbike manufacturer made its debut in the premier class of the Motorcycle World Championship 60 years ago.

Honda feiert in Motegi das Königsklassen-Debüt vor 60 Jahren

Foto: motogp.com/HRC

To mark the occasion, historic Honda racing bikes were put on display at the Twin Ring Motegi on Thursday. Among them was the first bike Honda entered in the 500cc class in 1966, the RC181. Riding this motorbike, Mike Hailwood finished as runner-up in the World Championship behind Giacomo Agostini in both 1966 and 1967. The Briton also secured victory on the Isle of Man with this legendary machine.

In their debut year in the premier class, they did at least manage to win the Constructors’ Championship. At the Motegi circuit, it was not Hailwood’s bike that was placed on the starting grid for the photo shoot, but that of his team-mate at the time, Jim Redman (#2). Among the bikes on display were also the MotoGP rockets ridden by Nicky Hayden and Marc Marquez.

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Mit dieser Speziallackierung treten Marini und Chantra am Sonntag an

Foto: motogp.com/HRC

In a nod to the RC181, Luca Marini and Somkiat Chantra – who is standing in for Joan Mir in the Honda works team this weekend – will compete on Sunday on the RC213V in the iconic red and silver colours. Whilst Marini will line up on the starting grid with his number 10, Chantra’s Honda bears the number 15.

Das Honda-Logo von 1966

Foto: motogp.com/HRC