Hiroshi Aoyama

Japanese motorcycle racer

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Hiroshi Aoyama

Aoyama at the 2009 Japanese Grand Prix

Nationality| Japanese
Born|  (1981-10-25) October 25, 1981 (age 43)
Ichihara, Chiba, Japan
Website| hiro-aoyama.com
| Motorcycle racing career statistics

MotoGP World Championship
Active years| 2010–2017
Manufacturers| Honda, BQR, FTR
Championships| 0
2017 championship position| 30th (0 pts)
| Starts | Wins | Podiums | Poles | F. laps | Points

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70 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 241
250cc World Championship
Active years| 2000–2009
Manufacturers| Honda, KTM
Championships| 1 (2009)
2009 championship position| 1st (261 pts)
| Starts | Wins | Podiums | Poles | F. laps | Points

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104 | 9 | 27 | 8 | 11 | 1112
Superbike World Championship
Active years| 2012
Manufacturers| Honda
Championships| 0
2012 championship position| 18th (61.5 pts)
| Starts | Wins | Podiums | Poles | F. laps | Points

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27 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 61.5

Hiroshi Aoyama (青山 博一, Aoyama Hiroshi; born October 25, 1981) is a Japanese retired Grand Prix motorcycle road racer, and current team principal of Honda Team Asia. Aoyama is best known for winning the 2009 250cc World Championship title. He is the older brother of former 250cc and World Superbike rider, Shuhei Aoyama.

In his six seasons in the 250cc World Championship, he raced Honda and KTM machinery in an Aprilia-dominated class. He took nine victories and never finished lower than seventh overall. By winning the 2009 250cc World Championship, Aoyama become the last winner of this class before its replacement by the Moto2 class in 2010. In 2010 he moved up to the premier class with Interwetten Racing. He stopped competing in MotoGP after the 2014 season and took on the role of HRC test rider and advisor to riders in the Shell Advance Asia Talent Cup.

## Career

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### Early career

[edit]

Born in Ichihara, Chiba, Aoyama first raced in MiniMoto at the age of 4, racing against Yuki Takahashi, who he has raced against for most of his career. In 2008 he referred to Takahashi as a "respected rival".

He rode in the All-Japan Road Racing Championship until 2003, when he won the 250cc championship with Honda. He also rode a couple of events as wildcard rider in the Grand Prix World Championships, finishing 2nd in the 2003 Japanese Grand Prix at Suzuka.

### 125cc, 250cc & MotoGP World Championship

[edit]

Aoyama, riding a KTM, at the 2007 Japanese Grand Prix.

In 2004 he joined the 250cc World Championship full-time, still racing for Honda. His debut season gave him two third places and 6th place in the championship. In the following year he scored his maiden victory in his home race at Motegi and finished the championship in 4th place.

However, he was not able to stay on at Honda, so he moved to KTM for 2006 season. He brought them victories in Istanbul and Motegi, the first two for the manufacturer in the class. For the second year in row, he was 4th in overall standings.

Aoyama ended the 2007 season in sixth place in the 250 championship with victories in Germany and Malaysia. He remained with KTM for the 2008 season and finished the season in seventh place with two second-place finishes.

After KTM's withdrawal from 250cc class, Aoyama returned to Honda with Team Scot replacing his rival Yuki Takahashi who briefly moved up to MotoGP class. The 2009 season went well as he scored 4 wins, 3 second places and finished every other race in the points. At last race of the season Aoyama became the world champion.

Aoyama stepped up to MotoGP in 2010 on board the Emmi-Caffè Latte Team Honda RC212V. In initial testing the team (which is itself new to MotoGP) opted not to use the electronic rider aids, despite the bikes being designed around them. The team's technical director Tom Jojic explained that he wanted Aoyama to experience the bike's true nature, and believes that he is good enough to be competitive on it.[1] His season was wrecked by a fractured vertebra sustained in a practice crash at Silverstone, eliminating him for much of the season.[2]

Aoyama was a consistent race finisher in 2011, mainly finishing in the bottom end of the top ten, but finished fourth in the Spanish Grand Prix. Aoyama also replaced Dani Pedrosa on the factory-spec Repsol Honda bike for the Dutch TT in Assen, after Pedrosa's injury at the French Grand Prix. Aoyama moved to World Superbikes for the 2012 season, joining Jonathan Rea at Castrol Honda.

## Career statistics

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Aoyama at the 2010 British Grand Prix.

### Grand Prix motorcycle racing

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#### By season

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Season  | Class  | Motorcycle  | Team  | Race  | Win  | Podium  | Pole | FLap  | Pts  | Plcd  | WCh

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2000 | 250cc  | Honda NSR250 | Team Harc-Pro  | 1  | 0  | 0  | 0  | 0  | 8  | 28th  |  –
2001 | 250cc  | Honda NSR250 | Team Harc-Pro  | 2  | 0  | 0  | 0  | 0  | 3  | 28th  |  –
2002 | 250cc  | Honda NSR250 | Team Harc-Pro  | 2  | 0  | 0  | 0  | 0  | 9  | 27th  |  –
2003 | 250cc  | Honda NSR250 | Team Harc-Pro  | 2  | 0  | 1  | 1  | 1  | 31  | 15th  |  –
2004 | 250cc  | Honda RS250RW | Telefónica Movistar Honda 250cc | 16  | 0  | 2  | 0  | 0  | 128  | 6th  |  –
2005 | 250cc  | Honda RS250RW | Telefónica Movistar Honda 250cc | 16  | 1  | 4  | 2  | 0  | 180  | 4th  |  –
2006 | 250cc  | KTM 250 FRR | Red Bull KTM 250 | 16  | 2  | 7  | 1  | 4  | 193  | 4th  |  –
2007 | 250cc  | KTM 250 FRR | Red Bull KTM 250 | 17  | 2  | 4  | 1  | 2  | 160  | 6th  |  –
2008 | 250cc  | KTM 250 FRR | Red Bull KTM 250 | 16  | 0  | 2  | 1  | 0  | 139  | 7th  |  –
2009 | 250cc  | Honda RS250RW | Scot Racing Team 250cc | 16  | 4  | 7  | 2  | 4  | 261  | 1st | 1
2010 | MotoGP  | Honda RC212V | Interwetten Honda MotoGP | 12  | 0  | 0  | 0  | 0  | 53  | 15th  |  –
2011 | MotoGP  | Honda RC212V | San Carlo Honda Gresini | 17  | 0  | 0  | 0  | 0  | 98  | 10th  |  –
Repsol Honda Team
2012 | MotoGP  | BQR | Avintia Blusens | 1  | 0  | 0  | 0  | 0  | 3  | 25th  |  –
2013 | MotoGP  | FTR MGP13 | Avintia Blusens | 16  | 0  | 0  | 0  | 0  | 13  | 20th  |  –
2014 | MotoGP  | Honda RCV1000R | Drive M7 Aspar | 18  | 0  | 0  | 0  | 0  | 68  | 14th  |  –
2015 | MotoGP  | Honda RC213V | Repsol Honda Team | 4  | 0  | 0  | 0  | 0  | 5  | 25th  |  –
Honda RC213V-RS | AB Motoracing
2016 | MotoGP  | Honda RC213V | Repsol Honda Team | 2  | 0  | 0  | 0  | 0  | 1  | 25th  |  –
2017 | MotoGP  | Honda RC213V | EG 0,0 Marc VDS | 1  | 0  | 0  | 0  | 0  | 0  | 30th  |  –
Total  |  |  |  | 175 | 9 | 27 | 8 | 11 | 1353 |  | 1

#### By class

[edit]

Class  | Seasons  | 1st GP  | 1st Pod  | 1st Win  | Race  | Win  | Podiums  | Pole | FLap  | Pts  | WChmp

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250cc  | 2000–2009  | 2000 Pacific | 2003 Japan | 2005 Japan | 104  | 9  | 27  | 8  | 11  | 1112  | 1
MotoGP  | 2010–2017  | 2010 Qatar |  |  | 71  | 0  | 0  | 0  | 0  | 241  | 0
Total  | 2000–2017  |  |  |  | 175 | 9 | 27 | 8 | 11 | 1353 | 1

#### Races by year

[edit]

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position, races in italics indicate fastest lap)

Year  | Class  | Bike  | 1  | 2  | 3  | 4  | 5  | 6  | 7  | 8  | 9  | 10  | 11  | 12  | 13  | 14  | 15  | 16  | 17  | 18  | Pos  | Pts

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2000 | 250cc  | Honda | RSA | MAL | JPN | SPA | FRA | ITA | CAT | NED | GBR | GER | CZE | POR | VAL | BRA | PAC
8 | AUS |  |  | 28th  | 8
2001 | 250cc  | Honda | JPN
13 | RSA | SPA | FRA | ITA | CAT | NED | GBR | GER | CZE | POR | VAL | PAC
21 | AUS | MAL | BRA |  |  | 28th  | 3
2002 | 250cc  | Honda | JPN
12 | RSA | SPA | FRA | ITA | CAT | NED | GBR | GER | CZE | POR | BRA | PAC
11 | MAL | AUS | VAL |  |  | 27th  | 9
2003 | 250cc  | Honda | JPN
2 | RSA | SPA | FRA | ITA | CAT | NED | GBR | GER | CZE | POR | BRA | PAC
5 | MAL | AUS | VAL |  |  | 15th  | 31
2004 | 250cc  | Honda | RSA
11 | SPA
Ret | FRA
4 | ITA
9 | CAT
6 | NED
10 | BRA
6 | GER
4 | GBR
9 | CZE
7 | POR
9 | JPN
3 | QAT
3 | MAL
Ret | AUS
7 | VAL
DSQ |  |  | 6th  | 128
2005 | 250cc  | Honda | SPA
Ret | POR
6 | CHN
3 | FRA
6 | ITA
7 | CAT
4 | NED
4 | GBR
Ret | GER
3 | CZE
5 | JPN
1 | MAL
5 | QAT
6 | AUS
6 | TUR
3 | VAL
6 |  |  | 4th  | 180
2006 | 250cc  | KTM | SPA
6 | QAT
5 | TUR
1 | CHN
3 | FRA
4 | ITA
Ret | CAT
6 | NED
9 | GBR
3 | GER
8 | CZE
3 | MAL
Ret | AUS
3 | JPN
1 | POR
2 | VAL
Ret |  |  | 4th  | 193
2007 | 250cc  | KTM | QAT
Ret | SPA
6 | TUR
Ret | CHN
9 | FRA
Ret | ITA
21 | CAT
7 | GBR
3 | NED
5 | GER
1 | CZE
6 | RSM
2 | POR
Ret | JPN
8 | AUS
4 | MAL
1 | VAL
10 |  | 6th  | 160
2008 | 250cc  | KTM | QAT
16 | SPA
4 | POR
5 | CHN
2 | FRA
7 | ITA
8 | CAT
7 | GBR
6 | NED
6 | GER
8 | CZE
13 | RSM
Ret | INP
C | JPN
9 | AUS
Ret | MAL
2 | VAL
5 |  | 7th  | 139
2009 | 250cc  | Honda | QAT
4 | JPN
2 | SPA
1 | FRA
8 | ITA
6 | CAT
2 | NED
1 | GER
4 | GBR
1 | CZE
4 | INP
2 | RSM
4 | POR
4 | AUS
7 | MAL
1 | VAL
7 |  |  | 1st | 261
2010 | MotoGP  | Honda | QAT
10 | SPA
14 | FRA
11 | ITA
11 | GBR
DNS | NED | CAT | GER | USA | CZE | INP
12 | RSM
12 | ARA
13 | JPN
10 | MAL
7 | AUS
13 | POR
12 | VAL
14 | 15th  | 53
2011 | MotoGP  | Honda | QAT
10 | SPA
4 | POR
7 | FRA
8 | CAT
Ret | GBR
9 | NED
8 | ITA
11 | GER
15 | USA
10 | CZE
9 | INP
9 | RSM
11 | ARA
11 | JPN
9 | AUS
Ret | MAL
C | VAL
12 | 10th  | 98
2012 | MotoGP  | BQR | QAT | SPA | POR | FRA | CAT | GBR | NED | GER | ITA | USA | INP | CZE | RSM | ARA | JPN | MAL | AUS | VAL
13 | 25th  | 3
2013 | MotoGP  | FTR | QAT
15 | AME
17 | SPA
18 | FRA
19 | ITA
Ret | CAT
WD | NED | GER
17 | USA
16 | INP
15 | CZE
14 | GBR
18 | RSM
14 | ARA
14 | MAL
11 | AUS
20 | JPN
17 | VAL
16 | 20th  | 13
2014 | MotoGP  | Honda | QAT
11 | AME
12 | ARG
10 | SPA
12 | FRA
14 | ITA
14 | CAT
15 | NED
16 | GER
12 | INP
10 | CZE
13 | GBR
14 | RSM
12 | ARA
8 | JPN
13 | AUS
8 | MAL
11 | VAL
15 | 14th  | 68
2015 | MotoGP  | Honda | QAT | AME
11 | ARG
Ret | SPA
Ret | FRA | ITA | CAT | NED | GER
Ret | INP | CZE | GBR | RSM | ARA | JPN | AUS | MAL | VAL | 25th  | 5
2016 | MotoGP  | Honda | QAT | ARG | AME | SPA | FRA | ITA | CAT | NED | GER | AUT | CZE | GBR | RSM | ARA | JPN
15 | AUS | MAL
16 | VAL | 25th  | 1
2017 | MotoGP  | Honda | QAT | ARG | AME | SPA | FRA | ITA | CAT | NED | GER | CZE | AUT | GBR | RSM | ARA | JPN
18 | AUS | MAL | VAL | 30th  | 0

### Superbike World Championship

[edit]

#### By season

[edit]

Season  | Motorcycle  | Team  | Race  | Win  | Podium  | Pole | FLap  | Pts  | Plcd

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2012 | Honda CBR1000RR | Honda World Superbike Team | 27  | 0  | 0  | 0  | 0  | 61.5  | 18th
Total  |  |  | 27 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 61.5 |

#### Races by year

[edit]

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position, races in italics indicate fastest lap)

Year  | Bike  | 1  | 2  | 3  | 4  | 5  | 6  | 7  | 8  | 9  | 10  | 11  | 12  | 13  | 14  | Pos  | Pts

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R1  | R2  | R1  | R2  | R1  | R2  | R1  | R2  | R1  | R2  | R1  | R2  | R1  | R2  | R1  | R2  | R1  | R2  | R1  | R2  | R1  | R2  | R1  | R2  | R1  | R2  | R1  | R2
2012 | Honda | AUS
8 | AUS
9 | ITA
18 | ITA
Ret | NED
12 | NED
13 | ITA
C | ITA
11 | EUR
17 | EUR
10 | USA
17 | USA
Ret | SMR
16 | SMR
12 | SPA
14 | SPA
15 | CZE
Ret | CZE
Ret | GBR
13 | GBR
14 | RUS
13 | RUS
Ret | GER
10 | GER
15 | POR
8 | POR
Ret | FRA
Ret | FRA
14 | 18th  | 61.5

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "Aoyama 'electronics-off' strategy explained". crash.net. Crash Media Group. 2010-01-04. Archived from the original on 2010-06-25. Retrieved 2010-10-20.
2. ^ "Aoyama recovering, but no word on return". crash.net. Crash Media Group. 2010-08-02. Archived from the original on 2010-08-06. Retrieved 2010-08-02.

## External links

[edit]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Hiroshi Aoyama.

* Hiroshi Aoyama at MotoGP.com
* Hiroshi Aoyama at WorldSBK.com
* Hiroshi Aoyama at AS.com (in Spanish)
* Official website

* v
* t
* e

250cc/Moto2 World Riders' Champions

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1949  B. Ruffo
1950  D. Ambrosini
1951  B. Ruffo
1952  E. Lorenzetti
1953  W. Haas
1954  W. Haas
1955  H. Müller
1956  C. Ubbiali
1957  C. Sandford
1958  T. Provini
1959  C. Ubbiali

1960  C. Ubbiali
1961  M. Hailwood
1962  J. Redman
1963  J. Redman
1964  P. Read
1965  P. Read
1966  M. Hailwood
1967  M. Hailwood
1968  P. Read
1969  K. Carruthers

1970  R. Gould
1971  P. Read
1972  J. Saarinen
1973  D. Braun
1974  W. Villa
1975  W. Villa
1976  W. Villa
1977  M. Lega
1978  K. Ballington
1979  K. Ballington

1980  A. Mang
1981  A. Mang
1982  J. Tournadre
1983  C. Lavado
1984  C. Sarron
1985  F. Spencer
1986  C. Lavado
1987  A. Mang
1988  S. Pons
1989  S. Pons

1990  J. Kocinski
1991  L. Cadalora
1992  L. Cadalora
1993  T. Harada
1994  M. Biaggi
1995  M. Biaggi
1996  M. Biaggi
1997  M. Biaggi
1998  L. Capirossi
1999  V. Rossi

2000  O. Jacque
2001  D. Kato
2002  M. Melandri
2003  M. Poggiali
2004  D. Pedrosa
2005  D. Pedrosa
2006  J. Lorenzo
2007  J. Lorenzo
2008  M. Simoncelli
2009  H. Aoyama

2010  T. Elías
2011  S. Bradl
2012  M. Márquez
2013  P. Espargaró
2014  T. Rabat
2015  J. Zarco
2016  J. Zarco
2017  F. Morbidelli
2018  F. Bagnaia
2019  Á. Márquez

2020  E. Bastianini
2021  R. Gardner
2022  A. Fernández
2023  P. Acosta
2024  A. Ogura

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