“We are striving for the winners’ podium. We do have the ability” says Makoto Tamada

Honda Team Asia was set-up to develop Asian riders. Tamada participated in the Honda Team Asia Suzuka 8 Hours Endurance Team from 2012 to 2013 as a rider, and came in the 25th place in 2012. Though he couldn’t register in the 2013 race due to an accident, the team finished in the 6th place.

He has been serving as the team manager for Honda Team Asia from 2014, and has been assembling a team with young Asian riders. In 2014, riders from Malaysia, Indonesia, and Australia composed a team and finished in the 7th place.

The team swore to do better in 2015, but because of the unexpected mechanical trouble that occurred an hour before the checkered flag time, they lost several positions and resulted in the 18th place. We’ve interviewed Makoto Tamada to have his comment on this year’s race, the third year as a team manager.

Tamada:
“We are a team that aims to contribute to the development of the motorsport in Asia. Riders are all Asian, and we have even increased the number of Asian mechanics this year. It’s not our first try, so we are not having much trouble right now. But it was hard to bring the team together at first, for people’s way of thinking differed by their birthplaces. As for now, it’s a lot easier, for the old staffs will take care of the new comers, and the techniques of the riders and the mechanics are improving.”

Last year, we were keeping the top ten positions until the last hour, but encountered a headlight problem. The long pit stop made us finished in the 18th place.

Tamada:
“Up till now, we are doing great at the official test. I’m not saying that we have no problem at all, but the mechanical setup of our motorcycle is going good so far. My team riders have tested it a lot and have gotten used to the bike. Personally, I have very high expectation this year. But I also know that motorcycle races do no end as planned. We’ve experienced a headlight problem at the very last stage of the race last year. It’s important to have a way to cope with that kind of a situation.”

He made some careful comments, too. We’ve asked Tamada what he thought was the strength of Asians, and he said that it was their “strong fighting spirit”. Tamada says that he finds it attractive. Being the team manager for three years, he seems to be understanding both the good and the bad points of the team members. He says that he wants to organize the team well, and draw out their good points.

Tamada:
“Anyway, preparation is the most important thing for the 8-hours endurance. I think we can do better than the past years if we can bring out our best at the race. The 6th place is the best result we’ve ever marked, but we are aiming a better position, perhaps the winners’ podium. The skill of the Asian teams are improving drastically these years. I want to demonstrate the Asian power at this Suzuka 8 Hours, in which the world pays attention. Needless to say that it is a race that attracts a lot of interest of the Asian countries, and many people of the media will arrive from all over the world. It’s good because it heightens the motivation of the riders and the staffs.”

Takaaki Nakagami, who won the Moto2 class of the MotoGP last day participated in the open joint test held from July 4 (Mon) to July 6 (Wed). Tamada referred to this event as:

Tamada:
“It was good for the team to have Nakagami join the test. Everyone will yield the palm to a GP rider: the champion. To have a rider in our team will brace us up, and enhance the tension of the riders. What Takaaki said about the motorcycle was accurate indeed, and it became a good example for other Asian riders. It made them try to behave like him. He also gave some advice to the team and the riders. It was really impressive, for he wasn’t having his own way, but was taking care of the motorcycle thinking about others as a team.”

The action Nakagami took was highly esteemed by Tamada.

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Original Source (Japanese)[ Honda ]