Hiroshi Aoyama Reports

250cc racewinner Aoyama reviews Donington drama
World Championship leader explains speedy start and managing leading gap.

Sometimes in racing there is good luck, sometimes bad luck. Sometimes riders make their own luck. British Grand Prix racewinner Hiroshi Aoyama had the fortune of his wet weather tyres holding out in dry conditions at Donington Park, but the advantage gained at the start of the race was all of his own making.
A six-second advantage with less than a third of the race completed gave the Scot Racing rider a comfortable cushion between himself and the pursuing pack. He needed almost all of that advantage on the final laps, when his tyres made it almost impossible to stay upright at anything faster than a cautious cruise.
“The important thing was going fast at the beginning, and running away in the first part of the race. I could gain a lot of time there, whereas at the end the tyre was absolutely finished,” said the World Championship leader, who extended the gap in the overall standings between himself and second-placed Álvaro Bautista with his third victory of 2009.
“Later on in the race I could see the distance between myself and Álvaro, and it was difficult to keep up the pace. I adjusted my lap time to manage the space between us whilst focusing on finishing the race.”
The weekend had not started well for Aoyama, who experienced a gearing problem early on that had seen him seething in the garage. Rapid work by his team on the sole Honda machine available to the 27 year-old meant that he was in a position to win on Sunday. His first comment after the race was a heartfelt thanks to his mechanics.
Aoyama holds out for 250cc win at drying Donington
Japanese Scot Racing rider takes third win of 2009 at British track.

Hiroshi Aoyama came out on top in the 250cc battle of Britain, as Donington Park dried out and gave a headache for the title contenders.
The tyre choice for the start of the British Grand Prix was in no doubt: the declaration of a wet race meant that the softer and cut tyres would be the rubber for the opening laps. Before the halfway mark, however, the asphalt had dried, leaving a big decision as to whether to come in, miss a lap and attempt to recover time on slick tyres, or risk a slip-up on the notoriously treacherous Midlands track.
Aoyama had a pair of near-misses, but managed the degradation of his Dunlops to perfection as none of the big guns elected to make a switch. Backmarkers and riders attempting to unlap themselves came into play, but Aoyama remained cool to add to his win total and World Championship lead.
Title rival Álvaro Bautista reduced a seven-second lead to just three with a handful of laps remaining, but remained out of touching distance as he encountered a hoard of riders on dry weather tyres. The Mapfre Aspar rider had started from fourth on the grid, his first time off the front row in 2009.
Mattia Pasini bounced back from a crash to take the final podium spot. The Italian fell with eleven laps remaining when battling with Alex Debón, sliding off at Melbourne. Debón also took a tumble some ten seconds later, but both rejoined the race without having been passed.
Fourth place went to reigning World Champion Marco Simoncelli, ahead of Mike di Meglio with Debón sixth. The highest placing rider to switch to slicks was Karel Abraham, who finished fourteenth after crashing, changing tyres and setting the fastest lap of the race.
Aoyama now leads Bautista by fifteen points in the overall classification.

New parts for Aoyama for leadership defence
Honda backing Scot Racing man’s title push with mechanical updates.
Scot Racing rider Hiroshi Aoyama reignited his title charge with a win at the previous round of the 250cc World Championship in Assen, and the Japanese rider now leads the series in the run-upto the Alice Motorrad Grand Prix Deutschland. His performances since the start of the final year of quarter-litre category racing have turned Honda heads as well as those of the fans, something that is evident in the preparations for the German round.
Minimal development has supposedly been made on the two-stroke machine used by Honda in recent years, as the factory streamlined their presence in the 250cc class. However, Aoyama will have some new pieces with which to work when he goes in search of victory in Sachsenring –a feat that he achieved back in 2007.
“Sachsenring is a circuit where it's difficult to properly set up the bike, and the weather can further complicate things,” said the 27 year-old ahead of the class’ resumption. “On the plus side, I like the track and we also have some new parts to test. I hope they can give us a boost and help me to defend my leadership in the championship.”
Honda’s 250cc bike is usually down on power compared to the all-conquering Aprilia and Gilera RSA machines, but the compact nature of the Sachsenring circuit will minimalise the breakaway potential of Aoyama’s rivals. For this reason, the race couldn’t have come at a better time for the man at the head of the standings.
“I am glad to be on the top of the points ladder. I'm very confident in my team and I will keep pushing all the way to the end,” he affirmed earlier this week.

Aoyama expected even tougher Bautista battle in Assen
Japanese rider looks back on second victory and series leadership.

Victory number two of the 2009 season continued to up Hiroshi Aoyama’s stock in the 250cc class, and when he crossed the line first in Assen the Japanese rider became the quarter-litre class’ new series leader. The Scot Racing man had a race-long battle for the top spot, which culminated in a collision with his friendly rival Álvaro Bautista.
“Bautista was behind me all the time, but at the last moment we had an accident. I hope that he is ok,” said Aoyama after the race, making no mention of any mechanical problem for the crash. Bautista had speculated that the new World Championship leader had encountered difficulties on the chicane that provoked the shunt.
“For us this weekend was quite difficult, fighting with Aprilia on the long straights and having to deal with the technical corners,” he added, emphasising that the Honda 250cc machine is still down on power compared to the Italian factory’s top bikes.
“It was hard, but we were expecting a tougher situation. My staff had worked well on the setup and I felt comfortable with the bike, especially from the middle to the end. That was when we got our best lap times.
“I’m leading the championship, but there are a lot of races to go. It’s good, but we have to keep on the gas!”

Aoyama takes Dutch win as Bautista falters
Scot Racing rider wins second race of 2009 at Alice TT Assen.

Hiroshi Aoyama claimed his second win of the 2009 season at the 250cc Alice TT Assen, taking the leadership of the World Championship as a consequence.
The Scot Racing rider’s immediate rival, Álvaro Bautista, had looked to be on course to push Aoyama to the line as the duo broke free and dashed for the chequered flag. However, Mapfre Aspar rider Bautista smashed into the back of Aoyama’s Honda on the fast chicane, ending the Spaniard’s race and leaving the race winner lucky to stay upright. Regaining his composure, Aoyama nursed his machine across the line for an exhilarating win.
Bautista´s late retirement meant that the battle behind him became one for the runner-up spot, with poleman Héctor Barberá eventually getting the better of reigning World Champion Marco Simoncelli.
Mattia Pasini and Thomas Luthi ended their hopes of catching up with the leaders when they collided midway through the race, Pasini losing his fourth position in the overall classification with a third DNF of the year. Metis Gilera rider Simoncelli now assumes the place as he attempts to remount his title challenge.
Fourth place in the race went to Aleix Espargaró, as the Balatonring stand-in rounded off one of the best Grand Prix weekends of his career. He emerged on top in a close tussle with the experienced Roberto Locatelli.
There was a big early crash for Japanese rookie Shoya Tomizawa, and a further fall for Frenchman Jules Cluzel

Aoyama provides late drama in 250cc FP2
Japanese rider quickest in second Assen session.

A series of hot laps by Hiroshi Aoyama allowed the Japanese rider to take the advantage in the 250cc practice standings on Friday morning, with the Scot Racing man beating the clock to record a 1’40.642 top lap. Baulked on his previous attempt, Aoyama had no such problems in the last minute of the second session.
Alvaro Bautista continued strongly, but experienced a late hitch in his preparations for the Alice TT Assen when he lowsided his Mapfre Aspar Aprilia in the final five minutes. A 1’40.876 lap kept Bautista at the sharp end of the timesheet before his slip, from which he walked away uninjured.
Mattia Pasini was the final rider to go round in under 1’41, ahead of Marco Simoncelli in a group split by less than half a second. Below them, surprises came from Balatonring stand-in Aleix Espargaró and Cardion AB’s Karel Abraham, who took advantage of Aoyama’s slipstream for his quickest lap of the outing.
Bautista’s teammate Mike di Meglio also had a notable crash to give the Aspar mechanics work to do before the afternoon qualifying session.