Honda India All Set To Become First Indian Factory Team To Enter ARRC

Held for the first time in 1996, the FIM Asia Road Racing Championship has gone on to become one of the continent’s most competitive motorcycle road racing championship. In its 23rd edition this year, 64 riders will battle it out to prove their mettle in the 6-round championship. Apart from Honda’s Indian riders, the competition will also see participants from Australia, Japan, Taiwan, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand and Philippines. Among them, Anish Shetty and Rajiv Sethu will represent Honda’s Indian contingent. The season finale will be held in Thailand from 30 November to 2 December 2018. Check out Honda's official statement:

Press Release: Suzuka (Japan), May 31, 2018: Taking Indian riders to an international racing platform, the first ever India racing team with Indian riders are heading to Japan for Round 3 of 2018 Asia Road Racing Championship (ARRC).

With a phenomenal performance by rookie Anish Shetty at Round 2 in Australia, the team is charged up to battle it out with Asia’s best racers this weekend at the historic Suzuka Circuit. Honda’s second rider Rajiv Sethu will be making a comeback after a wrist injury during practice in Australia which preventing him from racing at Bend Motorsport Park. The Suzuka Circuit is team’s SuperSport 600 rider Taiga Hada’s home race where he will be aiming for a high points finish.

Speaking on this occasion, Mr. Prabhu Nagaraj, Vice President, Brand and Communications, Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India Pvt. Ltd. said, “Racing is the heart of Honda and Honda 2Wheelers India too has special focus to develop iconic Indian riders for national & international championships. After scoring at both the races in Round 2, the team is fully charged to take on the iconic Suzuka Circuit. Anish Shetty has been honing his skills with Taiga Hada in Japan while Rajiv Sethu, recovering from an injury, has been working hard to be race fit. Suzuka is a very technical track and we are sure this first Indian team will make the country proud.”

Ecstatic about the upcoming race at the iconic Suzuka Circuit, Anish Shetty, the rookie Indian rider of IDEMITSU Honda Racing India team by T Pro Ten10 racing in Asia Production 250 class, said, “Scoring my first international points in Australia on Race 1 and repeating the performance the next day has been a huge morale booster for me. I am now familiar with the bike and have started to get a hang of the pressure of performing amongst the best racers of Asia. Suzuka has many fast corners which allow a lot of overtaking opportunities. I would like to thank Honda 2Wheelers India for making this dream ride possible and will be trying to score more points this weekend.”

Recovering from a wrist injury Honda’s second timer in the Asia Production 250 class of Asia Road Racing Championship Rajiv Sethu said, “Suzuka is one of my favourite tracks of the season I am really excited to be racing here for the second year running. After a successful surgery of my wrist last month, I’ve been undergoing extensive exercises to gain mobility and reduce inflammation. Recovering muscle tone the progress over the last few weeks is very encouraging but my wrist still has a support plate. Honda engineers have made special changes to my motorcycle so that throttle inputs are easier to be made. I would also thank all the fans who sent me messages and helped me to prepare myself mentally for Suzuka.”