The Campus Repsol today held a celebration of the 20th anniversary of the collaboration between Repsol and Honda in the Motorcycle World Championship’s premier class. Over these 20 years, this Alliance has won 10 individual titles, 12 race wins and 338 podiums in 500cc and MotoGP. The longest running link between sponsor and manufacturer in the history of the Motorcycle World Championship has enjoyed many sporting successes and also much technological development. Repsol and Honda began their relationship in February of 1995, starting a perfect mix of bike, fuel and lubricant. Marc Marquez and Dani Pedrosa, riders for the Repsol Honda Team, were joined by team legend Alex Criville today. Also participating in the event were Executive President of Repsol, Antonio Brufau, Director General of Communication and Presidency for Repsol, Begoña Elices, and Repsol Honda Team Principal, Livio Suppo. Watching proceedings were President of the Spanish Sports Ministry, Miguel Cardenal, Dorna CEO, Carmelo Ezpeleta and RFME President, Angel Viladoms. Six of the title-winning bikes from these two decades were on display at the event: Those of Mick Doohan (1997), Alex Criville (1999), Valentino Rossi (2003), Nicky Hayden (2006), Casey Stoner (2011) and Marc Marquez (2013). Teamwork For Repsol, the long collaboration with Honda is a stimulus for the development of products for as demanding a competition as the Motorcycle World Championship. These developments are passed on to the over 4000 service stations of the company. The relationship is also a close link between the Honda laboratory in Saitama, Japan, and the Repsol Technology Centre in Mostoles, Spain. These two decades of teamwork are an example of long lasting collaboration and an aspiration of excellence. Repsol and Honda operate in separate sectors and have different corporate cultures, but have been capable of using their strengths to achieve a In the 1990s, the collaboration began to develop two-stroke engines and fuels, later moving on to the development of 4-stroke technologies. At the Repsol Technology Centre investigations are made with a single cylinder engine identical to that used in Marc Marquez and Dani Pedrosa’s bikes. Only the Honda engineers in Saitama have one like this. This year, MotoGP fuel quantities are limited to 20 litres –one fewer than in 2013. Enviable honours Half of the titles awarded in the last 20 years have gone to Repsol Honda. Winners like Mick Doohan (between 1995 and 1998), Alex Criville (1999), Valentino Rossi (2002 and 2003), Nicky Hayden (2006), Casey Stoner (2011) and Marc Marquez (2013) have made the collaboration the most recognised in the World Championship. A total of 124 wins, highlighted by 35 for Mick Doohan and 25 for Dani Pedrosa, besides 338 podiums, 128 pole positions and 144 fastest laps show an extraordinary set of honours. Repsol Honda have also been team champions on 6 occasions, since the creation of the prize in 2002.
Posted on: Tue, 11 Feb 2014 18:48:05 +0000
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