An extraordinary Toni Bou once again manages to finish second in the Japanese Gran Prix in spite of going into the event with a serious rib injury. Repsol Honda Team team mate, Japanese Takahisa Fujinami, finishes in fourth. Bou continues to keep his place at the top of the World Championship leader-board. 

The world champion, once again, put his extraordinary courage, physical and mental abilities on display, managing to both finish the Japanese Grand Prix, and get a magnificent result in the process. All this despite going into the competition carrying an injury.

Toni Bou was in the running for the victory throughout the entire competition, and even managed to find himself at the top of the score-sheet at the end of the first lap, as he battled to overcome the intense pain caused by the cracked rib. The second lap proved to be a lot harder for the Spanish rider, grimacing in pain aboard the Montesa Cota 4RT, picking up points in a couple of the sections, which kept him off the top spot. On the final lap, and completely out of strength, the rider refused to throw the towel in, and took the overall second position, which allows him to hang on to his overall world championship lead.

Neither was Repsol Honda Team-mate Takahisa Fujinami able to give the large home crowd the delight they wanted, here at the Motegi circuit in the world championship’s second race. A hard blow to the knee yesterday practically put an end to the rider’s chances. Fujinami had began the race today in a podium position, but continued to lose strength in his right knee as the competition progressed, excessively punishing the left one in the process. The rider could only watch as the third place began to slip away from him on the final lap. In spite of the fourth place in Japan, Fujinami holds third position in the overall championship standings.

Next stop for the World Championship is the European Grand Prix, which will be held in Ile Rousse, on the French island of Corsica on May 24 and 25.

Toni Bou

"Physically, I’m wiped out. We battled all we could to be able to finish the race. The way that it turned out, I think we got a result. I got off to a good start on the first lap, near Adam, on the second I started to feel bad, and by the third I was totally wasted. Even so, I’m really pleased to have finished. We weren’t able to win, but we come away as leaders, so we can’t complain. I’ll stay here for a few days to recover then I’ll go back and visit the doctor, but I already know what I have to do; not train so that I can get over the injury. I hope to be able to make it to the next race in top physical condition."

Takahisa Fujinami

"I finished yesterday in a lot of pain. Today, I started off a bit better, but from the second lap onwards, I was without energy. The knee wasn’t holding up. I knew what Cabestany’s points were, and I wanted to outdo him and make it onto the podium, but I didn’t manage to. I knew that there was a good chance here to make up points in some sectors if you are able to finish them. I was up for it, but I couldn’t do it. It is a pity, because there were a lot of fans here that got behind me. Fourth place leaves a bitter flavour because I don’t think it’s a very good result. I want to thank all the fans, and Honda for all the support that they have given me in this race."

Trial 2014
Trial Round 2   Motegi

Results Session 1

Sunny
Pos. Rider Num Nation L1 L2 L3 T3 Team Constructor Points
1 Raga Adam 2 SPA Gas Gas Factory Team Gas Gas 26
2 Bou Toni 1 SPA Repsol Honda Team Montesa 42
3 Fujinami Takahisa 5 JPN Repsol Honda Team Montesa 45
4 Cabestany Albert 4 SPA Sherco Sherco 56
5 Fajardo Jeroni 3 SPA Beta Beta 62
6 Dabill James 6 GBR Beta Beta 82
8 Ferrer Alexandre 9 FRA Sherco Sherco 102
9 Kuroyama Kenichi 20 JPN Yamaha Racing Yamaha 108
10 Tarres Pol 16 SPA Sherco Sherco 109
11 Nozaki Fumitaka 21 JPN Yamaha Yamaha 115
12 Wigg Alexz 18 GBR Gas Gas Gas Gas 116
13 Ogawa Tomoyuki 19 JPN Honda Honda 118
14 Ogawa Tsuyoshi 22 JPN Beta Beta 123
15 Sheppard Jack 17 GBR Beta Beta 126
16 Karlsson Eddie 14 SWE Montesa Montesa 129
17 Shibata Akira 24 JPN Honda Honda 156
19 Nomoto Yoshiaki 23 JPN Beta Beta 175
Trial 2014
Trial Round 2   Motegi

Results Session 2

Sunny
Pos. Rider Num Nation L1 L2 L3 T3 Team Constructor Points
1 Raga Adam 2 SPA Gas Gas Factory Team Gas Gas 40
2 Bou Toni 1 SPA Repsol Honda Team Montesa 47
3 Cabestany Albert 4 SPA Sherco Sherco 53
4 Fujinami Takahisa 5 JPN Repsol Honda Team Montesa 63
5 Fajardo Jeroni 3 SPA Beta Beta 66
6 Ogawa Tomoyuki 19 JPN Honda Honda 81
8 Ferrer Alexandre 9 FRA Sherco Sherco 108
9 Nozaki Fumitaka 21 JPN Yamaha Yamaha 110
10 Dabill James 6 GBR Beta Beta 111
11 Tarres Pol 16 SPA Sherco Sherco 118
12 Karlsson Eddie 14 SWE Montesa Montesa 122
13 Kuroyama Kenichi 20 JPN Yamaha Racing Yamaha 124
14 Sheppard Jack 17 GBR Beta Beta 130
15 Ogawa Tsuyoshi 22 JPN Beta Beta 132
16 Wigg Alexz 18 GBR Gas Gas Gas Gas 145
17 Shibata Akira 24 JPN Honda Honda 149
18 Nomoto Yoshiaki 23 JPN Beta Beta 157
Location Information

Race format 12 sections x 2 laps

Twin Ring Motegi, Haga District, Tochigi Prefecture, Japan - View in Google Maps

Records

Podium 2024 -day2- Toni Bou - Adam Raga - Gabriel Marcelli
Podium 2024 -day1- Toni Bou - Gabriel Marcelli - Adam Raga
Podium 2023 -day2- Jaime Busto - Toni Bou - Adam Raga
Podium 2023 -day1- Toni Bou - Jaime Busto - Adam Raga
Podium 2019 -day2- Toni Bou - Adam Raga - Takahisa Fujinami
Podium 2019 -day1- Toni Bou - Adam Raga - Takahisa Fujinami
Podium 2018 -day2- Jaime Busto - Toni Bou - Adam Raga
Podium 2018 -day1- Jeroni Fajardo - Adam Raga - Takahisa Fujinami
Podium 2017 -day2- Toni Bou - Adam Raga - Albert Cabestany
Podium 2017 -day1- Toni Bou - James Dabill - Takahisa Fujinami
Podium 2016 -day2- Toni Bou - Adam Raga - Takahisa Fujinami
Podium 2016 -day1- Adam Raga - Toni Bou - Takahisa Fujinami
Podium 2015 -day2- Toni Bou - Takahisa Fujinami - Jeroni Fajardo
Podium 2015 -day1- Toni Bou - Jeroni Fajardo - Adam Raga
Podium 2014 -day2- Adam Raga - Toni Bou - Albert Cabestany
Podium 2014 -day1- Adam Raga - Toni Bou - Takahisa Fujinami