Taiyo and Zen, Taking on the World—

Two young riders nurtured by Honda Team Asia—
Their eyes are fixed firmly on the top of MotoGP.

In the Moto2 and Moto3 classes, young talents compete fiercely aiming for the pinnacle of motorcycle racing: MotoGP. In this arena, Honda Team Asia has continuously raised riders to fly from Asia onto the global stage. Having already sent stars like Takaaki Nakagami, Ai Ogura, and Somkiat Chantra to the top class, this legendary development team is now seeing new talent challenge the world.
Taiyo Furusato, who is showing rapid growth in his rookie Moto2 season, and Zen Mitani, who has taken his first step into the world through Moto3. Facing their own individual hurdles, both young riders keep their sights focused on the peak of MotoGP.
The MotoGP Japanese Grand Prix will take place at Mobility Resort Motegi from Saturday, October 2 to Sunday, October 4.

Text & Photos: Satoshi Endo

Cooperation: Honda

Web Mr. Bike collaboration article

Honda Team Asia began competing in the Moto2 class of the Road Racing World Championship in 2013, making this their 14th year in the series. In 2016, they expanded their participation into Moto3, and currently field entries across both categories.

This year, Zen Mitani (19) and Veda Pratama (17) are competing in the Moto3 class, while the Moto2 class features Mario Aji (22) in his third season alongside Taiyo Furusato (21), who has stepped up from Moto3.

Honda Team Asia has produced three MotoGP riders to date. Takaaki Nakagami, who raced for the team in Moto2 from 2014 to 2017, competed in MotoGP for LCR Honda Idemitsu from 2018 to 2024, becoming the first graduate of Honda Team Asia to reach the MotoGP class

Ai Ogura, who was with Honda Team Asia from 2019 to 2023 and fought for the title in both Moto3 and Moto2, went on to achieve excellent results. After moving to a Spanish team in 2024, he won the Moto2 World Championship, becoming the seventh Japanese rider in history to claim a world title. In 2025, he moved up to the premier class with Trackhouse MotoGP Team. Then, at the 2026 Dutch GP, he took a historic MotoGP victory—the first for a Japanese rider in 22 years, since Makoto Tamada in 2004.

　Ogura was a graduate of the Asia Talent Cup, a series established jointly in 2014 by Honda and MotoGP promoter Dorna Sports. He became the first rider from Honda's talent development program to win a world championship and the first to reach the top step of the podium in the MotoGP class.

Somkiat Chantra, who fought Ogura for the Asia Talent Cup title and won the series in 2016, is another rider who made the leap to MotoGP from Honda Team Asia. Chantra raced in the Moto2 class for Honda Team Asia from 2019 to 2024, becoming the first Thai rider to win a Grand Prix at the 2022 Indonesian GP. In 2023, he took his second victory at the Japanese GP at Mobility Resort Motegi, before earning a promotion to the premier class with LCR Honda Idemitsu in 2025.

Many other riders have also made their mark with Honda Team Asia, and today the squad has firmly established itself as an undeniable top team in both the Moto2 and Moto3 classes.

■With every barrier broken, Taiyo grows faster

Having launched his world championship challenge with a team accumulating such a proven track record, Taiyo Furusato is attracting major attention as the next rider following Ai Ogura and Somkiat Chantra to aim for the premier class from the Asia Talent Cup.

Born in Kanoya City, Kagoshima Prefecture on July 12, 2005, he is 21 years old. He entered the Asia Talent Cup in 2020, making a strong debut with a second and fourth-place finish in his very first round. However, due to the global COVID-19 pandemic, all remaining events for that year were cancelled.
The following year, in 2021, he went on an incredible run as if channeling the frustration of having his debut season cut short to just one round. Despite ongoing severe travel restrictions, Taiyo set an overwhelming record by winning all seven races to claim the championship. In the same year, he joined the Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup—a feeder series held alongside the Grand Prix weekend—as a mid-season wild card, taking a dramatic victory on his debut at the Italian round. Recognized for his standout performances, he debuted in the Moto3 class with Honda Team Asia in 2022 at the age of 16. That year, he finished 14th at the Japanese GP, scoring his first points in the World Championship.
In the 2023 Thailand GP, he finished second to claim his first podium. In 2024, he drew widespread attention with three podium finishes at the Qatar, German, and Malaysian GPs. In 2025, he claimed his long-awaited maiden victory at the Malaysian GP, finishing the Moto3 chapter of his career with five podiums and an 8th-place ranking overall for the season.

In 2026, he launched his long-awaited challenge in the Moto2 class. At Round 11, the German GP, he delivered an impressive comeback ride to finish fifth, demonstrating his ability to fight at the front.

Taiyo Furusato has been affectionately known as "Taiyo" since childhood. The name, which means "sun," was given to him by a local community elder in the hope that he would shine brightly like the beaming sun. His entire family loved the name, and Taiyo himself says, "I really love my name."
From his hometown of Kanoya, the active volcano Sakurajima can be seen up close. With JAXA space development facilities located nearby, he would even watch rocket launches right from his elementary school classroom.
Growing up in a free-spirited environment, Taiyo started riding motorcycles and playing golf at the age of four, following his father Yoichiro's philosophy of "letting him try anything that interests him." By the age of six, he also began taking up gymnastics, tennis, and piano.
"I started motorcycling, golf, gymnastics, tennis, and piano all because I wanted to. But out of all of them, motorcycling was by far the most fun," says Taiyo, who chose the two-wheeled path from among his many options.
After that, to fully commit to racing, he entered the Suzuka Circuit Racing School (now Honda Racing School Suzuka), which has produced many Grand Prix riders. Rapidly honing his skills, he passed the selection trials for the Asia Talent Cup—a competitive audition featuring hundreds of riders who had passed the initial document screening. Since then, he has consistently delivered results through Honda's rider development program, establishing himself as one of the promising riders expected to step up to the MotoGP class in the near future.

His signature strength lies in his sharpness from the braking point to the apex. While this riding style helped him stand out in the junior ranks, he struggled against the world's top riders in the Grand Prix. By hitting the apex early, he was delayed in changing direction through the corner, which ultimately pushed back the timing for opening the throttle on the exit. Trying to make up for that lost time with late braking often led to crashes. However, that very riding style eventually became his greatest weapon.
After stepping up to the Moto2 class—with its higher engine displacement and faster speed range—he has also mastered a riding style that slides the rear tire to help turn the bike. Although he finished fifth and fought near the podium positions at the German GP, he continued to work through trial and error to adapt to the higher-grip tires introduced in the second half of the season.
"I want to refine my riding style before the Japanese GP so I can fully exploit the performance of the high-grip tires," says Taiyo. Great expectations surround his continued evolution.

This season marks his rookie year in the Moto2 class. With engine displacement jumping from 250cc to 765cc and maximum power surging from around 60 hp to approximately 140 hp, adapting to the bike is the top priority for the season.
"Right now, the key is to get as much track time as possible and get used to the bike. Over the last few races, I've really settled in with the machine, and I can now clearly feel how the tires are behaving."

He is steadily overcoming every barrier in his path, one by one.

The race number 72 that Taiyo carries comes from his birthday, July 12th. His goal—"When I win the championship, I want to put a '1' between the 7 and the 2"—is something that should not be too far from becoming reality.

■Ahead of the Japanese GP, the 19-year-old’s fightback begins.

Zen Mitani, competing in Moto3, hails from Sakuragawa, Ibaraki. Born on March 27, 2007, he is 19 years old. He first sat on a pocket bike at age three and honed his skills on mini bikes. In 2022, at age 15, he won the Challenge Class of the All Japan Road Race Championship J-GP3 class. Building on that success, he joined the Asia Talent Cup in 2023, and in 2024, he dominated the series to take the championship title with seven wins and three second-place finishes.
In 2025, he earned two podium finishes in the Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup while also competing at the front in JuniorGP. Toward the end of the season, he gained a foothold in the World Championship by entering three Grand Prix races—one with the Italian Snipers Team and two as a replacement rider for Honda Team Asia. In 2026, he is competing as a full-time regular rider.

In his debut full season, he has faced a tough battle with many circuits being completely new to him, scoring just two points through Round 13 at the Aragon GP. It has been a frustrating run, marked by a fractured left little finger suffered at the Dutch GP in the middle of the season, which forced him to miss two races in Germany and Great Britain. However, as he heads into the second half of the season, his eyes are firmly fixed on the road ahead.
"At the Dutch GP, I suffered a bone fracture for the first time in my riding career. It took about two months to return, but thanks to the summer break, I only had to miss two races, which was a relief. At my return race in Aragon, my left hand lost strength as the weekend went on, making it a tough race. I think my condition will get better for the next round, and I want to raise my level race by race so I can enter the Japanese GP in top form."
The second half of the season features many tracks he rode frequently during his time in the Asia Talent Cup. He says enthusiastically "I can test how much I've grown, so I'm really looking forward to it. I especially want to put on a great ride at the Japanese GP and firmly secure some points."
Mitani is currently enrolled in the College of Sports Sciences at Nihon University. In 2025, he balanced his academic studies with overseas travel by commuting to the university, which took about two and a half hours each way from his home in Sakuragawa. However, balancing school became nearly impossible during this season’s packed 22-race Moto3 schedule, so he is currently taking a leave of absence to focus fully on racing.

Having studied English conversation since early childhood, he had no anxiety about communicating with international crew members even in the early stages of his overseas travels. With his lively responses and friendly personality, he has a natural charm that draws people in. Currently, he lives in a team apartment in Barcelona alongside his teammate. Sharing a living room and kitchen, with private bedrooms plus two bathrooms, he is enjoying a comfortable day-to-day life.
Team Manager Hiroshi Aoyama, who took the 250cc World Championship title in 2009 and battled through both the MotoGP class and the Superbike World Championship, is a legend in Japanese motorcycle racing. Thanks to his solid network within the Grand Prix world, the team brings together exceptionally talented engineers and mechanics.
Drawing on his rich racing experience, Manager Aoyama promotes a multifaceted approach to rider development. By balancing physical training in the gym and road cycling with track sessions on motocross, dirt track, and paved road courses, he creates an environment where athletes can stay fully prepared and focus entirely on race weekends. The upcoming Japanese GP serves as the perfect stage to demonstrate the results of this daily dedication.
The home Grand Prix is about to kick off. All eyes are on Moto2 rider Taiyo Furusato and Moto3 rider Zen Mitani to see what kind of performance they will deliver in front of their home fans. The world will be watching as these two riders take on the challenge.

■MotoGP Japanese Grand Prix at Mobility Resort Motegi (October 2–4)

●16–23 "0-Yen Pass"
https://www.mr-motegi.jp/ticket_m/motogp/zero.html

16–23 "0-Yen Pass" [3-Day Pass]: Free admission for race viewing and attractions for ages 16–23! Application period: Sunday, May 10, 11:00 AM – Sunday, October 4 *Applications may close without prior notice before the deadline.

Target audience: Born between October 5, 2002, and April 1, 2011
Details:
● Unreserved Seat Viewing Ticket (Valid for 3 days)
● Special invitation to V-stand seating! (Advance application required / Lottery)
● Paddock Tour & Grid Walk Experience (Lottery)
● Free Shuttle Bus Ride between Haga Industrial Park and Mobility Resort Motegi (Advance reservation required / Limited quantity)
● Park Passport (Valid for 3 days)

How to Apply:
1. Apply for the [16–23 "0-Yen Pass"] on the MobilityStation online shopping site during the application period.
*Once your application is complete, log in and check your e-ticket under [MENU] -> [My Tickets] -> [Viewing Tickets].
If you are using MobilityStation for the first time, please register for a new account. When you log in to MobilityStation, a selection screen for "Suzuka Circuit" or "Mobility Resort Motegi" will appear.
Select "Mobility Resort Motegi" and proceed to the ticket selection screen.

▼ LRT Smart Access
https://www.mr-motegi.jp/motogp/access/

▼ LRT Access Video
https://youtu.be/J1_GyCg0Mvk?si=xKR-m2I9lMRrPSK2

▼ LRT x Takaaki Nakagami Special Parallel Ride Video
https://youtu.be/wRqiYggGugk?si=oatCe3Eo5KE2CtsO

● Pre-Event: September 30 at Bellesalle Akihabara

https://www.mr-motegi.jp/motogp/event/pre-event.html
Date & Time: Wednesday, September 30, 12:00 PM (Doors open) – 7:00 PM (Doors close) *Provisional Venue: Bellesalle Akihabara 1st Floor Hall & Event Space, B1 Floor Hall (Sumitomo Fudosan Akihabara Bldg., 3-12-8 Sotokanda, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo)

Participating Riders:

MotoGP
● Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team)
● Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™)
● Luca Marini (Honda HRC Castrol)
● Alex Marquez (BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP™)
● Fabio Di Giannantonio (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team)
● Ai Ogura (Trackhouse MotoGP™ Team)
● Diogo Moreira (Pro Honda LCR)

Moto2
● Ayumu Sasaki (Momoven Idrofoglia RW Racing Team)
● Taiyo Furusato (Idemitsu Honda Team Asia)

Moto3
● Ryusei Yamanaka (AEON Credit-MT Helmets – MSI)
● Zen Mitani (Honda Team Asia)

MotoGP Sports Entertainment Group
*Participating riders are subject to change due to unforeseen circumstances.

Admission: Free

Viewing details:
● Depending on crowd conditions and viewing locations on the day, you may not be able to view the stage. We appreciate your understanding in advance.
● Entry to the stage viewing area will be in order of numbered tickets. *Information regarding distribution start times and locations for numbered tickets will be announced once finalized.
● Please note in advance that viewing will be standing room only.

Important Notes:
● The event will proceed in light rain; however, in the event of severe weather accompanied by strong winds or thunderstorms, the event will be canceled for safety reasons.
● Please refrain from reserving spots prior to the start of the event.

Organizers: Honda Mobilityland Corporation, MotoGP Sports Entertainment Group