IDEMITSU Honda Team Asia Endures Demanding Austrian GP – Now Eyes Set on Balaton Park
Red Bull Ring - SpielbergIDEMITSU Honda Team Asia riders Yuki Kunii and Nakarin Atiratphuvapat have completed the 13th Round of the 2025 Moto2 World Championship at the Red Bull Ring – Spielberg, Austria. After heavy rain on Saturday evening and a cloudy start to race day, the sun finally broke through, allowing the race to be held in dry conditions.
The mission was challenging from the beginning, as both riders started from the last row of the grid. Kunii, starting 28th with a long-lap penalty from the previous round, couldn’t gain many positions in the early stages. He gradually built his own pace, closing the gap and ultimately overtaking his teammate in the final laps to finish 24th.
Atiratphuvapat, who started 29th, delivered a solid first half of the race, maintaining a five-second margin ahead of Kunii after the penalty. However, in the second half of the race the gap narrowed, and he was eventually overtaken, crossing the finish line in 25th, completing his fourth Moto2 race with the team.
While the results were not as expected, the weekend provided valuable lessons. Both riders and the team know there is room for improvement, and the upcoming Balaton Park GP in Hungary offers the perfect chance to take a step forward. With all riders facing a brand-new circuit, adaptability and raw talent will play a decisive role. There’s no time to rest — the focus now shifts to Hungary in just seven days.
It has been a difficult weekend for us. Both of our riders Kunii and Nakarin did their best. Unfortunately, Yuki Kunii had a long penalty from the last race, so he lost quite a lot of time at the beginning. After that, he tried to catch up and managed to keep a constant pace, but the gap was too big.
Nakarin had a really good start, gaining positions, but at the end he dropped a little. Still, he fought hard, overtaking riders, which is never easy. I would say both riders did the maximum they could today, but of course we are looking for better positions and better results.
I want to thank our sponsors, supporters, and the whole staff for their effort. Next weekend we go to Hungary, which is a neutral track for us, but everybody will be new there. We have to show our potential, and bring the best from the first session in Balaton Park.
It has been a difficult weekend for us. Both of our riders Kunii and Nakarin did their best. Unfortunately, Yuki Kunii had a long penalty from the last race, so he lost quite a lot of time at the beginning. After that, he tried to catch up and managed to keep a constant pace, but the gap was too big.
Nakarin had a really good start, gaining positions, but at the end he dropped a little. Still, he fought hard, overtaking riders, which is never easy. I would say both riders did the maximum they could today, but of course we are looking for better positions and better results.
I want to thank our sponsors, supporters, and the whole staff for their effort. Next weekend we go to Hungary, which is a neutral track for us, but everybody will be new there. We have to show our potential, and bring the best from the first session in Balaton Park.
Today was the race day and, of course, I already knew I had a long lap penalty from the last round, which was quite a big handicap for me. At the beginning I struggled a little bit with the feeling, but from the middle to the end I was able to be really consistent and my feeling on the bike improved a lot.
Step by step, I started to understand better and get more confidence. In the end, the result is a bit disappointing, but the feeling is coming back, and that is really positive. I feel I can do much better in the next races. Thank you the team for their effort.
Today was the race day and, of course, I already knew I had a long lap penalty from the last round, which was quite a big handicap for me. At the beginning I struggled a little bit with the feeling, but from the middle to the end I was able to be really consistent and my feeling on the bike improved a lot.
Step by step, I started to understand better and get more confidence. In the end, the result is a bit disappointing, but the feeling is coming back, and that is really positive. I feel I can do much better in the next races. Thank you the team for their effort.
The beginning of the race was good — I felt competitive and had a strong feeling with the bike, which allowed me to push hard. That was really positive. In the second part of the race, however, the conditions became more slippery, the tyre started to drop, and it was difficult to keep a consistent lap time like at the start.
After some time away from the Moto2 bike, it was good to be back fighting in the group during the first laps. The second half was tougher, but overall, it was another valuable experience for me. I will take the lessons from today, learn from them, and aim to do better next week in Hungary.
The beginning of the race was good — I felt competitive and had a strong feeling with the bike, which allowed me to push hard. That was really positive. In the second part of the race, however, the conditions became more slippery, the tyre started to drop, and it was difficult to keep a consistent lap time like at the start.
After some time away from the Moto2 bike, it was good to be back fighting in the group during the first laps. The second half was tougher, but overall, it was another valuable experience for me. I will take the lessons from today, learn from them, and aim to do better next week in Hungary.
