Faultless Display from Toni Bou
World Trials Champs 2015
Repsol Honda Team got the Trial World Championship off to a fine start this weekend at the Motegi circuit as reigning champion Toni Bou dominated both days of action to walk away with the victory at the opening two rounds of the season.
Bou headed home from the world championship opener in Motegi with two victories clinched and 40 points in the bag.
Two resounding triumphs with a display of class and dexterity show the Repsol Honda Team rider remains the competitor to beat. Bou commenced the second, slightly more complicated day of the Japanese GP commanding the field from obstacle one and entrenching himself in the top-spot throughout the entire three laps of the twelve-section course.
Bou raised his game considerably for the second day at the Motegi circuit allowing him a more laid-back competition. Picking up seven points on the first lap gave the Spaniard a fourteen point advantage over the nearest rival, a cushion which served well on the second lap which saw Bou unexpectedly score a couple of faults.
By lap three the Honda maestro was once again displaying excellent form, riding on to yet another triumph. Bou, cruising eight points clear at the top of the leader-board now also holds the record for wins in the Japanese GP having taken top honours on twelve occasions.
"I’m really pleased with the Japanese Grand Prix." Bou commented. "I think that I put in a really good first and third lap.
"In the second I picked up a couple of faults, but I was able to pull it back. I’m very satisfied with the wins, with the way the trial went and the way I performed as well as taking the first two places on home soil for Honda.
"It’s been an unbeatable day for the team."
Bous team-mate Takahisa Fujinami finished second on day two, backing up a from a fine fourth place finish on day one, where Spanish Beta rider finished second before securing a double podium for himself with third place on day two.
Gas Gas rider Adam Raga was the fourth rider over the two days to pick up a podium position finishing third on day one.
Event results - Round 1- Race 1
1 Toni Bou 17 ESP HONDA Repsol Honda Team - HRC
2 Jeroni Fajardo 26 SPA BETA Beta Factory Racing
3 Adam Raga 30 SPA GAS GAS Gas Gas
4 Takahisa Fujinami 61 JPN HONDA Repsol Honda Team - HRC
5 Albert Cabestany 67 SPA SHERCO Sherco Factory Team
6 Jaime Busto 92 ESP HONDA Repsol Honda Team - HRC
7 Jorge Casales 95 SPA BETA Beta Factory Racing
8 Kenichi Kuroyama 96 JPN YAMAHA Yamaha
9 Tomoyuki Ogawa 97 JPN HONDA Honda
10 Alexandre Ferrer 97 FRA SHERCO Sherco Factory Team
Event results - Round 1- Race 2
1 Toni Bou 34 ESP HONDA Repsol Honda Team - HRC
2 Takahisa Fujinami 51 JPN HONDA Repsol Honda Team - HRC
3 Jeroni Fajardo 53 SPA BETA Beta Factory Racing
4 Adam Raga 59 SPA GAS GAS Gas Gas
5 Albert Cabestany 61 SPA SHERCO Sherco Factory Team
6 Jaime Busto 83 ESP HONDA Repsol Honda Team - HRC
7 Tomoyuki Ogawa 86 JPN HONDA Honda
8 James Dabill 87 GBR VERTIGO Vertigo
9 Alexandre Ferrer 89 FRA SHERCO Sherco Factory Team
10 Kenichi Kuroyama 97 JPN YAMAHA Yamaha
Championship standings 1 Toni Bou 40 pts
2 Jeroni Fajardo 32 pts
3 Takahisa Fujinami 30 pts
4 Adam Raga 28 pts
5 Albert Cabestany 22 pts
6 Jaime Busto 20 pts
7 Tomoyuki Ogawa 16 pts
8 Kenichi Kuroyama 14 pts
9 Alexandre Ferrer 13 pts
10 James Dabill 11 pts
Top Image: Toni Bou on his way to kicking of his championship defense with a double round win in Japan