500 WINS WITH HONDA

The Castrol Honda World Superbike team, under the expert guidance of Neil Tuxworth, was an outstanding period in the racing history of the two companies. Competing first with the awesome V4 Honda RC45, and then with the V-twin SP1 and SP2 machines with ever higher engine power, challenged Castrol to develop new friction reducing synthetic lubricant technology. Later to become Castrol ‘R4’ it was this engine oil that helped Colin Edwards to his second World Superbike Championship in 2002 and produced one of the most memorable motorcycle racing laps ever at the final round of the championship at the Imola circuit.

In the 250 class of Grand Prix racing Honda and Castrol continued to win races during the 1990s with first Luca Cadalora and then Max Biaggi. Cadalora won two world championships on the invincible Honda NSR250 in 1991 and 1992. Max Biaggi followed this with his 250 title win in 1997. With the arrival of the new millennium Honda had returned to the World Trials Championships with Dougie Lampkin. Lampkin, another great name in the Honda Castrol hall of fame, completely dominated trials competition in 2000 and 2001 with a clean sweep of World and Indoor trial championships, and a third World Trials title in 2002.

Honda and Castrol’s most recent success story comes from Holland and the HANNSpree Ten Kate Honda team. Ten Kate has contributed six consecutive World Supersport Championships and over 40 Supersport race wins with the likes of Fabien Foret, Chris Vermeulen, Karl Muggeridge and Sebastian Charpentier (twice) and now with Kenan Sofuoglu in 2007. And Kenan is the man, records will show, took the 500th win with his victory in Valencia.

So that is the story of Honda’s 500 Motorcycle World Championship Wins with Castrol. A story that spans six decades and includes many of the legendary riders from a wide variety of different aspects of motorcycle sport. This landmark achievement was borne out of expertise, dedication and above all, determination - determination on the part of Honda and Castrol to be the best, both as individual companies and within a racing partnership. Think motorcycles - think Honda, think motorcycle oil - think Castrol.