Makoto Tamada
Encyclopedia
is a Japanese professional motorcycle racer. He is one of the few riders to win races in both MotoGP and Superbike World Championship
. For he will ride for the Paul Bird Kawasaki Corse team in the Superbike World Championship
.
in 1999. He finished in the championship top 5 for the next 4 years, but came to international fame as a wild card in the Superbike World Championship
round at Sugo
, upsetting the regulars to win both races in 2001, and a further race in 2002.
. The first season was a learning year, peaking with a 3rd place at Rio
and two front row starts, finishing 11th overall. He joined Sito Pons' Camel
Honda
a year later. 2004 was his strongest MotoGP season to date, with wins at Rio
and Motegi
and 6th overall. He was the only Honda
rider to use Bridgestone
tyres, which appear to suit his style.
The Konica Minolta
Honda
team was formed in late 2004 with him in mind, and he spent 2 years there using Michelin
rubber. Unfortunately a broken wrist
sustained early in the season prevented him from reaching the championship top 10, although he did finish 3rd at his home race. He was also short of top results in 2006. At the Sachsenring
he ran 3rd early on, and was still in the top 6 when he went out wide to avoid Kenny Roberts, Jr. crashing, only to be hit by the American's
riderless bike.
In 2007 he joined the Tech 3 Yamaha
team in MotoGP using Dunlop
tyres, alongside French
rider Sylvain Guintoli
. He was generally outpaced by his rookie team-mate and finished the season 18th.
. Kawasaki
expressed their desire to hire him, quoting: "Tamada has been a target for Kawasaki for some time and his signing consolidates the PSG-1 team and Kawasaki’s mutual commitment to gain success in the forthcoming season."
He joins the Italian factory supported Kawasaki team, PSG-1 Kawasaki Corse, were he will pilot the all-new 2008 Kawasaki ZX-10R along with Frenchman Regis Laconi
who rode for them in both and . For 2009 he remained a factory Kawasaki rider, as they switched their support to the English Paul Bird Motorsport team, alongside Australian Broc Parkes
.
On October 6, 2009, Kawasaki announced that Tamada would not be offered a contract for 2010. His place will be taken by former MotoGP rider Chris Vermeulen
.
and Takumi Takahashi. The team eventually took third position in the race, roughly one and a half minutes after the winning team finished.
In late August it was announced that Tamada will race in the Nurburgring round of the 2011 World Superbike Championship for the Castrol Honda team. He will replace Spaniard Ruben Xaus who is sitting out the race due to a back injury.
Superbike World Championship
Superbike World Championship is the worldwide Superbike racing Championship. The championship was founded in . The Superbike World Championship season consists of a series of rounds held on permanent racing facilities...
. For he will ride for the Paul Bird Kawasaki Corse team in the Superbike World Championship
Superbike World Championship
Superbike World Championship is the worldwide Superbike racing Championship. The championship was founded in . The Superbike World Championship season consists of a series of rounds held on permanent racing facilities...
.
Early years
After a junior career in minibikes, he won a regional 250cc championship in 1994. He then spent 4 years in the main Japanese 250cc series, finishing 4th on a private bike in 1998. He entered the MFJ Superbike championshipAll Japan Road Race Championship
The is the premiere motorcycle road racing championship in Japan. It is run by the Motorcycle Federation of Japan - the Japaneses affiliate of the FIM.-History:The MFJ was formed in 1961 and held its first motorcycle road race in 1967....
in 1999. He finished in the championship top 5 for the next 4 years, but came to international fame as a wild card in the Superbike World Championship
Superbike World Championship
Superbike World Championship is the worldwide Superbike racing Championship. The championship was founded in . The Superbike World Championship season consists of a series of rounds held on permanent racing facilities...
round at Sugo
Sportsland SUGO
is a motorsports facility located in the town of Murata, Shibata District, Miyagi Prefecture, Japan. It opened in 1975 and is one of the largest motorsports facilities in Japan, with a total area of 2.1 million m²...
, upsetting the regulars to win both races in 2001, and a further race in 2002.
MotoGP
This helped earn him a call up to MotoGP in 2003, for Pramac HondaHonda
is a Japanese public multinational corporation primarily known as a manufacturer of automobiles and motorcycles.Honda has been the world's largest motorcycle manufacturer since 1959, as well as the world's largest manufacturer of internal combustion engines measured by volume, producing more than...
. The first season was a learning year, peaking with a 3rd place at Rio
Autódromo Internacional Nelson Piquet
The Autódromo Internacional Nelson Piquet , also known as Jacarepaguá, after the neighbourhood in which it was located, is a race course in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil which hosted the Brazilian Formula One Grand Prix 10 times.-History:The circuit was built in 1978 on reclaimed marshland, thus the...
and two front row starts, finishing 11th overall. He joined Sito Pons' Camel
Camel
A camel is an even-toed ungulate within the genus Camelus, bearing distinctive fatty deposits known as humps on its back. There are two species of camels: the dromedary or Arabian camel has a single hump, and the bactrian has two humps. Dromedaries are native to the dry desert areas of West Asia,...
Honda
Honda
is a Japanese public multinational corporation primarily known as a manufacturer of automobiles and motorcycles.Honda has been the world's largest motorcycle manufacturer since 1959, as well as the world's largest manufacturer of internal combustion engines measured by volume, producing more than...
a year later. 2004 was his strongest MotoGP season to date, with wins at Rio
Autódromo Internacional Nelson Piquet
The Autódromo Internacional Nelson Piquet , also known as Jacarepaguá, after the neighbourhood in which it was located, is a race course in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil which hosted the Brazilian Formula One Grand Prix 10 times.-History:The circuit was built in 1978 on reclaimed marshland, thus the...
and Motegi
Twin Ring Motegi
is an automobile racing track located at Motegi, Japan. Its name comes from the facility having two race tracks: a oval and a road course. It was built in 1997 by Honda, as part of Honda's effort to bring the IndyCar Series to Japan, helping to increase their knowledge of American open-wheel...
and 6th overall. He was the only Honda
Honda
is a Japanese public multinational corporation primarily known as a manufacturer of automobiles and motorcycles.Honda has been the world's largest motorcycle manufacturer since 1959, as well as the world's largest manufacturer of internal combustion engines measured by volume, producing more than...
rider to use Bridgestone
Bridgestone
The is a multinational rubber conglomerate founded in 1931 by in the city of Kurume, Fukuoka, Japan. The name Bridgestone comes from a calque translation and transposition of ishibashi, meaning "stone bridge" in Japanese....
tyres, which appear to suit his style.
The Konica Minolta
Konica Minolta
is a Japanese manufacturer of office equipment, medical imaging, graphic imaging, optical devices, and measuring instruments. It is headquartered in the Marunouchi Center Building in Marunouchi, Chiyoda, Tokyo, with a Kansai office in Nishi-ku, Osaka, Osaka Prefecture...
Honda
Honda
is a Japanese public multinational corporation primarily known as a manufacturer of automobiles and motorcycles.Honda has been the world's largest motorcycle manufacturer since 1959, as well as the world's largest manufacturer of internal combustion engines measured by volume, producing more than...
team was formed in late 2004 with him in mind, and he spent 2 years there using Michelin
Michelin
Michelin is a tyre manufacturer based in Clermont-Ferrand in the Auvergne région of France. It is one of the two largest tyre manufacturers in the world along with Bridgestone. In addition to the Michelin brand, it also owns the BFGoodrich, Kleber, Riken, Kormoran and Uniroyal tyre brands...
rubber. Unfortunately a broken wrist
Wrist
In human anatomy, the wrist is variously defined as 1) the carpus or carpal bones, the complex of eight bones forming the proximal skeletal segment of the hand;...
sustained early in the season prevented him from reaching the championship top 10, although he did finish 3rd at his home race. He was also short of top results in 2006. At the Sachsenring
Sachsenring
The Sachsenring racing circuit is located in Hohenstein-Ernstthal near Chemnitz in Saxony, Germany. Among other events, it features the annual German motorcycle Grand Prix of the FIM Grand Prix motorcycle racing world championship.- History :...
he ran 3rd early on, and was still in the top 6 when he went out wide to avoid Kenny Roberts, Jr. crashing, only to be hit by the American's
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
riderless bike.
In 2007 he joined the Tech 3 Yamaha
Yamaha
Yamaha may refer to:* Yamaha Corporation, a Japanese company with a wide range of products and services** Yamaha Motor Company, a Japanese motorized vehicle-producing company...
team in MotoGP using Dunlop
Dunlop Tyres
Dunlop Tyres is a British company owned 75% by Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company and 25% by Sumitomo Rubber Industries, which bought the right to sell Dunlop-branded road tyres....
tyres, alongside French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
rider Sylvain Guintoli
Sylvain Guintoli
Sylvain Guintoli is a French professional motorcycle racer. He spent most of his career in the 250cc World Championship on private bikes, he made a single MotoGP start in 2002 during his run in the 250cc class, where he stayed until moving up to Moto GP in 2007.-Moto GP:In 2007, he raced in the...
. He was generally outpaced by his rookie team-mate and finished the season 18th.
Superbike World Championship
He was left with no options in MotoGP so for he turned his focus on the Superbike World ChampionshipSuperbike World Championship
Superbike World Championship is the worldwide Superbike racing Championship. The championship was founded in . The Superbike World Championship season consists of a series of rounds held on permanent racing facilities...
. Kawasaki
Kawasaki Heavy Industries
is an international corporation based in Japan. It has headquarters in both Chūō-ku, Kobe and Minato, Tokyo.The company is named after its founder Shōzō Kawasaki and has no connection with the city of Kawasaki, Kanagawa....
expressed their desire to hire him, quoting: "Tamada has been a target for Kawasaki for some time and his signing consolidates the PSG-1 team and Kawasaki’s mutual commitment to gain success in the forthcoming season."
He joins the Italian factory supported Kawasaki team, PSG-1 Kawasaki Corse, were he will pilot the all-new 2008 Kawasaki ZX-10R along with Frenchman Regis Laconi
Régis Laconi
Régis Laconi is a French professional motorcycle racer. In he competed in the Superbike World Championship for DFX on a Ducati. He was runner-up in , and has won races in both 500cc and the Superbike World Championship.-Early career:Régis has a French mother and Italian father...
who rode for them in both and . For 2009 he remained a factory Kawasaki rider, as they switched their support to the English Paul Bird Motorsport team, alongside Australian Broc Parkes
Broc Parkes
Broc Parkes is an Australian motorcycle racer, best known for his success in the Supersport World Championship.-Early years:He was born on 24 December 1981, and lives in the Hunter Valley region of New South Wales, resulting in the nickname 'The Boy From the Bush'. Parkes was originally inspired to...
.
On October 6, 2009, Kawasaki announced that Tamada would not be offered a contract for 2010. His place will be taken by former MotoGP rider Chris Vermeulen
Chris Vermeulen
Chris Vermeulen is a motorcycle racer, currently competing in the World Superbike Championship for the works Kawasaki team. He originally raced in this class in 2004 and 2005 for the Ten Kate Honda team, finishing as series runner-up in 2005...
.
2010
In 2010 Tamada returned to WSBK in a one-off outing for the Reitwagen BMW team at Portimao in Portugal. He retired from the first race and finished 19th in the second race.2011
On July 31, 2011 Tamada competed in the Suzuka 8 Hour race for the Musashi RT Harc-Pro team. He rode alongside former 500cc racer Tadayuki OkadaTadayuki Okada
Tadayuki 'Taddy' Okada is a retired Japanese professional Grand Prix motorcycle road racer. He was runner-up in the 1994 250cc and in the 1997 500cc World Championship.-Early career:...
and Takumi Takahashi. The team eventually took third position in the race, roughly one and a half minutes after the winning team finished.
In late August it was announced that Tamada will race in the Nurburgring round of the 2011 World Superbike Championship for the Castrol Honda team. He will replace Spaniard Ruben Xaus who is sitting out the race due to a back injury.
External links
- tamayangp.com Official website