The Honda Thanks Day 2016 has been a huge success in Motegi

These days we have seen the HRC riders celebrating Thanks Day at the Motegi Circuit, with a large turnout of representatives of the Japanese brand on this day so special for them. Of course, among them were the MotoGP World Champion, Marc Márquez, and Dani Pedrosa, the two official riders of the brand in the queen category of motorcycle racing.

Each year the company gathers the official riders of the Japanese manufacturer, and they put on an exhibition to give thanks for the season. This is an event that closes a season marked by the great successes of Honda both in the MotoGP World Championship and in trial and MXGP.

Marc Márquez and his teammate Dani Pedrosa kicked off the event with the HRC Thanks Day dinner held last Friday in Tokyo, alongside riders of the caliber of Toni Bou, Takashima Fujinami, Jaime Busto and Evgeny Borbyshev. On Saturday they moved to the Twin Ring Motegi, where they were joined by two Formula 1 drivers, Fernando Alonso and Jenson Button. Around 20,000 fans attended the event and cheered from the circuit grandstands.

One of the most emotional moments was seeing Dani Pedrosa on his beloved Honda RS125R, with which he won the 125cc world championship in 2003. For his part, Márquez also had his most nostalgic moment when he climbed aboard the historic RC142. Fernando Alonso was also seen on two wheels, and Pedrosa and Márquez on four wheels, very intense days.

Statements from Marc Márquez:

It has always been an honor to be part of Honda’s Thanks Day, enjoying ourselves and relaxing with the people from the company. It is a good event because it is fun for both the fans and for us, since we have the opportunity to talk and exchange opinions with riders from other motorsports. For someone who loves motorcycles like I do, it has been a fantastic weekend! This year has been even more special because we celebrated the MotoGP title on the track where we won it. I hope to return next year!

Statements from Dani Pedrosa:

I am happy to be back in Japan and to share this moment with Japanese fans. They are very grateful, and they bring us gifts and surprises! We like coming to Honda’s Thanks Day because we have the opportunity to ride alongside other professionals from cars and motorcycles, so it is a lot of fun. This year we had fantastic weather, so we made the most of the experience.

Source | MotoGP official website
Photos | MotoGP official website and Dani Pedrosa Instagram