Hiroshi Aoyama

Hiroshi Aoyama

Place of birth: Chiba
Date of birth: 25/Oct/1981
Weight: 55Kg.
Height: 165cm.

Hiroshi Aoyama joined the Telefonica Movistar Honda team full time in 2004, after securing the national 250cc Japanese title the previous year and having made several wildcard appearances over the previous four seasons. He made a big impression on his last two wildcard appearances in particular, taking second and fifth at Suzuka and Motegi respectively in 2003. The following season allowed him the chance to discover the World Championship venues alongside World Champion Dani Pedrosa, and he finished sixth overall.

Hiroshi Aoyama

Riding for the Red Bull KTM 250 team from the start of 2006, he was in the running for third place in the championship that season before a crash in Valencia. Aoyama won the 250cc race on Japanese soil in 2005 and 2006, adding to his popularity in his homeland, whilst his win in Turkey in the third Grand Prix of 2006 was also KTM’s first victory in the quarter litre class.

After two more victories and four podium finishes in 2007 he continued alongside Mika Kallio on the solid KTM 250 package in 2008, ending up a somewhat disappointing seventh overall having secured just two podiums with second place in China and Malaysia. In 2009 Aoyama rode for the Scot Racing Team outfit on his return to the Honda ranks, with his compatriot Yuki Takahashi having moved up to represent the team in the premier class.

Hiroshi Aoyama

It was a triumphant year for Aoyama, as he won the last 250cc title before the class was replaced by the Moto2 category. Four wins - seven podiums in total - in a thrilling season saw the Japanese rider beat Italian rival and 2008 250cc World Champion Marco Simoncelli to the title, and in 2010 Aoyama makes the move up to the premier class with the Interwetten Honda MotoGP Team.