Shuhei Aoyama
Encyclopedia
Shuhei Aoyama is a former Grand Prix
motorcycle
road racer
. He is the younger brother of MotoGP rider, Hiroshi Aoyama
.
He rode in the All-Japan Road Racing Championship until 2005, when he won the 250cc championship with Honda
. He previously won the 125cc championship in 2003, also with Honda. He also rode a couple of events as wildcard rider in the Grand Prix World Championships
during his stint in Japan.
After winning 250cc championship in Japan, Aoyama secured a Grand Prix World Championships
ride with Honda's 250cc factory team in 2006
. He replaced his brother Hiroshi Aoyama
who moved to KTM
. He scored his first podium finish with a third-place at Le Mans
, finishing just ahead of his brother, Hiroshi. He finished the season eight in overall standings with 99 points and was named as Rookie Of The Year for his performance in his debut season. In 2007
, he remained with the team, but he failed to improved on his rookie season. He failed to record a podium finish and finished the season 12th in overall standings. However, he managed to record his first pole position in his home race at Motegi
.
In 2008
, he moved to World Superbike
. He once again teamed up with Honda, riding a Honda CBR1000RR
motorcycle with Alto Evolution Honda Superbike. However, he struggled to adapt with the bigger 1000cc four-stroke bike and only managed two point-scoring position.
Aoyama was left without a permanent ride in 2009, but he did made a return to 250cc Grand Prix World Championships
as a wild-card rider in his home race at Motegi
. He finished an impressive 6th place after starting from 17th on the grid.
It was not possible to contract to which team though it groped for the return to the world title aiming at the season of 2010. Aoyama announced the active service retirement by own blog on February 8, 2010.
Afterwards, he participated in the Japanese Auto Race series.
Grand Prix motorcycle racing
Road Racing World Championship Grand Prix is the premier championship of motorcycle road racing currently divided into three distinct classes: 125cc, Moto2 and MotoGP. The 125cc class uses a two-stroke engine while Moto2 and MotoGP use four-stroke engines. In 2010 the 250cc two-stroke was replaced...
motorcycle
Motorcycle
A motorcycle is a single-track, two-wheeled motor vehicle. Motorcycles vary considerably depending on the task for which they are designed, such as long distance travel, navigating congested urban traffic, cruising, sport and racing, or off-road conditions.Motorcycles are one of the most...
road racer
Road racing
Road racing is a general term for most forms of motor racing held on paved, purpose-built race tracks , as opposed to oval tracks and off-road racing...
. He is the younger brother of MotoGP rider, Hiroshi Aoyama
Hiroshi Aoyama
is a Japanese Grand Prix motorcycle road racer. He is the older brother of former 250cc and World Superbike rider, Shuhei Aoyama.In his six seasons in the 250cc World Championship, he raced Honda and KTM machinery in an Aprilia-dominated class. He took eight victories and never finished lower than...
.
He rode in the All-Japan Road Racing Championship until 2005, when he won the 250cc championship with 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...
. He previously won the 125cc championship in 2003, also with Honda. He also rode a couple of events as wildcard rider in the Grand Prix World Championships
Grand Prix motorcycle racing
Road Racing World Championship Grand Prix is the premier championship of motorcycle road racing currently divided into three distinct classes: 125cc, Moto2 and MotoGP. The 125cc class uses a two-stroke engine while Moto2 and MotoGP use four-stroke engines. In 2010 the 250cc two-stroke was replaced...
during his stint in Japan.
After winning 250cc championship in Japan, Aoyama secured a Grand Prix World Championships
Grand Prix motorcycle racing
Road Racing World Championship Grand Prix is the premier championship of motorcycle road racing currently divided into three distinct classes: 125cc, Moto2 and MotoGP. The 125cc class uses a two-stroke engine while Moto2 and MotoGP use four-stroke engines. In 2010 the 250cc two-stroke was replaced...
ride with Honda's 250cc factory team in 2006
2006 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season
The 2006 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season was the 58th F.I.M. Road racing World Championship season.-Season summary:The 2006 MotoGP season was one of the closest battles and most thrilling in recent memory in which Honda's Nicky Hayden didn't claim the championship from Valentino Rossi until the...
. He replaced his brother Hiroshi Aoyama
Hiroshi Aoyama
is a Japanese Grand Prix motorcycle road racer. He is the older brother of former 250cc and World Superbike rider, Shuhei Aoyama.In his six seasons in the 250cc World Championship, he raced Honda and KTM machinery in an Aprilia-dominated class. He took eight victories and never finished lower than...
who moved to KTM
KTM
KTM Sportmotorcycle AG is an Austrian motorcycle, bicycle and moped manufacturer.The company was founded in 1934 by engineer Hans Trunkenpolz in Mattighofen. It started out as a metal working shop and was named Kraftfahrzeuge Trunkenpolz Mattighofen...
. He scored his first podium finish with a third-place at Le Mans
2006 French motorcycle Grand Prix
__FORCETOC__The 2006 French motorcycle Grand Prix was the fifth race of the 2006 Motorcycle Grand Prix season. It took place on the weekend of 19 –May 21, 2006 at the Le Mans Bugatti circuit.-Moto GP Classification:-250cc Classification:...
, finishing just ahead of his brother, Hiroshi. He finished the season eight in overall standings with 99 points and was named as Rookie Of The Year for his performance in his debut season. In 2007
2007 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season
The 2007 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season was the 59th F.I.M Road Racing World Championship season. The 2007 season was significant as it introduced a new regulation which specifies that competitors in the MotoGP class can use up to 800 cc motorcycles; between 2002 and 2006, competitors had...
, he remained with the team, but he failed to improved on his rookie season. He failed to record a podium finish and finished the season 12th in overall standings. However, he managed to record his first pole position in his home race at Motegi
2007 Japanese motorcycle Grand Prix
The 2007 Japanese motorcycle Grand Prix was the fifteenth round of the 2007 MotoGP championship. It was held on 21–September 23 at the recently revised Twin Ring Motegi, Motegi, Tochigi.-MotoGP classification:-250cc classification:...
.
In 2008
2008 Superbike World Championship season
The 2008 World Superbike racing season was the 21st season of the Superbike World Championship. Corona Extra ceased to be the championship's title sponsor, as it had been since 1998...
, he moved to World Superbike
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...
. He once again teamed up with Honda, riding a Honda CBR1000RR
Honda CBR1000RR
The CBR1000RR, also known as the Fireblade, is a liquid-cooled inline four-cylinder sport bike that was introduced by Honda in 2004 to replace the CBR954RR.-Racing roots:...
motorcycle with Alto Evolution Honda Superbike. However, he struggled to adapt with the bigger 1000cc four-stroke bike and only managed two point-scoring position.
Aoyama was left without a permanent ride in 2009, but he did made a return to 250cc Grand Prix World Championships
Grand Prix motorcycle racing
Road Racing World Championship Grand Prix is the premier championship of motorcycle road racing currently divided into three distinct classes: 125cc, Moto2 and MotoGP. The 125cc class uses a two-stroke engine while Moto2 and MotoGP use four-stroke engines. In 2010 the 250cc two-stroke was replaced...
as a wild-card rider in his home race at Motegi
2009 Japanese motorcycle Grand Prix
The 2009 Japanese motorcycle Grand Prix was the second round of the 2009 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season. It took place on the weekend of April 24–26, 2009 at the Twin Ring Motegi, located in Motegi, Japan...
. He finished an impressive 6th place after starting from 17th on the grid.
It was not possible to contract to which team though it groped for the return to the world title aiming at the season of 2010. Aoyama announced the active service retirement by own blog on February 8, 2010.
Afterwards, he participated in the Japanese Auto Race series.