MotoGP News

Kousuke Akiyoshi, the Honda MotoGP test rider, who replaced the injured Hiroshi Aoyama in Assen and Barcelona, said Good Bye to the Interwetten Honda MotoGP Team at the Grand Premi de Catalunya and thanked them with three more points as he achieved the 13th place.

Akiyoshi only stepped in at the last two Grand Prix to fill Aoyama´s empty place and gives over to the youngster from San Marino, Alex de Angelis, who will start riding the Honda RC212V from Sachsenring on.

Akiyoshi finished qualifying for the Gran Premi de Catalunya in front of his test rider compatriot Wataru Yoshikawa, who is replacing the injured Valentino Rossi at the Fiat Yamaha Team.

The target of Akiyoshi was to beat his colleague in every session and the 35 years old Japanese met the target.

Akiyoshi said that the race today was not easy for him, because as a test rider he is used to a different level of riding. Now the 35 years old Japanese is flying back home and takes the experience he gained in the premier class of motorcycle racing with him.

Kousuke Akiyoshi (13th - 44'09.348) says: "The race today was a big thing for me and it was quite difficult as well. I am a test rider and I work in a different way than the MotoGP riders. But the experience was a lot of fun for me. I would like to come back one day."

Daniel Epp (Team Manager) says:"Kousuke increased his performance a lot in Barcelona. In the last third of the race he had a similar pace as Kallio and Edwards and it was very important that he won the battle against his compatriot and working colleague Yoshikawa, who was riding the factory Yamaha this weekend. These were two interesting races in which Akiyoshi tested the bike. Now I look forward to work with Alex de Angelis."