Aoyama displays his MotoGP bike at RCD Espanyol’s stadium

aoyama presents his rc212v at espanyol stadium

Tuesday, 11 May 2010

The Japanese rider of the Interwetten Honda MotoGP Team, who have the same main sponsor as the Spanish La Liga side, accepted an invitation to present his bike before the Osasuna game at the weekend.

Hiroshi Aoyama attended the stadium of RCD Espanyol on Saturday as the worlds of football and motorcycling met. In Interwetten the Japanese rider’s MotoGP team and the Barcelona based football club have a main sponsor in common, and at the final home league game of the season Aoyama and his Honda RC212V machine were presented to the 20,000 spectators present.

Following the second round of the 2010 World Championship at Jerez, the Interwetten Honda MotoGP Team impressed fans inside the stadium as they parked up an official team truck and displayed Aoyama’s bike.

Aoyama received a warm welcome from the Espanyol fans as he appeared on the pitch with his RC212V before kick off, and he also exchanged pleasantries with Espanyol player Iván de la Peña. After the game, which the home team won 2-1, Aoyama signed autographs for fans.

“It’s the third time I’ve been to the stadium,” said Aoyama, whose previous visits were to celebrate his 250cc World title and to watch a pre-season game. “This time was for a presentation with my team, and with my bike on the pitch. I’ve never done anything like this and it was a special opportunity.”

Aoyama, who has now had two races in his debut season in the premier class, has scored eight Championship points so far which includes an impressive top-ten finish in the opening race in Qatar. Looking ahead to the coming rounds, he said: “The next races are very particular from the point of view of the layouts and strategy. They will not be easy but I intend to attack and gain positions early on.”

The 28 year-old also underwent a minor operation last Friday, the details of which he explained. “I had the surgery in Barcelona after the Jerez Test,” he said. “I had a problem in my left hand, which was stiffening up sometimes. When I started riding in the premier class I noticed it more, so for this reason I have taken these three weeks to fix it. The doctors told me that it will take ten days to recover, so I think this was a good time to have it done.”