The Japanese motocross championship culminated ten days ago in Sugo at a 9th round decisive for the award of the 2012 titles.
Even if it was a surprise for no one because he had so greatly dominated this season (13 races won out of the 16 run before the final), Akira Narita managed to bag the title at the wheel of his official Honda of team HRC, supported technically by Motul.
Although intent on being crowned in style (an 11th place was in fact good enough), Akira was unfortunately disappointed as he fell in race 1 and therefore crossed the arrival line only in fifth place. He fortunately set the record straight in race two by taking an authoritarian win, thereby allowing him to unreservedly celebrate his triumph!
Meanwhile, his team-mate at HRC, Yu Hirata, finished the championship third, just ahead of the two members of the Suzuki official team, also supported by Motul.
Motul also partnered a third official team, Yamaha, via its tuner YSP, whose rider Takase Tanaka finished the championship 13th.
In A2 category, note should finally be made of the solid season of Kai Yamamoto (team Suzuki), who at the end of a most breathtaking last race, won the title.
Standings
1/ Akira Narita (Honda) 423 pts - Motul
2/ Hiroaki Arai (Kawasaki) 375 pts
3/ Yu Irata (Honda) 309 pts - Motul
4/ Yohei Kojima (Suzuki) 309 pts - Motul
5/ Yoshitaka Atsuta (Suzuki) 293 pts - Motul
Photo credits: HRC
