All Japan Road Race Rd.1 Motegi: Nozane Finishes 4th, Guest Rider Hada Secures 5th in JSB1000
The opening round of the 2026 MFJ All Japan Road Race Championship, the “Motegi 2&4 Race,” was held on April 4–5 at Mobility Resort Motegi. Held jointly with the Super Formula series, the season opener attracted 46,000 spectators over three days, with excitement buzzing in the air. Only the JSB1000 class was contested at this round.
Astemo Pro Honda SI Racing entered two riders: ace rider Kota Nozane and 2025 ST1000 class champion Taiga Hada. Hada made his JSB1000 debut as a one-off entry for this event.
April 4 (Sat): Qualifying / Weather: Cloudy, later rain / Track: Dry
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Qualifying took place under unpredictable weather conditions, making early time attacks crucial. Nozane set a time of 1:47.989 to secure 4th position, while Hada clocked 1:48.613 to place 6th. Both riders secured strong positions to fight in the leading group.
April 5 (Sun): Race / Weather: Cloudy, later rain / Track: Dry
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The race started under challenging conditions with some damp patches remaining on the track. Nozane ran with the leading group in the early stages but was unable to increase his pace. Despite a difficult race, he maintained a cool composure and finished in 4th place, securing valuable championship points.
Hada, in his first JSB1000 race, delivered an impressive performance. He briefly moved up to 2nd place mid-race, asserting his strong presence. In the closing laps, he was involved in an intense four-rider battle for 5th position. Demonstrating great determination, he fought through and secured an excellent 5th-place finish.
While the results were not ideal for a team aiming for the championship, both riders demonstrated strong potential for the season ahead.
The next round, “Superbike Race in SUGO,” will take place on April 24–25 at Sportsland SUGO in Miyagi Prefecture, where all classes will be contested. We appreciate your continued support and hope to see you at the next round!
■Comments from Team Director and Riders
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- Team Director Shinichi Ito
We had been preparing since last year, but the race did not come together as expected, resulting in a somewhat frustrating outcome. Although Nozane was in good form, he was unable to fully demonstrate his performance in both qualifying and the race.
Hada showed strong speed in his first JSB1000 race, which will be valuable experience toward the Suzuka 8 Hours. Considering that Nozane scored no points last year due to a crash, we see the points gained this time as something very positive.
We will carefully review the issues and smooth them out heading into the next round at SUGO. Many spectators attended, and the event was highly exciting. We are grateful for the support from Astemo and all our sponsors, and we hope we can deliver the results they expect.
At SUGO, all classes will be held with eight riders competing. The entire team will work together and continue to push forward. Thank you for your continued support. -
- Rider Kohta Nozane
I haven’t experienced such a difficult race in a long time. From the early laps, I struggled, especially with corner exits where I couldn’t apply power properly. There were also issues related to the resurfaced track, and I had to manage these issues throughout the race.
I battled with Kunii, but I couldn’t fully utilize my strengths, which is something I need to reflect on. I’m very frustrated and aware that there are many areas to improve, especially in maintaining pace over a full race distance.
For the next round at SUGO, we have some positive data and a good direction with the tires. I want to carefully assess conditions, such as temperature and track surface, to improve our performance. -
- Rider Taiga Hada
Within the first three laps, I found myself in a very tough situation. The conditions were difficult, and it became a matter of pushing through with determination.
Since I only started riding this package during the race week, we didn’t have enough time to refine the setup, so I focused on how to adapt as a rider. I also had to manage my condition after fracturing my collarbone two weeks ago. In the latter stages, it was extremely tough—I honestly felt like returning to the pits—but I’m glad I managed to finish the race. I believe I gave my best and did everything I could as a rider. I have no regrets about the result.
I will reset my mindset for the next round at SUGO and prepare to fight for victory in the ST1000 class.
