Honda Racing Corporation (HRC) have confirmed that Taiga Yanase will compete in the MX2 World Championship in 2027 after winning the 2026 All-Japan Motocross Championship (JMX) IA2 title.
HRC are continuing their commitment to supporting young Asian riders as they aim to reach the world stage.
Yanase is a 21-year-old from Aichi Prefecture. This season, he joined the “Honda Dream Racing” team and won his first title in his sixth year competing in the IA2 class. In 2027, he will make the leap from Japan to the international stage with the goal of continuing to grow.
In this announcement, HRC stated that its goal is not only to nurture young talent domestically but also to use the Japanese Motocross Championship as a springboard to the world stage and to send riders from Asia to compete internationally. In fact, in 2026, they will sign a contract with Jiraj Wannarak, last year’s Thai Motocross Championship winner, who will be the first foreign rider to compete full-time in the IA1 class of the Japanese Motocross Championship as an HRC rider. As the first step in their “From Asia to the World” initiative, Yanase will enter the world stage starting in 2027.
“Ever since I was little, I’ve always wanted to compete at the world level. I’m so happy to have been able to fulfill that dream. This is my first time in Europe, and since it’s the World Championship, the level of the riders is very high. There are about 10 factory riders competing in the MX2 class, and I know it won’t be easy to get a good result, but my main goal right now is to finish in the top 10. I’m grateful to be able to establish myself abroad and continue my racing career, so I’ll do my best to make the most of this opportunity.”
