PRESS INFORMATION

13th February, 2017

MUGEN Global Motorsport 2017

M-TEC Co., Ltd. (President: Tomoyuki HASHIMOTO, and hereinafter referred to as MUGEN) has revealed an outline of motor sports activities to be engaged in 2017 by MUGEN.

MUGEN, under the headings of Faster, Stronger, Smarter, will engage in motorsports activities both in Japan and overseas, ranging from top category motorsports, to beginners courses for the average Honda user.

MUGEN's unique in-house project of taking on the challenge of the Isle of Man TT races with a bespoke electric, zero-emission motorcycle, which started in 2012, will continue this year with a newly developed machine, SHINDEN ROKU, and having tasted victory in the event for the past 3 years, TEAM MUGEN will be looking to add to their successes of 2014, 2015, and 2016 by winning the TT Zero event, and once again posting new lap speed records.

MUGEN will also participate in the Japanese Championship SUPER FORMULA series, the pinnacle of domestic formula racing, entering with two machines in a serious effort to win the series championship.

MUGEN will return to SUPER GT in 2017 with their own team, TEAM MUGEN and will be attempting to win the series championship.

In addition, under joint projects with Honda, MUGEN will supply the engines, and provide engine maintenance and engine circuit support services to race teams in various Honda groups.

 

Mugen Original Project


[ The Isle of Man Tourist Trophy Race ]


TEAM MUGEN will participate in the TT Zero Challenge class at the 2017 Isle of Man TT races (from Thursday June 1st, through to Wednesday June 7th) *1

For MUGEN the challenge of participating in the Isle of Man TT races started in 2012 using an original bespoke EV bike, SHINDEN, as a unique project to foster young engineers and conduct developments in a new area of motorsport and experimental powertrain design, and along the way has accomplished consecutive victories for the past three years in 2014, 2015, and 2016.

The 2017 machine, (SHINDEN ROKU), has been extensively developed from the 2016 race-winning machine, (SHINDEN GO.)

“SHINDEN ROKU” will be unveiled at the 2017 Tokyo Motorcycle Show, which will be held at Tokyo Big Sight in March, 2017.


■ Team structure

Team Name Number Rider Director
TEAM MUGEN TBA John McGuinness Akihiro Miyata
TBA Guy Martin


[The 2017 Tokyo Motorcycle Show, a Launch Exhibition for TEAM MUGEN's Motorcycle for the Isle of Man TT Races]
Date and time: March 24, 2017 (Friday) 14:40 – 15:10
Venue: Tokyo Big Sight (Tokyo International Exhibition Complex) West Exhibition Hall, Special stage in atrium 3-11-1, Ariake, Koto-ku, Tokyo

*1 For the TT Zero Challenge class, in which TEAM MUGEN will enter, the race event will be held on June, 7th (Wednesday).


The Isle of Man TT Official Website: http://www.iomtt.com/

 

Projects with Honda


[Domestic automobile motor sports activities]


●Japanese Championship SUPER FORMULA Series


Once again, this season TEAM MUGEN will participate in the Japanese Championship SUPER FORMULA Series.
Alongside Naoki Yamamoto, who remains as TEAM MUGEN driver for his 7th season, the reigning 2017 GP2 champion, Pierre Gasly, will join the team, with both cars harbouring ambitions to win the series championship.

For this year MUGEN will supply the 2.0L in-line four cylinder, direct injection, turbocharged engine ”HR-417E” for SUPER FORMULA, to 5 teams for a total of 8 race cars, and will also provide engine maintenance and circuit service.

■ Team structure

Team Name Number Rider Director
TEAM MUGEN 15 Pierre Gasly Nagataka Tezuka
16 Naoki Yamamoto


■ Engine supply, engine maintenance, engine circuit service

Team Name Number
REAL RACING 10
TEAM MUGEN 15
16
B-MAX RACING TEAM 50
DOCOMO TEAM DANDELION RACING 40
41
NAKAJIMA RACING 64
65

SUPER FORMULA Official Website: http://www.superformula.net/


● SUPER GT
◇ GT500 class


For 2017 TEAM MUGEN will return to SUPER GT 500 class with their own machine after a fourteen year interval. Hideki Muto and Daisuke Nakajima who were team mates at TEAM MUGEN for the 2012 GT300 campaign, will again work together to try to win the series championship.

MUGEN will supply the 2.0L in-line four cylinder, direct injection turbocharged engine “HR-417E” for “NSX-GT” to 5 cars in 5 teams.

■ Team structure

Team Name Number Rider Director
TEAM MUGEN 16 Hideki Mutoh Nagataka Tezuka
Daisuke Nakajima


■ Engine supply, engine maintenance, engine circuit service

Team Name Number
AUTOBACS RACING TEAM AGURI 8
TEAM MUGEN 16
KEIHIN REAL RACING 17
Epson Nakajima Racing 64
TEAM KUNIMITSU 100


SUPER GT Official Website: http://supergt.net/jp/


● Honda Sports & Eco Program


“Honda Sports & Eco Program” is a unique driving school in which participants can rent a racing-specs vehicle and easily enjoy “driving, upskilling and, competing.”

Under the concept, “Doing sports ecologically”, this driving school program is aiming to give a chance to the participants to enjoy sports driving whilst at the same time giving consideration to “Eco.”

Four educational stages are prepared so that even beginners can improve their driving skills without stress, and there are four racing stages for competition at Suzuka and Motegi circuits.

MUGEN not only jointly work with MOBILITYLAND to carry out “Honda Sports & Eco Program” but also contributes to construction, attendees and circuit support services.

Honda Sports & Eco Program Official Website: http://www.honda-crz-se.jp/


● N-ONE OWNER'S CUP


“N-ONE OWNER'S CUP” is a motor sports programme that more of the participants, including the beginners, can enjoy with their own registered vehicles under the concept “Let's enjoy driving easily.” For 2017 TOKACHI SPEEDWAY has been added to the schedule bringing the number of circuits to 7 (TOKACHI SPEEDWAY, Sportsland SUGO, TWIN RING MOTEGI, FUJI SPEEDWAY, SUZUKA CIRCUIT, OKAYAMA international circuit, and AUTO POLIS) with 14 races scheduled. MUGEN will implement the planning, operation, customer support, and circuit service for the N-ONE OWNER'S CUP, and supply regulation parts.

N-ONE OWNER'S CUPOfficial Website: http://www.n-one-owners-cup.jp/


● FIT1.5 Challenge Cup


“FIT 1.5 Challenge Cup” is a one make race allowing participation with successive FITs as the name of the series implies. This year, 6 rounds will be held at Suzuka Circuit, and 6 at Twin Ring Motegi · Sportsland SUGO, is to be given the new status of JAF Local championship race. MUGEN as a one of the one make race official members will implement the development, supply and user support for racing parts.



[Overseas automobile motor sports activities]


● FIA World Touring Car Championship (WTCC) series


MUGEN EURO*2 will supply the 1.6L in-line four cylinder, direct injection, turbocharged engine, designed exclusively for racing, to each team, and will provide the engine maintenance and engine circuit support service.

■ Engine supply, maintenance, circuit service

Team Name Number
Castrol Honda World Touring Car Team 5
18
Honda Racing team J.A.S 34
Zengõ Motorsport TBA
TBA



*2 MUGEN EURO Co., Ltd is an English subsidiary wholly owned by M-TEC Co., Ltd.

WTCC Official Website: http://www.fiawtcc.jp/


In addition, for users who participate in championships with Honda car in countries all over the world, including Japan, MUGEN will continue to provide high-performance products including engine tuning for racing and technical services.

MUGEN will implement the feedback of technique and know-how obtained through these motor sports activities to all MUGEN products, and in turn offer them to customers.