Professional race drivers oftentimes like to try their hand at something different. Two-time Formula One World Champion Fernando Alonso is one of them and, although he didn’t actually participate in a race, he did ride a bike at Honda’s annual ‘Thanks Day’ at the Motegi circuit.
At the event, Alonso jumped onto a RC213V , the same bike used by MotoGP champion, and factory Honda rider, Marc Marquez. It is powered by a 1000 cc engine with over 230 hp that has a top speed of over 350 km/h, making it a real match for Alonso’s Honda-powered McLaren F1 car.
Beyond getting the chance to experience what it is like to be a motorcycle racer, the Spaniard had the opportunity to get behind the wheel of the McLaren-Honda MP4/6, the same car in which Ayrton Senna won the 1991 world championship. The MP4/6 is an icon in the F1 history of McLaren and Honda, as it was the last to use a V12 engine and a traditional manual transmission.
Also showing off his racing prowess was Marc Marquez, who tested the NSX Concept GT to its limits at the circuit. When combined with current Indy car driver Takuma Sato and Dani Pedrosa, Honda sent off its 2015 racing season with a bang.
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