Riding under the Honda-Asia Dream Racing banner is Malaysian Zaqhwan Zaidi

The Honda Group of Companies in Asia and Oceania has created the Honda Asia-Dream Racing team, recruiting from different countries across the region. The program was introduced at a press conference in Bangkok on February 15, 2018. Announced to ride under the Honda Asia-Dream banner was Malaysian star Zaqhwan Zaidi.

22-year-old Zaidi, who had previously won two championships in the SS600 class of the FIM Asia Road Racing Championship (ARCC), will move up to pilot the CBR1000RR SP2 for Honda Asia-Dream Racing. Also present at the event were Susumu Mitsuishi, Asian Honda Motor Co. General Manager, and Asia-Dream Racing Team Manager Makoto Tamada.

For the 2018 season, Asia-Dream Racing’s Zaidi will compete in the JSB1000 class of the All-Japan Road Race Championship (JRR) as well as the Suzuka 8-Hour Endurance Race. The move is part of Honda’s longstanding efforts in developing young, world-class riders and supporting teams in regional competitions. The Asia-Dream Racing team was established in response to the ASB1000 class debut for the 2019 ARCC season. Next year, Zaidi will reprise his roles at JRR and Suzuka, as well as enter ARCC’s JSB1000 class. 

Makoto Tamada, former Team Manager of Satu Hati Honda Team Asia, is now the Team Manager of Honda Asia-Dream Racing. Members include mechanics and personnel recruited from Honda subsidiaries and teams across the region. Also collaborating on Honda Asia-Dream Racing so far are companies from Thailand, Malaysia, India, Indonesia, Vietnam, the Philippines, and Australia.