A podium appearance and more World Championship points were the rewards for the Honda Civics performance after a tough weekend at the Salzburgring circuit in Austria.

Following the qualifying penalties that relegated the cars to the back of the grid for race 1, the strategy was to bring the cars home safely and then attack for race 2 when the original grids are reversed. This placed Norbert Michelisz in the Zengo Motorsport Civic on the front row with the Castrol Honda team cars of Tiago Monteiro on the second row with Gabriele Tarquini in fifth position on row 3.

Race 1 performance was controlled as planned but the Civics did advance through the field and inherited some positions when cars ahead crashed or retired. Tarquini finished 12th followed by Monteiro and Michelisz.

Off the line from the start of race 2 Michelisz led into the first corners before being passed by James Nash. Norbert clung on to the new leader for ten laps but could not find a way past. With two laps to go he was under further pressure from former champion Yvan Muller who stole the place on lap 10. Michelisz took the third step on the podium to confirm his third consecutive podium finish in the recent WTCC meetings in Slovakia, Hungary and now Austria.

From the second row Tiago Monteiro powered into a close third place on the opening lap and he too held station until lap seven when Muller passed him. Tiago finished a gritty fourth and was very positive at the finish. “We have to keep fighting for places and points. There is still a long season ahead and nothing comes easy in this competitive championship but this is why it is the actual World Championship. I really believe we can keep on collecting points right to the finish.”

Tarquini‘s race was not so rewarding although eighth place overall although further points will be added to his Drivers Championship tally. “I had to work hard to keep positions but I lost out but we got the car home safely and can now take a little time for testing before the next WTCC race in Moscow in June.”

“It was a tough weekend and little went as we expected,” reports Daisuke Horiuchi, Large Project Leader for WTCC development from Honda R&D. “We had a small increase in straight line speed and will continue to refine boost and ignition controls. It is important that we look at possible improvements in aerodynamics for the next race.”

Provisional Results – Race 2 Salzburgring

1 James Nash    Chevrolet Cruze 1.6T
2 Yvan Muller    Chevrolet Cruze 1.6T
3 Nobert Michelisz    Honda Civic WTCC
4 Tiago Michelisz    Honda Civic WTCC
5 Michel Nykjaer    Chevrolet Cruze 1.6T

8 Gabriele Tarquini    Honda Civic WTCC

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“神電 貳（ＳＨＩＮＤＥＮ ＮＩ）” has been developed using the data acquired from the first challenge at the Isle of Man last year, and a series of wind-tunnel and engine bench testing programmes carried out since the 2012 event.

Since the prototype build the motorcycle has been running repeatedly at Internationally certified circuits in Japan in order to gauge the performance improvement gained with the aid of, not only weight-saving to the motorcycle itself, and also of the EV system, but also the optimization of the motor output characteristics, and an increase of energy content. Furthermore, revised aerodynamic parts will complement the overall performance package of the machine.

For 2013 John McGuinness, already a 19-time victor at the Isle of Man TT will again join with Team MUGEN as race rider in the quest to win the race, targeting an average speed of over 110 miles per hour.

*The Isle of Man Tourist Trophy Race TT Zero Challenge
The Isle of Man Tourist Trophy Race TT is a motorcycle racing event having been held on the Isle of Man since 1907 and is historically the most prestigious motorcycle race in the world.
TT Zero Challenge started in 2009 as a new class requiring the entrants to ride motorcycles with zero-emission engines emitting no CO2. The race is run in a time-trial format over a course of approximately 60km of mixed terrain around the isle.

 MACHINE SPECIFICATION

Name: – 神電 貳（ＳＨＩＮＤＥＮ ＮＩ）
Length/Width/Height(mm): – 2,125/680/1,130
Wheelbase(mm): – 1,485
Ground clearance(mm): – 130
Seat height(mm): – 840
Kerb weight(kg): – 240
Tyre(Front): – 120/70ZR17M/C(58W)
Tyre(Rear): – 200/55ZR17M/C(78W)
Frame: – CFRP Twin-Spar-Type
Motor type: – Three Phase Brushless DC motors
Horsepower(kW[PS]): – 90[122]
Torque(N-m[kgf-m]): – 220[22.4]
Battery: – Lithium-ion Battery
Battery output(V): – 370 or more

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Starting from 3^rd position on the grid Gabriele Tarquini brought his Castrol Honda Civic home to claim the 3^rd step on yet another podium.

In the reversed grid race 2 the drums, trumpets and klaxons again heralded Michelisz and his Team Zengo Honda Civic to his grid spot. But by the end of the very first lap the Castrol Honda Civic of Tarquini was out of the race after a heavy impact with the guardrail propelled the car back onto the track into collision with Franz Engstler’s car. A badly shaken Tarquini was immediately taken to the circuit medical centre for precautionary checks.

Team-mate Tiago Monteiro was forced to start from the pit-lane following an impact in race one and passed 9 cars on his way to a 13^th place finish. Meanwhile Michelisz battled hard, to the delight of his fans, but could only manage to progress to 8^th after the 12 laps were completed.

Latest news from the team, JAS Motorsport is that Tarquini appears to have suffered no serious injury and is fully expected to be back fighting for podiums and race victories at the next round in Austria.

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The victory was even sweeter for the Castrol Honda team with Tiago Monteiro bringing the second Civic home in second place. To cap a stunning result in only the third event for the Honda Civic WTCC cars the Zengo Motorsport entered Civic took third place driven by Hungarian star, Norbert Michelisz. Tarquini set fastest lap time in the race.

Monteiro’s result was superb in many ways. Following his accident in the previous round in Marrakesh, a brand new Civic had to be readied for Slovakia with very little testing time available. “It ran perfectly right from the start and we improved it in the sessions. My front row grid position was my thank you to the JAS Team and Honda for making the car ready. I tried to keep with Gabriele in the race 1 but my tyres were working too hard towards the end, but Norbert and I were close and very pleased with the result,” said Tiago.
For Michelisz, third overall on the podium was a great publicity boost for his home event in just one week’s time at the Hungaroring. “For me I think the season has now started and to be alongside Gabriele and Tiago on the Honda podium is fantastic.”

Daisuke Horiuchi, Large Project Leader for WTCC development from Honda R & D in Japan is confident that the cars are improving all the time. “We make small steps to improve in every area each time we run and this is a great result and a step towards more results. To see the Michelisz team also run our Civic so well as part of the Honda Racing family is very encouraging.”

In race 2, starting from the 5th row on the reversed format grid the two Castrol Honda cars made great starts with the Portuguese Monteiro diving through the pack into 4th place in the early corners with Tarquini 6th. By lap 5 Tarquini was in 4th place and Monteiro running in 5th. On lap 7 Tarquini took advantage of a mistake by the leaders and grabbed 3rd place for another podium finish making this a great day for the Castrol Honda World Touring Car Team.

Team Principal Alessandro Mariani was delighted with the results. “There has been a great job done by my team, but we must remember it is a long season and there are many races yet to run but we are working all the time to be strong on every type of circuit. Next week we are in Hungary and I think the Honda will be good there so we must try for more results.”

Mugen Euro vice-President, Hiro Toyoda commented. “It is a great honour for us at Mugen Euro to have been part of this excellent result for Honda and the Castrol Honda WTCC team, and we look forward to repeating this success many times in the future.”

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The 2013 all-electric powered machine, seen sporting interim bodywork, will be looking to build on the successful debut for MUGEN in 2012 where the team were among the first to break the elusive 100mph lap barrier for electric racing bikes, with an impressive 102.2mph lap earning a 2^nd place finish.

With initial tests designed to prove the speed and endurance of the all-new chassis and power-train the team declared progress to be well on target, and work will continue to finalise the bodywork and complete the build before MUGEN Shinden Ni begins the 5,900 mile journey, which the team hope will end in a trip to the top step of the TT podium for 19 times TT winner, John McGuinness.

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As providers of the track-side support for the all-new Honda 1.6 litre turbo-charged engine, Mugen Euro were delighted to be able to join in with the Castrol Honda World Touring Car team as they celebrated their first WTCC pole position provided by a stunning qualifying lap by pole position ace, Gabriele Tarquini.

Following the rolling start Tarquini was able to maintain his grid position and hold the lead of race one for the first part of the race, before being passed by the eventual race winner, Michel Nykjaer.
One lap later Tarquini’s Honda team-mate Tiago Monteiro capped off a thoroughly miserable weekend for the Portuguese driver, by crashing into the wall and putting his Honda Civic out of action for the rest of the event.
Ironically the debris from Monteiro’s incident was the apparent cause of the retirement for the third Honda in the race, that of Zengo Motorsport driver, Norbert Michelisz, when a brake disc smashed through the bodywork of his car damaging cooling components and causing the engine to overheat.
Tarquini however used the extensive yellow-flag period to regroup and by the end of the race was pushing hard to recapture the lead, but in the end a well-earned 2nd place and another trip to the podium was his reward.

From his reversed-grid position on the 5th row in race two Tarquini was looking to make up places and earn valuable championship points when one of the notoriously vicious kerbs launched his car across the track and into the wall on the other side.

Sitting in joint second in the driver’s championship with a pole and two podiums to his credit, it can only be a matter of time before Tarquini takes his Honda one step higher and tastes the victory champagne.
However with two damaged cars the JAS Motorsport team have some work to do before the next round in Slovakia at the end of this month.

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Mugen Euro were proud to provide track support to the Castrol Honda World Touring Car Team as they secured the season’s first podium in the WTCC with Gabriele Tarquini taking a fighting 3rd place in race 2 at a very wet Monza in Italy.

With Tarquini taking 4^th & 3^rd and his team-mate, Tiago Monteiro, providing solid finishes with 5^th & 8^th, the team left round One with a satisfying points haul, and an early lead in the WTCC constructors championship.

The team now prepares to head for Morrocco and the 2^nd round of the season at Marrakesh on April 7^th.

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________________________________

M-TEC Co., Ltd. Shin Nagaosa, president (hereinafter called M-TEC) announced the
intention of “TEAM MUGEN” to again take on the challenge of the 2013 Isle of Man
Tourist Trophy TT Zero race to be held on the Isle of the Man on June 5th.
M-TEC developed the original EV bike, dubbed “SHINDEN” in order to showcase the
company’s advanced clean emission technology and their creativity to the world, while
at the same time gaining valuable experience and education for the engineers of the
next generation for the future of the company. Despite 2012 being the very first entry at
the Isle of Man for the team, and the first all-electric vehicle produced by the company,
the team effort earned a very creditable second place in the 2012 race, while at the
same time achieving the landmark of completing the race distance with an average
speed in excess of 100mph; a feat that had not been achieved by any rider in previous
TT Zero races.
SHINDEN NI (SHINDEN 2) has been developed for the 2013 race based on the real
data provided by the original SHINDEN. The weight of the motorcycle body and EV
system have been reduced, and the electric motor and aerodynamics have all come
under scrutiny and been modified in the quest towards a significant performance
increase over the 2012 machine.
M-Tec are also delighted to announce that 19 times Isle of Man TT winner, John
McGuinness, will again join the programme as the Team MUGEN rider, and together
with the team will be providing maximum effort as the team aims for 2013 TT Zero
victory.

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The traditionally well-supported, end-of-season VdeV 6 hour event for CN sports prototype cars using production-based 2.0L engines resulted in 1^st place for TATUUS Racing and its recently-introduced PY-012 car, and 2^nd place for Mecamomoteur with the LIGIER JS53.

Both were single entries in a field dominated numerically by Norma chassis, and both were equipped with MUGEN-branded engines. In the case of TATUUS, build and preparation of the HONDA-based power unit was entrusted to MUGEN’s official engine associate in Italy, AUTOTECNICA MOTORI. The similar specification blue-printed motor fitted to the LIGIER was supplied directly from MUGEN EURO in the UK.

Constantly-changing track conditions made the race an exciting, true endurance race and the teams and drivers were kept on their toes throughout the 6 hours. The top end engine performance on Estoril’s long straight while retaining excellect ‘driveability’ and torque in the lower rpm ranges achieved by MUGEN tuning undoubtedly contributed to these outstanding performances. All credit must go also to the preparation of the cars by the teams concerned and the expertise of the drivers – Brandon Maïsano and Fabio Francia in the TATUUS, Julien Schell, Yann Clairay and Robin Longechal in the Ligier.

2013 has the marks of a superb season of racing for these circa 250 bhp ‘real’ racing cars in VdeV, SPEED Euroseries and Italian Championships, and MUGEN aims to continue and further develop its championship and race-winning form gained over the past two years.

Credit photo Victor Laroche

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