MotoGP Team Profile

Honda HRC.

Twenty-one premier-class riders’ championships on Honda machinery — more than any other manufacturer.

Freddie Spencer took the first in 1983. Mick Doohan won five in a row, Valentino Rossi three, and Marc Márquez six. The most recent was 2019.

Operated by
Honda Racing Corporation (HRC)
First premier title
1983, Freddie Spencer
Most recent
2019, Marc Márquez
Riders' titles
21
Constructors' titles
25
Read the full history
21
Riders' Titles
On Honda machinery, 1983—2019
25
Constructors' Titles
Four more than the riders' count
6
Titles for Márquez
2013—2019
1983
First Premier Title
Freddie Spencer
Riders' title years
1983 1985 1987 1989 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2001 2002 2003 2006 2011 2013 2014 2016 2017 2018 2019
Overview

What Is Honda HRC?

Honda Racing Corporation — HRC — is Honda’s racing division, and its MotoGP team is the most successful in the history of the premier class. Twenty-one riders’ championships have been won on Honda machinery, beginning with Freddie Spencer in 1983.

Mick Doohan won five consecutively from 1994. Valentino Rossi won three, in 2001 on the two-stroke NSR500 and in 2002 and 2003 on the four-stroke RC211V. Marc Márquez won six between 2013 and 2019 on the RC213V.

Honda also holds twenty-five premier-class constructors’ championships — four more than its riders’ titles, because that award goes to the marque and can be won in a season when another manufacturer’s rider takes the riders’ crown. Honda’s many 125cc, 250cc, 350cc and Moto3 titles are separate championships and are not counted here.

Era 01 · 1983—1999

The NSR500

Freddie Spencer won Honda's first premier-class title in 1983, and the NSR500 became the bike to have. Wayne Gardner won in 1987 and Eddie Lawson in 1989, and then Mick Doohan won five championships in a row from 1994.

Àlex Crivillé took the last of the decade in 1999. The Repsol orange of these bikes is the livery most of this collection is drawn from.

Honda HRC NSR500 motorcycle ridden by Mick Doohan in iconic Repsol livery during the 1997 premier-class season Honda NSR500 · Doohan's five in a row
Era 02 · 2001—2011

Two-Stroke to Four

Valentino Rossi won the final 500cc championship in 2001 on the NSR500, then the first two MotoGP titles in 2002 and 2003 on the four-stroke RC211V — a rule change Honda handled better than anyone.

Nicky Hayden won in 2006 and Casey Stoner in 2011, the year the RC213V replaced the RC212V.

Honda HRC RC211V four-stroke MotoGP racing motorcycle featuring the 2003 Valencia team livery Honda RC211V · the four-stroke era begins
Era 03 · 2013—

Márquez, and After

Marc Márquez won the championship in his first premier-class season in 2013 and five more times by 2019 — six titles in seven years on the RC213V.

Nothing has followed. The seasons since have been Honda's hardest in the premier class for forty years, and the twenty-first title is still the most recent.

Honda HRC Castrol RC213V motorcycle ridden by Joan Mir at the 2005 Grand Prix season Honda RC213V · Márquez's sixth
Team Timeline

Honda in the Premier Class

1983

First Premier Title

Freddie Spencer wins the 500cc championship for Honda.

1985

Spencer's Second

Spencer wins again, taking the 250cc title the same year.

1987

Gardner

Wayne Gardner wins the riders' title.

1989

Lawson

Eddie Lawson wins on a Honda.

1994

Doohan Begins

Mick Doohan wins the first of five consecutive championships.

1998

Doohan's Fifth

A fifth straight title for Doohan.

1999

Crivillé

Àlex Crivillé becomes the first Spaniard to win the premier class.

2001

The Last 500cc Title

Valentino Rossi wins the final two-stroke championship on the NSR500.

2002

First MotoGP Title

Rossi wins the first four-stroke championship on the RC211V.

2003

Rossi's Third

A third consecutive title before he leaves for Yamaha.

2006

Hayden

Nicky Hayden wins the championship.

2011

Stoner

Casey Stoner wins in his first season with Honda.

2013

Márquez Arrives

Marc Márquez wins the title in his first premier-class season.

2019

Márquez's Sixth

Honda's most recent premier-class riders' championship.

By the Numbers

Riders' Championship Record

Every premier-class riders' championship won on Honda machinery, and whether Honda also took the constructors' title that season.
Season,Bike,Riders' Champion,Constructors' Title Car Drivers' champion Double
1983 Honda NSR500 Freddie Spencer Double
1985 Honda NSR500 Freddie Spencer Double
1987 Honda NSR500 Wayne Gardner Riders' only
1989 Honda NSR500 Eddie Lawson Double
1994 Honda NSR500 Mick Doohan Double
1995 Honda NSR500 Mick Doohan Double
1996 Honda NSR500 Mick Doohan Double
1997 Honda NSR500 Mick Doohan Double
1998 Honda NSR500 Mick Doohan Double
1999 Honda NSR500 Àlex Crivillé Double
2001 Honda NSR500 Valentino Rossi Double
2002 Honda RC211V Valentino Rossi Double
2003 Honda RC211V Valentino Rossi Double
2006 Honda RC211V Nicky Hayden Double
2011 Honda RC213V Casey Stoner Double
2013 Honda RC213V Marc Márquez Double
2014 Honda RC213V Marc Márquez Double
2016 Honda RC213V Marc Márquez Double
2017 Honda RC213V Marc Márquez Double
2018 Honda RC213V Marc Márquez Double
2019 Honda RC213V Marc Márquez Double

These are titles won on Honda machinery in the premier class. 1987 is the only season in which the two awards diverged — Wayne Gardner won the riders' championship while the constructors' title went elsewhere. Honda holds twenty-five premier-class constructors' championships against these twenty-one riders' titles, because the constructors' award goes to the marque and can be won in a season when another manufacturer's rider wins. Honda's titles in the 125cc, 250cc, 350cc, 50cc and Moto3 classes are separate championships and are excluded: adding them would put the figure at sixty-three. Read from the premier-class column of the champions tables. Figures verified 14 August 2026.

Sources

  1. List of Grand Prix motorcycle racing World Riders' Champions by year · Wikipedia — premier-class column only
  2. List of Grand Prix motorcycle racing World Constructors' Champions · Wikipedia — premier-class constructors' titles
  3. Photo — Mick Doohan's 1995 Honda NSR500 · Box Repsol via Wikimedia Commons · CC BY 2.0 · cropped and resized
  4. Photo — Mick Doohan's 1998 Honda NSR500 · Box Repsol via Wikimedia Commons · CC BY 2.0 · cropped and resized
  5. Photo — Valentino Rossi's Honda RC211V (2002) · Steve via Wikimedia Commons · CC BY 2.0 · cropped and resized
  6. Photo — Casey Stoner's 2012 Honda RC213V · Box Repsol via Wikimedia Commons · CC BY 2.0 · cropped and resized
  7. Photo — Marc Márquez, Repsol Honda, 2013 · RoadOver via Wikimedia Commons · CC BY 2.0 · cropped and resized
  8. Photo — Marc Márquez's 2019 Honda RC213V · Box Repsol via Wikimedia Commons · CC BY 2.0 · cropped and resized
  9. Photo — Mick Doohan's 1997 Honda NSR500 · Box Repsol via Wikimedia Commons · CC BY 2.0 · cropped and resized
  10. Photo — Honda RC211V in 2003 Valencia livery · Liauzh via Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0 · cropped and resized
  11. Photo — Honda HRC Castrol, 2025 Malaysian Grand Prix · Liauzh via Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0 · cropped and resized
  12. Logo — Honda Racing HRC logo (2022) · ™/®Honda Motor Company, via Wikimedia Commons via Wikimedia Commons · Public domain · rendered from SVG and resized
Machinery

Six Bikes That Made Honda

1994—95 The 1995 Honda NSR500 ridden by Mick Doohan, in Repsol colours

Honda NSR500

The two-stroke Mick Doohan won five consecutive championships on, and the bike behind most of Honda's 1990s dominance.

1998 The 1998 Honda NSR500 ridden by Mick Doohan, in Repsol colours

Honda NSR500

Doohan's fifth and final title bike, at the end of the two-stroke era.

2002—03 The Honda RC211V ridden by Valentino Rossi in 2002, on display

Honda RC211V

The V5 four-stroke that won the first two MotoGP championships, both with Valentino Rossi.

2011—12 The 2012 Honda RC213V ridden by Casey Stoner, in Repsol colours

Honda RC213V

Casey Stoner's 2011 championship came on its predecessor; this is the bike that replaced it and carried the team into the Márquez years.

2013 Marc Márquez riding the Repsol Honda RC213V in 2013

Honda RC213V

The bike Marc Márquez won the title on in his first premier-class season.

2019 The 2019 Honda RC213V ridden by Marc Márquez, in Repsol colours

Honda RC213V

Márquez's sixth championship, and Honda's most recent.

Riders' Champions
MM
Marc Márquez
2013, 2014, 2016—2019
MD
Mick Doohan
1994—1998
VR
Valentino Rossi
2001, 2002, 2003
FS
Freddie Spencer
1983, 1985
CS
Casey Stoner
2011
NH
Nicky Hayden
2006
Frequently Asked

Frequently Asked Questions

How many premier-class titles has Honda won?
Twenty-one riders' championships and twenty-five constructors' championships. They are separate awards and are not added together.
Who has won the most titles on a Honda?
Marc Márquez, with six — 2013, 2014, 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019.
What was Honda's first premier-class title?
1983, when Freddie Spencer won the 500cc championship.
When did Honda last win the riders' championship?
2019, with Marc Márquez.
Does this count Honda's 250cc and Moto3 titles?
No. Those are separate championships. Including them would put the total at sixty-three, which is why this page counts only the premier class.
What does HRC stand for?
Honda Racing Corporation, Honda's racing division. It runs Honda's motocross and trial programmes too, so a product has to say which series it belongs to.
Is LCR Honda the same as the works team?
No. LCR is a separate satellite team running Honda machinery.
The Collection

Shop Honda MotoGP

No products are assigned to Honda HRC yet. Add products to this team in the product editor.

Keep Exploring

More Team Histories

MCL McLaren AFC Ferrari AF Corse SCJ Silk Cut Jaguar BEN Bentley Motors TGR Toyota Gazoo Racing
0 View cart