Takahashi joins Red Bull Honda for Portimao and Jerez
Honda factory rider Takumi Takahashi will team-mate up with Stefan Bradl for two rounds of the 2017 World Superbike championship at Portimao and Jerez, switching in for Davide Giugliano as stand-in rider.
After the tragic death of Nicky Hayden in May the Red Bull Honda squad have been without a permanent two-rider line-up for the past four rounds, with American Jake Gagne filling in at Laguna Seca before Giugliano stepped in for testing duties and the Lausitzring round.
Honda factory rider Takumi Takahashi will team-mate up with Stefan Bradl for two rounds of the 2017 World Superbike championship at Portimao and Jerez, switching in for Davide Giugliano as stand-in rider.
After the tragic death of Nicky Hayden in May the Red Bull Honda squad have been without a permanent two-rider line-up for the past four rounds, with American Jake Gagne filling in at Laguna Seca before Giugliano stepped in for testing duties and the Lausitzring round.
Takahashi, three-time Suzuka 8 Hours winner who is currently second in the MFJ All-Japan championship, has vast experience with the new Fireblade CBR1000RR SP2 and will aim to put that knowledge to use in two rounds of the World Superbike championship. Takahashi will step-in at Portimao in less than two weeks before returning for the Jerez round in October.
It is not known whether Red Bull Honda will field another replacement rider for the Magny-Cours round which sits in the calendar between Portimao and Jerez, while the race seat alongside Bradl at the final round in Qatar is also unconfirmed.
