Cycle News Staff | November 8, 2009
Hiroshi Aoyama won the last 250cc World Championship at Valencia today, the Japanese rider securing the title aboard his Scot Honda RS250RW with a safe rider to seventh place.The finish gave him the title over Hector Barbera and defending series champion Marco Simoncelli and made him the last rider to win the 250cc crown in its 60-year history as the class is set to be replaced next year by the Moto2 division.Aoyama’s 250cc title has puts a close on a successful 250cc campaign for Honda as it won it’s first-ever World Championship in the 250cc class, when Mike Hailwood won the 1961 title on his four-cylinder RC162. In total, Honda has won 16 250cc riders’ titles and 19 250cc constructors’ titles over the past five decades.Simoncelli was the only rider who could beat Aoyama to the title with the Italian needing to win with Aoyoma finishing worse than 11th. The World Championship was decided when Simoncelli crashed out of the race with seven laps to go.Aoyama won four GPs en route to the title and he will make the move to MotoGP next year.
