Tetsuya Harada


Tetsuya Harada is a Japanese former Grand Prix motorcycle road racer. He was the 1993 FIM 250cc World Champion.

Early years

Born in Chiba, Japan, Harada won the Japanese 125cc Junior championship in 1988, and was runner-up to Tadayuki Okada in the All-Japan 250cc series in both 1990 and 1991, before taking the crown in 1992. In all three years he competed in the Japanese round of the 250cc World Championship, twice starting on the front row and twice scoring points. His performance earned him a sponsored ride in the 1993 250cc World Championship.

250 career

Riding a Yamaha TZ250, he won four races including his home race and won the 1993 250cc World Championship in his first attempt defeating Honda's Loris Capirossi. A wrist injury affected his performance in the 1994 season, finishing 7th overall with only a single podium finish. In 1995 Harada was Max Biaggi's main competitor for the 250 title. He won one race and finished 2nd eight times. In 1996 his bike was underpowered and he only reached the podium four times. He was on the verge of retiring when Aprilia offered him a bike for the 1997 season. Although his 235 points were the most he scored in a season, he finished the season in third place behind Biaggi and Ralf Waldmann.
In 1998 Harada battled his Aprilia teammate Capirossi for the championship, leading for most of the season, until the two riders were involved in a controversial incident at the final race of the year in Argentina. Harada had the world championship within sight, leading the race into the final corner of the final lap when Harada's bike was rammed from behind by Capirossi's machine, sending the Japanese rider off the track. Valentino Rossi took the victory while Capirossi claimed second place and the world championship. Harada would finish the season in third place behind Capirossi and Rossi.

500 career

In 1999 Harada moved up to the 500cc class to compete on Aprilia's 380cc V-twin race bike. He obtained top 5 finishes in the first 10 races, including podium results at Paul Ricard and Donington Park: however, the bike's performance subsequently faded and he could not improve his results. In 2000 he was less competitive, coming 16th overall. In 2001 he made another attempt to obtain a second 250cc world championship, taking 8 poles and three victories: the title, however, went to fellow Japanese Daijiro Kato. For 2002 he entered the MotoGP class aboard a Honda two-stroke, but this proved to be his final year of professional racing, as he retired after a difficult season that saw him finish 17th overall. He ended his career with 17 Grand Prix victories, all in the 250cc class.

Grand Prix career statistics

Points system from 1988 to 1992:
Position123456789101112131415
Points201715131110987654321

Points system from 1993:
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Points252016131110987654321


YearClassTeamMachine12345678910111213141516PointsRankWins
1990250ccYamahaTZ250JPN
7
USA
-
ESP
-
NAT
-
GER
-
AUT
-
YUG
-
NED
-
BEL
-
FRA
-
GBR
-
SWE
-
CZE
-
HUN
-
AUS
-
927th0
1991250ccNescafé Can RT YamahaTZ250JPN
6
AUS
-
USA
-
ESP
-
ITA
-
GER
-
AUT
-
EUR
-
NED
-
FRA
-
GBR
-
RSM
-
CZE
-
VDM
-
MAL
-
1024th0
1992250ccNescafé Can RT YamahaTZ250JPN
NC
AUS
-
MAL
-
ESP
-
ITA
-
EUR
-
GER
-
NED
-
HUN
-
FRA
-
GBR
-
BRA
-
RSA
-
0-0
1993250ccTelcor Yamaha ValesiTZ250AUS
1
MAL
2
JPN
1
ESP
1
AUT
6
GER
6
NED
2
EUR
NC
RSM
3
GBR
DNF
CZE
6
ITA
DNF
USA
5
FIM
1
1971st4
1994250ccYamaha of FranceTZ250AUS
-
MAL
-
JPN
9
ESP
7
AUT
NC
GER
7
NED
NC
ITA
2
FRA
8
GBR
4
CZE
NC
USA
3
ARG
3
EUR
5
1097th0
1995250ccMarlboro YamahaTZ250AUS
2
MAL
2
JPN
4
ESP
1
GER
2
ITA
2
NED
DNS
FRA
5
GBR
2
CZE
2
BRA
5
ARG
2
EUR
2
2202nd1
1996250ccMarlboro YamahaTZ250MAL
2
INA
1
JPN
NC
ESP
2
ITA
6
FRA
3
NED
10
GER
NC
GBR
DNS
AUT
NC
CZE
9
IMO
NC
CAT
-
BRA
-
AUS
-
1048th1
1997250ccApriliaRS250MAL
2
JPN
3
ESP
2
ITA
NC
AUT
18
FRA
1
NED
1
IMO
5
GER
1
BRA
2
GBR
2
CZE
3
CAT
4
INA
4
AUS
5
2353rd3
1998250ccApriliaRS250JPN
4
MAL
1
ESP
NC
ITA
3
FRA
1
MAD
1
NED
DNF
GBR
2
GER
1
CZE
1
IMO
10
CAT
2
AUS
DNF
ARG
NC
2003rd5
1999500ccApriliaRSW500MAL
13
JPN
NC
ESP
NC
FRA
3
ITA
4
CAT
4
NED
11
GBR
3
GER
7
CZE
5
IMO
13
VAL
11
AUS
NC
RSA
15
BRA
12
ARG
11
10410th0
2000500ccApriliaRSW500RSA
NC
MAL
12
JPN
NC
ESP
11
FRA
10
ITA
NC
CAT
9
NED
12
GBR
NC
GER
NC
CZE
14
POR
14
VAL
NC
BRA
13
PAC
13
AUS
14
3816th0
2001250ccApriliaRS250JPN
2
RSA
3
ESP
2
FRA
2
ITA
1
CAT
2
NED
24
GBR
18
GER
3
CZE
1
POR
3
VAL
2
PAC
1
AUS
2
MAL
2
BRA
6
2732nd3
2002MotoGPPramac-HondaNSR500JPN
11
RSA
12
ESP
10
FRA
NC
ITA
10
CAT
13
NED
13
GBR
11
GER
NC
CZE
15
POR
10
BRA
13
PAC
15
MAL
NC
AUS
14
VAL
14
4717th0