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:
Position123456789101112131415
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