Honda Motor Europe and Honda Jtech Team are very pleased to announce that Damon Graulus and Henry Jacobi join the Team for the 2016 season. The two young riders, Graulus of 20 years old and Jacobi of 18 years old, will ride the Honda CRF 250 R in the MX2 class.
Davy Dousselaere, Honda Motor Europe Off-Road Manager
“We’re very pleased to welcome these two young and talented riders into the Honda family. Both have shown good results and determination lately, Damon won both heats in EMX250 in Assen and last weekend he won the last heat of the Belgian Championship on a 250 from the big bores. Henry was eighth overall in Mantova and this in his MX2 rookie year. Both riders have the skills to excel in both, sand and hard pack tracks, which is a big plus. At the first tests with the Jtech team, they were very quickly able to adapt to the 2015 CRF250R and put in some fast laptimes. With all improvements on the 2016 CRF250R there is even more potential out there for 2016! With Damon and Henry we’re confident that we have made the right choices for the future. So we’re looking forward to start working with both this winter in Italy to prepare them the best possible way for the 2016 MX2 season.”
The Belgian Graulus already won the Belgian Championship 65cc in 2003, when he was just 9 years old. Then he won five years in a row the Masterkids event and he participated at the ADAC series. In 2013, Damon won the Belgian Championship and ranked a 3rd place in the EMX250 Overall Classification. In 2014 he became French Champion MX2 Elite.
In 2015 he got a 2nd Place in the EMX250 Overall Classification, 2ND in the Belgian Championship and he is still in the running to become Dutch Championship. Damon also participated in the MX2 Race in Mantova and got a 5thposition in Race 1.
The German Jacobi participated at the ADAC series and won the Red Bull Holeshot Award 2014 at the ADAC MX Masters. He joined Team Germany for the MXoN in Latvia in the same year.
In 2015 he rode the MX2 World Championship showing some very good speed, as in Mantova he got a 9th place in Race 2.
Gabriele Rinaldi, Team Manager
“I am delighted and proud to have had the opportunity to sign with Damon and Henry for a long term, three years, it will be a good challenge to get very good results in the future, we are already planning from October, to start testing and training with them. Of course, we believe in their talent, potential and in their youngness, but with a new Team and bike, it’s better to leave nothing on the back and start working as soon is it possible to achieve the dream to keep better results with the hard work that is needed.”
Iller Aldini, Technical Director
“The reason behind the choice of Damon and Henry is the will of the Team to work with young riders, determined and talented. The aim is to grow up with the riders, looking forward to important results. I am happy about our choice because they have already showed good speed and I am confident for the upcoming 2016. I can’t wait to start to work together.”
