New and exciting horizons beckon for JiR and KONICA MINOLTA
JiR has been in charge of managing KONICA MINOLTA Honda for
three successive years and in this time all the goals have
been fully achieved, resulting in every single KONICA MINOLTA
branch being involved in the successful MotoGP activities.
These three years have demonstrated the results of strong
commitment to the global spread of KONICA MINOLTA’s
brand through the unique medium of the MotoGP World Championship.
JiR and the title sponsor KONICA MINOLTA have come to a mutual
agreement to not extend the collaboration of the Japanese
multi-national company as the Team’s main sponsor in
the 2008 MotoGP World Championship.
JiR has been proud to represent KONICA MINOLTA: JiR treasures
this collaboration, having learned much from KONICA MINOLTA’s
modern and multi-functional approach and has enjoyed exploiting
both the sporting and commercial opportunities together with
them.
Max Takahashi – General Manager Corporate Communications
& Branding Div.
“Our three years of participation with JiR in the MotoGP
racing have been very valuable for us, particularly in our
European branding activities. Although our title sponsorship
will end with this season, we want to offer our sincere thanks
to JiR in the person of Gianluca Montiron and his team and
rider for battling beside us in the MotoGP world, along with
our best wishes for their continued success as they take on
new challenges and activities. We also want to take this opportunity
to give our warmest thanks to all the officials and fans who
have supported and cheered on the KONICA MINOLTA Honda.”
Gianluca Montiron – Team Director KONICA MINOLTA
Honda
“The last three seasons have proven to be a real turning
point for my company: together with our title sponsor KONICA
MINOLTA we have shared some very profitable activities and
I would like to say I am proud to have created the KONICA
MINOLTA Honda Team.
For different reasons the 2007 sportive results have been
under the expectation – and I take full responsibility
– the commitment of a prestigious company such as KONICA
MINOLTA in the MotoGP World Championship has served to improve
the stature of both championship and sponsor. JiR have been
justifiably proud of serving our sponsor well over these years,
involving each and every branch of KONICA MINOLTA to be part
of our programme and being honoured by an important attestation
from all of them. We look to the future with hope of success
for both of us in our new projects. I offer my most sincere
thanks and my abiding gratitude to KONICA MINOLTA and its
network for the contribution to the success of such an amazing
sport.”
KONICA MINOLTA HOLDINGS INC. and JiR will thus pursue new
horizons but with the same passion that made them one of the
most competitive Teams of the past three years.
From its rise in 2002 along with rider Tetsuya Harada, JiR’s
sport project was dedicated to the Japanese market and the
development of Japanese riding talent. JiR has decided for
the upcoming season to start a program aiming to develop a
new generation of riders in order to be on top of the MotoGP
class again.
JiR will continue to be present in the MotoGP class with
its Team. Tomorrow JiR will release information on 2008 plans.
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