Tadayuki Okada


Tadayuki 'Taddy' Okada is a Japanese former professional Grand Prix motorcycle road racer. He was runner-up in the 1994 250cc and in the 1997 500cc World Championship.

Early career

Okada won the 250cc All Japan Road Race Championship in three successive years from 1989 to 1991 for Honda. Honda then entered him into the 250cc World Championship in 1993. He was runner-up in the series in 1994, and fourth in 1995.

500cc and beyond

Okada stepped up to 500cc in 1996, helping develop the V-twin Honda NSR500V and finished the season in 7th overall. In 1997, he claimed his first 500cc win in Indonesia and finished second to Mick Doohan. He missed several races in 1998 due to a wrist injury but bounced back in 1999 to finish third in the championship, with wins at Assen, Brno and Phillip Island. Going into the final round of the season he was second in points, but lost out to final-race winner Kenny Roberts Jr.. After a largely unsuccessful 2000 he switched to the Superbike World Championship for, without winning a race although taking three podium finishes and 8th overall. Okada chose to retire at the end of the year. He made a one-off wildcard appearance at the 2008 Italian Grand Prix at Mugello in June, finishing 14th, in the first race for the pneumatic valved Honda RC212V.

Grand Prix career statistics

Points system from 1988 to 1992:
Position123456789101112131415
Points201715131110987654321

Points system from 1993 onwards:
Position123456789101112131415
Points252016131110987654321


YearClassTeamMachine123456789101112131415161718PointsRankWins
1989250ccCabin-HondaNSR250JPN
6		AUS
-		USA
-		ESP
-		NAT
-		GER
-		AUT
-		YUG
-		NED
-		BEL
-		FRA
-		GBR
-		SWE
-		CZE
-		BRA
-		1028th0
1990250ccHondaNSR250JPN
RET		USA
-		ESP
-		NAT
-		GER
-		AUT
-		YUG
-		NED
-		BEL
-		FRA
-		GBR
-		SWE
-		CZE
-		HUN
-		AUS
-		0-0
1991250ccHondaNSR250JPN
RET		AUS
-		USA
-		ESP
-		ITA
-		GER
-		AUT
-		EUR
-		NED
-		FRA
-		GBR
-		RSM
-		CZE
-		VDM
-		MAL
-		0-0
1992250ccHRC-HondaNSR250JPN
2		AUS
-		MAL
-		ESP
-		ITA
-		EUR
-		GER
-		NED
-		HUN
-		FRA
-		GBR
-		BRA
-		RSA
-		1513th0
1993250ccRothmans-HondaNSR250AUS
4		MAL
3		JPN
2		ESP
7		AUT
RET		GER
INJ		NED
RET		EUR
2		RSM
6		GBR
5		CZE
11		ITA
7		USA
9		FIM
RET		1208th0
1994250ccKanemoto-HondaNSR250AUS
5		MAL
2		JPN
1		ESP
3		AUT
4		GER
5		NED
2		ITA
7		FRA
9		GBR
2		CZE
5		USA
4		ARG
1		EUR
4		2142nd2
1995250ccHRC-HondaNSR250AUS
RET		MAL
3		JPN
RET		ESP
6		GER
3		ITA
5		NED
3		FRA
3		GBR
8		CZE
7		BRA
3		ARG
7		EUR
7		1364th0
1996500ccRepsol HondaNSR500VMAL
RET		INA
RET		JPN
4		ESP
3		ITA
7		FRA
RET		NED
13		GER
7		GBR
4		AUT
11		CZE
7		IMO
3		CAT
5		BRA
8		AUS
2		1327th0
1997500ccRepsol HondaNSR500MAL
10		JPN
3		ESP
3		ITA
RET		AUT
2		FRA
3		NED
12		IMO
5		GER
2		BRA
2		GBR
2		CZE
RET		CAT
6		INA
1		AUS
4		1972nd1
1998500ccRepsol HondaNSR500JPN
2		MAL
RET		ESP
7		ITA
INJ		FRA
INJ		MAD
INJ		NED
8		GBR
INJ		GER
INJ		CZE
4		IMO
7		CAT
2		AUS
9		ARG
2		1068th0
1999500ccRepsol HondaNSR500MAL
5		JPN
15		ESP
4		FRA
9		ITA
3		CAT
2		NED
1		GBR
2		GER
RET		CZE
1		IMO
4		VAL
4		AUS
1		RSA
4		BRA
7		ARG
RET		2113rd3
2000500ccRepsol-HondaNSR500RSA
RET		MAL
6		JPN
3		ESP
10		FRA
14		ITA
8		CAT
15		NED
11		GBR
10		GER
5		CZE
10		POR
7		VAL
9		BRA
9		PAC
10		AUS
9		10711th0
2008MotoGPRepsol-HondaRC212VQAT
-		ESP
-		POR
-		CHN
-		FRA
-		ITA
14		CAT
-		GBR
-		NED
-		GER
-		USA
-		CZE
-		RSM
-		IND
-		JPN
-		AUS
-		MAL
-		VAL
-		221st0