Grand Prix motorcycle racing is the highest class of motorcycle

road racing Road racing is a North American term to describe motorsport racing held on a paved road surface. The races can be held on a race track, closed circuit—generally, a purpose-built racing facility—or on a street circuit that uses temporarily c ...

events held on road circuits sanctioned by the

Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme The International Motorcycling Federation (Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme) or (FIM) is the global governing/sanctioning body of motorcycle racing. It represents 123 national motorcycle federations that are divided into six continent ...

(FIM). Independent

motorcycle A motorcycle (motorbike, bike; uni (if one-wheeled); trike (if three-wheeled); quad (if four-wheeled)) is a lightweight private 1-to-2 passenger personal motor vehicle Steering, steered by a Motorcycle handlebar, handlebar from a saddle-style ...

racing events have been held since the start of the twentieth century and large national events were often given the title Grand Prix. The foundation of the Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme as the international governing body for motorcycle sport in 1949 provided the opportunity to coordinate rules and regulations in order that selected events could count towards official World Championships. It is the oldest established motorsport

world championship A world championship is generally an international competition open to elite competitors from around the world, representing their nations, and winning such an event will be considered the highest or near highest achievement in the sport, game ...

. Grand Prix motorcycles are purpose-built racing machines that are unavailable for purchase by the general public and unable to be ridden legally on

public road A highway is any public or private road or other public way on land. It includes not just major roads, but also other public roads and rights of way. In the United States, it is also used as an equivalent term to controlled-access highway, or ...

s. This contrasts with the various production-based categories of racing, such as the

Superbike World Championship Superbike World Championship (also known as WorldSBK, SBK, World Superbike, WSB, or WSBK) is a silhouette road racing series based on heavily modified production sports motorcycles. The championship was founded in . The Superbike World Champion ...

and the

Isle of Man TT Races The Isle of Man TT or Tourist Trophy races are an annual motorcycle racing event run on the Isle of Man in May and June of most years since its inaugural race in 1907. The event begins on the UK Spring Bank Holiday at the end of May and runs fo ...

that feature modified versions of road-going motorcycles available to the public. The top-division is known as MotoGP since , when the four-stroke era began. Prior to that, the largest class was 500cc, both of which form a historical continuum as the official World Championship, although all classes have official status. The championship is divided into four classes: the eponymous MotoGP, Moto2, Moto3 and MotoE. The first three classes use

four-stroke engine A four-stroke (also four-cycle) engine is an internal combustion (IC) engine in which the piston completes four separate strokes while turning the crankshaft. A stroke refers to the full travel of the piston along the cylinder, in either directi ...

s, while the MotoE class uses

electric motorcycle Electric motorcycles and scooters are plug-in electric vehicles with two or three wheels. Power is supplied by a rechargeable battery that drives one or more electric motors. Electric scooters are distinguished from motorcycles by having a s ...

s. The most successful rider in Grand Prix history is

Giacomo Agostini Giacomo Agostini (; born 16 June 1942) is an Italian former professional motorcycle road racer and racing team manager. He competed in the FIM Grand Prix motorcycle racing world championships from 1963 to 1977, most prominently as a member of ...

with 15 titles and 122 race wins. In the top-flight series, Agostini holds the title record with eight, followed by

Valentino Rossi Valentino Rossi ( ; ; born 16 February 1979) is an Italian racing driver, former professional motorcycle road racer and nine-time Grand Prix motorcycle racing World Champion. Nicknamed "the Doctor", Rossi is widely considered one of the greate ...

with seven and active rider

Marc Márquez Marc Márquez Alentà (born 17 February 1993) is a Spanish Grand Prix motorcycle road racer who races for the Ducati Lenovo Team. He previously raced for the Ducati satellite team Gresini in 2024 and Honda's factory team from his MotoGP deb ...

with six. As of 2023, Rossi holds the record for most top-flight race wins with 89.

History

An FIM Road Racing World Championship Grand Prix was first organized by the

in 1949. The commercial rights are now owned by

Dorna Sports Dorna Sports, S.L. is the commercial rights' holder for the motorcycle, motorcycling sport of Grand Prix motorcycle racing, Grand Prix racing. Established in 1988 as an international sports management and marketing company, it is headquartered ...

, with the FIM remaining as the sport sanctioning body. Teams are represented by the International Road Racing Teams Association (IRTA) and manufacturers by the Motorcycle Sport Manufacturers Association (MSMA). Rules and changes to regulations are decided between the four entities, with Dorna casting a tie-breaking vote. In cases of technical modifications, the MSMA can unilaterally enact or veto changes by unanimous vote among its members. These four entities compose the Grand Prix Commission. There have traditionally been several races at each event for various classes of motorcycles, based on engine size, and one class for

sidecar A sidecar is a one-wheeled device attached to the side of a motorcycle, Scooter (motorcycle), scooter, or bicycle, making the whole a three-wheeled vehicle. The combination of a motorcycle with a sidecar is sometimes called a ''rig'', ''outfit' ...

s. Classes for

50cc The 50 cc class was the ultra-lightweight class in Grand Prix motorcycle racing, and formed part of the Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme (FIM) World Championships from 1962 until 1983; when the class was replaced by 80 cc. History a ...

, 80cc, 125cc, 250cc, 350cc, 500cc, and 750cc solo machines have existed at some time, and 350cc and 500cc sidecars. Up through the 1950s and most of the 1960s,

four-stroke A four-stroke (also four-cycle) engine is an internal combustion (IC) engine in which the piston completes four separate strokes while turning the crankshaft. A stroke refers to the full travel of the piston along the cylinder, in either directio ...

engines dominated all classes. In the 1960s, due to advances in engine design and technology,

two-stroke A two-stroke (or two-stroke cycle) engine is a type of internal combustion engine that completes a power cycle with two strokes of the piston, one up and one down, in one revolution of the crankshaft in contrast to a four-stroke engine which re ...

engines began to take root in the smaller classes. In 1969, the FIM—citing high development costs for non-works teams due to rules which allowed a multiplicity of cylinders (meaning smaller pistons, producing higher revs) and a multiplicity of gears (giving narrower power bands, affording higher states of tune)—brought in new rules restricting all classes to six gears and most to two cylinders (four cylinders in the case of the 350cc and 500cc classes). This led to a mass walk-out of the sport by the previously highly successful

Honda commonly known as just Honda, is a Japanese multinational corporation, multinational Conglomerate (company), conglomerate automotive manufacturer headquartered in Minato, Tokyo, Japan. Founded in October 1946 by Soichiro Honda, Honda has bee ...

Suzuki is a Japanese multinational mobility manufacturer headquartered in Hamamatsu, Shizuoka Prefecture, Shizuoka. It manufactures automobiles, motorcycles, all-terrain vehicles (ATVs), outboard motor, outboard marine engines, wheelchairs and a va ...

and Yamaha manufacturer teams, skewing the results tables for the next several years, with

MV Agusta MV Agusta (, full name: MV AGUSTA Motor S.p.A., original name: Meccanica Verghera Agusta or MV) is an Italian high end motorcycle manufacturer. It was founded by Domenico Agusta, Count Domenico Agusta on 19 January 1945 as one of the branches of ...

effectively the only works team left in the sport until Yamaha (1973) and

(1974) returned with new two-stroke designs. By this time, two-strokes completely eclipsed the four-strokes in all classes. In 1979,

, on its return to GP racing, made an attempt to return the four-stroke to the top class with the

NR500 NR500 was a racing motorcycle developed by Honda HRC in 1979 to compete in Grand Prix motorcycle racing. "NR" stands for "New Racing". Model history The motivation behind the NR500 was company founder Soichiro Honda's desire to compete using ...

, but this project failed, and, in 1983, even Honda was winning with a two-stroke 500. Previously, the championship featured a 50cc class from 1962 to 1983, later changed to an 80cc class from 1984 to 1989. The class was dropped for the 1990 season, after being dominated primarily by Spanish and Italian makes. It also featured a 350cc class from 1949 to 1982, and a 750cc class from 1977 to 1979. Sidecars were dropped from world championship events in the 1990s (see

Sidecar World Championship FIM Sidecar World Championship is the international sidecar racing championship. It is the only remaining original Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme, FIM road racing championship class that started in 1949. It was formerly named Supersi ...

From the mid-1970s through to 2001, the top class of GP racing allowed 500cc displacement with a maximum of four cylinders, regardless of whether the engine was a

. This is unlike TT Formula or

motocross Motocross is a form of off-road motorcycle racing held on enclosed off-road circuits. The sport evolved from motorcycle trials competitions held in the United Kingdom. History Motocross first evolved in Britain from motorcycle trials competi ...

, where two and four strokes had different engine size limits in the same class to provide similar performance. Consequently, all machines were two-strokes, since they produce power with every rotation of the crank, whereas four-stroke engines produce power only every second rotation. Some two- and three-cylinder two-stroke 500s were seen, but though they had a minimum-weight advantage under the rules, typically attained higher corner speed and could qualify well, they lacked the power of the

four-cylinder The engine configuration describes the fundamental operating principles by which internal combustion engines are categorized. Piston engines are often categorized by their cylinder layout, valves and camshafts. Wankel engines are often categoriz ...

machines. In 2002, rule changes were introduced to facilitate the phasing out of the 500cc two-strokes. The premier class was rebranded MotoGP, as manufacturers were to choose between running two-stroke engines up to 500cc or four-strokes up to 990cc or less. Manufacturers were also permitted to employ their choice of

engine configuration The engine configuration describes the fundamental operating principles by which internal combustion engines are categorized. Piston engines are often categorized by their cylinder layout, valves and camshafts. Wankel engines are often categoriz ...

. Despite the increased costs of the new four-stroke engines, they were soon able to dominate their two-stroke rivals. As a result, by 2003 no two-stroke machines remained in the MotoGP field. The 125cc and 250cc classes still consisted exclusively of two-stroke machines. In 2007, the MotoGP class had its maximum engine displacement capacity reduced to 800cc for a minimum of five years. In 2009, during the

Great Recession The Great Recession was a period of market decline in economies around the world that occurred from late 2007 to mid-2009.

, in an effort to cut costs, MotoGP underwent changes including reducing Friday practice sessions and testing sessions, extending the lifespan of engines, switching to a single tyre manufacturer, and banning qualifying tyres, active suspension, launch control and ceramic composite brakes. For the 2010 season, carbon brake discs were banned. For the 2012 season, the MotoGP engine capacity was increased again to 1,000cc. It also saw the introduction of Claiming Rule Teams (CRT), which were given more engines per season and larger fuel tanks than factory teams, but were subject to a factory team buying ("claiming") their rival's powertrain for a fixed price. The sport's governing body received applications from sixteen new teams looking to join the MotoGP class. For the 2014 season, the CRT subclass was rebranded Open, as the claiming rule was removed. Also, all entries adopted a standard engine control unit, with factory teams being allowed to run any software, and Open entries using a standard software. For the 2016 season, the Open subclass was dropped, and factory entries switched to a standard engine control unit software. In 2010, the 250cc two-stroke class was replaced by the new Moto2 600cc four-stroke class. In 2012, the 125cc two-stroke class was replaced by the Moto3 250cc four-stroke class with a weight limit of 65 kg with fuel. For the 2019 season Moto2 introduced the 3-cylinder, 765cc Triumph production engine, while Moto3 and MotoGP still use prototype engines.

Chronology

Pre-MotoGP era

* 1949: Start of the world championship in Grand Prix motorcycle racing for five separate categories, 125cc, 250cc, 350cc, 500cc and sidecars. Harold Daniell won the first ever 500cc Grand Prix race held at the

Isle of Man TT The Isle of Man TT or Tourist Trophy races are an annual motorcycle racing event run on the Isle of Man in May and June of most years since its inaugural race in 1907 Isle of Man TT, 1907. The event begins on the UK Spring Bank Holiday at the e ...

. * 1951: Sidecars reduced in engine capacity from 600cc to 500cc * 1952:

Ken Kavanagh Thomas Kenrick Kavanagh (12 December 1923 – 26 November 2019) was an Australian Grand Prix motorcycle road racer and racing driver. In 1952, Kavanagh became the first Australian to win a motorcycle Grand Prix race when he won the 350cc Ul ...

wins the 1952 350cc Ulster Grand Prix to become the first Australian competitor to win a world championship Grand Prix race. Ray Amm wins the 1952 350cc Nations Grand Prix to become the first African competitor to win a world championship Grand Prix race. * 1957:

Gilera Gilera is an Italian motorcycle manufacturer founded in Arcore in 1909 by Giuseppe Gilera (1887–1971). In 1969, the company was purchased by Piaggio. History Giuseppe Gilera founded his self-named motorcycle company in 1909 (aged 22) near M ...

, Mondial and

Moto Guzzi Moto Guzzi () is an Italian motorcycle manufacturer and the oldest European manufacturer in continuous motorcycle production. Established in 1921 in Mandello del Lario, Italy, the company is noted for its historic role in Italy's motorcyclin ...

withdraw at the end of the season citing increasing costs. Bob McIntyre wins the longest ever Grand Prix race of , held over 8 laps of the Isle of Man. * 1958:

win the constructors' and riders' championships in all four solo classes, a feat the team repeat in 1959 and 1960. * 1959:

enters the

for the first time. * 1961: The 1961

Argentine Grand Prix The Argentine Grand Prix (Spanish: ''Gran Premio de Argentina'') was a round of the Formula One championship, held intermittently from to , at the Autódromo Oscar y Juan Gálvez in the Argentine national capital of Buenos Aires. Origins and ...

is the first world championship race held outside of Europe.

Kunimitsu Takahashi was a Japanese professional motorcycle road racer, racing driver, and team manager. Nicknamed "Kuni-san", he is known as the "father of drifting". His racing career lasted from 1958 to 1999. He competed on motorcycles between 1958 and 1963, ...

wins the 1961 250cc German Grand Prix to become the first Asian competitor to win a world championship Grand Prix race. * 1963: The 1963

Japanese Grand Prix The Japanese Grand Prix () is a motor racing event in the calendar of the Formula One World Championship. Historically, Japan has been one of the last races of the season, and as such the Japanese Grand Prix has been the venue for many title-de ...

is the first world championship race held in Asia. * 1964: The 1964

United States Grand Prix The United States Grand Prix is a motor racing event that has been held on and off since 1908, when it was known as the American Grand Prize. The Grand Prix later became part of the Formula One World Championship. , the Grand Prix has been held ...

is the first world championship race held in North America. * 1966: Honda wins the constructors' championship in all five solo classes.

Jim Redman James Albert Redman, (born 8 November 1931) is a Rhodesian former professional Motorcycle racing, motorcycle racer. He competed in Grand Prix motorcycle racing from 1959 to 1966. Redman is notable for being a six-time Grand Prix road racing w ...

wins Honda's first ever 500cc Grand Prix at

Hockenheim Hockenheim () is a town in northwest Baden-Württemberg, Germany, about 20 km south of Mannheim and 10 km west of Walldorf. It is located in the Upper Rhine Plain, Upper Rhine valley on the tourist theme routes "Baden Asparagus Route" ( ...

, also the first win for a Japanese factory in the premier class. * 1967: Final year of unrestricted numbers of cylinders and gears. Honda withdraws in protest. * 1968:

(MV Agusta) wins both the 350cc and 500cc titles. * 1969: Godfrey Nash riding a

Norton Manx The Norton Manx or Manx Norton is a British racing motorcycle that was made from 1947 to 1962 by Norton Motors Ltd. Norton had contested every Isle of Man TT race from the inaugural 1907 event through into the 1970s, a feat unrivalled by any ...

becomes the last rider to win a 500cc Grand Prix riding a single-cylinder machine. * 1971:

Jack Findlay Cyril John Findlay (5 February 1935 – 19 May 2007) was an Australian professional Grand Prix motorcycle road racer. He is noted for having one of the longest racing careers in Grand Prix history spanning 20 years, as well as one of five ri ...

rides a

TR500 to the first ever win in the 500cc class for a two-stroke machine. * 1972: as 1968. The death of

Gilberto Parlotti Gilberto Parlotti (17 September 1940 – 9 June 1972) was an Italian professional motorcycle racer competing in the FIM World Championship between 1969 and 1972. He competed for the Benelli, Derbi, Morbidelli and Tomos factories. Parlot ...

at the Isle of Man TT causes multiple world champion Giacomo Agostini and other riders to boycott the next four events on grounds of safety. * 1972: Last year of 500cc sidecars. * 1972:

wins his seventh consecutive 500cc championship, all with

. * 1973: The deaths of

Jarno Saarinen Jarno Karl Keimo Saarinen (11 December 1945 – 20 May 1973) was a Finnish professional Motorcycle racer. He competed in the FIM Grand Prix motorcycle racing world championships from 1968 to 1971 as Yamaha privateer, before receiving the Yamaha ...

and

Renzo Pasolini Renzo Pasolini (18 July 1938 – 20 May 1973), nicknamed "Paso", was an Italian professional motorcycle road racer. He competed in the FIM Grand Prix motorcycle racing world championships from 1964 to 1972. Although he never won a world champ ...

at the Italian round at Monza cause the 250cc race to be cancelled. * 1974: The

Suzuki RG 500 The Suzuki RG 500 road racing motorcycle was produced by Japanese manufacturer Suzuki to compete in the 500cc class of Grand Prix motorcycle racing from 1974 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season, 1974 to 1980 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season, 1 ...

is the first square-four in the 500cc class. The constructors' title is won by a Japanese brand and a two-stroke for the first time ( Yamaha). * 1975: Giacomo Agostini (Yamaha) wins the 500cc class, making Yamaha the first non European brand to the riders' championship in the premier class with two stroke engine. * 1976:

Barry Sheene Barry Steven Frank Sheene (11 September 1950 – 10 March 2003) was a British professional motorcycle racer and television sports presenter. He competed in Grand Prix motorcycle racing between and , most prominently as a member of the Su ...

wins the first 500cc championship for Suzuki. After the 1976 Isle of Man TT, the FIM gives in to the riders' boycott and removes the event from the Grand Prix calendar. * 1977:

Formula 750 Formula 750 was a FIM motorcycle road racing series based on a 750 cubic centimeter engine capacity. History The series began in 1971 as a collaboration between the American Motorcyclist Association and the Auto Cycle Union. The FIM adopte ...

becomes a world championship for 750cc machines.

wins the 500cc class. The British Grand Prix moves from the Isle of Man to the

Silverstone Circuit Silverstone Circuit is a motor racing circuit in England, near the Northamptonshire villages of Silverstone and Whittlebury. It is the home of the British Grand Prix, which it first hosted as the 1948 British Grand Prix. The 1950 British Grand ...

on the British mainland. * 1978:

Kenny Roberts Kenneth Leroy Roberts (born December 31, 1951) is an American former professional motorcycle racer and racing team owner. In 1978, he became the first American to win a Grand Prix motorcycle racing world championship. He was also a two-time w ...

(Yamaha) wins the 500cc class, the first American to do so. * 1979: Kenny Roberts leads a rider revolt by threatening to form a race series to compete against the FIM world championship, breaking the FIM hegemony and increased the political clout of Grand Prix racers, which subsequently led to improved safety standards and a new era of professionalism in the sport. * 1979: Last year of the Formula 750 class. * 1982: Antonio Cobas develops a stronger and lighter aluminum twin-beam chassis to replace the steel backbone

frame A frame is often a structural system that supports other components of a physical construction and/or steel frame that limits the construction's extent. Frame and FRAME may also refer to: Physical objects In building construction *Framing (con ...

used since the 1950s, and by the 1990s, all the major racing teams in Grand Prix competition used the aluminum frame design. * 1982: Last year of the 350cc class. * 1983:

Freddie Spencer Frederick Burdette Spencer (born December 20, 1961), is an American former professional motorcycle road racer. He competed in the FIM Grand Prix motorcycle racing world championships between 1980 and 1993, most prominently as a member of the Ho ...

(Honda) wins the 500cc class. Spencer and

win all 500cc races of the season between them. * 1984:

Michelin Michelin ( , ), in full ("General Company of the Michelin Enterprises P.L.S."), is a French multinational tyre manufacturing company based in Clermont-Ferrand in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes '' région'' of France. It is the second largest t ...

introduces radial tyres in GPs. * 1984: 50cc class replaced by 80cc. * 1985:

(Honda) wins both the 250cc and 500cc titles. * 1987:

Push start Push starting, also known as bump starting, roll starting, clutch starting, popping the clutch or crash starting, is a method of starting a motor vehicle with an internal combustion engine that has a manual transmission, a mechanical fuel pump, a ...

s are eliminated. * 1987:

Wayne Gardner Wayne Michael Gardner (born 11 October 1959) is an Australian former professional motorcycle and touring car racer. He competed in the Grand Prix motorcycle racing world championships from to , most prominently as a member of the Honda factor ...

(Honda) wins the 500cc class, the first Australian to do so. * 1988:

Wayne Rainey Wayne Wesley Rainey (born October 23, 1960) is an American former Grand Prix motorcycle road racer. He competed in the FIM Grand Prix motorcycle racing world championships in 1984 and from 1988 to 1993. He won the 500cc World Championship th ...

wins the first 500cc race using carbon brakes, at the British GP. * 1989: Last year of the 80cc class. * 1990: The 500cc class grid switches from five to four bikes per row. * 1992: Honda introduces the NSR500 with a big bang engine. * 1993: Shinichi Ito and his

fuel-injected Fuel injection is the introduction of fuel in an internal combustion engine, most commonly automotive engines, by the means of a fuel injector. This article focuses on fuel injection in Reciprocating engine, reciprocating piston and Wankel eng ...

NSR500 break the barrier during the German GP on

Hockenheimring The Hockenheimring, officially Hockenheimring Baden-Württemberg () is a motor racing circuit situated in the Rhine valley near the town of Hockenheim in Baden-Württemberg, Germany, located on the Bertha Benz Memorial Route. Amongst other mot ...

. * 1998: the 500cc class switches to unleaded fuel. * 1998:

Mick Doohan Michael Sydney Doohan ( ; born 4 June 1965) is an Australian former Grand Prix motorcycle racing, Grand Prix motorcycle road racing List of Grand Prix motorcycle racing World Champions, World Champion, who won five consecutive List of 500cc/Mo ...

wins his fifth consecutive 500cc title, all with

. * 1999:

Àlex Crivillé Àlex Crivillé Tapias (born 4 March 1970) is a Spanish former Grand Prix motorcycle racing, Grand Prix motorcycle road racing, road racer. In 1992 he became the first Spaniard to win a 500cc Grand Prix and, in 1999 he became the first Spaniard ...

(Honda) wins the 500cc class, the first Spaniard to do so. * 2000: Kenny Roberts Jr. (Suzuki) wins the 500cc class, he joins his father

to claim the championship and thus making them the only father and son to have won the 500cc championship. * 2001:

wins his first premier class title and becomes the final two-stroke champion in the premium class.

MotoGP era

2000s

* 2002: MotoGP replaces the 500cc class; four-strokes are re-introduced and receive a displacement increase to 990cc. Two-strokes of 500cc capacity remain compliable for independent teams for the transitional period. Meanwhile

Bridgestone is a Japanese multinational manufacturing company founded in 1931 by Shojiro Ishibashi (18891976) in the city of Kurume, Fukuoka Prefecture, Fukuoka, Japan. The name Bridgestone comes from a calque translation and transposition of (), meaning ...

made its' MotoGP début and Dunlop returned to top class after four years absence. * 2003:

Ducati Ducati Motor Holding S.p.A () is an Italian motorcycle manufacturing company headquartered in Bologna, Italy. History Barely a month after the official liberation of Italy in 1944, SIATA announced its intention to sell this engine, called ...

makes its Grand Prix debut in the new four-stroke MotoGP class. * 2003:

Daijiro Kato was a Japanese people, Japanese Grand Prix motorcycle racing, Grand Prix Motorcycle sport, motorcycle road racing, road racer, the 2001 250cc List of Grand Prix motorcycle racing World Champions by year, world champion, and the 2000 and 2002 Suzu ...

is killed during his home

in the MotoGP class on the

Suzuka Circuit The , the , is a long motorsport race track located in Ino, Suzuka, Mie, Suzuka City, Mie Prefecture, Japan and operated by Honda Mobilityland, a subsidiary of Honda, Honda Motor Co, Ltd. It has a capacity of 155,000. It is most well known by i ...

when he hits the barrier at 130R just before the final chicane. * 2003: The last start of a two-stroke bike in MotoGP occurs at the Czech Grand Prix. * 2004: MotoGP grid switches from four to three bikes per row while the 250cc and 125cc classes remain four bikes per row. * 2004:

Makoto Tamada (born November 4, 1976, in Matsuyama, Ehime Prefecture, Japan) is a former Japanese professional motorcycle racer currently working as a rider instructor at Suzuka Racing School. He is one of the few riders to win races in both MotoGP and Superb ...

earns

their first MotoGP victory at the Brazilian GP. * 2005: MotoGP adopts flag-to-flag rule, allowing riders to pit and switch to bikes fitted with wet-weather tyres and continue if rain begins to fall mid-race. * 2005:

wins his fifth consecutive MotoGP title. * 2007: MotoGP engine capacity is restricted to 800cc four-stroke. * 2007:

wins the riders' championship with

Casey Stoner Casey Joel Stoner (born 16 October 1985) is an Australian retired professional motorcycle racer, and a two-time MotoGP World Champion, in and . During his MotoGP career, Stoner raced for the factory teams of Ducati and Honda, winning a tit ...

and also the constructors' title, becoming the first European brand to do so in the premier class in 30 years. Stoner won 10 out of 17 races during the season. * 2008: MotoGP runs its first night race in

Qatar Qatar, officially the State of Qatar, is a country in West Asia. It occupies the Geography of Qatar, Qatar Peninsula on the northeastern coast of the Arabian Peninsula in the Middle East; it shares Qatar–Saudi Arabia border, its sole land b ...

. * 2008: Dunlop drops out of MotoGP. * 2009:

drops out of MotoGP and Bridgestone becomes the sole tyre provider. * 2009: Kawasaki ran a single bike as Hayate Racing Team after the factory team announced their withdrawal from the series. * 2009:

wins his seventh and last MotoGP title at the age of 30.

2010s

* 2010: Moto2 replaces the 250cc class. All engines are built for Moto2 by Honda and are four-stroke 600cc (36.6 cu in) in-line four-cylinder based on the CBR600RR road bike, producing around 140 bhp as of 2015 (125 whp). * 2010: Moto2 rider

Shoya Tomizawa (10 December 1990 – 5 September 2010) was a Japanese motorcycle racer. After a successful career in the All Japan Road Race Championship, he switched to MotoGP and competed in the 250cc class during 2009. In the 2010 season he rode in the newly ...

is killed at Misano. * 2010: For the first time, Spain hosts four Grands Prix in a year. * 2010: "Rookie rule" introduced, preventing any newcomer to the MotoGP championship from riding for a factory team, unless said manufacturer lack a satellite team. * 2010: Kawasaki announces its retirement due to negotiations with Dorna, stating that it will continue racing activities using mass-produced motorcycles as well as supporting general race-oriented consumers. * 2011: MotoGP rider

Marco Simoncelli Marco Simoncelli (; 20 January 198723 October 2011), nicknamed Sic (), was an Italian professional Motorcycle racing, motorcycle racer. He competed in the Grand Prix motorcycle racing, MotoGP World Championship for 10 years from 2002 to 2011. He ...

is killed at

Sepang Pekan Sepang is a small border town and also a mukim in Sepang District, Selangor Selangor ( ; ), also known by the Arabic language, Arabic honorific Darul Ehsan, or "Abode of Sincerity", is one of the 13 states of Malaysia. It is on t ...

. * 2011: Suzuki suspend their MotoGP participation at the end of the season. * 2012: The new Moto3 250cc (15.2 cu in) four-stroke single-cylinder class replaces the 125cc two-stroke class. * 2012: MotoGP raises the maximum engine capacity to 1,000cc (61 cu in) and introduces

claiming rule teams The 2012 FIM MotoGP World Championship was the premier class of the 64th Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme, F.I.M. Road racing, Road Racing World Championship season. Casey Stoner started the season as the defending World Champion, whi ...

. * 2012: Aprilia rejoins the MotoGP class as a claiming rule team (CRT). * 2012: After ending a five-year

title drought the previous season, two-time world champion

retires from the sport at the age of 27, being replaced by teenager

at the team. * 2013: Knockout qualifying format is introduced. * 2013: The "rookie rule" introduced for the 2010 season is rescinded. * 2013:

becomes the first rookie to win the championship in the MotoGP era, and the youngest ever premier class world champion. * 2014: Removal of the claiming rule teams and introduction of the Open Class category. Marc Márquez dominates the season by winning the first 10 races of the season. * 2015: Suzuki returns to MotoGP as a constructor after a four-year hiatus. * 2015: Aprilia returns with a full factory team, run by

Gresini Racing Gresini Racing is a motorcycle racing team competing in the Grand Prix motorcycle racing, MotoGP World Championship under the name Gresini Racing MotoGP as a Ducati satellite team, in the Moto2 World Championship as Italjet Gresini Racing Moto2, ...

. * 2015: Yamaha's

Jorge Lorenzo Jorge Lorenzo Guerrero (; born 4 May 1987) is a Spanish former professional Grand Prix motorcycle racing, motorcycle racer. He is a five-time World Champion, with three List of 500cc/MotoGP Motorcycle World Champions, MotoGP World Championships ...

comes from seven points adrift to defeat team colleague

to win his third and final MotoGP title by five points. This was after Rossi received a heavy grid penalty for the final round after having been adjudged to taking

out at the penultimate round. * 2016: Michelin returns as tyre supplier after Bridgestone's withdrawal. * 2016:

Luis Salom Luis Jaime Salom Horrach (7 August 1991 – 3 June 2016) was a Spanish Grand Prix motorcycle racer. Salom died after a practice accident at Circuit de Catalunya, when making contact with his bike and the wall after a high-speed accident. Racing ...

is killed during Moto2 practice at the Catalan Grand Prix after a high-speed impact with his own stricken bike. * 2017: KTM joins the premier class with a factory-supported team for the first time. * 2018: For the first time in MotoGP, certain satellite teams like Pramac Ducati and

LCR Honda LCR Team is a motorcycle racing team competing in the Grand Prix motorcycle racing, MotoGP World Championship under the name Castrol Honda LCR with rider Johann Zarco and Idemitsu Honda LCR with rider Somkiat Chantra, as well as the MotoE World C ...

gain access to up-to-date factory bikes. * 2019: Triumph Motorcycles replace Honda as sole Moto2 engine supplier. The new engines are 765cc (46.7 cu in) triples based on the Street Triple RS 765. * 2019: Both Moto2 and Moto3 adopt the qualifying format used by MotoGP. * 2019: The MotoE class is introduced using electric motorcycles (introduced as a "World Cup"). * 2019: A new penalty named the "Long Lap" penalty is introduced for riders exceeding track limits during races and is also used as a penalty for moderate reckless riding. * 2019:

wins his sixth MotoGP title at the age of 26, becoming the youngest rider and the first non-Italian rider to do so. * 2019: Seven-time MotoGP champion

becomes the first rider to contest his 400th Grand Prix at the age of 40.

2020s

* 2020: The first half of the season is postponed or cancelled as a result of the

COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic (also known as the coronavirus pandemic and COVID pandemic), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), began with an disease outbreak, outbreak of COVID-19 in Wuhan, China, in December ...

. * 2020:

Brad Binder Brad Binder (born 11 August 1995) is a South African Grand Prix motorcycle racing, Grand Prix motorcycle racer competing for Red Bull KTM Factory Racing. He is the 2016 Moto3 season, 2016 Moto3 World Champion. Previously, he had competed in the ...

and

Miguel Oliveira Miguel Ângelo Falcão de Oliveira (; born 4 January 1995) is a Portuguese professional motorcycle racer who competes in the MotoGP World Championship for Prima Pramac Yamaha MotoGP, getting the step up from KTM Tech3,KTM and

Tech3 Tech3 is a motorcycle racing team competing in the MotoGP World Championship under the name Red Bull KTM Tech3 in the MotoGP and Moto3 categories. History The team was founded in 1990 by ex-racer Hervé Poncharal, engineer Guy Coulon, and Be ...

in the MotoGP class. * 2020:

Joan Mir Joan Mir Mayrata (, born 1 September 1997) is a Spanish Grand Prix motorcycle racing, Grand Prix motorcycle racer riding for the Honda HRC Castrol team in the MotoGP World Championship. Mir is best known for winning the 2020 MotoGP World Champions ...

wins the World Championship and its the first time for

since 2000. * 2021: Moto3 rider Jason Dupasquier is killed after an accident during the second qualifying session at the Italian Grand Prix on the

Mugello Circuit Mugello Circuit (in Italian language, italian: ; in English language, english: ''Mugello International Autodrome'') is a motorsport race track in Scarperia e San Piero, Florence, Tuscany, Italy. The circuit length is . It has 15 turns and a lo ...

. * 2021:

, who confirmed his retirement before the Austrian round, was the last rider to have competed in the 500cc class to participate in a MotoGP race. * 2021:

Fabio Quartararo Fabio Alain Quartararo (; born 20 April 1999), nicknamed El Diablo, is a French Grand Prix motorcycle racing, Grand Prix motorcycle rider racing in MotoGP for Yamaha Motor Racing, Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP Team. Having won the 2021 MotoGP Wor ...

became the 2021 World Champion, becoming the first French rider to win a premier class championship. * 2022: Suzuki suspended their MotoGP participation at the end of the season. * 2022:

Francesco Bagnaia Francesco "Pecco" Bagnaia ( ; born 14 January 1997) is an Italian Grand Prix motorcycle racer competing in MotoGP World Championship, MotoGP for the Ducati Corse, Ducati Lenovo Team. He is the and List of 500cc/MotoGP World Riders' Champions, ...

became the 2022 World Champion, becoming the first Italian rider to win a premier class championship since

in 2009 and the first for Ducati since Casey Stoner in 2007. * 2023: MotoGP visited 17 different countries with India as a new addition to the calendar. * 2023: Sprint races were introduced at all Grands Prix in the MotoGP class. * 2023: MotoE class gained World Championship status. * 2023: At the 2023 Italian motorcycle Grand Prix,

reached 366.1

km/h The kilometre per hour ( SI symbol: km/h; non-SI abbreviations: kph, kmph, km/hr) is a unit of speed, expressing the number of kilometres travelled in one hour. History Although the metre was formally defined in 1799, the term "kilometres per h ...

on his

KTM RC16 The KTM RC16 is a prototype Grand Prix motorcycle racing, grand prix racing motorcycle which was developed to race in the MotoGP series by KTM, starting from the 2017 MotoGP season, 2017 season. History The RC16 made its debut as a wildcard entry ...

, the new top speed record in the premier class. * 2024:

Pirelli Pirelli & C. S.p.A. is an Italian multinational tyre manufacturer based in the city of Milan, Italy. The company, which has been listed on the Borsa Italiana since 1922, is the 5th-largest tyre manufacturer, and is focused on the consumer pro ...

became the official tyre supplier for Moto2 and Moto3 classes. * 2024: MotoGP is bought by

Liberty Media Liberty Media Corporation (commonly referred to as Liberty Media or just Liberty) is an American mass media company founded by John C. Malone in 1991. The company has three divisions, reflecting its ownership stakes in the Formula One Group, S ...

, owner of

Formula One Formula One (F1) is the highest class of worldwide racing for open-wheel single-seater formula Auto racing, racing cars sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA). The FIA Formula One World Championship has been one ...

. * 2024:

Jorge Martín Jorge Martín Almoguera (born 29 January 1998), nicknamed the ''Martinator'', is a Spanish Grand Prix motorcycle racer, who rides for Aprilia Racing. He won the 2024 MotoGP World Championship with Prima Pramac Racing, becoming the first inde ...

became the 2024 World Champion, becoming the first independent team rider to win the World Championship in the MotoGP class.

Event format

The starting grid consists of three columns and features around 20 riders. Grid positions are determined based on qualifying speeds, arranged in descending order, with the fastest rider occupying the pole. Each race is a 45-minute sprint, completed without any fuel or tyre stops. In 2005, a flag-to-flag rule for MotoGP was introduced. Previously, if a race started dry and rain fell, officials could red-flag (stop) the race and either restart or resume on 'wet' tyres. Now, when rain falls, a white flag is shown, indicating that riders can pit to swap the motorcycle on which they started the race for an identical one, as long as the tyres are different (that is, intermediates or wets instead of slicks). Besides different tyres, the wet-weather bikes have steel brake rotors and different

brake pads Brake pads are a component of disc brakes used in automotive and other applications. Brake pads are composed of steel backing plates with friction material bound to the surface that faces the disc brake rotors. Function Brake pads convert the ki ...

instead of the carbon discs and pads used on the 'dry' bikes. This is because the carbon brakes need to be very hot to function properly, and the water cools them too much. The suspension is also 'softened' up somewhat for the wet weather. When a rider crashes, track marshals up the track from the incident wave yellow flags, prohibiting overtaking in that area; one corner farther up the track, a stationary yellow flag is shown. If a fallen rider cannot be evacuated safely from the track, the race is red-flagged. Motorcycle crashes are usually one of two types: lowside, when the bike loses either front or rear tyre grip and slides out on the "low" side, and the more dangerous highside, when the tyres do not completely slide out, but instead grip the track surface, flipping the bike over to the "high side", usually catapulting the rider over the top. Increased use of

traction control A traction control system (TCS), is typically (but not necessarily) a secondary function of the electronic stability control (ESC) on production motor vehicles, designed to prevent loss of traction (i.e., wheelspin) of the driven road wheels. TCS ...

has made highsides much less frequent.

2023 Catastrophic natural disasters in 2023 included the Lists of 21st-century earthquakes, 5th-deadliest earthquake of the 21st century 2023 Turkey–Syria earthquakes, striking Turkey and Syria, leaving up to 62,000 people dead; Cyclone Freddy ...

saw the introduction of 'Sprint' race events; these races take place on the Saturday of the race weekend with the traditional Grand Prix taking place on the Sunday. The 'Sprint' races are shorter - approximately half the length of a Grand Prix. Riders score approximately half the points in these races..

Riders

Twenty-two riders entered the full

2025 MotoGP World Championship The 2025 FIM MotoGP World Championship is the premier class of the 77th Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme (FIM) Road Racing World Championship season, the highest level of competition in motorcycle road racing. Season summary The ...

Champions

The Riders' World Championship is awarded to the most successful rider over a season, as determined by a points system based on Grand Prix results.

is the most successful champion in Grand Prix history, with 15 titles to his name (8 in the 500cc class and 7 in the 350cc class). The most dominant rider of all time was

Mike Hailwood Stanley Michael Bailey Hailwood (2 April 1940 – 23 March 1981) was a British racing driver and motorcycle road racer, who competed in Grand Prix motorcycle racing from to , and Formula One between and . Nicknamed "the Bike", Hailwood was ...

, winning 10 out of 12 (83%) races, in the 250cc class, in the 1966 season.

, who won 12 out of 15 (80%) of the 500cc races in the

1997 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season The 1997 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season was the 49th F.I.M. Road Racing World Championship season. Season summary A fourth world championship in a row for Honda's Mick Doohan with another dominating performance. He broke Giacomo Agostini ...

also deserves an honourable mention.

is the most successful contemporary rider, having won nine titles including seven 500cc/MotoGP titles (2001–2005, 2008–2009), and one each at 250cc and 125cc levels. The current champion is Spanish rider

Circuits

The

consists of 22 circuits. *,

Buriram Buriram (, , ; Northern Khmer: ) is a city municipality ('' thesaban nakhon'') in Thailand, capital of Buriram Province, about northeast of Bangkok. incorporating Nai Mueang and Isan Subdistricts and parts Samet Subdistricts of Mueang Burira ...

Chang International Circuit The Buriram International Circuit (known as Chang International Circuit (ช้าง อินเตอร์เนชั่นแนล เซอร์กิต) for commercial purposes, but listed by its non-commercial name because of alcohol ...

Termas de Río Hondo Termas de Río Hondo is a spa city in Santiago del Estero Province, Argentina. It has 27,838 inhabitants as per the . It is located on the banks of the Dulce River, 65 km north of the provincial capital Santiago del Estero, near the artific ...

, Autódromo Termas de Río Hondo *,

Austin Austin refers to: Common meanings * Austin, Texas, United States, a city * Austin (given name), a list of people and fictional characters * Austin (surname), a list of people and fictional characters * Austin Motor Company, a British car manufac ...

Circuit of the Americas Circuit of the Americas (COTA) is a Grade 1 Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile, FIA-specification motor racing track and facilities located in Austin, Texas, United States. The facility is home to the Formula One United States Grand Pr ...

Lusail Lusail (, , ) is the second-largest city in Qatar after Doha, and the economic capital of Qatar, located on the coast, in the southern part of the municipality of Al Daayen. Lusail lies about north of the Doha city centre, just north of the West ...

Lusail International Circuit The Lusail International Circuit (, sometimes rendered Losail International Circuit) is a motor racing circuit located just outside the city of Lusail, north of Doha, Qatar. The track is in length, with a main straight of . It is surrounded ...

Jerez de la Frontera Jerez de la Frontera () or simply Jerez, also cited in old English-language sources as , is a city and Municipalities of Spain, municipality in the province of Cádiz in the Autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community of Andalusia, Sp ...

, Circuito de Jerez – Ángel Nieto *,

Le Mans Le Mans (; ) is a Communes of France, city in Northwestern France on the Sarthe (river), Sarthe River where it meets the Huisne. Traditionally the capital of the Provinces of France, province of Maine (province), Maine, it is now the capital of ...

Bugatti Circuit The Circuit des 24 Heures du Mans, also known as Circuit de la Sarthe (after the 1906 French Grand Prix triangle circuit) located in Le Mans, Sarthe, France, is a semi-permanent motorsport Race track, race course, chiefly known as the venue fo ...

Silverstone Silverstone is a village and civil parish in the West Northamptonshire unitary authority area of Northamptonshire, England. The village is about south-southwest of Towcester and northeast of Brackley, both accessed via the A43 road, A43 main ...

Alcañiz Alcañiz () is a town and municipality of Teruel province in the autonomous community of Aragon, Spain. The town is located on the banks of the river Guadalope. Alcañiz is the unofficial capital of the Lower Aragon historical region. It lies ...

MotorLand Aragón MotorLand Aragón (alternative Spanish name: Circuito de Alcañiz) is a race track used for motorsports located in Alcañiz, Spain. The circuit was designed by German architect Hermann Tilke in conjunction with the British architectural busin ...

Scarperia e San Piero Scarperia e San Piero is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Metropolitan City of Florence, in the Italian region Tuscany, located about northeast of Florence. It was created on 1 January 2014 after the merger of former ''comuni'' of Scarperia and ...

, Autodromo Internazionale del Mugello *,

Assen Assen () is a List of cities in the Netherlands by province, city and Municipalities of the Netherlands, municipality in the Northeastern Netherlands, and is the capital (politics), capital of the province of Drenthe. It received City rights in ...

TT Circuit Assen The TT Circuit Assen is a motorsport race track built in 1955 and located in Assen, Netherlands. Host of the Dutch TT, it is popularly referred to as "The Cathedral of Speed" by motorcycle racing fans. The venue has the distinction of holding th ...

Hohenstein-Ernstthal Hohenstein-Ernstthal () is a town in the Zwickau rural district, Saxony, Germany. The towns of Hohenstein and Ernstthal were united in 1898, and the town is either known by its hyphenated form, or simply called Hohenstein. The town grew in the 15 ...

Sachsenring The Sachsenring () is a motorsport race track, racing circuit located in Hohenstein-Ernstthal near Chemnitz in Saxony, Germany. Among other events, it features the annual German motorcycle Grand Prix of the Fédération Internationale de Motocyc ...

Brno Brno ( , ; ) is a Statutory city (Czech Republic), city in the South Moravian Region of the Czech Republic. Located at the confluence of the Svitava (river), Svitava and Svratka (river), Svratka rivers, Brno has about 403,000 inhabitants, making ...

Brno Circuit The Masaryk circuit () or Masarykring, also referred to as the Brno Circuit, refers to two motorsport race tracks located in Brno, Czech Republic. The original street circuit was made up of public roads, and at its longest measured . The track i ...

*, Spielberg,

Red Bull Ring The Red Bull Ring is a motorsport race track in Spielberg, Austria, Spielberg, Styria, Austria. The race circuit was founded as Österreichring (translation: Austrian Circuit) and hosted the Austrian Grand Prix for 18 consecutive years, from t ...

*, Balatonfőkajár, Balaton Park Circuit *,

Montmeló Montmeló () is a municipality in the Comarques of Catalonia, comarca of Vallès Oriental, within the Barcelona metropolitan area, in Catalonia, Spain. It contains the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, which is the home of the Formula One Spanish Gr ...

Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya The Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya () is a motorsport race track in Montmeló, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain. With long straights and a variety of corners, the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya is seen as an all-rounder circuit. The track has stands ...

Misano Adriatico Misano Adriatico () is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Rimini in the Italian region Emilia-Romagna, located about southeast of Bologna and about southeast of Rimini. Misano Adriatico borders the following municipalities: Cattolic ...

Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli The Misano World Circuit (officially known as Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli or Misano Circuit Sic 58, and before 2006 called Circuito Internazionale Santa Monica Misano) is a race track located next to the town of Misano Adriatico ( Pro ...

*, Motegi,

Mobility Resort Motegi Mobility Resort Motegi (モビリティリゾートもてぎ) is a motorsport venue located in Motegi, Tochigi Prefecture, Japan. Originally Twin Ring Motegi (ツインリンクもてぎ), the venue's name came from the facility having two race ...

*, Mandalika, Pertamina Mandalika International Street Circuit *,

Phillip Island Phillip Island (Boonwurrung language, Boonwurrung: ''Corriong'', ''Worne'' or ''Millowl'') is an Australian island about south-southeast of Melbourne, Victoria (Australia), Victoria. The island is named after Arthur Phillip, Governor Arthur P ...

Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit The Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit is a motor racing circuit located near Ventnor, Victoria, Ventnor, on Phillip Island, Victoria (Australia), Victoria, Australia. The current circuit was first used in 1952. Along with The Bend Motorsport P ...

Petronas Sepang International Circuit Sepang International Circuit () (known as Petronas Sepang International Circuit for commercial reasons) is a motorsport race track in Sepang, Selangor, Malaysia. It is located approximately south of Kuala Lumpur, close to Kuala Lumpur Intern ...

Portimão Portimão () is a city and a municipality in the district of Faro (district), Faro, in the Algarve region of southern Portugal. The population in 2022 was 63,079 in an area of 182.06 km2. It was formerly known as Vila Nova de Portimão. In ...

Algarve International Circuit The Algarve International Circuit (), commonly referred to as Portimão Circuit, is a race circuit located in Portimão, Algarve region, Portugal. The development includes a karting track, off-road track, technology park, five-star hotel, sp ...

Valencia Valencia ( , ), formally València (), is the capital of the Province of Valencia, province and Autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community of Valencian Community, the same name in Spain. It is located on the banks of the Turia (r ...

Circuit Ricardo Tormo Circuit Ricardo Tormo, also known as ''Circuit de Valencia'' is a motorsport race track located in Cheste (Valencian Community, Spain) and built in 1999. The track is named after Spanish, two-time world champion Grand Prix motorcycle racing, Gr ...

Technical regulations

The following shows the key technical regulations for each class. It was also introduced for the 2005 year, that under rule 2.10.5: 'No fuel on the motorcycle may be more than 15 °C below

ambient temperature Room temperature, colloquially, denotes the range of air temperatures most people find comfortable indoors while dressed in typical clothing. Comfortable temperatures can be extended beyond this range depending on humidity, air circulation, and ...

. The use of any device on the motorcycle to artificially decrease the temperature of the fuel below ambient temperature is forbidden. No motorcycle may include such a device.' This stops an artificial "boost" gained from increasing fuel density by cooling it.

MotoGP class

At the beginning of the new MotoGP era in 2002, 500cc two-stroke or 990cc four-stroke bikes were specified to race. The enormous power advantage of the twice as large displacement four-stroke engine over the half the size two-stroke meant that by the following season, no two-stroke bikes were racing. In 2007, the maximum engine capacity was reduced to 800cc without reducing the existing weight restriction. MotoGP-class motorcycles are not restricted to any specific engine configuration. However, the number of cylinders employed in the engine determines the motorcycle's permitted minimum weight; the weight of the extra cylinders acts as a form of handicap. This is necessary because, for a given capacity, an engine with more cylinders is capable of producing more power. If comparable bore to stroke ratios are employed, an engine with more cylinders will have a greater piston area and a shorter stroke. The increased piston area permits an increase in the total valve area, allowing more air and fuel to be drawn into the engine, and the shorter stroke permits higher revs at the same piston speed, allowing the engine to pump still more air and fuel with the potential to produce more power, but with more fuel consumption too. In 2004 motorcycles were entered with three-, four-and five-cylinder configurations. A six-cylinder engine was proposed by Blata, but it did not reach the MotoGP grids. Presently four-cylinder engines appear to offer the best compromise between weight, power, and fuel consumption as all competitors in the 2009 series used this solution in either 'V' or in-line configuration. In 2002, the FIM became concerned about the advances in design and engineering that resulted in higher speeds around the

race track A race track (racetrack, racing track or racing circuit) is a facility built for racing of vehicles, athletes, or animals (e.g. horse racing or greyhound racing). A race track also may feature grandstands or concourses. Race tracks are also us ...

; regulation changes related to weight, amount of available fuel and engine capacity were introduced. The amended rules reduced engine capacity to 800cc from 990cc and restricted the amount of available fuel for race distance from in year 2004 to in year 2007 and onwards. In addition, the minimum weight of four-cylinder bikes used by all participating teams was increased by . The highest speed for a MotoGP motorcycle in 125cc category is by Valentino Rossi in 1996 for Aprilia and the top speed in the history of MotoGP is , set by

during the 'Sprint' race of 2023 Italian Grand Prix with a

. On 11 December 2009, the Grand Prix Commission announced that the MotoGP class would switch to the 1,000cc motor limit starting in the 2012 season. Maximum displacement was limited to 1,000cc, maximum cylinders were limited to four, and maximum bore was capped at . Carmelo Ezpeleta, the CEO of

, indicated that the projected changes were received by the teams favorably. From 2012, teams not entered by one of the major manufacturers could seek "claiming rule team" (CRT) status. Claiming rule team were intended to allow independent teams to be competitive at a lower cost and increase the number of entries in MotoGP. Claiming rule teams benefitted from less restrictive rules on the number of engines that could be used in a season, and with larger fuel allowances during the races. Under the claiming rule, CRTs agree to allow up to four of their engines per season to be claimed, after a race, by one of the major manufacturer teams at a cost of €20,000 each including transmission, or €15,000 each for the engine alone. From the 2014 season, the CRT class was dropped in favour of an "Open Class" specification - allowing teams using the control ECU hardware and software certain benefits to increase their competitiveness. From 2023, front ride height – or holeshot – devices were banned. These devices have been common place in MotoGP since the back-end of 2018, when Ducati first introduced a system that could lower the rear of its bike to help with acceleration off the line for race starts.

Moto2 class

Moto2 was initially a 600cc four-stroke class introduced in 2010 to replace the traditional 250cc two-stroke class. Engines were supplied exclusively by Honda, tyres by Dunlop and electronics are limited and supplied only by FIM-sanctioned producers. Carbon brake discs are banned, only steel brake discs are allowed. However, there are no chassis limitations. Until 2019, only 600cc four-stroke Moto2 machines were allowed. In 2019 Triumph replaced Honda as the sole supplier of Moto2 engines. The Triumph's engine configuration is 765cc displacement with three cylinders, contrasting with the previous Honda's 600cc in-line four. In 2024 Pirelli became the sole tyre supplier in Moto2 and Moto3, replacing Dunlop.

Moto3 class

The 125cc class was replaced in

2012 2012 was designated as: *International Year of Cooperatives *International Year of Sustainable Energy for All Events January *January 4 – The Cicada 3301 internet hunt begins. * January 12 – Peaceful protests begin in the R ...

by the Moto3 class. This class is restricted to single-cylinder 250cc four-stroke engines with a maximum bore of . The minimum total weight for motorcycle and rider is . Traditionally, the age limits for Moto3 were 16-28, with an upper limit of 25 for new contracted riders participating for the first time and wild-cards. A change of rules was introduced in 2014, allowing under-age FIM CEV Repsol Moto3 (junior) champions to participate in a subsequent Moto3 series at World Championship level. The first beneficiary of this rule-change was double (2013 and 2014) CEV champion

. However, after a rash of incidents involving young rider fatalities in lower classes, the FIM set a minimum age of 18 starting in the 2023 season.

MotoE class

The ''MotoE World Cup'' was introduced in 2019 and features all-electric motorcycles. The series uses a spec Energica Ego Corsa motorcycle, manufactured by

Energica Motor Company Energica Motor Company was an Italian manufacturer of electric motorcycles. The Energica project was started in 2010 in Modena, Italy, by CRP Group, an international company involved in computer numerical control machining and additive manufact ...

. The first season was contested over 6 rounds (at 4 Grand Prix weekends). The MotoE class gained World Championship status in 2023, and also switched to

bikes.

Powertrain specifications

Weights

* In 2005,

fuel tank A fuel tank (also called a petrol tank or gas tank) is a safe container for Flammability, flammable fluids, often gasoline or diesel fuel. Though any storage tank for fuel may be so called, the term is typically applied to part of an engine sys ...

capacity was reduced from to * From 2007 onwards, and for a minimum period of five years, FIM has regulated in MotoGP class that two-stroke bikes will no longer be allowed. The maximum fuel capacity is to be . * From 2007 to 2011, engines were limited to 800cc four-strokes * In 2012 engine displacement was increased to 1000cc * For the 2013 season minimum weight was increased to * In 2014, fuel tank capacity was reduced from 21 litres to for the Factory Entries, and was increased to 24 litres for the Open Entries. * For the 2015 season minimum weight was decreased to * In 2016, fuel tank capacity was mandated at 22 litres for all classes

Tyres

Tyre selection is critical, usually done by the individual rider based on bike 'feel' during practice, qualifying and the pre-race warm-up laps on the morning of the race, as well as the predicted weather. The typical compromise is between grip and longevity—softer compound tyres have more traction, but wear out more quickly; harder compound tyres have less traction, but are more likely to last the entire race. Conserving rubber throughout a race is a specific skill winning riders acquire. Special 'Q' or qualifying tyres of extreme softness and grip were typically used during grid-qualifying sessions until their use was discontinued at the end of the 2008 season, but they lasted typically no longer than one or two laps, though they could deliver higher qualifying speeds. In wet conditions, special tyres ('wets') with full treads are used, but they suffer extreme wear if the track dries out. In 2007 new MotoGP regulations limited the number of tyres any rider could use over the practice and qualifying period, and the race itself, to a maximum of 31 tyres (14 fronts and 17 rears) per rider. This introduced a problem of tyre choice versus weather (among other factors) that challenges riders and teams to optimize their performance on race day. This factor was greeted with varying degrees of enthusiasm by participants.

had dominated in 2007 and

riders

Nicky Hayden Nicholas Patrick Hayden (July 30, 1981 May 22, 2017), nicknamed "The Kentucky Kid", was an American professional motorcycle racer who won the MotoGP World Championship in 2006. Hayden began racing motorcycles at a young age. He began his road ...

Dani Pedrosa Daniel Pedrosa Ramal (born 29 September 1985) is a Spanish Grand Prix motorcycle racing, Grand Prix motorcycle racer who retired from regular competition after the season. He grew up in Castellar del Vallès, a village near Sabadell. He is a ...

, and

Colin Edwards Colin Edwards II (born February 27, 1974), nicknamed the "Texas Tornado", is an American former professional Motorcycle sport, motorcycle racer who retired half-way through the 2014 season. He is a two-time List of Superbike World champions, Wo ...

all acknowledged shortcomings in Michelin's race tyres relative to Bridgestone. Rossi, disappointed with and critical of the performance of his Michelin tyres, switched to Bridgestones for 2008 and won the world championship in dominant fashion. Pedrosa controversially switched to Bridgestones during the 2008 season. In 2008, the rules were amended to allow more tyres per race weekend—18 fronts and 22 rears for a total of 40 tyres. The lower number of tyres per weekend was considered a handicap to Michelin riders. The only MotoGP team using

Dunlop Tyres Dunlop Tyres is a brand of tyres which is managed by different companies around the world. It was founded by pneumatic tyre pioneer John Boyd Dunlop in Belfast, Ireland, in 1888. The brand is operated by Goodyear in North America (passen ...

in 2007, Yamaha Tech 3, did not use them in 2008 but switched to Michelin. For 2009, 2010 and 2011, a 'spec' tyre supplier, Bridgestone, was appointed by the FIM (with Michelin no longer supplying any tyres to MotoGP and returning to the category in 2016). For the whole season Bridgestone provided four specifications of front tyre, six of rear, and a single wet specification—with no qualifying specification. For each round Bridgestone provided only two specifications for front and rear. Tyres are assigned to riders randomly to assure impartiality. Jorge Lorenzo has publicly supported the mono tyre rule. At the end of the 2015 season, Bridgestone withdrew as tyre supplier of MotoGP. Following a formal tender, French tyre manufacturer Michelin became the official supplier for the 2016 season, marking their return to the series and testing began in Aragon immediately after the end of the 2015 season. After the first race of the 2025 season, it was announced that

will be the tyre supplier of MotoGP and MotoE from 2027, which includes the Moto2 and Moto3 Championships using Pirelli since 2024.

In media

*''Hitting the Apex'', a

documentary film A documentary film (often described simply as a documentary) is a nonfiction Film, motion picture intended to "document reality, primarily for instruction, education or maintaining a Recorded history, historical record". The American author and ...

about MotoGP, was released in 2015 and is now available on DVD. *''

Faster Faster or FASTER may refer to: Music * "Faster" (George Harrison song) * "Faster" (Matt Nathanson song) * "Faster" (Within Temptation song) * "Faster" (Manic Street Preachers song), a double A-side single by Manic Street Preachers * "Faster", ...

'', a

about MotoGP, was released in 2003 and is now available on DVD. *''

Fastest Fastest is a model-based testing tool that works with specifications written in the Z notation. The tool implements the Test Template Framework (TTF) proposed by Phil Stocks and David Carrington. Usage Fastest presents a command-line user inter ...

'', a

about MotoGP, was released in 2011 and is now available on DVD. *''MotoGP Unlimited'', a

about MotoGP, was released in 2022.

Video games

Early Grand Prix video games include '' Grand Prix 500cc'' (1987), '' Cycles: International GP Racing'' (1989), '' Grand Prix 500 2'' (1991) and '' GP-1'' (1993). The first simulator was '' GP 500'', launched in 1999. In the early 2000s,

THQ THQ Inc. was an American video game company based in Agoura Hills, California. It was founded in April 1990 by Jack Friedman, originally in Calabasas, and became a public company the following year through a reverse merger takeover. Initial ...

published five video games for Windows and Xbox platforms, the first being '' MotoGP: Ultimate Racing Technology'' (2002) and the last ''

MotoGP '07 ''MotoGP '07'' is a 2007 racing game developed by Climax Racing and published by THQ. It is the fifth game in THQ's MotoGP series for Xbox 360, Microsoft Windows and mobile phones (the latter released as ''MotoGP 4''). The purchase of the Clima ...

'' (2007), whereas

Namco was a Japanese multinational video game and entertainment company founded in 1955. It operated video arcades and amusement parks globally, and produced video games, films, toys, and arcade cabinets. Namco was one of the most influential c ...

of Japan published and in-house developed five video games for PlayStation platforms starting with ''MotoGP'' (2000) and ending with ''MotoGP'' (2006). In 2007,

Capcom is a Japanese video game company. It has created a number of critically acclaimed and List of best-selling video game franchises, multi-million-selling game franchises, with its most commercially successful being ''Resident Evil'', ''Monster ...

became the new PlayStation publisher and worked together with Italy-based

Milestone A milestone is a numbered marker placed on a route such as a road, railway, railway line, canal or border, boundary. They can indicate the distance to towns, cities, and other places or landmarks like Mileage sign, mileage signs; or they c ...

to produce ''

MotoGP '07 (PS2) ''MotoGP '07'' is the fifth game of the MotoGP game series for the PlayStation 2 and the first published by Capcom. Features The game features all the official riders, tracks, teams and bikes of the 2007 MotoGP season, including the Ilmor Ilmor ...

'' and some of its successors. In 2008, THQ lost the MotoGP licence and Capcom became the exclusive publisher. ''MotoGP 2010'', an iOS game made in 2010 by I-Play, released on 3 September 2010 and was not received well by critics after having a 43% rating on Metacritic. '' MotoGP 10/11'' was released by Capcom on 15 March 2011, for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. Metacritic gave the game a rating of 72%. In 2013,

got the exclusive license for MotoGP video games, a contract that will now last until at least 2026. The first game in this run of their contract was ''

MotoGP 13 ''MotoGP 13'' is a motorcycle racing game developed and published by Milestone and released in 2013. The game was announced by Milestone taking back production, after its departure on the franchise with '' MotoGP '08''. Along with the racing gam ...

'', which was released on 21 June 2013 on PlayStation Vita, PlayStation 3, and Xbox 360. The game received mixed reviews and scored 73%. As of May 2025 the latest release is ''

MotoGP 25 Grand Prix motorcycle racing is the highest class of motorcycle road racing events held on road circuits sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme (FIM). Independent motorcycle racing events have been held since the start ...

'' on PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch, Microsoft Windows, Xbox Series X/S and Xbox One.

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Grand Prix Motorcycle Racing Motorcycle road racing series Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme World motorcycle racing series 1949 establishments in Europe