From 1949 to 2023: a short journey through 1000 GPs

In the event you had been to journey from the Isle of Man to Le Mans by bike, you’d clock simply over 1000 kilometres from one world-famous motorsport venue to the opposite. It’s apt then that after the Isle of Man TT hosted the primary Bike Grand Prix again in 1949, Le Mans and the French GP will host the one thousandth Grand Prix. And what a journey it’s been within the 999 GPs between then and now.

Forward of the one thousandth GP that takes place at this weekend’s SHARK Grand Prix de France, we thought we’d take a short take a look at how our stunning sport has developed between 1949 and 2023.

In 1949, the Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme (FIM) was born and our story started with 125cc, 250cc, 350cc and 500cc bike lessons, whereas 600cc sidecars helped kind the inaugural World Championship too.

Britain’s Leslie Graham grew to become the primary 500cc World Champion driving a British-built AJC machine, but it surely was quickly one other European nation that may stamp its early authority in Grand Prix Bike Racing.

Between 1949 and 1974, Italian producers MV Agusta and Gilera dominated the 500cc class. MotoGP™ Legends comparable to Geoff Duke, John Surtees, Giacomo Agostini, Phil Learn and Mike Hailwood gained their premier class titles on the aforementioned machines earlier than 1975 noticed Agostini notch up his eighth 500cc crown on a Yamaha.

1966 was the primary yr a Japanese producer gained a premier class race. Due to Jim Redman, Honda achieved that feat at Hockenheim, whereas Yamaha gained the Constructors’ title for the primary time in 1974.

From 1975 onwards, Honda, Suzuki and Yamaha started to dominate the premier class. Suzuki and Yamaha shared the glory between 1975 and 1982 earlier than Freddie Spencer handed Honda their debut 500cc title in 1983.

Kenny Roberts led the best way for some American greats to stamp their mark on Grand Prix historical past. Roberts gained the 1978, 1979 and 1980 500cc World Championships with Yamaha, earlier than Spencer and Eddie Lawson shared the titles between 1983 and 1986.

Wayne Gardner made historical past for Australia within the 1987 500cc World Championship earlier than Lawson (1988 and 1989) and Wayne Rainey (1990, 1991 and 1992) put America firmly again on high. Kevin Schwantz added his title to the record when he claimed the 1993 500cc title, as Australia’s Mick Doohan entered the world.

Doohan went on to win each 500cc title between 1994 and 1998 forward of Alex Crivelle ending the American/Australian dominance by placing Spain on the Grand Prix map in 1999. Kenny Roberts Jr handed America their penultimate premier class title thus far in 2000, as a rising Italian star named Valentino Rossi then grew to become Italy’s first 500cc World Champion since Franco Uncini in 2001. 

In 2002, a brand new period of Grand Prix bike racing dawned. MotoGP™ changed the 500cc class as four-stroke machines had been re-introduced to the highest tier of motorbike racing, because the 2003 Czech GP signalled the top of two-stroke bikes competing in MotoGP™.

The primary 4 years of MotoGP™ racing belonged to Rossi. The #46 gained the 2002 and 2003 titles with Honda, as a well-known swap to Yamaha then noticed Rossi declare the 2004 and 2005 titles. The late, nice Nicky Hayden put himself, Honda and America on high of the Grand Prix world in 2006, earlier than Australia had been capable of observe go well with because of the good rise of Casey Stoner. Oh, and that was Ducati’s first MotoGP™ title triumph – and an Italian producer’s first premier class title win since 1974.

Rossi was again on high in 2008 and 2009, however a few unimaginable abilities had been shortly shaking up the pecking order. Particularly, Spain’s Jorge Lorenzo and Dani Pedrosa.

Rossi, Stoner, Lorenzo, and Pedrosa. Between 2007 and 2012, these 4 riders grew to become broadly recognised as ‘The Aliens’. Throughout these six seasons, Stoner, Rossi and Lorenzo gained two titles apiece, with Pedrosa ending within the high three in 5 of these six campaigns.

Nevertheless, Stoner introduced he was retiring on the finish of 2012 on the age of 27. One ‘Alien’ was departing, however one other was prepared and ready: Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Workforce).

2010 noticed Moto2™ change the 250cc class, as Honda grew to become the only four-stroke engine producer within the new intermediate class. Then in 2012, Moto3™ was created to interchange the 125cc class with the identical idea – four-stroke engines changing two-stroke.

In that very same yr, MotoGP™ raised the utmost engine capability to 1000cc, whereas CRT (Claiming Rule Groups) had been additionally launched to the premier class. This allowed lower-budget Impartial Groups to take part in MotoGP™.

The start of a Marc Marquez, Honda and Spain-dominated period. Marquez gained the primary of his six MotoGP™ titles as a rookie in 2013, and it was solely the notorious 2015 title race between Yamaha’s eventual winner Lorenzo and teammate Rossi that stopped Marquez from successful each title between 2013 and 2019.

This period of racing additionally noticed the emergence of aerodynamics steadily changing into increasingly outstanding in MotoGP™, with Ducati performing because the pioneers. MotoGP™ additionally welcomes KTM as a brand-new, full-factory producer in 2017.

Extra races, extra nations visited, extra World Champions. Joan Mir (Repsol Honda Workforce), Fabio Quartararo (Monster Vitality Yamaha MotoGP™) and Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Workforce) have been our final three World Champions, as information proceed to be damaged world wide. 5 producers, all of whom have gained a MotoGP™ race, make up a fiercely aggressive grid in 2023.

As we get set for the one thousandth GP, it’s nice to recollect the many individuals who’ve helped form the game into what it’s at present. Right here’s to the subsequent 1000.