History of MotoGP

MotoGP is the latest incarnation of the oldest motorsport World Championship, having run for the first time back in 1949. Even then, a World Championship may have occurred earlier had it not been for the outbreak of the Second World War, which came at the same time as a new European Championship was set to start.

Over the years, Grand Prix motorcycling has evolved and changed, but the premise has remained the same; the world’s best riders on the finest machinery doing battle for World Championship glory.

After the domination of the Italian manufacturers in the 1950s, the arrival of the Japanese in the 1960s and the battles between American rivals such as Randy Mamola, Wayne Rainey and Kevin Schwantz in the 80s and 90s, MotoGP in its current guise was born in 2002 with the premier class switching to 990cc machinery alongside the all-action 250cc and 125cc classes.

Although MotoGP itself has since gone back to 800cc bikes, the sport remains the most popular on two-wheels with millions of fans attending events on a yearly basis.

The list of championship winners, featuring names such as John Surtees, Mike Hailwood, Giacomo Agostini, Barry Sheene, Michael Doohan and Valentino Rossi, reads like a who’s-who of two-wheeled racing while the list of manufacturers to have been involved in the sport is one that any series – on two-wheels or four – would be envious of.

In total, 33 of those manufacturers have tasted championship glory across the six classes to have made up Grand Prix competition over the years. Fans are currently treated to action from MotoGP, Moto2 and 125s, but in the past there was also the 350cc, 250cc, 80/50cc and Sidecars racing on GP weekends.