Grand Prix motorcycle racing is the premier championship of motorcycle road racing, which has been divided into three classes: MotoGP, Moto2, and Moto3. Former classes that have been discontinued include 350cc, 250cc, 125cc, 50cc/80cc, MotoE, and Sidecar.[1] The premier class is MotoGP, which was formerly known as the 500cc class.[1] The Grand Prix Road-Racing World Championship was established in 1949 by the sport's governing body, the Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme (FIM), and is the oldest motorsport world championship in existence.[2] The motorcycles used in MotoGP are purpose-built for the sport, and are unavailable for purchase by the general public because they cannot be legally ridden on public roads.[2] From the mid-1970s to 2002, the top class of GP racing allowed 500cc with a maximum of four cylinders, regardless of whether the engine was a two-stroke or four-stroke.[2] Rule changes were introduced in 2002, to facilitate the phasing out of two-stroke engines.[3]

Points earned in these events count toward the riders' and constructors' world championships. These two are separate championships, but are based on the same point system. The number of points awarded at the end of each race to the top 15 qualifying riders depends on their placement. Points received by each finisher, from first place to 15th place: 25, 20, 16, 13, 11, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1. Historically, there have been several points systems.[4] Results from all current Grands Prix count towards the championships; in the past, only a certain number of results were counted.[5]

In the premier 500cc/MotoGP class, Giacomo Agostini has won the most championships, with eight, including a record seven championships in succession from 1966 to 1972. Marc Márquez is the youngest to win the championship; he was 20 years and 266 days old when he became champion in 2013.[6] Italian riders have won the most championships; seven riders have won a total of twenty-two championships. Riders from Great Britain have won the second most; six riders have won a total of seventeen championships. Riders from the United States have won the third most, as seven riders have won a total of fifteen championships.[7] Leslie Graham won the inaugural premier class championship in 1949.

Champions

Key
† Champion also won 350cc Championship in that season
* Champion also won 250cc Championship in that season
— Indicates information is not available

By season

500cc/MotoGP World Riders' Champions by season
Season Country Rider Constructor Grands Prix Poles Wins Podiums Fastest laps Points Clinched[8] # of rounds
remaining 		Margin
1949  United Kingdom Leslie Graham AJS 6 — 2 3 3 30 Round 5 of 6 1 1
1950  Italy Umberto Masetti Gilera 6[a] — 2 4 1 28 Round 6 of 6 0 1
1951  United Kingdom Geoff Duke† Norton 8[b] — 4 4 2 35 Round 7 of 8 1 4
1952  Italy Umberto Masetti Gilera 8[c] — 2 4 2 28 Round 8 of 8 0 3
1953  United Kingdom Geoff Duke Gilera 8[d] — 4 5 1 38 Round 7 of 8 1 14
1954  United Kingdom Geoff Duke Gilera 8[e] — 5 6 4 40 Round 7 of 8 1 20
1955  United Kingdom Geoff Duke Gilera 8[f] — 4 5 6 36 Round 6 of 8 2 6
1956  United Kingdom John Surtees MV Agusta 6[g] — 3 3 2 24 Round 5 of 6 1 8
1957  Italy Libero Liberati Gilera 6[h] — 4 5 1 32 Round 6 of 6 0 12
1958  United Kingdom John Surtees† MV Agusta 7[i] — 6 6 5 32 Round 4 of 7 3 12
1959  United Kingdom John Surtees† MV Agusta 7 — 7 7 6 32 Round 4 of 7 3 10
1960  United Kingdom John Surtees† MV Agusta 7 — 5 6 6 32 Round 5 of 7 2 6
1961 Rhodesia and Nyasaland Gary Hocking† MV Agusta 10 — 7 7 9 48 Round 7 of 10 3 8
1962  United Kingdom Mike Hailwood MV Agusta 8[j] — 5 5 4 40 Round 6 of 8 2 11
1963  United Kingdom Mike Hailwood MV Agusta 8 — 7 7 7 40 Round 6 of 8 2 19
1964  United Kingdom Mike Hailwood MV Agusta 9[k] — 7 7 6 40 Round 5 of 9 4 15
1965  United Kingdom Mike Hailwood MV Agusta 10[l] — 8 8 8 48 Round 6 of 10 4 10
1966  Italy Giacomo Agostini MV Agusta 9 — 3 8 2 36 Round 9 of 9 0 6
1967  Italy Giacomo Agostini MV Agusta 10 — 5 8 4 46 Round 10 of 10 0 0[m]
1968  Italy Giacomo Agostini† MV Agusta 10 — 10 10 10 48 Round 6 of 10 4 14
1969  Italy Giacomo Agostini† MV Agusta 12[n] — 10 10 10 105 Round 7 of 12 5 58
1970  Italy Giacomo Agostini† MV Agusta 11[o] — 10 10 9 90 Round 6 of 11 5 28
1971  Italy Giacomo Agostini† MV Agusta 11[p] — 8 8 9 90 Round 6 of 11 5 32
1972  Italy Giacomo Agostini† MV Agusta 13[q] — 11 11 12 105 Round 8 of 13 5 18
1973  United Kingdom Phil Read MV Agusta 11[r] — 4 8 1 84 Round 9 of 11 2 21
1974  United Kingdom Phil Read MV Agusta 10[s] 4 4 7 1 82 Round 9 of 10 1 13
1975  Italy Giacomo Agostini Yamaha 10[t] 2 4 6 4 84 Round 10 of 10 0 8
1976  United Kingdom Barry Sheene Suzuki 10[u] 4 5 6 3 72 Round 7 of 10 3 24
1977  United Kingdom Barry Sheene Suzuki 11[v] 7 6 7 6 107 Round 9 of 11 2 27
1978  United States Kenny Roberts Yamaha 11[w] 2 4 8 6 110 Round 11 of 11 0 10
1979  United States Kenny Roberts Yamaha 12[x] 5 5 7 4 113 Round 12 of 12 0 24
1980  United States Kenny Roberts Yamaha 8 2 3 6 4 87 Round 8 of 8 0 15
1981  Italy Marco Lucchinelli Suzuki 11 7 5 6 5 105 Round 11 of 11 0 11
1982  Italy Franco Uncini Suzuki 12[y] 1 5 7 1 103 Round 10 of 12 2 27
1983  United States Freddie Spencer Honda 12 6 6 10 3 144 Round 12 of 12 0 2
1984  United States Eddie Lawson Yamaha 12 2 4 9 3 142 Round 11 of 12 1 31
1985  United States Freddie Spencer* Honda 12[z] 10 7 10 6 141 Round 11 of 12 1 8
1986  United States Eddie Lawson Yamaha 11 7 7 10 6 139 Round 10 of 11 1 22
1987  Australia Wayne Gardner Honda 15 10 7 11 8 178 Round 14 of 15 1 20
1988  United States Eddie Lawson Yamaha 15 2 7 12 5 252 Round 14 of 15 1 23
1989  United States Eddie Lawson Honda 15 1 4 13 3 228 Round 15 of 15 0 17.5
1990  United States Wayne Rainey Yamaha 15 3 7 14 6 255 Round 13 of 15 2 67
1991  United States Wayne Rainey Yamaha 15[aa] 6 6 13 8 233 Round 14 of 15 1 9
1992  United States Wayne Rainey Yamaha 13[ab] 0 3 8 3 140 Round 13 of 13 0 4
1993  United States Kevin Schwantz Suzuki 14 6 4 11 2 248 Round 14 of 14 0 34
1994  Australia Mick Doohan Honda 14 6 9 14 7 317 Round 11 of 14 3 143
1995  Australia Mick Doohan Honda 13 9 7 10 7 248 Round 12 of 13 1 33
1996  Australia Mick Doohan Honda 15 8 8 12 4 309 Round 13 of 15 2 64
1997  Australia Mick Doohan Honda 15 12 12 14 11 340 Round 11 of 15 4 143
1998  Australia Mick Doohan Honda 14 8 8 11 3 260 Round 13 of 14 1 52
1999  Spain Àlex Crivillé Honda 16 2 6 10 2 267 Round 15 of 16 1 47
2000  United States Kenny Roberts Jr. Suzuki 16 4 4 9 3 258 Round 14 of 16 2 49
2001  Italy Valentino Rossi Honda 16 4 11 13 10 325 Round 14 of 16 2 106
2002  Italy Valentino Rossi Honda 16 7 11 15 9 355 Round 12 of 16 4 140
2003  Italy Valentino Rossi Honda 16 9 9 16 12 357 Round 14 of 16 2 80
2004  Italy Valentino Rossi Yamaha 16 5 9 11 3 304 Round 15 of 16 1 47
2005  Italy Valentino Rossi Yamaha 17 5 11 16 6 367 Round 13 of 17 4 147
2006  United States Nicky Hayden Honda 17 1 2 10 2 252 Round 17 of 17 0 5
2007  Australia Casey Stoner Ducati 18 4 10 14 6 367 Round 15 of 18 3 125
2008  Italy Valentino Rossi Yamaha 18 2 9 16 6 373 Round 15 of 18 3 93
2009  Italy Valentino Rossi Yamaha 17 7 6 13 6 306 Round 16 of 17 1 45
2010  Spain Jorge Lorenzo Yamaha 18 7 9 16 4 383 Round 15 of 18 3 138
2011  Australia Casey Stoner Honda 17 12 10 16 7 350 Round 16 of 17 1 90
2012  Spain Jorge Lorenzo Yamaha 18 7 6 16 5 350 Round 17 of 18 1 18
2013  Spain Marc Márquez Honda 18 9 6 16 11 334 Round 18 of 18 0 4
2014  Spain Marc Márquez Honda 18 13 13 14 12 362 Round 15 of 18 3 67
2015  Spain Jorge Lorenzo Yamaha 18 5 7 12 6 330 Round 18 of 18 0 5
2016  Spain Marc Márquez Honda 18 7 5 12 4 298 Round 15 of 18 3 49
2017  Spain Marc Márquez Honda 18 8 6 12 3 298 Round 18 of 18 0 37
2018  Spain Marc Márquez Honda 18 7 9 14 7 321 Round 15 of 18 3 76
2019  Spain Marc Márquez Honda 19 10 12 18 12 420 Round 15 of 19 4 151
2020  Spain Joan Mir Suzuki 14 0 1 7 0 171 Round 13 of 14 1 13
2021  France Fabio Quartararo Yamaha 18 5 5 10 5 278 Round 16 of 18 2 26
2022  Italy Francesco Bagnaia Ducati 20 5 7 10 3 265 Round 20 of 20 0 17
2023  Italy Francesco Bagnaia Ducati 20[ac] 7 7 15 3 467 Round 20 of 20 0 39
2024  Spain Jorge Martín Ducati 20 7 3 16 2 508 Round 20 of 20 0 10
2025  Spain Marc Márquez Ducati 22[ad] 8 11 15 9 545 Round 17 of 22 5 78

By rider

Riders by number of 500cc/MotoGP World Riders' Championships won
Rider Titles Seasons
Giacomo Agostini 8 1966, 1967, 1968, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1975
Valentino Rossi 7 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2008, 2009
Marc Márquez 2013, 2014, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2025
Mick Doohan 5 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998
Geoff Duke 4 1951, 1953, 1954, 1955
John Surtees 1956, 1958, 1959, 1960
Mike Hailwood 1962, 1963, 1964, 1965
Eddie Lawson 1984, 1986, 1988, 1989
Kenny Roberts 3 1978, 1979, 1980
Wayne Rainey 1990, 1991, 1992
Jorge Lorenzo 2010, 2012, 2015
Umberto Masetti 2 1950, 1952
Phil Read 1973, 1974
Barry Sheene 1976, 1977
Freddie Spencer 1983, 1985
Casey Stoner 2007, 2011
Francesco Bagnaia 2022, 2023
Leslie Graham 1 1949
Libero Liberati 1957
Gary Hocking 1961
Marco Lucchinelli 1981
Franco Uncini 1982
Wayne Gardner 1987
Kevin Schwantz 1993
Àlex Crivillé 1999
Kenny Roberts Jr. 2000
Nicky Hayden 2006
Joan Mir 2020
Fabio Quartararo 2021
Jorge Martín 2024
30 riders 77 titles

By constructor

500cc/MotoGP World Riders' Champions by constructor
Constructor Titles Seasons
Honda 21 1983, 1985, 1987, 1989, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2006, 2011, 2013, 2014, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019
MV Agusta 18 1956, 1958, 1959, 1960, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1965, 1966, 1967, 1968, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1974
Yamaha 18 1975, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1984, 1986, 1988, 1990, 1991, 1992, 2004, 2005, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2012, 2015, 2021
Suzuki 7 1976, 1977, 1981, 1982, 1993, 2000, 2020
Gilera 6 1950, 1952, 1953, 1954, 1955, 1957
Ducati 5 2007, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025
AJS 1 1949
Norton 1 1951
8 constructors 77 titles

By nationality

500cc/MotoGP World Riders' Champions by nationality
Country Riders Titles
 Italy 7 22
 United Kingdom 6 17
 United States 7 15
 Spain 5 13
 Australia 3 8
Rhodesia and Nyasaland 1 1
 France 1 1

See also

Notes

  1. Masetti missed one race of the season.
  2. Duke missed one race of the season.
  3. Masetti missed one race of the season.
  4. Duke missed one race of the season.
  5. Duke missed one race of the season.
  6. Duke missed one race of the season.
  7. Surtees missed three races of the season.
  8. Liberati missed one race of the season.
  9. Surtees missed one race of the season.
  10. Hailwood missed two races of the season.
  11. Hailwood missed two races of the season.
  12. Hailwood missed two races of the season.
  13. Agostini won on countback by having three second-place finishes compared to Mike Hailwood's two.
  14. Agostini missed two races of the season.
  15. Agostini missed one race of the season.
  16. Agostini missed two races of the season.
  17. Agostini missed one race of the season.
  18. Read missed three races of the season.
  19. Read missed three races of the season.
  20. Agostini missed one race of the season.
  21. Sheene missed four races of the season.
  22. Sheene missed two races of the season.
  23. Roberts missed one race of the season.
  24. Roberts missed two races of the season.
  25. Uncini missed one race of the season.
  26. Spencer missed one race of the season.
  27. Rainey missed one race of the season.
  28. Rainey missed one race of the season.
  29. Bagnaia missed one race of the season.
  30. Márquez missed four races of the season.

References

Bibliography

General

Specific

  1. Marshall 1997, p. 289
  2. "Basics". MotoGP. Archived from the original on 7 July 2011.
  3. "Bikes". MotoGP. Archived from the original on 10 March 2012.
  4. "FIM Road Racing World Championship Grand Prix Regulations 2009" (PDF). Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme. 31 January 2009. p. 44. Archived from the original (PDF) on 10 March 2012.
  5. "Key Rules". MotoGP. Archived from the original on 9 March 2012.
  6. Rose, Gary (10 November 2013). "Freddie Spencer". MotoGP: Marc Marquez becomes youngest world title winner. Archived from the original on 16 May 2023.
  7. "America's winning heritage in MotoGP". MotoGP. Archived from the original on 14 June 2012.
  8. Haefliger, Werner. "Premier class". FIM MotoGP Results 1949–2023 Guide (2024 ed.). pp. 621–623. ISBN 978-2-9701086-8-9.