The Motul TT Assen is a historic round for the MotoGP™ World Championship for a number of reasons. Not only is it the first time a race will be held on a Sunday at the track, but it is also the 250th race since the four-stroke MotoGP™ class was introduced in 2002. Here’s a look at just some of the milestone achieved since then.
April, 2002
Suzuka, Japan
Race 1 of the MotoGP™ era
First MotoGP™ race won by Rossi on a Honda, Japanese wildcard Akira Ryo is second on a Suzuki and Carlos Checa third on a Yamaha.
June, 2003
Catalunya, Spain
Race 22 of the MotoGP™ era
Loris Capirossi gives Ducati their first GP win since 1959, and the first win by an Italian rider on an Italian bike since Agostini on the MV Agusta in 1976.
April, 2004
Welkom, South Africa
Race 33 of the MotoGP™ era
Rossi wins his first race on a Yamaha, beating Agostini’s record sequence of 22 consecutive podium finishes.
July, 2005
Laguna Seca, USA
Race 56 of the MotoGP™ era
MotoGP™ returns to the USA. Home favourite Nicky Hayden takes his maiden MotoGP™ win.
October, 2006
Valencia, Spain
Race 82 of the MotoGP™ era
The final race of the 990cc era is won by Troy Bayliss, who is the only wild card or replacement rider to win a MotoGP™ race. Capirossi is second to give Ducati their first ever one-two, and Hayden is third to become the first rider other than Rossi to have won the MotoGP™ world title.
September, 2007
Motegi, Japan
Race 97 of the MotoGP™ era
Casey Stoner becomes the world champion on a Ducati. Also the first race that saw riders swap bikes part way through a race due to weather conditions changing from a wet to dry race.
October, 2011
Phillip Island, Australia
Race 169 of the MotoGP™ era
Casey Stoner was crowned as MotoGP™ World Champion for the second time, this time riding a Honda, making him the final 800cc champion before the premier-class changed to 1000cc engines.
October, 2012
Sepang, Malaysia
Race 186 of the MotoGP™ era
Dani Pedrosa took his fifth victory from six races. This was arguably Pedrosa’s best chance to take a championship title.
November, 2013
Valencia, Spain
Race 206 of the MotoGP™ era
Marquez became the youngest premier class World Champion. Marquez also became the first rookie since Kenny Roberts in 1978 to win the championship.
October, 2015
Sepang, Malaysia
Race 241 of the MotoGP™ era
After an incident between Marquez and Rossi which saw them collide and Marquez fall from his bike, Rossi was penalized, resulting in him starting the final race of the season in Valencia from the back of the grid.