There’s no doubting the upcoming Gran Premio Red Bull de España will be brimming with action, intrigue and excitement, but especially when you add to the mix that it will mark the 300th MotoGP ™ start, as well as being the 400th World Championship race to have taken place in Spain across all categories.
This figure not only takes into account the Spanish Grand Prix at the Circuito de Jerez – Angel Nieto but also those at Aragón, Catalunya, Valencia, Europe, Madrid; and even Portugal! Yes, Portugal. The 1987 and 1988 Portuguese Grands Prix were held at Jerez and Jarama respectively.
The category to have raced most often across the nation is the 125cc/Moto3™ class with a massive 123 battles having taken place. That’s followed by 120 for 250cc/Moto2™ and 112 for the 500cc/MotoGP™ class. Plus, if we go even further back in the history books, we find 50cc (22), 350cc (12) and finally 80cc (8).
As for the riders who have triumphed the most often across Spain, at the top of the list is Valentino Rossi (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) with 21 victories over his 23-year career. The Doctor clocking up 2 in 125cc, 3 in 250cc and 16 in the premier class - 2 in 500cc and 14 in MotoGP™.
The Italian sits ahead of a plethora of riders who have tasted success on home soil: Jorge Lorenzo (17), Dani Pedrosa - who will soon have Turn 6 at the Circuito de Jerez Angel Nieto named after him – (15), Marc Márquez (11) and the late, great Angel Nieto (11).
The Repsol Honda Team duo of Lorenzo and Marquez will be trying their upmost to cut the gap to the top and set their sights on surpassing Rossi as the most successful World Championship rider on Spanish soil at the upcoming Gran Premio Red Bull de España.