South African GP 2002
2002 was the first year the new MotoGP™ category was introduced, Valentino Rossi winning the inaugural race in Japan. Round two of the season saw the championship travel to South Africa where pole went to Max Biaggi. Behind him was Tohru Ukawa, Loris Capirossi and Valentino Rossi. Japan’s Ukawa was in his second premier class season and was the teammate to Valentino Rossi in the factory Honda Team. He’d failed to get the RC211V to the finish line in Japan, but in South Africa the story would go a little differently for Ukawa…
Portuguese GP 2006
It was the penultimate race of a thrilling season, the title battle red hot as the paddock arrived in Estoril. Nicky Hayden was eight points ahead of Valentino Rossi, who had devoured the American’s advantage. Rossi had taken pole and with Hayden third, the American needed to fight hard. Meanwhile Toni Elias, who had already played a significant roll in shaping that year’s championship, was 11th. The Spaniard was with the Fortuna team on a satellite Honda and his best result had so far been fourth place at the first race of the year. When the lights went out championship plans were thrown out, but Elias had nothing to lose…
Valencia GP 2006
The MotoGP™ World Championship arrived in Valencia with the title at stake after a dramatic season. Valentino Rossi and Nicky Hayden were locked in battle for the crown, Rossi on pole and Hayden in fifth. Meanwhile the Ducati team had replaced an injured Sete Gibernau with Troy Bayliss, who had won the World Superbike title for Ducati that year. Bayliss had been in MotoGP™ but had never won, his return to the premier class highlighted by second on the grid. All eyes were on Hayden and Rossi, but is was Bayliss who stole the show in one of the most memorable races of the modern era...
French GP 2007
Chris Vermeulen impressed the paddock during his first season with the Rizla Suzuki MotoGP team, taking second place at his home GP in Phillip Island. The following year at the fifth round of the season came Le Mans, Casey Stoner already edging ahead of Valentino Rossi in the standings. Both riders were on form again in Le Mans and on the front row with Colin Edwards, Chris Vermeulen had a subdued Qualifying and started down in 12th position. With 19 laps to go the rain made an appearance and the riders entered the pits to swap bikes. Then Vermeulen showed the rest how to ride in the wet...
British GP 2009
As is all too common in England, the 2009 British GP was a weather hit affair when the race began. The usual suspects of Valentino Rossi, Dani Pedrosa and Jorge Lorenzo made up the front row, but as is always the case the weather produced nothing but surprises, a drying track saw a number of tyre gambles and falls. From fifth on the grid Andrea Dovizioso, then on a Honda, kept it cool and upright…
Dutch GP 2011
With the departure of Valentino Rossi to Ducati, Yamaha moved Ben Spies to partner Jorge Lorenzo in the factory team. The American managed two podiums in his rookie season but in the first six races of 2011 he took to the podium just once, in Barcelona. Then came the race at the historic Assen circuit, Casey Stoner leading the championship after dominating four of the first six rounds of the year. For the first time in the 2011 season, Spies started from the front row, just behind Marco Simoncelli who had pole. Stoner and Lorenzo were behind and the drama begin straight away…