With the demise of the 250cc class at the end of the 2009 season and the imminent closure of the 125cc class at the end of this season, I thought it would be a good idea to look at how the GP classes have changed over the years. I am indebted to the respected Michael Scott for the stats that make up this article.
Motorcycle Grand prix racing resumed 4 years after WWII finished. Sanctioned by the Swiss Motorcycle federation, it was basically a continuation of the European Championship from before the war. There were only 4 categories, 125cc, 250cc, 350cc and 500cc. All classes were dominated by 4 stroke motorcycles. The 50cc class was added in 1962, primarily to recognise the growth of two stroke technology. In that year the first two stroke motorcycle won a world title (Suzuki).
The last 4 stroke World Champion in the premier class was Phil Read on the MV in 1974. It was, by then, a two stroke championship in all classes. In 1982 the FIM axed the increasingly irrelevant 350cc class, citing the similarity in performance and the fact that the bikes were visually so similar that spectators didn’t really get the point anyway. Anton Mang, on a KR350 Kawasaki was the last 350cc champion in 1983. he ended a long run of Kawasaki domination of the middleweight classes stretching right back to Kork Ballington in the late 70’s.
The following year the FIM tinkered with the “tiddler” class, raising the allowed capacity from 50cc to 80cc. It barely made a difference as the class was becoming increasingly marginalised and was seen as the exclusive preserve of the Spanish (where have we heard that before?). 80’s soldiered on until 1989, dominated by riders like Jorge Martinez and Emilio Alzamora. The last 80cc champion was the Spaniard, Manuel Herreros in 1989.
Amazingly, the classes then remained static for 12 years; 125cc, 250cc and 500cc.
In 2001 the 500cc era came to an end, the vicious two smokers being replaced by 990cc 4 strokes (at the prime behest of Honda, or so the rumour went – certainly when the formula kicked off, Honda was best prepared by a long way, making many believe that Honda had inside, advanced warning of the formula change.) Interestingly enough, the change also introduced Valentino Rossi to the premier 4 stroke class and he didn’t disappoint, winning the title in his first year on the “big” bike. Rossi thus achieved the distinction of being the last 500cc champion as well as the first MotoGp champion (the name being introduced at this stage to highlight the dramatic change that the sport had undergone).
990’s lasted 5 years, the other 2 classes remaining unchanged. The death of Daijiro Katoh and the increasing speed of the 990’s led to them being axed and the formula changed to the current 800cc format (again, many believe, at the sole behest of Honda).Nicky Hayden lucked into the last 990cc championship after Rossi shot himself in the foot (figuratively) at the final round. Ducati rolled out a spare GP7 for WSBK rider Troy Bayliss to ride (he’d also been the first rider to ride it at the start of the formula) and Bayliss obliged by winning the final race in a flag-to-flag domination.
However, Honda was ill-prepared for the 800cc change despite being its loudest proponents. The upstart Ducati factory, with a pittance in resources compared to the Japanese giant, took them on and defeated them with the Australian, Casey Stoner, (still the only rider to tame the beast from Bologna) in the saddle.
The next change to the formulas took place at the end of 2009 with the axing of the 250cc bikes in favour of 600cc “control-everything” Moto2 machines. An emotional Hiroshi Aoyama won for Honda after the Japanese factory had endured years and years of being beaten up in the class by Aprilia. It seemed very fitting.
Finally, in 2010, the FIM announced the 2012 regulations, with a change again to 1000cc 4 strokes limited to an 81mm bore. Whether this class will be looked back on in years to come as a golden age of Grand Prix racing is yet to be seen. One thing is certain, however, the races will be held against the backdrop of over 60 years of wonderful racing and will probably be regarded as great when looked back upon in years to come.
