MotoGP is the pinnacle of motorcycle racing with the world’s top riders competing on 800cc prototype machines at leading venues around the world. In 2008 MotoGP celebrated its 60th year as an FIM sanctioned series and for 2009 will carry a controlled tyre rule for the first time in the history of the sport.

Grand Prix racing was first introduced in 1949, when the sport’s governing body created a championship for 500cc, 350cc, 250cc, 125cc, 50cc and sidecar machines. Over the years the 350cc, 50cc and sidecar classes have been dropped, with others modified slightly to reflect changes in technology. From 2011 the 250cc series will give way to a 600cc four-stroke prototype category while an age limit now exists in the 125cc division.

From the mid 1970s Grand Prix racing was predominantly a breeding ground for two-strokes, which offered a higher specific output than even the most technically advanced four-stroke engines. The main change came in 2002, when the 500cc class was relabelled MotoGP – a formula that allowed the factories to enter four-stroke machines with capacity up to 990cc. This move rejuvenated the class, allowing manufacturers to showcase and develop technology more relevant to the machines they sell for public road use. The new format also offered a technologically-fascinating series, with all four Japanese manufacturers and Italian company Ducati entering the championship with various different engine configurations – Yamaha and Kawasaki using in-line four-cylinder units, Ducati and Suzuki opting for V4s and Honda entering a V5. For 2007, the maximum engine capacity regulations were changed, when the 2006 limit of 990cc was reduced to 800cc (unlimited cylinders for 2008) – offering further scope for cutting edge development in engine and chassis design and exploring the fast-growing possibilities of electronics.

There have also been rule changes regarding the maximum fuel capacity, which has been reduced from 22 litres to 21 as officials look to further reduce power output of the new machines in the interest of safety. For 2009 a controlled tyre – supplied by Bridgestone – will see the entire grid using the same rubber with only several choices permitted.

As well as changing life for the engineers in the pit box, the new machines also represented a fresh challenge for the riders on the track, with the lighter and less powerful machines demanding higher corner speeds and a precise racing line around the circuit. Electronics and traction control now have an important part to play in the sport and manufacturers are experimenting to see how this technology can be embraced by streetbikes of the future.

Whilst the earliest championships took place over six rounds in Europe, modern day MotoGP, promoted by Spanish company Dorna, is a truly global show and in 2009 will feature 18 races across four continents; visiting the USA twice again after the historic inauguration of MotoGP at Indianapolis in 2008. The circuits themselves have also evolved, from long and often dangerous road circuits to state of the art short circuits offering first class facilities for fans and competitors alike. In 2008 MotoGP hosted the first ever world championship night race, at Losail in Qatar, beating the F1 event in Singapore by several months.

The MotoGP World Championship takes place between March and October with starting grid positions for each race decided by one 60-minute qualifying session. Each MotoGP race lasts around 45 minutes (approximately 30 laps of a 4km circuit) and is watched by a global television audience in excess of 320 million people. Riders compete for championship points and the rider with the highest total is declared world champion at the end of the season. Each race offers 25 points for the winner, 20 for second and 16 for third, going down to a single point for 15th position.