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2011 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season

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2011 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season

The 2011 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season was the 63rd F.I.M. Road Racing World Championship season. The 2011 season was also the final season for 125cc machinery, as a new four-stroke Moto3 class was introduced in 2012.

Contents

Casey Stoner was crowned as MotoGP World Champion for the second time, following his ninth victory of the season at the Australian Grand Prix. Stoner, who was champion previously in 2007, finished 16 of the 17 races to be held in the top three placings – equalling a premier class record held by both Valentino Rossi and Jorge Lorenzo – including ten wins to become the final 800cc champion before the premier class reverted to 1000cc engines in 2012.

The Moto2 title was decided before the final race of the season at the Valencian Grand Prix. Stefan Bradl became Germany's first motorcycle World Champion since Dirk Raudies won the 1993 125cc World Championship title after Marc Márquez, the only rider that could deny Bradl of the championship, was ruled out of the race due to injuries suffered during free practice at the Malaysian Grand Prix.

The final 125cc world championship title went to Spain's Nicolás Terol, after he finished second in the final race of the season in Valencia, and his only title rival Johann Zarco crashed out during the early stages of the race. Terol, who finished third in the class in 2009 and second to Márquez in 2010, ended the season 40 points clear of Zarco, with Maverick Viñales 14 points further behind, after winning the final two races of the season.

The season was marred by the death of Marco Simoncelli at the Malaysian Grand Prix.

2011 Grand Prix season calendar

An 18-race provisional calendar was announced on 30 September 2010. The Japanese Grand Prix, originally scheduled for 24 April, was moved to 2 October due to the effects of the Tōhoku earthquake and the Fukushima I nuclear accidents.

Footnotes

Scoring system

Points are awarded to the top fifteen finishers. Rider has to finish the race to earn points.

Riders' standings

  • Riders marked with light blue background are eligible for Rookie of the Year awards.
  • Rounds marked with light blue background were under wet race conditions.

    • MotoGP

  • ‡ – Marco Simoncelli was fatally injured during the Malaysian Grand Prix and the race was abandoned as a result.

    • MotoGP participants

  • A 17-rider provisional entry list was released on 24 January 2011. Seven-time MotoGP champion Valentino Rossi rides for the factory Ducati team, whilst Casey Stoner, winner of the MotoGP championship in 2007, moved to the factory Honda team. Jorge Lorenzo, Dani Pedrosa & Andrea Dovizioso retained their seats at the factory Yamaha and Honda teams respectively. Former World Superbike champion Ben Spies moved from the Tech 3 Yamaha team to the factory Yamaha team. Moto2 champion in 2010, Toni Elías returned to the MotoGP class with Team LCR, while Karel Abraham also moved up from Moto2, as he signed a contract to ride a privateer Ducati in 2011.
  • All entries use Bridgestone tyres.

    • 1 Being his final MotoGP race, Capirossi switched numbers for Valencia as a memorial to his fallen countryman Simoncelli, killed at Sepang, by racing with the #58 that Simoncelli used, instead of his normal #65. He was still shown as #65 in official timing documentation.

    Rider changes

  • Hiroshi Aoyama will move from Interwetten Honda MotoGP Team to San Carlo Honda Gresini, still riding a Honda.
  • Ben Spies will be promoted by Yamaha from Monster Yamaha Tech 3 Team to the factory team.
  • Randy de Puniet will join Pramac Racing Team, coming from LCR Honda MotoGP.
  • Karel Abraham will move up from Moto2 with his family's team, riding a Ducati.
  • Moto2 reigning champion Toni Elías will return to MotoGP category, joining team LCR Honda MotoGP.
  • Casey Stoner will leave the Ducati factory team to join Repsol Honda Team.
  • Cal Crutchlow will debut in MotoGP with Monster Yamaha Tech 3 Team, coming from Superbike World Championship.
  • After seven seasons, Valentino Rossi will leave Yamaha Factory Racing to enter the Ducati Team.
  • Loris Capirossi will return with Ducati, riding for Pramac Racing Team from Rizla Suzuki MotoGP.

    • Moto2 participants

    On 31 October 2010, a list of 22 teams was accepted by the Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme, Dorna Sports and IRTA to compete in the 2011 championship. A 38-rider provisional entry list was released on 24 January 2011.

    125cc participants

  • A 32-rider provisional entry list was released on 24 January 2011.

    • References

    2011 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season Wikipedia
    (Text) CC BY-SA