An Overview of the Road Racing World Championship Grand Prix
First organized in 1949 by the International Motorcycling Federation (FIM), theRoad Racing World Championship Grand Prixis perhaps one of the most popular motorcycling sports in the world. Innumerable enthusiasts from all over the world follow the various teams and drivers in their trek across the globe as they vie for dominance in their respective categories; be it the 125cc, the Moto2 or the MotoGP class.
Riders race each other without giving any quarter in an attempt to score as many points as possible throughout the season. Currently, a race winner is awarded a total of 25 points, with drivers receiving points up to fifteenth place. Thrills abound as a typical race weekend sees drivers and teams competing in three free practice sessions spread over Fridays and Saturdays in a bid to fine-tune their cutting-edge machines in preparation for Saturday’s official qualifying session. It is customary for the teams to also perform a few tests in preparation for Sunday’s race. Sunday morning sees the racers back on track tackling the all-important warm up session, the final stage in preparing themselves mentally and physically, as well as their motorcycles, before the final and most important event of the weekend - the race.
125cc
Considered to be the stepping-stone to higher categories, the 125cc class is the entry-level category in which racers typically start their Road Racing World Championship Grand Prix careers. Equipped with a mere single cylinder two-stroke engine capable of delivering a maximum engine displacement of 125cc, these motorcycles are lighter, more manoeuvrable, and slower than their more powerful counterparts, making them ideal for rookies.
Riders need to be at least 16 years old in order to qualify as official racers, with the maximum age set at 28 years; newly contracted riders and wild-card racers cannot be older than 25 years. As of the Indianapolis Grand Prix, the 2011 World Championship finds in its lead Spain’s Nicolas Terol, who at 191 points is 26 points clear of Frenchman Johann Zarco.
For the 2012 World Championship, the 125cc class will be replaced by the Moto3 category, where motorcycles will feature a single cylinder four-stroke engine capable of a maximum engine displacement of 250cc.
Moto2
Up to 2009, the 250cc class provided a solid category to which 125cc racers could be elevated without suffering a huge increase in engine power. However, 2010 saw this mid-level category be replaced by the 600cc four-stroke Moto2 class; a huge increase in engine power when compared to its predecessor.
Age-wise, the only limitation is that of the minimum required age to take part in the World Championship, set at 16 years. Following the Indianapolis Grand Prix, German rider Stefan Bradl is the World Championship’s leader at 193 points. Theoretically, Marc Marquez, standing at 165 points, is the only perceivable danger to Bradl’s title hopes as third placed Andrea Iannone is trailing behind the two contenders on 96 points, tied with Alex de Angelis
MotoGP
Considered to be the primary category of the Road Racing World Championship Grand Prix, the MotoGP features the sport’s most powerful motorcycles and talented drivers, with a minimum age requirement of 18. All motorcycles in this category are prototypes, with the general public being unable to purchase similar vehicles.
When it comes to MotoGP racers, the first name springing to mind is usually that of Italian sensation Valentino Rossi, who at 105 wins is second only toGiacomo Agostinihimself. However, the Italian has seen better days as he currently sits in sixth place as the battle for the title is currently led by Casey Stoner. The Australian has just claimed his seventh win of the season and stands at 243 points after the Indianapolis Grand Prix. At 199 points, Spaniard Jorge Lorenzo is his closest rival.
Of all three categories, the MotoGP class is the one which has seen the most alterations. The 2007 World Championship saw the maximum engine displacement of 990cc reduced to 800cc, which is the engine being currently used. Manufacturers are allowed to utilize four-stoke engines featuring any number of cylinders between two and six, with four being the cylinder configuration most favored by the teams. In yet another alteration, the 2012 World Championship is expected to see the maximum engine displacement increased to 1000cc and the number of cylinders set at four.
Currently, teams, drivers and racing enthusiasts alike are preparing themselves for the next race, due to take place in San Marino on September 4th. As the 2011 Road Racing Championship Grand Prix season rages on, fans from all over the world are eagerly awaiting the crowning of each category’s World Champion. The Spanish track of Valencia will feature the season’s finale on November 6th, but whether the three World Champions will be crowned on that day will depend on how well each category’s leader performs in the coming race; attaining the World Champion’s crown before the last race of the season is not uncommon in the nail biting show that is the Road Racing Championship Grand Prix.
