Malaysian Grand Prix
Grand Prix motorcycle racing
VenuePetronas Sepang International Circuit (1999–2019, 2022–present)
Johor Circuit (1998)
Shah Alam Circuit (1991–1997)
First race1991
Most wins (rider)Valentino Rossi (7)
Most wins (manufacturer)Honda (33)

The Malaysian motorcycle Grand Prix is a motorcycling event that is part of the FIM Grand Prix motorcycle racing season. The event is due to take place at the Petronas Sepang International Circuit until at least 2024.[1]

History

The first Malaysian Grand Prix was held in 1991 at the Shah Alam Circuit as the final race of the season.[2] Because of the long trip and high cost, many riders chose to not participate in this event.[3][4] The 500cc race was won by John Kocinski.[2] The event was notorious due to the tropical temperatures and a high degree of humidity, something which plagued the riders for four consecutive years – from 1992 to 1995 respectively.[5][6][7][8]

In 1998, the race was moved from Shah Alam to the Johor Circuit.[2] The reason for the change was because of the 1997 Asian financial crisis that hit Malaysia at this time. While the rich Sultan of Selangor protected the grand prix for years, the local government was no longer able to host the race at the venue. The circuit of Johor Bahru, close to the country of Singapore, was chosen and as a result, the circuit was overhauled: it was modernised and a new layer of asphalt was put on it. While there were pebbles on the track that kicked up and were a nuisance to the riders, the most shocking thing that happened during the weekend was when Lucio Cecchinello drove over the tail of a passing Cobra, which then looked up before getting hit at high speed by the leg of Gino Borsoi.[9]

In 1999 the Sepang International Circuit, designed by Hermann Tilke, had finished construction. The circuit was not only more modern and purpose-built compared to Johor, it also lay close to Kuala Lumpur International Airport. As a result, the race for that season was moved to Sepang along with Formula One, who held its first race at the country in the same year.[10][11] Since 1999, the Sepang circuit has hosted the Malaysian GP every year until 2020.[2][4]

In 2006, the distance between the grid positions was increased following the 2006 Catalan motorcycle Grand Prix where multiple riders crashed on the first corner. On Saturday afternoon, the circuit was hit by a hefty thunderstorm: a lot of rain fell and as a result, the qualifying practice of the MotoGP and second practice of the 250cc classes were cancelled. This caused a problem because there was no official starting times. The problem was solved by combining the three best times set by all riders on Friday practice.[12][13][14]

In 2010, Valentino Rossi won his first race in Malaysia since his accident at the Italian round earlier that year, which saw him break his leg.[15] In 2011, Marco Simoncelli died on the first lap of the race after a horror accident where two riders hit him in the head and lower body. The race was abandoned shortly after.[16]

In 2020, the Malaysian round was scrapped due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[17][18]

Official names and sponsors

  • 1991: Lucky Strike Malaysia Grand Prix
  • 1992: Malaysia Motorcycle Grand Prix (no official sponsor)
  • 1993: Malaysia Grand Prix (no official sponsor)
  • 1994, 2001: Malaysian Grand Prix (no official sponsor)[19]
  • 1995–1996: Marlboro Grand Prix of Malaysia
  • 1997–1999: Marlboro Malaysian Grand Prix
  • 2000, 2012: Malaysian Motorcycle Grand Prix (no official sponsor)[20]
  • 2002: Gauloises Malaysian Motorcycle Grand Prix
  • 2003–2006: Marlboro Malaysian Motorcycle Grand Prix[21]
  • 2007–2008: Polini Malaysian Motorcycle Grand Prix[22]
  • 2009–2011, 2013–2014: Shell Advance Malaysian Motorcycle Grand Prix[23]
  • 2015–2019: Shell Malaysia Motorcycle Grand Prix[24]
  • 2022–present: Petronas Grand Prix of Malaysia[25]

Formerly used circuits

Winners of the Malaysian motorcycle Grand Prix

Multiple winners (riders)

# Wins Rider Wins
Category Years won
7 Italy Valentino Rossi MotoGP 2003, 2004, 2006, 2008, 2010
500cc 2001
125cc 1997
5 Australia Mick Doohan 500cc 1992, 1994, 1995, 1997, 1998
Italy Max Biaggi MotoGP 2002
250cc 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997
Spain Dani Pedrosa MotoGP 2012, 2013, 2015
250cc 2004
125cc 2003
4 Australia Casey Stoner MotoGP 2007, 2009
250cc 2005
125cc 2004
3 Italy Luca Cadalora 500cc 1996
250cc 1991, 1992
Italy Loris Capirossi MotoGP 2005
250cc 1999
125cc 1991
Spain Marc Márquez MotoGP 2014, 2018
125cc 2010
Spain Maverick Viñales MotoGP 2019
Moto2 2014
125cc 2011
2 Japan Noboru Ueda 125cc 1994, 1998
United States Kenny Roberts Jr. 500cc 1999, 2000
Spain Álvaro Bautista 250cc 2008
125cc 2006
Hungary Gábor Talmácsi 125cc 2007, 2008
Japan Hiroshi Aoyama 250cc 2007, 2009
Switzerland Thomas Lüthi Moto2 2011
125cc 2005
France Johann Zarco Moto2 2015, 2016
Portugal Miguel Oliveira Moto2 2017
Moto3 2015
Italy Andrea Dovizioso MotoGP 2016, 2017
Italy Francesco Bagnaia MotoGP 2022
Moto3 2016

Multiple winners (manufacturers)

# Wins Manufacturer Wins
Category Years won
33 Japan Honda MotoGP 2003, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2018
500cc 1992, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2001
250cc 1991, 1992, 1993, 1997, 1999, 2001, 2004, 2009
Moto3 2014, 2017, 2018, 2019
125cc 1991, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1998, 1999, 2003, 2005
19 Italy Aprilia 250cc 1994, 1995, 1996, 1998, 2002, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2008
125cc 1992, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2002, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2011
9 Japan Yamaha MotoGP 2002, 2004, 2006, 2008, 2010, 2019
500cc 1991, 1993
250cc 2000
7 Austria KTM Moto2 2017, 2019
250cc 2007
Moto3 2012, 2013, 2015
125cc 2004
Italy Ducati MotoGP 2005, 2007, 2009, 2016, 2017, 2022, 2023
6 Germany Kalex Moto2 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2018, 2022
2 Japan Suzuki 500cc 1999, 2000
Spain Derbi 125cc 2001, 2010
Switzerland Suter Moto2 2010, 2011
Sweden Husqvarna Moto3 2022, 2023

By year

Year Track Moto3 Moto2 MotoGP Report
Rider Manufacturer Rider Manufacturer Rider Manufacturer
2023 Sepang Netherlands Collin Veijer Husqvarna Spain Fermín Aldeguer Boscoscuro Italy Enea Bastianini Ducati Report
2022 United Kingdom John McPhee Husqvarna Italy Tony Arbolino Kalex Italy Francesco Bagnaia Ducati Report
2021 Cancelled due to COVID-19 concerns
2020
2019 Italy Lorenzo Dalla Porta Honda South Africa Brad Binder KTM Spain Maverick Viñales Yamaha Report
2018 Spain Jorge Martín Honda Italy Luca Marini Kalex Spain Marc Márquez Honda Report
2017 Spain Joan Mir Honda Portugal Miguel Oliveira KTM Italy Andrea Dovizioso Ducati Report
2016 Italy Francesco Bagnaia Mahindra France Johann Zarco Kalex Italy Andrea Dovizioso Ducati Report
2015 Portugal Miguel Oliveira KTM France Johann Zarco Kalex Spain Dani Pedrosa Honda Report
2014 Spain Efrén Vázquez Honda Spain Maverick Viñales Kalex Spain Marc Márquez Honda Report
2013 Spain Luis Salom KTM Spain Esteve Rabat Kalex Spain Dani Pedrosa Honda Report
2012 Germany Sandro Cortese KTM San Marino Alex de Angelis FTR Spain Dani Pedrosa Honda Report
Year Track 125cc Moto2 MotoGP Report
Rider Manufacturer Rider Manufacturer Rider Manufacturer
2011 Sepang Spain Maverick Viñales Aprilia Switzerland Thomas Lüthi Suter Abandoned (Art. 1.25.2) [note 1] Report
2010 Spain Marc Márquez Derbi Italy Roberto Rolfo Suter Italy Valentino Rossi Yamaha Report
Year Track 125cc 250cc MotoGP Report
Rider Manufacturer Rider Manufacturer Rider Manufacturer
2009 Sepang Spain Julián Simón Aprilia Japan Hiroshi Aoyama Honda Australia Casey Stoner Ducati Report
2008 Hungary Gábor Talmácsi Aprilia Spain Alvaro Bautista Aprilia Italy Valentino Rossi Yamaha Report
2007 Hungary Gábor Talmácsi Aprilia Japan Hiroshi Aoyama KTM Australia Casey Stoner Ducati Report
2006 Spain Alvaro Bautista Aprilia Spain Jorge Lorenzo Aprilia Italy Valentino Rossi Yamaha Report
2005 Switzerland Thomas Lüthi Honda Australia Casey Stoner Aprilia Italy Loris Capirossi Ducati Report
2004 Australia Casey Stoner KTM Spain Daniel Pedrosa Honda Italy Valentino Rossi Yamaha Report
2003 Spain Daniel Pedrosa Honda Spain Toni Elías Aprilia Italy Valentino Rossi Honda Report
2002 France Arnaud Vincent Aprilia Spain Fonsi Nieto Aprilia Italy Max Biaggi Yamaha Report
Year Track 125cc 250cc 500cc Report
Rider Manufacturer Rider Manufacturer Rider Manufacturer
2001 Sepang Japan Youichi Ui Derbi Japan Daijiro Kato Honda Italy Valentino Rossi Honda Report
2000 Italy Roberto Locatelli Aprilia Japan Shinya Nakano Yamaha United States Kenny Roberts, Jr. Suzuki Report
1999 Japan Masao Azuma Honda Italy Loris Capirossi Honda United States Kenny Roberts, Jr. Suzuki Report
1998 Johor Japan Noboru Ueda Honda Japan Tetsuya Harada Aprilia Australia Mick Doohan Honda Report
1997 Shah Alam Italy Valentino Rossi Aprilia Italy Max Biaggi Honda Australia Mick Doohan Honda Report
1996 Italy Stefano Perugini Aprilia Italy Max Biaggi Aprilia Italy Luca Cadalora Honda Report
1995 Australia Garry McCoy Honda Italy Max Biaggi Aprilia Australia Mick Doohan Honda Report
1994 Japan Noboru Ueda Honda Italy Max Biaggi Aprilia Australia Mick Doohan Honda Report
1993 Germany Dirk Raudies Honda Japan Nobuatsu Aoki Honda United States Wayne Rainey Yamaha Report
1992 Italy Alessandro Gramigni Aprilia Italy Luca Cadalora Honda Australia Mick Doohan Honda Report
1991 Italy Loris Capirossi Honda Italy Luca Cadalora Honda United States John Kocinski Yamaha Report

Notes

  1. ↑ The 2011 MotoGP race was cancelled because of a crash on the second lap that resulted in the death of Marco Simoncelli. Under Article 1.25.2 in the regulations, all motorcycles on the same lap as the leader must finish three complete laps for a race to be official. As only one lap had been completed, the race was abandoned.

References

  1. ↑ "MotoGP signs contract extension with Sepang Circuit for Malaysian GP". Formularapida.net. 23 March 2022. Retrieved 23 March 2022.
  2. 1 2 3 4 "Malaysian Grand Prix history | MotoGP™".
  3. ↑ "Grand Prix uitslagen en bijzonderheden 1991". Archived from the original on 25 July 2015. Retrieved 30 November 2021.
  4. 1 2 "How Syahrin became key to MotoGP's next step in Malaysia". 30 October 2018.
  5. ↑ "Grand Prix uitslagen en bijzonderheden 1992". Archived from the original on 15 March 2014. Retrieved 30 November 2021.
  6. ↑ "Grand Prix uitslagen en bijzonderheden 1993". Archived from the original on 25 July 2015. Retrieved 30 November 2021.
  7. ↑ "Grand Prix uitslagen en bijzonderheden 1994". 25 July 2015. Archived from the original on 25 July 2015.
  8. ↑ "Grand Prix uitslagen en bijzonderheden 1995". Archived from the original on 13 April 2013. Retrieved 30 November 2021.
  9. ↑ "Grand Prix uitslagen en bijzonderheden 1998". Archived from the original on 25 July 2015. Retrieved 30 November 2021.
  10. ↑ "MotoGP™ Cashback | Shell Malaysia Motorcycle Grand Prix". www.motogp-cashback.com.
  11. ↑ "Grand Prix uitslagen en bijzonderheden 1999". Archived from the original on 25 July 2015. Retrieved 30 November 2021.
  12. ↑ "Grand Prix uitslagen en bijzonderheden 2006". 25 July 2015. Archived from the original on 25 July 2015.
  13. ↑ Sports, Dorna. "Heavy rain hits Sepang and postpones MotoGP qualifying | MotoGP™". www.motogp.com.
  14. ↑ "Heavy rain at Sepang. | MotoGP | News | Crash". www.crash.net. Archived from the original on 7 June 2021.
  15. ↑ "Rossi ends losing streak at Sepang, Lorenzo champion". Crash. 10 October 2010.
  16. ↑ "Simoncelli dies in Sepang crash". BBC Sport.
  17. ↑ Sports, Dorna. "UPDATED 2020 MotoGP™ Calendar with a total of 15 Grands Prix". www.motogp.com.
  18. ↑ Krishnan, Ugarajan a/l. "It's confirmed – Malaysian MotoGP is off after 20 years". The Star.
  19. ↑ "2001 500cc Class (FIM Grand Prix World Championship) Programmes | The Motor Racing Programme Covers Project". www.progcovers.com.
  20. ↑ "2012 MotoGP Class (FIM Grand Prix World Championship) Programmes | The Motor Racing Programme Covers Project". www.progcovers.com.
  21. ↑ "2006 MotoGP Class (FIM Grand Prix World Championship) Programmes | The Motor Racing Programme Covers Project". www.progcovers.com.
  22. ↑ "2007 MotoGP Class (FIM Grand Prix World Championship) Programmes | The Motor Racing Programme Covers Project". www.progcovers.com.
  23. ↑ "2009 MotoGP Class (FIM Grand Prix World Championship) Programmes | The Motor Racing Programme Covers Project". www.progcovers.com.
  24. ↑ "2015 MotoGP Class (FIM Grand Prix World Championship) Programmes | The Motor Racing Programme Covers Project". www.progcovers.com.
  25. ↑ "2022 MotoGP Class (FIM Grand Prix World Championship) Programmes | The Motor Racing Programme Covers Project". www.progcovers.com.
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