The 1997 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season was the 49th F.I.M. Road Racing World Championship season.
A fourth world championship in a row for Honda's Mick Doohan with another dominating performance. He broke Giacomo Agostini's record for victories in one season with 12 wins. [1] It was also dominating year for Honda with eight of the top ten riders aboard Hondas. [1] The Yamaha and Suzuki teams were in disarray. [1] Kenny Roberts left Yamaha to start his own venture with a lightweight, three-cylinder Modenas. [1] Wayne Rainey's team was left with the inconsistent Norifumi Abe and Sete Gibernau, a rookie. [1] Daryl Beattie wasn't able to come back from head injuries and retired at the end of the year while Anthony Gobert failed a drug test and was dismissed by the Suzuki team. [1] The Elf team soldiered on with their Swiss-Auto V4 but Aprilia decided to pull their V twin from the 500 class at the end of the year. [1]
Max Biaggi had a harder time defending his title from Tetsuya Harada and Ralf Waldmann, not clinching the title until the last race of the year. [1] A new star emerged from the 125 class with Valentino Rossi winning 11 races for a commanding win on an Aprilia. [1]
The following Grands Prix were scheduled to take place in 1997: [2] [3]
Round | Date | Grand Prix | Circuit |
---|---|---|---|
1 | 13 April | Marlboro Malaysian Grand Prix | Shah Alam Circuit |
2 | 20 April | Marlboro Grand Prix of Japan | Suzuka Circuit |
3 | 4 May | Gran Premio Lucky Strike de España | Circuito Permanente de Jerez |
4 | 18 May | Gran Premio d'Italia Polini | Mugello Circuit |
5 | 1 June | Motorrad Grand Prix von Österreich | A1-Ring |
6 | 8 June | Grand Prix de France | Circuit Paul Ricard |
7 | 28 June †† | Lucky Strike Dutch Grand Prix | TT Circuit Assen |
8 | 6 July | Gran Premio Cirio Città di Imola | Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari |
9 | 20 July | ADAC Motorrad Grand Prix Deutschland | Nürburgring |
10 | 3 August | Lucky Strike Rio Grand Prix | Autódromo Internacional Nelson Piquet |
11 | 17 August | Sun British Grand Prix | Donington Park |
12 | 31 August | Grand Prix České republiky | Brno Circuit |
13 | 14 September | Gran Premi Marlboro de Catalunya | Circuit de Catalunya |
14 | 28 September | Marlboro Indonesian Grand Prix | Sentul International Circuit |
15 | 5 October | Australian Motorcycle Grand Prix | Phillip Island |
†† = Saturday race
†† = Saturday race
Points were awarded to the top fifteen finishers. A rider had to finish the race to earn points.
Position | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 5th | 6th | 7th | 8th | 9th | 10th | 11th | 12th | 13th | 14th | 15th |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Points | 25 | 20 | 16 | 13 | 11 | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
|
Bold – Pole |
Points were awarded to the top fifteen finishers. A rider had to finish the race to earn points.
Position | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 5th | 6th | 7th | 8th | 9th | 10th | 11th | 12th | 13th | 14th | 15th |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Points | 25 | 20 | 16 | 13 | 11 | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
|
Bold – Pole |
Points were awarded to the top fifteen finishers. A rider had to finish the race to earn points.
Position | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 5th | 6th | 7th | 8th | 9th | 10th | 11th | 12th | 13th | 14th | 15th |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Points | 25 | 20 | 16 | 13 | 11 | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
|
Bold – Pole |
Pos | Manufacturer | MAL | JPN | ESP | ITA | AUT | FRA | NED | IMO | GER | RIO | GBR | CZE | CAT | INA | AUS | Pts |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Honda | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 375 |
2 | Yamaha | 4 | 7 | 7 | 2 | 3 | 7 | 10 | 6 | 7 | 3 | 5 | 2 | 4 | 5 | 3 | 188 |
3 | Suzuki | Ret | 13 | 12 | 5 | 7 | 10 | 7 | 10 | 9 | 10 | 6 | 10 | 17 | 12 | 7 | 90 |
4 | Aprilia | Ret | DNS | 6 | 11 | 10 | 11 | 3 | Ret | 5 | 7 | 7 | Ret | 10 | 10 | 11 | 88 |
5 | Modenas KR3 | Ret | 14 | 13 | 8 | 14 | Ret | 8 | 8 | Ret | 8 | 11 | 9 | 8 | 9 | 14 | 68 |
6 | ELF 500 | 14 | Ret | 16 | Ret | 12 | 9 | 9 | 14 | 8 | 6 | 8 | Ret | 9 | 11 | Ret | 60 |
7 | ROC Yamaha | 16 | 16 | 15 | 14 | 15 | 19 | 16 | 15 | 15 | 12 | 16 | 14 | 18 | 17 | 17 | 12 |
Pos | Manufacturer | MAL | JPN | ESP | ITA | AUT | FRA | NED | IMO | GER | RIO | GBR | CZE | CAT | INA | AUS | Pts |
Pos | Manufacturer | MAL | JPN | ESP | ITA | AUT | FRA | NED | IMO | GER | RIO | GBR | CZE | CAT | INA | AUS | Pts |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Honda | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 360 |
2 | Aprilia | 2 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 268 |
3 | T.S. Honda | Ret | 4 | 4 | Ret | 7 | Ret | 6 | Ret | 13 | 8 | 6 | 6 | 7 | 5 | 4 | 109 |
4 | Yamaha | 11 | 10 | 10 | 11 | 11 | 8 | 8 | 9 | 11 | 15 | 11 | 11 | 10 | 12 | 11 | 81 |
5 | Suzuki | 14 | 6 | 8 | 6 | 10 | Ret | Ret | 15 | 7 | Ret | 10 | 13 | 9 | Ret | 6 | 72 |
Pos | Manufacturer | MAL | JPN | ESP | ITA | AUT | FRA | NED | IMO | GER | RIO | GBR | CZE | CAT | INA | AUS | Pts |
Pos | Manufacturer | MAL | JPN | ESP | ITA | AUT | FRA | NED | IMO | GER | RIO | GBR | CZE | CAT | INA | AUS | Pts |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Aprilia | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 351 |
2 | Honda | 3 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 287 |
3 | Yamaha | 8 | 6 | 10 | 10 | 7 | 4 | 5 | 8 | 2 | 3 | 6 | 10 | 13 | 8 | 11 | 139 |
Pos | Manufacturer | MAL | JPN | ESP | ITA | AUT | FRA | NED | IMO | GER | RIO | GBR | CZE | CAT | INA | AUS | Pts |
Grand Prix motorcycle racing is the highest class of motorcycle road racing events held on road circuits sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme (FIM). Independent motorcycle racing events have been held since the start of the twentieth century and large national events were often given the title Grand Prix. The foundation of the Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme as the international governing body for motorcycle sport in 1949 provided the opportunity to coordinate rules and regulations in order that selected events could count towards official World Championships. It is the oldest established motorsport world championship.
Massimiliano "Max" Biaggi is an Italian former professional Grand Prix motorcycle road racer who achieved six World Championships. With four 250 cc road race titles and two in World Superbikes, he is one of only two riders to score championships across both disciplines.
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Tetsuya Harada is a Japanese former Grand Prix motorcycle road racer. He was the 1993 FIM 250cc World Champion.
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The 1993 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season was the 45th F.I.M. Road Racing World Championship season.
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The 1996 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season was the 48th F.I.M. Road Racing World Championship season.
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