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First organized in 1949 by the International Motorcycling Federation (FIM), the Road Racing World Championship Grand Prix is 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

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An overview of the Road Racing World Championship Grand Prix

by Gareth Carmichael

First organized in 1949 by the International Motorcycling Federation (FIM), the Road Racing World Championship Grand