100th, 200th, 300th and so on – which riders have stood on the top step at each major GP stage? Find out here
The sensational 1000th Grand Prix will be celebrated at this weekend’s SHARK Grand Prix de France, but where have the other milestone GPs been held between 1949 and 2023 – and who has won them? We decided to take a look at it:
100 – 1962 Spanish GP (Montjuïc)
The 100th GP took place in Barcelona with the 50cc, 125cc and 250cc machines making up the grids. Hans Georg Anscheidt, now a MotoGP™ legend, won the inaugural race in the 50cc class, while Japan’s first GP winner Kunimitsu Takahashi won the race in the 125cc class. Jim Redman, another MotoGP™ legend, won the 250cc class.
200 – 1970 Belgian GP (Spa-Francorchamps)
The famous Spa-Francorchamps hosted the 200th GP at a time when Giacomo Agostini was in great pomp. Unsurprisingly, the legendary Italian won the 500cc race in Belgium en route to his fifth consecutive premier class crown. Rodney Gould and Angel Nieto won the 250cc and 125cc races, with Nieto’s win being his first in the class. The Spanish legend finished second to Aalt Toersen in the 50cc GP.
300 – 1978 Swedish GP (Karlskoga)
300 GPs were clinched in Sweden as double world champion Pierpaolo Bianchi took victory in the 125cc race, while Gregg Hansford took a double victory in the 250cc and 350cc outings. Barry Sheene won the 500cc event, but the British icon was beaten to the 1978 title by ‘King’ Kenny Roberts.
400 – 1986 French GP (Le Castellet)
Frenchman Le Castellet scored 400 GPs while Italian Luca Cadalora beat Fausto Gresini to honors in the 125cc class. Venezuelan Carlos Lavado won the 250cc race en route to a second championship, while Eddie Lawson stood on the top step of the 500cc French GP to help him win a second title as well.
500 – 1993 European GP (Circuit of Barcelona-Catalonia)
The halfway point. 500 GPs came and went in Barcelona with Noboru Ueda taking victory in the 125cc class. Max Biaggi was the 250cc winner en route to finishing P4 in the 1993 championship, as Wayne Rainey took his penultimate career 500cc win.
600 – 2000 GP of Catalonia (Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya)
100 GP later, it was once again Barcelona’s turn to host the final milestone. Simone Sanna and Olivier Jacque shone in the 125cc and 250cc races, while eventual world champion Kenny Roberts Jr took his third victory of the year in the premier class.
700 – 2006 German GP (Sachsenring)
Germany was the scene of the 700th GP as Mattia Pasini beat Alvaro Bautista for the 125cc win. Yuki Takahashi edged out Alex De Angelis for Intermediate Class honors as Valentino Rossi led a top four split by less than a second to claim a famous win at Sachsenring.
800 – 2012 French GP (Le Mans)
A memorable Grand Prix weekend for Louis Rossi taking a dream GP victory on home soil in the Moto3™ race. Tom Lüthi and Jorge Lorenzo were victors in Moto2™ and MotoGP™, the latter claiming his second premier class title.
900 – Aragon GP 2017 (MotorLand Aragon)
Three very familiar names shared the 25 Moto3™, Moto2™ and MotoGP™ points during the 900th GP: Joan Mir, Franco Morbidelli and Marc Marquez. All three would go on to win the titles in their respective classes.
Who will emerge victorious from the 1000th GP this weekend? We will soon find out.
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