MotoGP 2005

MotoGP Facts & Figures prior to Phillip Island

This will be the 17th consecutive year that a Grand Prix has been held in Australian since 1989. The first two events were at Phillip Island before the circus moved north to Eastern Creek for six years. The series returned to Phillip Island in 1997.
Honda have taken eight victories in the premier class at Phillip Island. The only two non Honda wins were by Yamaha in 2000 with Max Biaggi and last year with Rossi. Suzuki's best ever finish at Phillip Island was fifth place by Niall Mackenzie way back in 1990.
Valentino Rossi has taken six GP victories at Phillip Island; the last four years in the premier class and in the 250cc class in both 1998 and 1999.
Max Biaggi has finished on the podium in the premier class at Phillip Island on three occasions, including taking victory in 2000 after qualifying in a lowly 12th place on the grid.
Marco Melandri has had two wins at Phillip Island in the smaller classes; in the 125cc category in 1999 and 250cc in 2002.
After finishing third at Qatar, Nicky Hayden will be aiming to score back to back podium finishes for the first time this year.
Colin Edwards has finished on the podium in World Superbike races at Phillip Island on eight occasions, including a win in 2001 in atrocious weather conditions.
Sete Gibernau's second place at the Australian GP last year was his first podium at Phillip Island.
Loris Capirossi, who won the 125cc GP at Phillip Island back in 1990, has had four podium finishes in the premier class at the circuit in the last five years. His third place last year was his only podium of 2004. At the Qatar GP Capirossi became the first rider to score three successive poles in the premier class on a European motorcycle since John Kocinski at the end of the 1993 season and start of 1994 riding a Cagiva. If Capirossi qualifies on pole in Australia he will be the first rider to start from pole at four consecutive premier class races riding a European machine since Giacomo Agostini in 1972 when riding an MV Agusta.
Alex Barros has finished in the top five on five occasions at Phillip Island, including a single podium finish in 2002.
Carlos Checa, who celebrates his 33rd birthday on Saturday, has a best result of fourth place at Phillip Island in 1999 when riding for Yamaha.
Toni Elias' eighth place in Qatar is his best result since moving up to the MotoGP class for 2005.
Yamaha need to score just one point more than Honda in Australia to win the constructors title for the first time since 2000.
Valentino Rossi scored his tenth victory of 2005 at the Qatar GP, a new record for most premier class wins in a season by a Yamaha rider. Rossi needs one more win before the end of the year to match his best performance of 11 victories in a season which he achieved in 2001 and 2002 when riding for Honda. Rossi is the only rider to have won nine or more races on five occasions and is also the only rider to have won ten or more races in a season on machines from two different manufacturers. Mick Doohan holds the record for the most victories in a season when he took 12 wins in 1997 in a 15 round season. Rossi has a long 17 round season to try and eclipse that mark.
Valentino Rossi's victory at Qatar was the 78th time he has finished on the podium in the premier class of GP racing which is the same number achieved by four-time World Champion Eddie Lawson. Doohan tops the list with 95 podiums, Agostini is second with 88 while Lawson and Rossi are tied for third with 78 to their credit. The next best is Wayne Rainey with 64 and Max Biaggi with 58. Randy Mamola is seventh with 58 which is four more podium finishes than Wayne Gardner who ranks eighth on the chart. Ties for ninth places are Kevin Schwantz and Alex Criville with 51 podiums to their names.
Honda riders failed to score a win in any of the three classes at the Qatar GP and therefore go to Australia still requiring tow more victories to become the first manufacturer to take 600 GP victories.

250cc - Stoner in with a chance

After taking back to back victories Casey Stoner had reduced the deficit to Dani Pedrosa to only 26 points, making him a serious contender to take the 250cc world title. Stoner has revived the class success that Australian riders had in the sixties and seventies which included a World Championship title for Kel Carruthers in 1969 riding a Benelli. Coincidentally this was the last time the 250cc title was won by a rider on a four-stroke machine.

Stoner has set many marks this season

Stoner's debut victory in the 250cc class in Portugal made him the youngest Australian rider ever to win a 250cc GP to add to this record of being the youngest Australian to win in the 125cc class.
At the Chinese GP Stoner became the first Australian to start from pole in a 250cc race since Gregg Hansford at the French GP in 1979 when riding a Kawasaki.
Stoner became the third youngest rider ever to start from pole in the 250cc class after Marco Melandri and Dani Pedrosa.
Earlier this year at the Portuguese and Chinese GP's Stoner became the first Australian to take back to back wins in the 250cc class since Gregg Hansford was victorious in the Spanish GP at Jarama and the French GP at Nogaro in 1978 riding a Kawasaki.
Australians have taken 20 victories in total in the 250cc class with six different riders: Kel Carruthers (7), Gregg Hansford (4), Casey Stoner (4), John Dodds (2), Tom Phillis (2), Anthony West (1).
Stoner is the second youngest rider (after Pedrosa) to take back to back victories in the 250cc class.
His victory in Qatar was Stoner's eight podium finish on the season, equalling the number of podiums achieved this season by Pedrosa.

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