Japanese motorcycle Grand Prix

Japanese Grand Prix
Grand Prix motorcycle racing
Venue Mobility Resort Motegi (1999, 2004–2019, 2022–present)
Suzuka Circuit (1963–1965, 1987–1998, 2000–2003)
Fuji Speedway (1966–1967)
First race 1963
Most wins (rider) Marc Márquez (5)
Most wins (manufacturer) Honda (49)

The Japanese motorcycle Grand Prix (日本グランプリ) is a motorcycling event that is part of the FIM Grand Prix motorcycle racing season.

The main venue who held the races for years was the Suzuka Circuit, until it permanently was replaced by the Mobility Resort Motegi from 2004 onwards after the circuit faced criticism for its short runoff areas and dangerous trackside barriers, causing the death of Japanese rider Daijiro Kato and the injuries of Marco Melandri and Alex Barros at the 2003 Japanese Grand Prix. As a result, Suzuka was faced with making considerable safety alterations to avoid a possible strike by the riders – many of whom believed the 240 hp motorbikes had outgrown the tight circuit. The FIM stated that the modifications would not be completed before 2005 and that, therefore, the 2004 Japanese Grand Prix would be held at Motegi, but Suzuka has not appeared on the calendar since.

The 2020 and 2021 races were cancelled due to the outbreak of COVID-19.

The event is due to take place at the Mobility Resort Motegi until at least 2023.

Official names and sponsors

  • 1963: Grand Prix Race Meeting (no official sponsor)
  • 1987–1989, 2001, 2005, 2010–2011: Grand Prix of Japan (no official sponsor)
  • 1990–1991: Kibun Japanese Grand Prix
  • 1992: Japanese Grand Prix (no official sponsor)
  • 1993: Marlboro GP
  • 1994–2000: Marlboro Grand Prix of Japan
  • 2002–2003: SKYY vodka Grand Prix of Japan
  • 2004: Camel Grand Prix of Japan
  • 2006–2008: A-Style Grand Prix of Japan
  • 2009: Polini Grand Prix of Japan
  • 2012–2013: AirAsia Grand Prix of Japan
  • 2014–2019, 2022–present: Motul Grand Prix of Japan

Formerly used circuits

Winners of the Japanese Motorcycle Grand Prix

Kevin Schwantz on Suzuki RGV500 at the 1993 Japanese GP
Daijiro Kato winning the 1998 Japanese GP on his Honda NSR250
Dani Pedrosa celebrating after winning the 2011 Japanese GP on his Honda RC212V
Valentino Rossi in the lead followed by Marc Márquez and Dani Pedrosa at the 2013 Japanese GP
Marc Márquez riding his Honda RC213V while crossing the finish line first at the 2018 Japanese GP

Multiple winners (riders)

# Wins Rider Wins
Category Years won
5 Marc Márquez MotoGP 2016, 2018, 2019
Moto2 2012
125cc 2010
4 Kevin Schwantz 500cc 1988, 1989, 1991, 1994
Daijiro Kato 250cc 1997, 1998, 2000, 2001
Valentino Rossi MotoGP 2002, 2003, 2008
500cc 2001
Dani Pedrosa MotoGP 2011, 2012, 2015
250cc 2004
3 Jim Redman 350cc 1964
250cc 1963, 1964
Mike Hailwood 350cc 1965, 1967
250cc 1965
Luca Cadalora 250cc 1990, 1991, 1992
Loris Capirossi MotoGP 2005, 2006, 2007
Mika Kallio 250cc 2007
125cc 2005, 2006
Jorge Lorenzo MotoGP 2009, 2013, 2014
Álex Márquez Moto2 2017
Moto3 2013, 2014
2 Luigi Taveri 50cc 1963, 1965
Bill Ivy 125cc 1966, 1967
Wayne Rainey 500cc 1990, 1993
Ralf Waldmann 250cc 1995
125cc 1992
Noboru Ueda 125cc 1991, 1997
Mick Doohan 500cc 1992, 1997
Max Biaggi 500cc 1998
250cc 1996
Norifumi Abe 500cc 1996, 2000
Masao Azuma 125cc 1999, 2001
Hiroshi Aoyama 250cc 2005, 2006
Andrea Iannone Moto2 2011
125cc 2009
Johann Zarco Moto2 2015
125cc 2011
Thomas Lüthi Moto2 2014, 2016
Andrea Dovizioso MotoGP 2017
125cc 2004

Multiple winners (manufacturers)

# Wins Manufacturer Wins
Category Years won
49 Honda MotoGP 2002, 2003, 2004, 2011, 2012, 2015, 2016, 2018, 2019
500cc 1992, 1997, 1998, 2001
350cc 1964, 1967
250cc 1963, 1964, 1965, 1967, 1987, 1988, 1991, 1992, 1994, 1995, 1997, 1998, 2000, 2001, 2004, 2005
Moto3 2014, 2015, 2017, 2019, 2023
125cc 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1997, 1999, 2001, 2004
50cc 1963, 1965
18 Yamaha MotoGP 2008, 2009, 2013, 2014
500cc 1987, 1990, 1993, 1996, 2000
350cc 1966
250cc 1966, 1989, 1990, 1993, 1999, 2002
125cc 1966, 1967
11 Suzuki 500cc 1988, 1989, 1991, 1994, 1995, 1999
125cc 1963, 1964, 1965
50cc 1966, 1967
10 Aprilia 250cc 1996, 2003, 2009
125cc 1996, 1998, 2002, 2003, 2007, 2008, 2009
8 KTM 250cc 2006, 2007
Moto3 2012, 2013, 2016, 2018
125cc 2005, 2006
Kalex Moto2 2013, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2022, 2023
7 Ducati MotoGP 2005, 2006, 2007, 2010, 2017, 2022, 2023
3 Derbi 125cc 2000, 2010, 2011
Suter Moto2 2011, 2012, 2014

By year

A pink background indicates an event that was not part of the Grand Prix motorcycle racing championship.

Year Track Moto3 Moto2 MotoGP Report
Rider Manufacturer Rider Manufacturer Rider Manufacturer
2023 Motegi Jaume Masià Honda Somkiat Chantra Kalex Jorge Martín Ducati Report
2022 Izan Guevara Gas Gas Ai Ogura Kalex Jack Miller Ducati Report
2021 Cancelled due to COVID-19 concerns
2020
2019 Lorenzo Dalla Porta Honda Luca Marini Kalex Marc Márquez Honda Report
2018 Marco Bezzecchi KTM Francesco Bagnaia Kalex Marc Márquez Honda Report
2017 Romano Fenati Honda Álex Márquez Kalex Andrea Dovizioso Ducati Report
2016 Enea Bastianini KTM Thomas Lüthi Kalex Marc Márquez Honda Report
2015 Niccolò Antonelli Honda Johann Zarco Kalex Dani Pedrosa Honda Report
2014 Álex Márquez Honda Thomas Lüthi Suter Jorge Lorenzo Yamaha Report
2013 Álex Márquez KTM Pol Espargaró Kalex Jorge Lorenzo Yamaha Report
2012 Danny Kent KTM Marc Márquez Suter Dani Pedrosa Honda Report
Year Track 125cc Moto2 MotoGP Report
Rider Manufacturer Rider Manufacturer Rider Manufacturer
2011 Motegi Johann Zarco Derbi Andrea Iannone Suter Dani Pedrosa Honda Report
2010 Marc Márquez Derbi Toni Elías Moriwaki Casey Stoner Ducati Report
Year Track 125cc 250cc MotoGP Report
Rider Manufacturer Rider Manufacturer Rider Manufacturer
2009 Motegi Andrea Iannone Aprilia Álvaro Bautista Aprilia Jorge Lorenzo Yamaha Report
2008 Stefan Bradl Aprilia Marco Simoncelli Gilera Valentino Rossi Yamaha Report
2007 Mattia Pasini Aprilia Mika Kallio KTM Loris Capirossi Ducati Report
2006 Mika Kallio KTM Hiroshi Aoyama KTM Loris Capirossi Ducati Report
2005 Mika Kallio KTM Hiroshi Aoyama Honda Loris Capirossi Ducati Report
2004 Andrea Dovizioso Honda Daniel Pedrosa Honda Makoto Tamada Honda Report
2003 Suzuka Stefano Perugini Aprilia Manuel Poggiali Aprilia Valentino Rossi Honda Report
2002 Arnaud Vincent Aprilia Osamu Miyazaki Yamaha Valentino Rossi Honda Report
Year Track 125cc 250cc 500cc Report
Rider Manufacturer Rider Manufacturer Rider Manufacturer
2001 Suzuka Masao Azuma Honda Daijiro Kato Honda Valentino Rossi Honda Report
2000 Youichi Ui Derbi Daijiro Kato Honda Norifumi Abe Yamaha Report
1999 Motegi Masao Azuma Honda Shinya Nakano Yamaha Kenny Roberts, Jr. Suzuki Report
1998 Suzuka Kazuto Sakata Aprilia Daijiro Kato Honda Max Biaggi Honda Report
1997 Noboru Ueda Honda Daijiro Kato Honda Mick Doohan Honda Report
1996 Masaki Tokudome Aprilia Max Biaggi Aprilia Norifumi Abe Yamaha Report
1995 Haruchika Aoki Honda Ralf Waldmann Honda Daryl Beattie Suzuki Report
1994 Takeshi Tsujimura Honda Tadayuki Okada Honda Kevin Schwantz Suzuki Report
1993 Dirk Raudies Honda Tetsuya Harada Yamaha Wayne Rainey Yamaha Report
1992 Ralf Waldmann Honda Luca Cadalora Honda Mick Doohan Honda Report
1991 Noboru Ueda Honda Luca Cadalora Honda Kevin Schwantz Suzuki Report
1990 Hans Spaan Honda Luca Cadalora Yamaha Wayne Rainey Yamaha Report
Year Track 80cc 125cc 250cc 500cc Report
Rider Manufacturer Rider Manufacturer Rider Manufacturer Rider Manufacturer
1989 Suzuka Ezio Gianola Honda John Kocinski Yamaha Kevin Schwantz Suzuki Report
1988 Anton Mang Honda Kevin Schwantz Suzuki Report
1987 Masaru Kobayashi Honda Randy Mamola Yamaha Report
Year Track 50cc 125cc 250cc 350cc 500cc Report
Rider Manufacturer Rider Manufacturer Rider Manufacturer Rider Manufacturer Rider Manufacturer
1967 Fuji Mitsuo Itoh Suzuki Bill Ivy Yamaha Ralph Bryans Honda Mike Hailwood Honda Report
1966 Yoshimi Katayama Suzuki Bill Ivy Yamaha Hiroshi Hasegawa Yamaha Phil Read Yamaha Report
1965 Suzuka Luigi Taveri Honda Hugh Anderson Suzuki Mike Hailwood Honda Mike Hailwood MV Agusta Report
1964 Ralph Bryans Honda Ernst Degner Suzuki Jim Redman Honda Jim Redman Honda Report
1963 Luigi Taveri Honda Frank Perris Suzuki Jim Redman Honda Jim Redman Honda Report
1962 Tommy Robb Honda Tommy Robb Honda Jim Redman Honda Jim Redman Honda Report