Sports season
Daijiro Kato (pictured at Donington Park) became the 2001 250cc world championThe2001 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season was the 53rdF.I.M. Road Racing World Championship season.
2001 was the end of the 500 cc era inGrand Prix motorcycle racing ; in 2002 the premier class would be renamedMotoGP and dominated by4-stroke 990 cc machines. However, 2001 was the beginning of another era, that ofValentino Rossi 's run of championships in the top class. His learning year past him, he won 11 races in 2001, far outdistancing his nearest competitor,Max Biaggi . Rossi and Biaggi began the season with a controversial incident atSuzuka , where Biaggi seemed to have tried to push Rossi into the dirt at 150 mph and Rossi responded two laps later with an aggressive pass and an extended middle finger. Rossi would win that race and sew-up the championship with two rounds to go. It was the last season where an independent team rider won the rider championship title in the premier class, until2024 , which was won byJorge Martín , riding forPramac Racing .
The 500 cc Rookie of the Year award went toShinya Nakano .[ 1] At the2001 Japanese motorcycle Grand Prix ,Katja Poensgen became the first female competitor to qualify for a 250cc Grand Prix race.[ 2]
As of 2024, it was the last year where a single constructor (Honda) won the championship in all three categories.
2001 Grand Prix season calendar [ edit ] In the weekend of 20 to 22 October 2000, the FIM confirmed the 2001 calendar.[ 3] The following sixteen Grands Prix were scheduled to take place:[ 4] [ 5]
†† = Saturday race 2001 Grand Prix seasons results [ edit ] †† = Saturday race
Key Regular Rider Wildcard Rider Replacement Rider
All entries used Michelin tyres. Team Constructor Motorcycle No. Rider Rounds MS Aprilia Racing Aprilia Aprilia RSV 250 5 Marco Melandri All 31 Tetsuya Harada All 34 Marcellino Lucchi 3, 5 Valência Circuit - Aspar Team Aprilia Aprilia RSV 250 6 Álex Debón All 10 Fonsi Nieto All Telefónica MoviStar Honda Honda Honda NSR250 7 Emilio Alzamora All 74 Daijiro Kato All Petronas Sprinta Yamaha TVK Yamaha Yamaha YZR 250 8 Naoki Matsudo All 18 Shahrol Yuzy All Yamaha Kurz(rd 1-9) Dark Dog Yamaha Kurz(rd 10-16) Yamaha Yamaha YZR 250 9 Sebastián Porto All 23 Cesar Barros All Aprilia Grand PrixAprilia Aprilia RSV 250 11 Riccardo Chiarello 1–2, 4–16 99 Jeremy McWilliams 1–5 /MS Aprilia Racing (Germany) Aprilia Aprilia RSV 250 12 Klaus Nöhles 1–12 55 Diego Giugovaz 13–16 99 Jeremy McWilliams 6–16 By Queroseno Racing Team Honda Honda NSR250 13 David Tomás 1, 3–16 26 Iván Silva 2 85 Rafael Da Cunha 16 Shell Advance Honda Honda Honda NSR250 14 Katja Poensgen 11–16 MS Eros Ramazzotti RacingAprilia Aprilia RSV 250 15 Roberto Locatelli All 21 Franco Battaini All Antena 3 Yamaha d'Antin Yamaha Yamaha YZR 250 19 Julien Allemand 1–4 22 José David de Gea All 36 Luis Costa 5–16 PR2 Metrored / PR2 - DamasAprilia Aprilia RSV 250 20 Jerónimo Vidal 1–15 Honda Honda NSR250 41 Damaso Nacher 3, 11–12, 16 QUB Team Optimum Yamaha Yamaha YZR 250 24 Jason Vincent 10–16 Tecmas RacingHonda Honda NSR250 25 Vincent Philippe 9 Edo RacingYamaha Yamaha YZR 250 55 Diego Giugovaz 1–5, 7–9 27 Shaun Geronimi15–16 46 Taro Sekiguchi 6, 10–14 80 Vladimir Častka 10 Campetella RacingAprilia Aprilia RSV 250 37 Luca Boscoscuro All 57 Lorenzo Lanzi All Kolmer Racing TeamYamaha Yamaha YZR 250 38 Álvaro Molina 3, 6, 12 BRT Ismael BonillaHonda Honda NSR250 39 Ismael Bonilla 3 Team Fomma Honda Honda NSR250 42 David Checa All Construcciones CMHonda Honda NSR250 43 Isaac Martín 12 Safilo Oxydo RaceAprilia Aprilia RSV 250 44 Roberto Rolfo All FCC-TSR Honda Honda NSR250 45 Stuart Edwards 2–11 TSR-Honda 1 47 Tekkyu Kayo 1 Fujitsu SiemensYamaha Yamaha YZR 250 45 Stuart Edwards 12–16 Club VentisYamaha Yamaha YZR 250 46 Taro Sekiguchi 1 Team Kotake RSCHonda Honda NSR250 48 Shinichi Nakatomi 1 Hitman RC Koshien YamahaYamaha Yamaha YZR 250 49 Choujun Kameya 1 Équipe de France - Scrab GPAprilia Aprilia RSV 250 50 Sylvain Guintoli All 81 Randy de Puniet All Privest Yamaha d'Antin Yamaha Yamaha YZR 250 51 Jonathan Van Vuuren 2 Équipe de FranceHonda Honda NSR250 52 Guillaume Dietrich 4 64 Hugo Marchand 4 Ouvrard Racing TeamYamaha Yamaha YZR 250 53 Tom Ouvrard 4 Bentin MotorsportHonda Honda NSR250 54 Hervé Mora 4 Fouloi Racing TeamYamaha Yamaha YZR 250 56 David Fouloi 4 Right Track RacingHonda Honda NSR250 58 Shane Norval 8 Team JacksonHonda Honda NSR250 59 Gary Jackson 8 Car Centre NijmegenHonda Honda NSR250 60 Gert Pieper 7 Performance RacingYamaha Yamaha YZR 250 61 Jarno Boesveld 7 Cruise America Grand Prix RacingHonda Honda NSR250 62 Jason Di Salvo 7–8, 10 M.R.T.T. Hugen RacingHonda Honda NSR250 63 Arnold Litjens 7 Dark Dog Racing Factory(rd 1-9) Racing Factory(rd 10-16) Aprilia Aprilia RSV 250 66 Alex Hofmann All 98 Katja Poensgen 1–9 EPS RacingYamaha Yamaha YZR 250 67 Michael Herzberg 8 Monster Mob Honda Honda NSR250 68 Stuart Easton 8 TZM SportHonda Honda NSR250 70 José Estrela 11 Team Motorsport RacingHonda Honda NSR250 71 Javier Díaz 11 PS RacingAprilia Aprilia RSV 250 72 Michael García 11–12 Freundenberg Racing TeamYamaha Yamaha YZR 250 75 Dirk Heidolf 9 Kiefer Castrol Honda RacingHonda Honda NSR250 76 Christian Gemmel 9 77 Marcel Schneider 9 ADAC SachsenHonda Honda NSR250 78 Max Neukirchner 9 MSC Schleizer DreieckHonda Honda NSR250 79 Norman Rank 10 Road Racing Team VoitHonda Honda NSR250 82 Henrik Voit 10 Biro Racing TeamHonda Honda NSR250 83 Gábor Rizmayer 10, 12 Vaz Yamaha d'Antin Yamaha Yamaha YZR 250 84 Cristiano Vieira16 Team Harc-Pro Honda Honda NSR250 87 Hiroshi Aoyama 1 92 13 SP Tadao Racing TeamYamaha Yamaha YZR 250 88 Nobuyuki Ohsaki 13 Motorex DaytonaYamaha Yamaha YZR 250 89 Osamu Miyazaki 13 RT EnduranceHonda Honda NSR250 90 Daisaku Sakai 13 Morino Kumasan Miztec. RTYamaha Yamaha YZR 250 91 Takayuki Onodera 13 Impact RacingYamaha Yamaha YZR 250 93 Earl Lynch 14 RGV SparesYamaha Yamaha YZR 250 94 Terry Carter 14 97 Josh Brookes 14 Allect RacingHonda Honda NSR250 95 Shane Smith 14 Turramurra Cyclery RacingYamaha Yamaha YZR 250 96 Mark Rowling 14 Source:[ 7]
Key Regular Rider Wildcard Rider Replacement Rider
Team Constructor Motorcycle No. Rider Rounds Liégeois Compétition Honda Honda RS125R 4 Masao Azuma All 14 Philipp Hafeneger 1–5 77 Adrián Araujo 6–16 F.C.C. - TSR Honda Honda RS125R 5 Noboru Ueda All Axo Racing Team Honda Honda RS125R 6 Mirko Giansanti All 34 Eric Bataille All Italjet Racing Team Italjet Italjet F125 7 Stefano Perugini All 8 Gianluigi Scalvini All MS Aprilia LCR Aprilia Aprilia RS125R 9 Lucio Cecchinello All 12 Raúl Jara All PEV-Spalt-Moto ADAC Sachsen Honda Honda RS125R 10 Jarno Müller 1–9, 13–16 30 Jascha Büch 10–12 Bossini Fontana Racing Aprilia Aprilia RS125R 11 Max Sabbatani All 20 Gaspare Caffiero 1–15 50 Andrea Ballerini 5, 16 Matteoni Racing Honda Honda RS125R 15 Alex de Angelis All 39 Jaroslav Huleš All Safilo Oxydo Race Aprilia Aprilia RS125R 16 Simone Sanna All Team LAE - UGT 3000 Aprilia Aprilia RS125R 17 Steve Jenkner All 23 Gino Borsoi All Budweiser Budvar Hanusch Honda Honda RS125R 18 Jakub Smrž All Team Crae Aprilia Aprilia RS125R 19 Alessandro Brannetti 1–3, 5–16 Team Fomma Honda Honda RS125R 21 Arnaud Vincent All Viceroy Team Honda Honda RS125R 29 Ángel Nieto, Jr. All L&M Derbi Team Derbi Derbi 125 GP 22 Pablo Nieto All 41 Youichi Ui All Telefónica MoviStar Jnr. TeamHonda Honda RS125R 24 Toni Elías All 25 Joan Olivé All 26 Daniel Pedrosa All 73 Casey Stoner 8, 14 Racing Service Honda Honda RS125R 27 Marco Petrini 1–11 28 Gábor Talmácsi All 37 William de Angelis 12–16 Valência Circuit -Aspar Team Aprilia Aprilia RS125R 31 Ángel Rodríguez All 44 Héctor Faubel 3, 12 By Queroseno Racing Team Honda Honda RS125R 43 Daniel Piñera 3, 6 90 José Luis Nión 11 CC Valencia Aspar Aprilia Aprilia RS125R 45 Javier Forés 12 Racing Team Panades Honda Honda RS125R 48 Leandro Panadés 16 RCGM Rubicone Corse Aprilia Aprilia RS125R 51 Andrea Dovizioso 5 BNT Racing Honda Honda RS125R 52 Michele Conti 5 Gilera Racing Team Gilera Gilera 125 GP 54 Manuel Poggiali All JHA Racing Honda Honda RS125R 55 Hideyuki Nakajoh 1, 13 97 Naoki Katoh 1 Team Plus One ERPHonda Honda RS125R 56 Yuzo Fujioka 1, 13 Wanpaku - Team Wheelie Honda Honda RS125R 57 Hiroyuki Kikuchi 1 Emtec Racing Aprilia Aprilia RS125R 58 Jason Wessels 2 Tati Team Beaujolais Racing Honda Honda RS125R 59 Julien Enjolras 4 MOB 77 Honda Honda RS125R 60 Xavier Hérouin 4 Provence Moto Sport Aprilia Aprilia RS125R 61 Grégory Lefort 4 AJP Team Yamaha Yamaha TZ125 62 Erwan Nigon 4 Racing Moto Sport Honda Honda RS125R 63 Jimmy Petit 4 OSL SC & Okegawa School E-NER E-NER 125 64 Yuki Takahashi 13 Kumamoto Racing Honda Honda RS125R 65 Toshihisa Kuzuhara 13 Showa Denki Team Harc-Pro Honda Honda RS125R 66 Shuhei Aoyama 13 Adm.Kant.Harkens/Vts Sneltr. Honda Honda RS125R 67 Adri den Bekker 7 Luvro/Tennen V. Leeuwen Tech Honda Honda RS125R 68 Wilhelm van Leeuwen 7 Spijkse Metaalhandel Racing Yamaha Yamaha TZ125 69 Ronnie Timmer 7 D.S.A. Honda Honda RS125R 70 Patrick Lakerveld 7 Paul Robinson Racing Honda Honda RS125R 71 Paul Robinson 8 Wilson Racing TSR Honda Honda RS125R 72 Chris Martin 8 Breadline Racing / TSR Honda Honda RS125R 74 Sam Owens 8 Engines Engineering Rieju Rieju 125GP 75 Fabrizio Lai 12 ADAC Junior Team Germany Honda Honda RS125R 78 Claudius Klein 9 Team Hahn Honda Honda RS125R 79 Andreas Hahn 9 Ivetra-Seel Racing Honda Honda RS125R 80 Tobias Kirmeier 9–10 HKS Racing Team Moto Meinig Yamaha Yamaha TZ125 81 René Knöfler 9 Team Red Devil Honda Honda Honda RS125R 82 Mika Kallio 9, 12 BRC Racing Team Honda Honda RS125R 83 Václav Bittman 10 ELF Revena Team Honda Honda RS125R 84 Igor Kaláb 10 Klub R.J.T. Honda Honda RS125R 85 Tomáš Mikšovský 10 AFL Racing Team Honda Honda RS125R 86 José Leite 11 TZM Sport Honda Honda RS125R 87 José Monteiro 11 I.R.T. Honda Honda RS125R 88 João Pinto 11 Team VP Moto Aprilia Aprilia RS125R 89 Ricardo Tomé 11 Taylor Racing Honda Honda RS125R 91 Jay Taylor 14 Tech.M/C Clothing - JBD Racing Honda Honda RS125R 92 Peter Galvin 14 93 Andrew Brooks 14 Team eServ Honda Honda RS125R 94 Cath Thompson 14 Sonax Racing Aprilia Aprilia Aprilia RS125R 96 Matěj Smrž 10 Team Harc-Pro Honda Honda RS125R 98 Masafumi Ono 1 Source:[ 8]
Key Regular Rider Wildcard Rider Replacement Rider
500cc riders' standings[ edit ] [ 9]
Scoring system 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
Colour Result Gold Winner Silver Second place Bronze Third place Green Points classification Blue Non-points classification Non-classified finish (NC) Purple Retired, not classified (Ret) Red Did not qualify (DNQ) Did not pre-qualify (DNPQ) Black Disqualified (DSQ) White Did not start (DNS) Withdrew (WD) Race cancelled (C) Blank Did not practice (DNP) Did not arrive (DNA) Excluded (EX)
Bold – Pole positionItalics – Fastest lap
250cc riders' standings[ edit ] [ 10]
Scoring system 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
Colour Result Gold Winner Silver Second place Bronze Third place Green Points classification Blue Non-points classification Non-classified finish (NC) Purple Retired, not classified (Ret) Red Did not qualify (DNQ) Did not pre-qualify (DNPQ) Black Disqualified (DSQ) White Did not start (DNS) Withdrew (WD) Race cancelled (C) Blank Did not practice (DNP) Did not arrive (DNA) Excluded (EX)
Bold – Pole positionItalics – Fastest lap
125cc riders' standings[ edit ] [ 11]
Scoring system 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
Colour Result Gold Winner Silver Second place Bronze Third place Green Points classification Blue Non-points classification Non-classified finish (NC) Purple Retired, not classified (Ret) Red Did not qualify (DNQ) Did not pre-qualify (DNPQ) Black Disqualified (DSQ) White Did not start (DNS) Withdrew (WD) Race cancelled (C) Blank Did not practice (DNP) Did not arrive (DNA) Excluded (EX)
Bold – Pole positionItalics – Fastest lap
500cc manufacturers' standings[ edit ] 250cc manufacturers' standings[ edit ] 125cc manufacturers' standings[ edit ]