The 2011
Grand Prix motorcycle racing season was the 63rd
F.I.M.Road Racing World Championship season. The 2011 season was also the final season for 800cc engines in MotoGP, and also for 125cc machinery, as both MotoGP switched back to 1000cc engines and a new four-stroke Moto3 class was also introduced in 2012.[1]Casey Stoner was crowned as MotoGP World Champion for the second time, following his ninth victory of the season at the
Australian Grand Prix.[2] Stoner, who was champion previously in
2007, finished 16 of the 17 races to be held in the top three placings – equalling a premier class record held by both
Valentino Rossi and
Jorge Lorenzo – including ten wins to become the final 800cc champion before the premier class reverted to 1000cc engines in
2012. As of 2022, this was the last time the premier class was won by a non-European rider, and also the only season in the 2010s decade that the premier class was won by a rider other than
Marc Márquez or Jorge Lorenzo.
The Moto2 title was decided before the final race of the season at the
Valencian Grand Prix.
Stefan Bradl became Germany's first motorcycle World Champion since
Dirk Raudies won the
1993 125cc World Championship title after
Marc Márquez, the only rider that could deny Bradl of the championship, was ruled out of the race due to injuries suffered during free practice at the
Malaysian Grand Prix.[3]
The final 125cc world championship title went to Spain's
Nicolás Terol, after he finished second in the final race of the season in Valencia, and his only title rival
Johann Zarco crashed out during the early stages of the race.[4] Terol, who finished third in the class in
2009 and second to Márquez in
2010, ended the season 40 points clear of Zarco, with
Maverick Viñales 14 points further behind, after winning the final two races of the season.
The season was marred by the death of
Marco Simoncelli at the Malaysian Grand Prix.[5]
2011 Grand Prix season calendar
The following Grands Prix were scheduled to take place in 2011:[6][7]
An 18-race provisional calendar was announced on 30 September 2010.[8]
The Japanese Grand Prix, originally scheduled for 24 April, was moved to 2 October due to the effects of the
Tōhoku earthquake and the
Fukushima I nuclear accidents.[9][10]
Only the MotoGP class raced during the
United States Grand Prix because of a Californian law on air pollution, preventing the 125cc and Moto2 classes from racing.
^The original attempt to run the race was interrupted on lap two, after an accident that killed
Marco Simoncelli. It was found impossible to restart the race and was thus cancelled per the championship's sporting regulations.[12]
Participants
MotoGP participants
A 17-rider provisional entry list was released on 24 January 2011.[13] Seven-time MotoGP champion
Valentino Rossi rode for the factory
Ducati team, whilst
Casey Stoner, winner of the MotoGP championship in 2007, moved to the factory
Honda team.
Jorge Lorenzo,
Dani Pedrosa &
Andrea Dovizioso retained their seats at the factory
Yamaha and Honda teams respectively. Former
World Superbike champion
Ben Spies moved from the
Tech 3 Yamaha team to the factory
Yamaha team. Moto2 champion in 2010,
Toni Elías returned to the MotoGP class with
LCR Team, while
Karel Abraham also moved up from Moto2, as he signed a contract to ride a privateer Ducati in 2011.
1 Being his final MotoGP race, Capirossi switched numbers for Valencia as a memorial to his fallen countryman Simoncelli, killed at Sepang, by racing with the #58 that Simoncelli used, instead of his normal #65.[38] He was still shown as #65 in official timing documentation.[39]
On 31 October 2010, a list of 22 teams was accepted by the
Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme,
Dorna Sports and IRTA to compete in the 2011 championship.[40] A 38-rider provisional entry list was released on 24 January 2011.[13] All
Moto2 competitors raced with an identical CBR600RR
inline-four engine developed by
Honda. Teams competed with tyres supplied by
Dunlop.
Each team got the total points scored by their two riders, including replacement riders. In one rider team, only the points scored by that rider was counted. Wildcard riders did not score points.
Rounds marked with a light blue background were under wet race conditions or stopped by rain.
^Repsol Honda Team raced with three bikes throughout the season, therefore their second best result of the races did not count towards the Teams' standings.
Moto2 standings
Scoring system
Points were awarded to the top fifteen finishers. 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
Riders' standings
Rounds marked with a light blue background were under wet race conditions or stopped by rain.
Riders marked with light blue background were eligible for Rookie of the Year awards.
^
ab"MotoGP arrives Stateside for Laguna Seca show". motogp.com.
Dorna Sports. 20 July 2011. Retrieved 26 October 2011. Laguna Seca will offer a fantastic setting for another thrilling weekend before the premier class breaks for almost three weeks ahead of the Brno round, and with home interest in four riders adding to a close Championship fight the scene is set perfectly for a MotoGP centrepiece with neither the Moto2 or 125 categories in action.[permanent dead link]
^"FIM Road Racing World Championship: Grand Prix Regulations 2011"(PDF). fim-live.com.
Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme. p. 39. Archived from
the original(PDF) on 2012-01-11. Retrieved 24 October 2011. 1.25.2: If the results calculated show that less than three laps have been completed by the leader of the race and by all other riders on the same lap as the leader, then the race will be null and void and a completely new race will be run. If it is found impossible to re-start the race, then it will be declared cancelled and the race will not count for the Championship.
^
abBirt, Matthew (8 September 2010).
"Toni Elias to get LCR Honda chance?". Motor Cycle News.
Bauer Media Group.
Archived from the original on 12 September 2010. Retrieved 8 September 2010. Cecchinello had targeted Italian duo Loris Capirossi and Marco Melandri as replacements. But Capirossi is moving to Pramac Ducati and Melandri penned a Yamaha World Superbike deal in Misano last weekend.
^"Bautista confirmed at Suzuki for 2010". autosport.com.
Haymarket Publications. 16 August 2009. Retrieved 27 August 2010. Suzuki has confirmed that it has signed 250cc championship contender Alvaro Bautista on a two-year contract to race in MotoGP.
^"Lorenzo gets a preview of 2011 M1". motogp.com.
Dorna Sports. 17 August 2010. Archived from
the original on 26 August 2014. Retrieved 27 August 2010. Lorenzo also gave his reaction to the news of team-mate and rival Valentino Rossi's departure at the end of the campaign, as well as the prospect of being joined by Ben Spies after Lin Jarvis outlined the Yamaha factory team plans for next season.
The 2011
Grand Prix motorcycle racing season was the 63rd
F.I.M.Road Racing World Championship season. The 2011 season was also the final season for 800cc engines in MotoGP, and also for 125cc machinery, as both MotoGP switched back to 1000cc engines and a new four-stroke Moto3 class was also introduced in 2012.[1]Casey Stoner was crowned as MotoGP World Champion for the second time, following his ninth victory of the season at the
Australian Grand Prix.[2] Stoner, who was champion previously in
2007, finished 16 of the 17 races to be held in the top three placings – equalling a premier class record held by both
Valentino Rossi and
Jorge Lorenzo – including ten wins to become the final 800cc champion before the premier class reverted to 1000cc engines in
2012. As of 2022, this was the last time the premier class was won by a non-European rider, and also the only season in the 2010s decade that the premier class was won by a rider other than
Marc Márquez or Jorge Lorenzo.
The Moto2 title was decided before the final race of the season at the
Valencian Grand Prix.
Stefan Bradl became Germany's first motorcycle World Champion since
Dirk Raudies won the
1993 125cc World Championship title after
Marc Márquez, the only rider that could deny Bradl of the championship, was ruled out of the race due to injuries suffered during free practice at the
Malaysian Grand Prix.[3]
The final 125cc world championship title went to Spain's
Nicolás Terol, after he finished second in the final race of the season in Valencia, and his only title rival
Johann Zarco crashed out during the early stages of the race.[4] Terol, who finished third in the class in
2009 and second to Márquez in
2010, ended the season 40 points clear of Zarco, with
Maverick Viñales 14 points further behind, after winning the final two races of the season.
The season was marred by the death of
Marco Simoncelli at the Malaysian Grand Prix.[5]
2011 Grand Prix season calendar
The following Grands Prix were scheduled to take place in 2011:[6][7]
An 18-race provisional calendar was announced on 30 September 2010.[8]
The Japanese Grand Prix, originally scheduled for 24 April, was moved to 2 October due to the effects of the
Tōhoku earthquake and the
Fukushima I nuclear accidents.[9][10]
Only the MotoGP class raced during the
United States Grand Prix because of a Californian law on air pollution, preventing the 125cc and Moto2 classes from racing.
^The original attempt to run the race was interrupted on lap two, after an accident that killed
Marco Simoncelli. It was found impossible to restart the race and was thus cancelled per the championship's sporting regulations.[12]
Participants
MotoGP participants
A 17-rider provisional entry list was released on 24 January 2011.[13] Seven-time MotoGP champion
Valentino Rossi rode for the factory
Ducati team, whilst
Casey Stoner, winner of the MotoGP championship in 2007, moved to the factory
Honda team.
Jorge Lorenzo,
Dani Pedrosa &
Andrea Dovizioso retained their seats at the factory
Yamaha and Honda teams respectively. Former
World Superbike champion
Ben Spies moved from the
Tech 3 Yamaha team to the factory
Yamaha team. Moto2 champion in 2010,
Toni Elías returned to the MotoGP class with
LCR Team, while
Karel Abraham also moved up from Moto2, as he signed a contract to ride a privateer Ducati in 2011.
1 Being his final MotoGP race, Capirossi switched numbers for Valencia as a memorial to his fallen countryman Simoncelli, killed at Sepang, by racing with the #58 that Simoncelli used, instead of his normal #65.[38] He was still shown as #65 in official timing documentation.[39]
On 31 October 2010, a list of 22 teams was accepted by the
Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme,
Dorna Sports and IRTA to compete in the 2011 championship.[40] A 38-rider provisional entry list was released on 24 January 2011.[13] All
Moto2 competitors raced with an identical CBR600RR
inline-four engine developed by
Honda. Teams competed with tyres supplied by
Dunlop.
Each team got the total points scored by their two riders, including replacement riders. In one rider team, only the points scored by that rider was counted. Wildcard riders did not score points.
Rounds marked with a light blue background were under wet race conditions or stopped by rain.
^Repsol Honda Team raced with three bikes throughout the season, therefore their second best result of the races did not count towards the Teams' standings.
Moto2 standings
Scoring system
Points were awarded to the top fifteen finishers. 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
Riders' standings
Rounds marked with a light blue background were under wet race conditions or stopped by rain.
Riders marked with light blue background were eligible for Rookie of the Year awards.
^
ab"MotoGP arrives Stateside for Laguna Seca show". motogp.com.
Dorna Sports. 20 July 2011. Retrieved 26 October 2011. Laguna Seca will offer a fantastic setting for another thrilling weekend before the premier class breaks for almost three weeks ahead of the Brno round, and with home interest in four riders adding to a close Championship fight the scene is set perfectly for a MotoGP centrepiece with neither the Moto2 or 125 categories in action.[permanent dead link]
^"FIM Road Racing World Championship: Grand Prix Regulations 2011"(PDF). fim-live.com.
Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme. p. 39. Archived from
the original(PDF) on 2012-01-11. Retrieved 24 October 2011. 1.25.2: If the results calculated show that less than three laps have been completed by the leader of the race and by all other riders on the same lap as the leader, then the race will be null and void and a completely new race will be run. If it is found impossible to re-start the race, then it will be declared cancelled and the race will not count for the Championship.
^
abBirt, Matthew (8 September 2010).
"Toni Elias to get LCR Honda chance?". Motor Cycle News.
Bauer Media Group.
Archived from the original on 12 September 2010. Retrieved 8 September 2010. Cecchinello had targeted Italian duo Loris Capirossi and Marco Melandri as replacements. But Capirossi is moving to Pramac Ducati and Melandri penned a Yamaha World Superbike deal in Misano last weekend.
^"Bautista confirmed at Suzuki for 2010". autosport.com.
Haymarket Publications. 16 August 2009. Retrieved 27 August 2010. Suzuki has confirmed that it has signed 250cc championship contender Alvaro Bautista on a two-year contract to race in MotoGP.
^"Lorenzo gets a preview of 2011 M1". motogp.com.
Dorna Sports. 17 August 2010. Archived from
the original on 26 August 2014. Retrieved 27 August 2010. Lorenzo also gave his reaction to the news of team-mate and rival Valentino Rossi's departure at the end of the campaign, as well as the prospect of being joined by Ben Spies after Lin Jarvis outlined the Yamaha factory team plans for next season.