MotoGP 2001 archive
This page covers the older news about the introduction four-strokes into Grand Prix motorcycle racing. It is in reverse chronological order, so begins (at the bottom) with the announcement of Honda's development plans, and ends (at the top) just before the 2002 season begins, with Ducati's unveiling of their GP contender.
Latest news is on the MotoGP page, 2002 results here.
March 2002 - Ducati's GP bike breaks cover
Just before the first round of 2002 at Suzuka Ducati showed photographs of their V4 GP1 bike.
Typically for Ducati, it seems rather stylish. The bike itself will be presented to the world's press during the Italian GP at Mugello on May 30. Read more on this page at www.motorcycle.com, a bigger jpeg can be found here.
Hondas testing at Suzuka
21/03/02: Valentino Rossi managed to get over a second inside Tohru Ukawa's 500 lap record on the first day of testing at Suzuka on the Repsol Honda RCV. His time of 2:05.71 was still a second slower than Loris Capirossi's 2001 pole time. On day two both Rossi and Ukawa, about a second slower than the World Champion, managed to slice a second off their previous day's times. However, fastest man of the test was Gresini Honda man Dajiro Katoh, managing a fastest lap of 2:04.44. Motorcycle Online have details and rider commentsHonda had earlier been the sensation at the IRTA tests at Valencia, Spain. Honda riders occupied six of the top seven spots, with Rossi, Capirossi and Ukawa not suprisingly heading the table. By contrast, Biaggi and Checa had a rather disappointing session.
KTM to build GP bike
19/02/02: The Austrian firm associated with offroad bikes is to develop a GP racer and a broadly similar road-going V4 sports bike, using a 990cc 72° V4 engine. They expect to enter GPs in 2005, and the road bike will be launched at the same time.McCoy fastest at Valencia
18/02/02: Australian rider Garry McCoy, riding a 500cc 2-stroke and on Dunlops fir the first time in 2002, was fastest in testing at Valencia. Shinya Nakano was also faster than the Yamaha M1s of Checa and Biaggi. Biaggi hit the tarmac, but was unhurt. The Hondas of Rossi and Ukawa were not present.MZ announce V4 engined GP1 bike
08/02/02: German firm MZ have informed the racing world of their intention to enter a 990cc V4 four-stroke bike in MotoGP, though it looks unlikely they will be on the grids in 2002. Read the article.Ducati's GP1 bike is a v-four
06/02/02: All we know about Ducati's new four-stroke engine is that it is a 990cc V4, with 16 valves controlled by their Desmo system. The frame will be a traditional Ducati trellis style. A snippet from the announcement on their website (link at foot of page):"Four-cylinder 989cc 'L' engine, with simultaneous firing order in cylinders of the same bank and desmodromic timing * Track tests to get underway in July also in traditional firing layout * Race debut with two riders at first round of MotoGP 2003."
Kawasaki in tests
06/02/02: Kawasaki's inline four-cylinder machine has been testing at Sepang, Malaysia. A lightly modified ZX-7R chassis carries the motor, said to be essentially a big bore version of the company's 750cc inline four WSB engine. An observer noted that it sounded like a superbike, so it suggests the green bikes will, for now at least, retain a superficial similarity with the superbike. Capacity is rumoured to be around 960cc. No lap times were available.Sauber GP1 project back online
03/02/02: Sauber's Malaysian partner Petronas had scrapped their GP plans and teamed up with Carl Fogarty to run a WSB team, leaving the Swiss engine developer apparently high and dry. However, development of the GP1 bike, which was unveiled in Malaysia last October (see earlier item), will continue. The team are likely to develop a machine with English frame builders Harris.Aprilia triple in shakedown run
25/01/02: Aprilia's first test went well for Aprilia's racing director, Jan Witteveen said:"We need to find a harmony between all the parts, and find the best settings for the engine, power delivery, suspension, tyres, handling. We started with nothing at this test, but the performance is there, and we are in good shape for the future."More on this, plus other news linked from the MotoGP four-stroke news page, and there are detailed press releases from Aprilia Racing on their website (see links at foot of page).
Green four-stroke to debut this season
22/01/02: Kawasaki are to enter their four-stroke GP bike in selected races this season, and in the All-Japan Road Racing Championship. Meanwhile, Suzuki will similarly let Akira Ryo and Akira Kagayama loose on their new machine in the All-Japan Championship, but they will not be allowed to score points series because the bikes do not conform to superbike rules. The factory will be able to test parts in between GP weekends, as most of the early races in the 10-round series are on alternate weekends to GPs. Defending champion Ryo and KagayamaUK firm shows parallel twin engine
14/01/02: British engineering firm Maxsym Engine Technology Ltd have debuted a concept engine - a parallel twin-cylinder motor named MC2, which it hopes will be raced in GPs in 2004. The 989cc twin weighing 36kg with pneumatic valve operation. It has a huge 116mm bore and short 46.8mm stroke, and the factory claims a high rev limit of around 18,000rpm. Read more in the MCN article.Rossi inside lap record down under
22/12/01: Valentino Rossi makes another pre-season point for Honda, dipping 0.9 seconds beneath Kenny Roberts' lap record at Phillip Island.Laconi to ride for Aprilia / Yamaha video footage
18/12/01: Regis Laconi was named as the official rider for the Aprilia triple. Yamaha's riders have been testing the M-1, though no times were available.Aprilia unveil 990cc triple
07/12/01: Aprilia have joined in - they chose the Bologna Motorcycle Show to announce the machine that they will campaign in the Grand Prix class. A mid-season entry is likely, as the bike is not finished yet. It is powered by an inline triple built by Cosworth, a British name made famous in Formula 1. The engine features fuel injection, and pneumatic valve technology widely used in F1.Yamaha test the YZR-M1 in Australia
30/11/01: Max Biaggi and Carlos Checa have finished a four day testing stint alongside Yamaha test rider John Kocinski at the Phillip Island circuit, commenting favourably on the development of the new machine. No times were released, but the riders clocked up over 600 laps on 5 different bikes, featuring a number of different engine and chassis specifications. Biaggi liked the four-stroke's power delivery, finding it much smoother than the 500cc bike. Checa was similarly enthusiastic. Both riders were pleased not to be trying to ride both the two-stroke and four-stroke machines. Go to Yamaha's racing website (link below) for the full story.For those in the UK, this week's Motorcycle News paper copy has a two-page article on the new Suzuki XRE0 four-stroke machine, announced last week (see story below).
Rossi will race the RC211V in 2002
28/11/01: Valentino Rossi has decided to race the four-stroke machine to defend his No.1 plate in next year's Grand Prix championship. Even at the tight and twisty Jerez circuit, he was able to go below his lap record, set earlier this year on the NSR500. He was reluctant to say whether he can retain his crown on the new bike, saying,"we're on the right track, but before saying anything I want to lap in identical conditions to the Yamaha and the Suzuki".Dajiro Katoh, on an NSR500, also went faster than the lap record. The Honda GP website has the story in more detail with comments from Rossi, Ukawa and other Honda riders.
Sauber goes to World Superbikes, with Fogarty
23/11/01: Carl Fogarty is quitting his Ducati contract to manage the Sauber/Petronas team in World Superbikes. The engine manufacturer has teamed up with Malaysian company Petronas, who will produce the 150 road-legal machines necessary to homologate the bike for WSB. The development is a boost for the WSB organisers, though the reasons for the move are not clear.Suzuki unveil their four-stroke GP bike
22/11/01:
Suzuki have announced that they have ceased development on the 500cc RGV machine that took Kevin Schwantz and Kenny Roberts to their world titles. For 2002 Suzuki will field the XRE0, a 990cc 60° V4 machine. Suzuki claim their experience in World Superbikes helped the team get a competitive machine working very quickly. The factory claims 210PS @ 14,000rpm, and a weight of 145kg.
One suprise was the announcement that Suzuki will use Dunlop tyres. For several years Michelin has been the only supplier to the premier GP class, and has long been a partner to the Suzuki GP team. The return of Dunlop, as well as the Bridgestone-shod NSR500 being run by Kanemoto Honda, has prompted speculation that, with the expected power output of the new machines, tyres will be a crucial factor next year.
Drysdale plans V8 GP bike
01/11/01: Australian engineer Ian Drysdale is close to completing his second road-going V8-based road bike, The Cruiser. Not content with that, he’s planning a V8 GP engine! He claims the 988cc block is light (52kg) and small, and the shape is aerodynamically suited. The machine is likely to make over 200bhp and rev ceiling will be at least 20,000rpm. Blimey!More pics of the Honda RC211V
28/10/01: Honda four-stroke race bike gallery courtesy of esportbike.comSauber test triple in Malaysia
25/10/01: He was speaking after riding the Sauber in its first proper shakedown test at the circuit in Malaysia. Former GP racer Niall Mackenzie spent five days at the Shah Alam circuit in Malaysia, testing the Sauber triple. And his verdict?"I can honestly say this is the fastest bike I've ever plonked myself on. The engine is absolutely unbelievable. The power is so strong. It is easily a 200 horsepower engine. I was quite surprised though because the power is still really usable. One of my big concerns was the throttle response and how it was going to react with so much power. But that wasn't a problem.Mackenzie will be involved in continued testing of the bike, which will resume in December. The Sauber team will get a competitive machine on the grids for 2003.
"It's definitely faster than a current 500 GP bike, no question. It has got all the horsepower that a 500 has got but with a power band twice as big, "
Yanagawa to test GP1 bike for Kawasaki
15/10/01: Akira Yanagawa will be returning to Japan to develop the new GP1 venture for Kawasaki. He will compete in the Japanese Superbike series for 2002 as well as developing the new machine. As mentioned below, 2002 will be the last year of Kawasaki participation in World Superbikes.Sauber test triple in Malaysia
14/10/01: British racer Roger Bennett tested the new Sauber 3-cylinder bike at the Shah Alam circuit on Saturday. The machine, built by English outfit Harris, is to be launched at the Malaysian GP at Sepang next weekend.Mick Doohan and Freddie Spencer ride the RC211V
09/10/01: Two of Honda's all time greatest racers took the prototype Honda racer out for a run at the Motegi Twin-Ring circuit in Japan after Grand Prix qualifying on Saturday. Both were impressed by the bike's performance. Doohan went as far as saying he could run in the top five at GPs with it in its current state if he was 100% fit, and was impressed with the progress made since he last rode it (August 3rd).The official MotoGP site has a section of the site devoted to the four-stroke racing machines, including more on the above story. Rather than duplicate the information here you might as well go there. If enough people tell us they have problems viewing the MotoGP site (whether due to browser problems, download times or whatever) we will continue with the format shown here. Use the feedback form to tell us what you think.
Rumours about Sauber, and Aprilia
09/10/01: The Sauber four-stroke triple is expected to do exhibition laps at the Malaysian Grand Prix on October 21st, in the hands of Scottish GP veteran Niall Mackenzie. Meanwhile, Roberto Rolfo is rumoured to be one of two Aprilia factory riders on the as yet unseen and untested Aprilia four stroke MotoGP machine. Alex Criville has been mentioned as a possible rider, though his performances this year leave a lot to be desired.More testing by Yamaha and Honda at Suzuka, Japan, has seen Carlos Checa set the fastest time on the Yamagha M-1. Tohru Ukawa managed a time of 2:06.2, just 0.3 seconds outside his qualifying time for this year's Japanese Grand Prix.
Kawasaki four-stroke GP bike in 2003
02/10/01: Kawasaki have announced that they will compete in Grand Prix in 2003 with a four-stroke machine. The also announced that they will not be continuing in World Superbike beyond 2002. This latter statement, along with Suzuki's announcement to the same effect, has sparked off a debate about the future of the Superbikes. Is there one? Who knows.McWilliams to Sauber?
12/09/01: Motorcycle News claims that the Sauber team is interested in hiring the Ulsterman for its four-stroke GP team next year. However, Aprilia is likely to want to retain his services in the 250cc class.Honda V5 on video
22/08/01: Official GP site motograndprix.com has "exclusive video images" of Valentino Rossi on the four-stroke Honda,[updated: a reorganisation of the site means this is no longer available]
Valentino Rossi complained of a lack of protection from the fairing after testing the bike in Japan, and Honda is said to be working on redesigning the bodywork. The RC211V is the same length and height as the current works NSR, but the Nastro Azzurro crew chief Jerry Burgess said the V5 was considerably narrower and more compact than the NSR500.
Rossi and Edwards test Honda V5 at Suzuka
12/08/01: Honda's numero uno Grand Prix rider took time out after winning the Suzuka 8-hours with Colin Edwards to test Honda's RC211V while in Japan. The following day Edwards took the machine out, and ran faster than either Rossi or Repsol Honda GP rider Tohru Ukawa. However, all riders completed about a dozen laps at a page that was several seconds off GP or WSB times. Edwards was keen to stop any rumours about a move to Grand Prix, stating that he already had a contract with Honda to ride in World Superbikes for 2002. Read a report of the test at Motorcycle.comFour-strokes "too quiet" say fans
12/08/01: The apparance of the Yamaha M1 at Catalunya (see article above) led a number of race-watchers to comment on the disappointing aural experience, described by veteran GP journalist Mike Scott as a feeble whisper. The arrival of four-strokes on the grid was anticipated by many to bring back the shrieking sounds of the GP bikes of yesteryear. Everyone is aware of the effect that the sound of Formula 1 cars has, it's electrifying. Honda's V5 certainly has a more impressive sound than the Yamaha.Doohan rides Honda V5
05/08/01: Mick Doohan rode some demonstration laps on the prototype RC211V v-five Grand Prix four-stroke at the 2001 Suzuka 8-hour event. Read Mick's opinion at Cycle News. See some photos at MB4U.Biaggi & Checa ride Yamaha M1
01/08/01: Marlboro Yamaha riders Max Biaggi and Carlos Checa spent three days at the Brno circuit this week, in preparation for the Czech Grand Prix, and both made positive comments about development of the new machine. Read the story at MB4U.Yamaha YZR-M1 public debut
26/07/01: Yamaha's M1 broke cover at Catalunya. Read the official Yamaha Racing news item.Assen Gossip
11/07/01: Gossip about who would be riding next year's four-stroke GP bikes was what everyone was interested in at the Assen GP. It's clear that the 500GP grids will not be swamped with four-strokes in their first season - Honda will be making a very limited number of machines. Motorcycle News claims that Honda are trying to put together a 'dream team' of Valentino Rossi and Colin Edwards, and it is expected that the two riders will get to ride the V5 machine while in Japan for the Suzuka 8-hours on August 5th. The provisional entry list shows the two will team up to ride a VTR1000, while Tady Okada and Alex Barros will ride a second Honda.Max Biaggi defended his refusal to ride the Yamaha YZR M-1 after test rider John Kocinski broke his arm in a spill at Catalunya, while rumours abound that Yamaha may provide Haga with a Dunlop-shod YZR M-1 and his old team from his days in World Superbike for next season. Now that would be something to watch! Motorcycle Online's Colin MacKellar provides some insight into the politics in an article.
Honda V5 GP bike seen in action at Sugo
10/04/01: Photographer Hidenobu Takeuchi managed to get some snaps of Honda's 5 cylinder four-stroke GP bike.Honda's official announcement of the V5 GP bike
17/01/01: Honda have announced that they are planning to enter the four-stroke GP class in 2002 with a V5 (yes v-five!) engined bike with a likely capacity of 820-850cc. UK tuner Ray Stringer has heard that it is already making 230bhp. Yamaha have since announced that they are developing a 4-cylinder bike, and some have suggested it may be a V4. Will Yamaha resurrect what V4 fans consider the 'perfect' motorcycle engine configuration? Only time will tell.Yamaha announced their withdrawal from World Superbikes (Oct 2000), while Ducati stated their intention to compete in four-stroke GPs (read the official statement). Motorcycle.com broke the news about Yamaha like this. It makes one wonder what will happen to World Superbike. Defenders of the class point out fans' interest is based partly in the bikes' similarity to the road-going models available in showrooms. That is less obvious than it used to be - top-level machinery is very trick and the cost of running a works team grows each year. One solution would be to make the bikes conform more closely to the road machines on which they are based - 1000cc road bikes such as the Yamaha R1, Fireblade and the new GSX-R1000 are so quick and light that they are not much slower than the pukka race machines.
Background - October 2000
Honda announced that it was working on several different types of engine in September 2000. A number of possible configurations were ruled out. Factory boss Yasuo Ikenoya ruled out Honda entering a twin or a six-cylinder four-stroke. He said: "We have a team of 30 engineers working on the project at our headquarters near Tokyo, though they are still working with computer simulations. A six would be too heavy - the 155kg weight limit would be too much for the tyres - and a twin would lack engine pick-up."Kawasaki, which does not produce any two-stroke race machines, had started work on a 990cc prototype motor, while Yamaha already had a V4 running. That bike was said to have lapped the firm's Fukuroi test track faster than its YZR500 two-stroke, but they have refused to reveal any details. I can't be alone in thinking a 1000cc v-four would be an ideal way for Honda to stay at the top in four-stroke racing :-)
Confused about weight limits for the new class? Here's a quick chart. Note that two-strokes will continue to be restricted to a maximum of 500cc, 4 cylinders, and 131kg.
| Cylinders | Weight |
| 3 | 135kg |
| 4-5 | 145kg |
| 6 | 155kg |
Consult the International Racing Calendar for GP and World British Superbikes, plus British & Irish Road Race dates.
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