Giacomo Agostini 1977
The chequered flag at the 2023 finale in Valencia saw MotoGP™ complete 75 full seasons of competition since the world ’ s most exciting sport was born in 1949 .
There will be many exciting milestones throughout 2024 , including the 75th anniversary of the very first race that counted towards the world championship classification – the 350cc race on the Isle of Man in 1949 – on the 13th of June . Then it ’ s the anniversary of the first premier class race , which was on the 17th of June 1949 .
It ’ s been quite the journey in those 75 years , when MotoGP™ has expanded from a six-round series run from June to September to the championship it is now , boasting of a global reach and racing a 21-round calendar in countries as far flung as Japan , Indonesia and Kazakhstan .
In that time the level of competition has sky-rocketed . Numerous factory entries haven ’ t always been present , and margins at the front of MotoGP™ races could be measured in minutes on occasion during the 1950s and 1960s , rather than tenths of a second , as they so frequently are nowadays .
One pivotal moment in the history of the class came in 2016 when all manufacturers moved to spec Magneti Marelli electronic software , which in turn closed the field up together like never before . Racing has never been closer ever since , with all ten of the closest top 10 finishes in premier class history have come in the past six years , and going off times during preseason , that run is set to continue .
There has also been an immeasurable improvement in safety through the 75 years , as MotoGP™ has gone from racing on public roads tracks to specifically designed and homologated tracks , that meet the highest safety standards .
It ’ s not only that ; the Safety Commission , which meets every Friday at each Grand Prix , gives the grand prix riders a chance to voice their opinions and suggestions on safety matters to those involved in running the series in the safest , most efficient way imaginable .
After the global pandemic in 2020 , MotoGP™ crowds have hit new heights in recent years as well , with 2023 setting an outright record for people attending races across the 20-race season . In total , nearly 3 million people came to a MotoGP™ round last year !
PETRONAS Grand Prix of Malaysia | 11