Hungarian motorcycle racer
Gábor Talmácsi (left), riding for the Bancaja Aspar Team on an Aprilia and Spanish rider
Pablo Nieto (right), riding for the Blusens Aprilia Team during the warm up lap of the 125cc Czech Republic Grand Prix at Brno.
The 2007 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season was the 59th F.I.M. Road Racing World Championship season. The 2007 season was significant as it introduced a new regulation which specifies that competitors in the MotoGP class can use up to 800 cc motorcycles; between 2002 and 2006, competitors had been allowed to use 990 cc motorcycles. While the 800 cc motorcycles have less power, their ability to brake later and carry more speed through turns allowed them to break lap records in pre-season testing[1].
Up to the end of 2006, speculation suggested that Honda would have the advantage, as they could modify their existing engines to 800cc specification easier than other manufactuers. In practice, Honda suffered the most from the regulation change, with only Dani Pedrosa and Marco Melandri making any impression on the leaders. Casey Stoner scored a string of wins for Ducati, Suzuki saw Chris Vermeulen's first win since the advent of four-stroke regulations and John Hopkins' posted his first podium finish. The Kawasaki team also made progress with improved results.
Grands Prix
Season Standings
Riders standings
- Riders marked with light blue background are eligible for Rookie of the Year awards.
- Rounds marked with light blue background were under wet race conditions.
- Point system: 25 for 1st, 20 for 2nd, 16 for 3rd, 13 for 4th, 11 for 5th and then one point less for each position so 15th gets one point. Rider has to finish race to earn points.
MotoGP
|
Color |
Result
|
Gold |
Winner
|
Silver |
2nd place
|
Bronze |
3rd place
|
Green |
Finished, in points
|
Blue |
Finished, no points
|
Purple |
Did not finish (Ret)
|
Not classified (NC)
|
Red |
Did not qualify (DNQ)
|
Black |
Disqualified (DSQ)
|
White |
Did not start (DNS)
|
Blank
|
Did not participate
|
Withdrawn due to injury (INJ)
|
Excluded (EX)
|
|
250 cc
|
Color |
Result
|
Gold |
Winner
|
Silver |
2nd place
|
Bronze |
3rd place
|
Green |
Finished, in points
|
Blue |
Finished, no points
|
Purple |
Did not finish (Ret)
|
Not classified (NC)
|
Red |
Did not qualify (DNQ)
|
Black |
Disqualified (DSQ)
|
White |
Did not start (DNS)
|
Blank
|
Did not participate
|
Withdrawn due to injury (INJ)
|
Excluded (EX)
|
|
125 cc
|
Color |
Result
|
Gold |
Winner
|
Silver |
2nd place
|
Bronze |
3rd place
|
Green |
Finished, in points
|
Blue |
Finished, no points
|
Purple |
Did not finish (Ret)
|
Not classified (NC)
|
Red |
Did not qualify (DNQ)
|
Black |
Disqualified (DSQ)
|
White |
Did not start (DNS)
|
Blank
|
Did not participate
|
Withdrawn due to injury (INJ)
|
Excluded (EX)
|
|
MotoGP constructors final standings
Participants
MotoGP participants
|
Key
|
Regular Rider
|
Wildcard Rider
|
Replacement Rider
|
|
Mid-season changes
- On March 15, 2007, Mario Illien of Ilmor announced that the team would be taking a break from the Moto GP series as a result of funding issues.[2]
- During practice for the Chinese GP, Olivier Jacque injured his arm in a practice crash and withdrew from the event. He missed his home race, at Le Mans, and was replaced by Fonsi Nieto. [3][4]
- Team Roberts announced that they would expand to a second bike from the Mugello race onwards, which will be ridden by Kurtis Roberts.[5]
- Kenny Roberts, Jr. withdrew from the series in June. In those rounds the sole KR212V was ridden by his brother Kurtis. [6]
- On June 21, it was announced that Anthony West would be replacing Olivier Jacque at Kawasaki for the remainder of the season. [7]
- During practice for the Dutch TT, Toni Elías broke his left femur.[8] He was replaced by Michel Fabrizio at the German Grand Prix and Miguel Duhamel at the United States Grand Prix.[9]
- During the first practice session at the US GP, Alex Hofmann broking a bone and sustaining a soft tissue injury in his left hand in a collision with Sylvain Guintoli and he was unable to compete during the remainder of the weekend. Chaz Davies was invited to take his ride for the remainder of the weekend despite having no experience on the any MotoGP bike or on Bridgestone tyres. Hofmann was also sidelined from Czech GP, where Ivan Silva replaced him.
- Shinichi Itoh rode as a replacement rider on a Pramac d'Antin Ducati after Alex Hofmann was released from the team following the Portuguese Grand Prix.
250cc participants
|
Key
|
Regular Rider
|
Wildcard Rider
|
Replacement Rider
|
|
Mid-season changes
- Roberto Locatelli was seriously injured in a practise session crash at the Spanish GP weekend. Gilera didn't replace him and Locatelli returned to the series in the French GP.[10]
- As a result of a crash in qualifying in China, Yuki Takahashi broke his left arm and missed the French GP, which he won in 2005. He was not replaced for the event.[11]
- Following Anthony West's step up to the Moto GP class with Kawasaki, Dan Linfoot was signed to replace him from the Donington Park round. Also, Arturo Tizon was sacked by his team and replaced by Efren Vazquez.[12]
- Federico Sandi replaced Dan Linfoot from Australian GP onwards.
- Taro Sekiguchi missed couple of rounds after being injured in Czech Republic Grand Prix. Having had lots of injuries during last couple of seasons, he decided to change his race number in his return, in the Australian Grand Prix.
125cc participants
|
Key
|
Regular Rider
|
Wildcard Rider
|
Replacement Rider
|
|
Mid-season changes