![Marc Márquez 2013 Valencia](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/43/Marc_M%C3%A1rquez_2013_Valencia.jpg)
The 2013 FIM
MotoGP World Championship was the premier class of the 65th
F.I.M. Road Racing World Championship season.
Season summary
Jorge Lorenzo
Jorge Lorenzo Guerrero (; born 4 May 1987) is a Spanish former professional motorcycle racer. He is a five-time World Champion, with three MotoGP World Championships (, and ) and two 250cc World Championships ( and ).
After winning the 2006 a ...
started the season as the defending World Champion, while
Honda
is a Japanese public multinational conglomerate manufacturer of automobiles, motorcycles, and power equipment, headquartered in Minato, Tokyo, Japan.
Honda has been the world's largest motorcycle manufacturer since 1959, reaching a producti ...
was the defending Manufacturers' Champion. Moto2 champion
Marc Márquez
Marc Márquez Alentà (born 17 February 1993) is a Spanish professional Grand Prix motorcycle road racer, who has raced for Honda's factory team since his MotoGP debut in 2013. Born in Cervera, Catalonia, Spain, he is nicknamed the 'Ant of Cer ...
joined the MotoGP grid with
Repsol Honda
Repsol Honda is the official factory team of the Honda Racing Corporation in the MotoGP class of Grand Prix motorcycle racing (World Championship road racing), backed by principal sponsor Repsol.
History 1990s
In the team entered a three r ...
.
In the premier MotoGP class, Lorenzo, along with
Repsol Honda
Repsol Honda is the official factory team of the Honda Racing Corporation in the MotoGP class of Grand Prix motorcycle racing (World Championship road racing), backed by principal sponsor Repsol.
History 1990s
In the team entered a three r ...
teammates
Marc Márquez
Marc Márquez Alentà (born 17 February 1993) is a Spanish professional Grand Prix motorcycle road racer, who has raced for Honda's factory team since his MotoGP debut in 2013. Born in Cervera, Catalonia, Spain, he is nicknamed the 'Ant of Cer ...
and
Dani Pedrosa
Daniel Pedrosa Ramal (born 29 September 1985) is a Spanish Grand Prix motorcycle racer who retired from regular competition after the season. He grew up in Castellar del Vallès, a village near Sabadell. He is a three-time World Champion be ...
battled it out for most of the season in regards to the championship battle. Lorenzo won the opening race of the season in
Qatar
Qatar (, ; ar, قطر, Qaṭar ; local vernacular pronunciation: ), officially the State of Qatar,) is a country in Western Asia. It occupies the Qatar Peninsula on the northeastern coast of the Arabian Peninsula in the Middle East; it sh ...
, before rookie Márquez became the youngest premier class winner,
as he claimed victory in the inaugural
Grand Prix of the Americas in Texas. Pedrosa took back-to-back victories at
Jerez
Jerez de la Frontera (), or simply Jerez (), is a Spanish city and municipality in the province of Cádiz in the autonomous community of Andalusia, in southwestern Spain, located midway between the Atlantic Ocean and the Cádiz Mountains. , the c ...
– where Márquez and Lorenzo battled for second place, clashing at the final corner – and
Le Mans
Le Mans (, ) is a city in northwestern France on the Sarthe River where it meets the Huisne. Traditionally the capital of the province of Maine, it is now the capital of the Sarthe department and the seat of the Roman Catholic diocese of Le Man ...
, before Lorenzo did likewise at
Mugello
The Mugello is a historic region and valley in northern Tuscany, in Italy, corresponding to the course of the River Sieve. It is located to the north of the city of Florence and includes the northernmost portion of the Metropolitan City of Fl ...
,
and
Catalunya
Catalonia (; ca, Catalunya ; Aranese Occitan: ''Catalonha'' ; es, Cataluña ) is an autonomous community of Spain, designated as a ''nationality'' by its Statute of Autonomy.
Most of the territory (except the Val d'Aran) lies on the north ...
; at the former, Márquez retired from the race after crashing out of second place.
At
Assen
Assen () is a municipality and a city in the northeastern Netherlands, and is the capital (politics), capital of the province of Drenthe. It received City rights in the Netherlands, city rights in 1809. Assen is known for TT Circuit Assen, the ...
, Lorenzo crashed during free practice and fractured his collarbone, and after emergency surgery and initial reports that he would not take part for the rest of the weekend, he competed in the race and finished fifth.
Márquez and Pedrosa finished second and fourth respectively,
as
Valentino Rossi
Valentino Rossi (; ; born 16 February 1979) is an Italian former professional motorcycle road racer and nine-time Grand Prix motorcycle racing World Champion. Nicknamed ''The Doctor'', he is widely considered to be one of the greatest motorcyc ...
took his first race victory since .
Márquez then won the next four races, starting at the
Sachsenring
The Sachsenring () is a motorsport racing circuit located in Hohenstein-Ernstthal near Chemnitz in Saxony, Germany. Among other events, it features the annual German motorcycle Grand Prix of the FIM Grand Prix motorcycle racing world champ ...
, where both Lorenzo and Pedrosa were sidelined with injuries; Lorenzo with a recurrence of his Assen injury after crashing in free practice once again, while Pedrosa was ruled out with low blood pressure, stemming from a separate incident.
After two more victories for Lorenzo at
Silverstone, and
Misano, Márquez and Pedrosa collided at the
Aragon Grand Prix, where a slight touch caused a sensor on Pedrosa's bike to tear and cut the traction control system. Márquez went on to beat Lorenzo to victory, and after Pedrosa won in
Malaysia
Malaysia ( ; ) is a country in Southeast Asia. The federation, federal constitutional monarchy consists of States and federal territories of Malaysia, thirteen states and three federal territories, separated by the South China Sea into two r ...
, Márquez held a 43-point lead in the championship with three races to go. However, a disqualification in
Australia
Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...
, as well as Lorenzo winning both in Australia and
Japan
Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north ...
reduced that margin to thirteen,
ahead of the final race in
Valencia
Valencia ( va, València) is the capital of the Autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community of Valencian Community, Valencia and the Municipalities of Spain, third-most populated municipality in Spain, with 791,413 inhabitants. It is ...
; the first final race title decider since .
After battling Pedrosa and Lorenzo in the early stages of the race, Márquez finished third in the race to become the youngest premier class champion, beating
Freddie Spencer
Frederick Burdette Spencer (born December 20, 1961), sometimes known by the nickname Fast Freddie, is an American former world champion motorcycle racer. Spencer is regarded as one of the greatest motorcycle racers of the early 1980s.
Motorcycle ...
's record from .
As well as this, Márquez became the first rookie since
Kenny Roberts
Kenneth Leroy Roberts (born December 31, 1951, in Modesto, California) is an American former professional motorcycle racer and racing team owner. In 1978, he became the first American to win a Grand Prix motorcycle racing world championship ...
in to win the championship in their début season,
and only the fourth rider to win world championships in three different categories after
Mike Hailwood
Stanley Michael Bailey Hailwood, (2 April 1940 – 23 March 1981) was a British professional motorcycle racer and racing driver. He is regarded by many as one of the greatest racers of all time. He competed in the Grand Prix motorcycl ...
,
Phil Read
Phillip William Read, (1 January 1939 – 6 October 2022) was an English professional motorcycle racer. He competed in Grand Prix motorcycle racing from 1961 to 1976. Read is notable for being the first competitor to win world championships ...
and Rossi.
Pedrosa's second place, behind Lorenzo,
was enough for
Honda
is a Japanese public multinational conglomerate manufacturer of automobiles, motorcycles, and power equipment, headquartered in Minato, Tokyo, Japan.
Honda has been the world's largest motorcycle manufacturer since 1959, reaching a producti ...
to clinch the constructors' championship.
Regulation changes
The MotoGP class saw the introduction of a new qualifying system, in which the riders placed eleventh or lower based on times in Free Practice 3 were sent to Qualifying 1. The two fastest riders from that session would then join the ten fastest riders in Qualifying 2 to set the first 12 positions of the starting grid.
Calendar
The
Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme released a 19-race provisional calendar on 19 September 2012.
On 23 November 2012, the calendar was updated following confirmation that the return of the
Argentine Grand Prix
The Argentine Grand Prix (Spanish: ''Gran Premio de Argentina'') was a round of the Formula One championship, held intermittently from to , all at the same autodrome in the Argentine national capital of Buenos Aires.
Origins and history
The B ...
would be postponed to 2014.
The
Grand Prix of the Americas held at the
Circuit of the Americas
Circuit of the Americas (COTA) is a Grade 1 FIA-specification motor racing track and facilities located within the extraterritorial jurisdiction of Austin, Texas, in the United States. The facility is home to the Formula One United States G ...
in Austin, United States, replaced the
Portuguese Grand Prix
The Portuguese Grand Prix (''Grande Prémio de Portugal'') is a motorsports event that was first held in 1951 as a sportscar event, and then intermittently disappearing for many years before being revived again. In 1964 event was held as a spo ...
, which had been run at
Estoril
Estoril () is a town in the Municipality of Cascais, Portugal, on the Portuguese Riviera. It is a tourist destination, with luxury hotels, beaches, and the Casino Estoril. It has been home to numerous royal families and celebrities, and has h ...
since 2000. The United States hosted three races, the other two being the
United States Grand Prix
The United States Grand Prix is a motor racing event that has been held on and off since 1908, when it was known as the American Grand Prize. The Grand Prix later became part of the Formula One World Championship. , the Grand Prix has been held ...
at
Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca
Laguna Seca Raceway (branded as WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca, and previously Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca) is a paved road racing track in central California used for both auto racing and motorcycle racing, built in 1957 near both Salinas and ...
and the
Indianapolis Grand Prix at the
Indianapolis Motor Speedway
The Indianapolis Motor Speedway is an automobile racing circuit located in Speedway, Indiana, an enclave suburb of Indianapolis, Indiana. It is the home of the Indianapolis 500 and the Verizon 200, and and formerly the home of the United State ...
.
The following Grands Prix took place in 2013:
: ‡ = Night race
: † = MotoGP class only
: †† = Saturday race
Calendar changes
* The
Grand Prix of the Americas was added to the calendar.
* The
Portuguese Grand Prix
The Portuguese Grand Prix (''Grande Prémio de Portugal'') is a motorsports event that was first held in 1951 as a sportscar event, and then intermittently disappearing for many years before being revived again. In 1964 event was held as a spo ...
was taken off the calendar. The race was scheduled on the calendar since
2000.
* The
British Grand Prix
The British Grand Prix is a Grand Prix motor race organised in the United Kingdom by the Royal Automobile Club. First held in 1926, the British Grand Prix has been held annually since 1948 and has been a round of the FIA Formula One World Ch ...
was moved back, from 17 June to 1 September.
* Only the MotoGP class raced during the
United States Grand Prix
The United States Grand Prix is a motor racing event that has been held on and off since 1908, when it was known as the American Grand Prize. The Grand Prix later became part of the Formula One World Championship. , the Grand Prix has been held ...
because of a Californian law on air pollution and the contract that had initially been signed prevented the Moto3 and Moto2 classes from racing from when they were still 125cc and 250cc 2-stroke bikes.
* The
Japanese Grand Prix
The Japanese Grand Prix ( ja, 日本グランプリ, Nihon-guranpuri) is a motor racing event in the calendar of the Formula One, Formula One World Championship. Historically, Japan has been one of the last races of the season, and as such the ...
was moved back, from 14 to 27 October.
Teams and riders
* A provisional entry list was released by the
Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme on 28 November 2012.
An updated entry list was released on 12 February 2013.
All the bikes used
Bridgestone tyres.
Rider changes
*
Hiroshi Aoyama
is a Japanese retired Grand Prix motorcycle road racer, and current team principal of Honda Team Asia. Aoyama is best known for winning the 2009 250cc World Championship title. He is the older brother of former 250cc and World Superbike rider ...
returned to MotoGP full-time after competing in just
one event in 2012.
[ He rode an ]FTR Moto
FTR Moto Ltd was a British motorcycle parts and frame manufacturer. The name was an acronym for ''Fabrication Techniques Racing Motorcycles''.
History
The company was founded in 1994 as ''Fabrication Techniques'' by Steve Bones and in 1995 ...
prepared by Avintia Racing.
* Héctor Barberá
Héctor Barberá Vall (born November 2, 1986) is a Spanish Grand Prix motorcycle road racer. He competes in MotoAmerica aboard a BMW S1000RR.
Career
Born in Dos Aguas, Valencia Province, Barberá began his World Championship career at the ...
left Pramac Racing
Pramac Racing is a motorcycle racing team competing in the MotoGP and MotoE World Championships. The team was created in 2002 by Italian company Pramac. In 2005 Pramac Racing joined forces with Spanish d'Antin MotoGP to form "Pramac d'Antin" and ...
at the end of the 2012 season. When his departure was confirmed in September 2012, he had not secured a ride with any other team, but confirmed his intentions to race for team competing under Claiming Rule Teams regulations.
* Claudio Corti stepped up to the MotoGP category, racing alongside Colin Edwards
Colin Edwards II (born February 27, 1974), nicknamed the "Texas Tornado", is an American former professional motorcycle racer who retired half-way through the 2014 season, but continues in the sport as a factory test rider. He is a two-time W ...
at Forward Racing
Forward Racing is a motorcycle racing team competing in the Moto2 World Championship.
History
The team started competing in the MotoGP class as the Hayate Racing Team, a scaled down version of the Kawasaki factory team that withdrew from MotoGP ...
.[
* Andrea Dovizioso replaced ]Valentino Rossi
Valentino Rossi (; ; born 16 February 1979) is an Italian former professional motorcycle road racer and nine-time Grand Prix motorcycle racing World Champion. Nicknamed ''The Doctor'', he is widely considered to be one of the greatest motorcyc ...
at Ducati after spending one season as a Monster Yamaha Tech 3 semi-works rider.
* James Ellison James Ellison may refer to:
* James O. Ellison (1929–2014), U.S. federal judge
* James T. Ellison (1862–1920s), New York gangster
*James Ellison (actor) (1910–1993), American film actor
*James Ellison (footballer, born 1901) (1901–1958), En ...
lost his place with Paul Bird Motorsport
Paul Bird Motorsport are a British motorcycle road racing, car racing and rallying organisation. The owner Paul Bird competed as a rally driver and was formerly a solo-rider in motocross. His son Frank is a car racer.
Motorcycle racing
The tea ...
.[
* Yonny Hernández moved from Avintia Racing to ]Paul Bird Motorsport
Paul Bird Motorsport are a British motorcycle road racing, car racing and rallying organisation. The owner Paul Bird competed as a rally driver and was formerly a solo-rider in motocross. His son Frank is a car racer.
Motorcycle racing
The tea ...
.[
* Andrea Iannone moved up from Moto2 to MotoGP in 2013, joining Pramac Racing.]
* Michael Laverty
Michael Laverty (born 7 June 1981) is an occasional motorcycle racer from Toomebridge, Northern Ireland. After participating in the 2017 season in the British Superbike Championship aboard a Yamaha YZF-R1, and the 2018 season on a Tyco BMW, ...
, who competed in the British Superbike Championship
The British Superbike Championship (BSB), currently known for sponsorship reasons as the Bennetts British Superbike Championship, is the leading road racing superbike championship in the United Kingdom, and was once widely acknowledged as the p ...
from 2010 until 2012 entered MotoGP with Paul Bird Motorsport
Paul Bird Motorsport are a British motorcycle road racing, car racing and rallying organisation. The owner Paul Bird competed as a rally driver and was formerly a solo-rider in motocross. His son Frank is a car racer.
Motorcycle racing
The tea ...
.[
* ]Marc Márquez
Marc Márquez Alentà (born 17 February 1993) is a Spanish professional Grand Prix motorcycle road racer, who has raced for Honda's factory team since his MotoGP debut in 2013. Born in Cervera, Catalonia, Spain, he is nicknamed the 'Ant of Cer ...
joined the MotoGP category, racing for the Repsol Honda Team after rules preventing rookie riders from racing for factory teams were relaxed.
* Mattia Pasini
Mattia Pasini (born 13 August 1985) is an Italian Grand Prix motorcycle road racer.
Career
Early career
Born in Rimini, Pasini participated in his first race at the age of 9.
125cc World Championship
After several successful years in the Ita ...
returned to Moto2 in 2013, riding with Forward Racing
Forward Racing is a motorcycle racing team competing in the Moto2 World Championship.
History
The team started competing in the MotoGP class as the Hayate Racing Team, a scaled down version of the Kawasaki factory team that withdrew from MotoGP ...
.[
* ]Michele Pirro
Michele Pio Pirro (born 5 July 1986) is a motorcycle road racer from Italy, He was 2007 and 2008 the ''Italian CIV National Champion in the Superstock class'' and a test rider for Ducati factory racing in MotoGP and rides occasionally as a wil ...
lost his place at Gresini Racing
Gresini Racing is a motorcycle racing team competing in the MotoGP World Championship under the name Gresini Racing MotoGP as a Ducati satellite team, in the Moto2 World Championship as Team Gresini Moto2, and the MotoE World Cup as Felo Gresin ...
.[
* After two seasons racing for Ducati, ]Valentino Rossi
Valentino Rossi (; ; born 16 February 1979) is an Italian former professional motorcycle road racer and nine-time Grand Prix motorcycle racing World Champion. Nicknamed ''The Doctor'', he is widely considered to be one of the greatest motorcyc ...
returned to Yamaha Yamaha may refer to:
* Yamaha Corporation, a Japanese company with a wide range of products and services, established in 1887. The company is the largest shareholder of Yamaha Motor Company (below).
** Yamaha Music Foundation, an organization estab ...
.
* Iván Silva lost his place at Avintia Racing.[
* Bradley Smith, who rode for ]Tech 3
Tech3 is a motorcycle racing team competing in the MotoGP class World Championship under the name Tech3 GasGas Factory Racing. They also compete in the Moto3 World Championship under the name Red Bull KTM Tech3 and the MotoE World Cup under the ...
in the Moto2 category in the 2010 and 2011 seasons was promoted to the team's MotoGP squad, Monster Yamaha Tech 3.
* In July 2012, Ben Spies
Ben Spies (; born July 11, 1984), is an American former professional motorcycle road racer. He was sometimes nicknamed "Elbows" due to his riding style, in which his elbows protruded outward. Spies won the AMA Superbike Championship for Yoshimur ...
announced that he would leave the Yamaha Factory Racing team at the end of the 2012 season. He was later confirmed as switching to Ducati, joining Pramac Racing.
* Bryan Staring
Bryan Staring ( ; born 1 June 1987 in Perth) is an Australian Grand Prix motorcycle racer, currently competing in the 2022 Australian Superbike Championship (ASBK), aboard a Ducati Panigale V4 for Desmosport Ducati, owned by Ben Henry and thr ...
, who made occasional appearances in MotoGP, the Superbike World Championship
Superbike World Championship (also known as WorldSBK, SBK, World Superbike, WSB, or WSBK) is a silhouette-class road racing series based on heavily modified production motorcycles, also known as superbike racing.
The championship was founded i ...
and Supersport World Championships, entered the category full-time riding a CRT bike prepared by Gresini Racing
Gresini Racing is a motorcycle racing team competing in the MotoGP World Championship under the name Gresini Racing MotoGP as a Ducati satellite team, in the Moto2 World Championship as Team Gresini Moto2, and the MotoE World Cup as Felo Gresin ...
.[
* 2007 and 2011 MotoGP World Champion ]Casey Stoner
Casey Joel Stoner (born 16 October 1985) is an Australian retired professional motorcycle racer, and a two-time MotoGP World Champion, in and . During his MotoGP career, Stoner raced for the factory teams of Ducati and Honda, winning a tit ...
officially announced his retirement at the French Grand Prix
The French Grand Prix (french: Grand Prix de France), formerly known as the Grand Prix de l'ACF (Automobile Club de France), is an auto race held as part of the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile's annual Formula One World Championsh ...
effective from the end of the 2012 season, returning to his native Australia to compete in the Dunlop V8 Supercar Series
The Dunlop Super2 Series (formerly known as Dunlop Series, Fujitsu V8 Supercars Series, HPDC V8 Supercars Series, Konica Minolta V8 Supercars Series and Konica V8 Supercars/Lites Series) is an Australian touring car racing competition, specifical ...
.
* Lukáš Pešek
Lukáš Pešek (born 22 November 1985 in Prague, Czechoslovakia) is a Czech motorcycle racer. He competes in the Alpe Adria Road Race Superbike Championship and the Endurance FIM World Championship aboard a BMW S1000RR. He won the Alpe Adria Road ...
moved to MotoGP, with IodaRacing Project
IodaRacing Project is an Italian motorcycle constructor and racing team based in Terni, Italy. The team currently fields Aprilia motorcycles in the Superbike World Championship with Leandro Mercado and with Yamaha motorcycles in the Supersport ...
.
Team changes
* Cardion AB Motoracing ended its association with Ducati and switched to a CRT-spec ART-Aprilia.
* CRT teams Forward Racing
Forward Racing is a motorcycle racing team competing in the Moto2 World Championship.
History
The team started competing in the MotoGP class as the Hayate Racing Team, a scaled down version of the Kawasaki factory team that withdrew from MotoGP ...
, IodaRacing Project
IodaRacing Project is an Italian motorcycle constructor and racing team based in Terni, Italy. The team currently fields Aprilia motorcycles in the Superbike World Championship with Leandro Mercado and with Yamaha motorcycles in the Supersport ...
and Paul Bird Motorsport
Paul Bird Motorsport are a British motorcycle road racing, car racing and rallying organisation. The owner Paul Bird competed as a rally driver and was formerly a solo-rider in motocross. His son Frank is a car racer.
Motorcycle racing
The tea ...
expanded their operations to include a second bike.
Results and standings
Grands Prix
Riders' standings
;Scoring system
Points were awarded to the top fifteen finishers. A rider had to finish the race to earn points.
Constructors' standings
;Scoring system
Points were awarded to the top fifteen finishers. A rider had to finish the race to earn points.
* Each constructor got the same number of points as their best placed rider in each race.
;Notes
* 1 All points from the race victory for Marc Márquez
Marc Márquez Alentà (born 17 February 1993) is a Spanish professional Grand Prix motorcycle road racer, who has raced for Honda's factory team since his MotoGP debut in 2013. Born in Cervera, Catalonia, Spain, he is nicknamed the 'Ant of Cer ...
were deducted as a result of a decision from Race Direction, after Márquez collided with teammate Dani Pedrosa
Daniel Pedrosa Ramal (born 29 September 1985) is a Spanish Grand Prix motorcycle racer who retired from regular competition after the season. He grew up in Castellar del Vallès, a village near Sabadell. He is a three-time World Champion be ...
during the race. Honda's next-best finisher was Álvaro Bautista
Álvaro Bautista Arce (born 21 November 1984) is a Spanish motorcycle road racer. He won the 2022 Superbike World Championship, with Ducati factory team.
After the 2019 World Superbike season with the factory Ducati team, for 2020 and 2021 h ...
, who scored a fourth-place finish.
Teams' standings
The teams' standings were based on results obtained by regular and substitute riders; wild-card entries were ineligible.
References
External links
The official website of Grand Prix motorcycle racing
{{World championships in 2013
Grand Prix motorcycle racing seasons
Grand Prix motorcycle racing