10 Greatest Grand Prix races - ever

We've asked the most knowledgeable race pundits in the world and picked out their top Grand Prix races

Posted: 22 October 2010
by Jon Urry

1 of 10

10. 1979 SILVERSTONE, BRITISH GP, BARRY SHEENE AND KENNY ROBERTS

By 1979 Sheene was in his post-championship years, his two titles coming in 1976 and '77. But he was still in his prime and still, for this final year, with the works Suzuki squad. Sheene was at the height of his fame, making front cover tabloid material like no racer has since. And seeing as he was still Number Two in the world he had the ability to make Silverstone a sell-out and a must-see for millions of television viewers.

By modern standards the passes were very clean, almost incidental. The inter-rider taunts (a classic up-yours 'V' from Sheene famously misinterpreted as a wave by Murray Walker) seem almost Rossi-esque for their sense of pantomime. Perhaps what marks the race out for posterity is not that last lap lunge by Bazza, but instead the collective goose-bumps, hair-on-end sensation enjoyed simultaneously by millions of Britons. Exceeding maybe even those felt on the Island for Mike Hailwood's comeback win in 1978.

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Discuss this story

.Budgie

Rossi and Stoner Laguna Sega 2008 will alway be a good one for me,

Posted: 28/10/2008 at 15:19

jon1980

Same here

Posted: 28/10/2008 at 15:20

AlmightyDutch

Me and me mucka doing the A444 on any given Sunday

Posted: 28/10/2008 at 15:30

John..

The Australian GP in 1990 and 1991, especially the one Gardner won while his fairing lowers were flapping in the wind.

this was at a time when seeing the GP's on TV was a novelty.

I'll have a think about some more, it takes a while for my befuddled brain to remember such things.

Three sugars and a touch of milk.

Posted: 28/10/2008 at 15:35

y2blade

John.. wrote (see)

The Australian GP in 1990 and 1991, especially the one Gardner won while his fairing lowers were flapping in the wind.
this was at a time when seeing the GP's on TV was a novelty.
I'll have a think about some more, it takes a while for my befuddled brain to remember such things.
Three sugars and a touch of milk.

the 1989 500cc australian one was epic too..

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=iYxnBnb-vpU

Posted: 28/10/2008 at 15:46

John..

y2blade wrote (see)

John.. wrote (see)
The Australian GP in 1990 and 1991, especially the one Gardner won while his fairing lowers were flapping in the wind.
this was at a time when seeing the GP's on TV was a novelty.
I'll have a think about some more, it takes a while for my befuddled brain to remember such things.
Three sugars and a touch of milk.

the 1989 500cc australian one was epic too..

Hi Chris, I must be the 1989/1990 races I'm thinking of.

Told yous I'm easily confused.

Posted: 28/10/2008 at 15:48

y2blade

John.. wrote (see)

y2blade wrote (see)
John.. wrote (see)
The Australian GP in 1990 and 1991, especially the one Gardner won while his fairing lowers were flapping in the wind.
this was at a time when seeing the GP's on TV was a novelty.
I'll have a think about some more, it takes a while for my befuddled brain to remember such things.
Three sugars and a touch of milk.

the 1989 500cc australian one was epic too..

Hi Chris, I must be the 1989/1990 races I'm thinking of.
Told yous I'm easily confused.

lol this one is the one i ment..i have the full race on DUKE (bought) VHS (remember that)

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=iYxnBnb-vpU

Posted: 28/10/2008 at 15:51

John..

y2blade wrote (see)

John.. wrote (see)
y2blade wrote (see)
John.. wrote (see)
The Australian GP in 1990 and 1991, especially the one Gardner won while his fairing lowers were flapping in the wind.
this was at a time when seeing the GP's on TV was a novelty.
I'll have a think about some more, it takes a while for my befuddled brain to remember such things.
Three sugars and a touch of milk.

the 1989 500cc australian one was epic too..

Hi Chris, I must be the 1989/1990 races I'm thinking of.
Told yous I'm easily confused.

lol this one is the one i ment..i have the full race on DUKE (bought) VHS (remember that)
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=iYxnBnb-vpU

I've got the same vid somewhere in my loft.

I've got a couple of big cardboard boxes full of bike stuff from the early 80's until DVD's appeared.

I might dig a box out over the winter and have a whole weekend of VHS viewing.

I also have a few seasons of GP's and WSB taped from the TV.

Posted: 28/10/2008 at 15:59

Stalker's Web-Site Biatch

Walker securing his maiden Superbike World Championship race win on the 3rd of September 2006 in Race 1 at Assen, in his 131st race.

Starting the race in 13th position, and dropping to 26th position at the first corner following an excurison onto the grass.

A dead last to 1st on a Kawasaki in torrential rain, one for the history book?!

Posted: 28/10/2008 at 17:12

Dexter

Agree the Philip Island GP where Gardner beat Doohan with his fairing falling off.

Posted: 28/10/2008 at 17:14

FatBoyTim

This years isle of man senior TT, has to be one of this years best races, or any of the NW200 races from this year

best one i can remember is the Bayliss win on the 990 at the end of 2006, if for no other reason that he had not been on the bike all year (as he was riding superbikes & winning the championship) then rocks up at valencia and stitches them all, that in my opinion was the best win i have ever seen

Bayliss cool as penguins piddle

Posted: 28/10/2008 at 18:15

~The race that has always stood out for me was Ron Haslam racing a bog standard VFR750 to third place in the Transatlantic Challenge, about 1986, against full race machinery. Heroic.

Posted: 28/10/2008 at 18:17

mrdrink

I know its a bit obvious and in reality a boring race but Rossi's win at phillip island on the honda after a yellow flag incident. you knew it was something special.

Also WSB at silverstone(?) in torrential rain, Bayliss hits the floor a good few times and still finishes 5th i think.

Posted: 28/10/2008 at 18:36

kiwi steve

How could they miss the first ever GP at Philip Island? awsome race

Posted: 28/10/2008 at 19:04

baron01

Mugello 2006 and Phillip Island 2004 some of my favourite also seen a few good ones in world supersport over last couple of seasons

Posted: 28/10/2008 at 19:50

pete7

what about 1971 Race of the Year at Mallory

john cooper on BSA triple beating agostini on works MV!

some say the greatest race ever - I was there and have never, ever experienced fan reaction to a motor cylce race like it

nothing against ago - but his title count is surely due to the embarassung lack of competition at the time in the actual GPs

pete

Posted: 28/10/2008 at 21:49

McLovin

A personal one this, but watching Molyneux charge three abreast past the Crosby Hotel (2005 TT) on a drying track made me feel a bit over awed! Other than that my first Moto GP after getting my first bike when Rossi pushed Gibernau off at the last corner in Spain. If Schui had done it in F1 I would have called him a tosser but Rossi is in a different sphere, perhaps the only time I don't cheer for the underdog.

Posted: 29/10/2008 at 00:03

wing1122

dunlop vs jefferies at dundrod 1999 irish road racing superbike race r1 vs rc45 best race ive seen (r.i.p guys) proper riders they were.

Posted: 29/10/2008 at 06:34

wavydave

sheene v roberts.

nuff said.

Posted: 29/10/2008 at 08:17

Richard Doucet

Daytona 200 a few years back. Miguel DuHamel rode and won back to back races with a busted leg. Had to be lifted on and off the bike after each race.

Posted: 17/12/2008 at 17:54

paul1963

Dunno what year it was (1979 or 1980?), but the race I always remember had Barry Sheene leading Kenny Roberts; Towards the end of the race, Bazza looked over his shoulder to see where Kenny was, then stuck his left hand behind him, flicking the V's at him.............

If I remember correctly, Roberts took him just before the finish..............!

Posted: 17/12/2008 at 21:15

scobri

That was the 1979 British GP.

Faves for me,both WSB races 2002 Imola Edwards & Bayliss barging into each other,at every corner & Bayliss being the sportsman congratulating Edwards winning each race & the championship AWESOME.

Posted: 17/12/2008 at 22:29

pedro!

best overtake

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=idzHUe8QdWw&feature=related

best races suzuka 91/welkom 2004/laguna 2008

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=D5LIGlm2mbA

Posted: 17/12/2008 at 23:58

Timpster

The picture of Garriga and Pons above is from LeMans no Brno though.

Posted: 25/10/2010 at 09:48

SParki

one of the better from motogp era had to be rossi / gibernau in when 2004/2005?

Posted: 25/10/2010 at 11:49

fuzzy1390

all the above are pretty impressive

Posted: 04/11/2010 at 21:06

Dirtybill

Not to be anal but that Daytona 200 race was not just a broken leg but a broken pelvis. He won the 600cc race and the Superbike race.

I still have that Bayliss Edwards WSB on tape. That whole season of WSB was great.

A fave for me was Steve Baker winning on a TZ750 at Mallory Park. It's on the "Take it to the Limit" video. Just about any IoM race does it for me and any Irish road racing.

Posted: 09/11/2010 at 21:09

Dirtybill

Almost forgot. Not the race but at the finish line. Had me grinning all day.

http://www.pakistan.tv/videos-max-biaggis-superwheelie-%5BH-opcO48KMg%5D.cfm

Posted: 09/11/2010 at 21:13

Shurm

Doohan and Criville were always fun

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8qtQA_zjgrk

Posted: 13/11/2010 at 18:00

farmersti

i was there!

Posted: 16/01/2012 at 17:02

farmersti

ops that last post did not go to plan i was there when this happened .The race that has always stood out for me was Ron Haslam racing a bog standard VFR750 to third place in the Transatlantic Challenge, about 1986, against full race machinery. Heroic.

Read more: http://www.visordown.com/motorcycle-top-10s/10-greatest-grand-prix-races---ever/4105-10.html#ixzz1jdr99vwr

Posted: 16/01/2012 at 17:05

mohsin shaikh

how come catalunya 2009 rossi vs lorenzo doesnt feature here?

Posted: 17/01/2012 at 19:32

servervt

Vainet. ?????????? ??????? ??? ????? ?????? http://vainet.biz/

Posted: 12/04/2012 at 14:02

milahen

It will be so interesting to watch a bike race events, and recently i saw the suzuki race event in Australia.

Posted: 25/04/2012 at 13:06

GWalkaa

I think it was 2009 Catalunya Rossi v Lorenzo when there rivalry was at its highest and Rossi just pipped him at the last corner that's the most exciting racing ive ever witnessed in my short viewing.

Posted: 19/02/2013 at 11:03

GWalkaa

In total agreement here.

Posted: 19/02/2013 at 11:04