# Malaysian motorcycle Grand Prix

The Malaysian motorcycle Grand Prix is a motorcycling event that is part of the FIM Grand Prix motorcycle racing season. The event is due to take place at the Petronas Sepang International Circuit until at least 2024.

## History

The first Malaysian Grand Prix was held in 1991 at the Shah Alam Circuit as the final race of the season. Because of the long trip and high cost, many riders chose to not participate in this event. The 500cc race was won by John Kocinski. The event was notorious due to the tropical temperatures and a high degree of humidity, something which plagued the riders for four consecutive years – from 1992 to 1995 respectively.
In 1998, the race was moved from Shah Alam to the Johor Circuit. The reason for the change was because of the 1997 Asian financial crisis that hit Malaysia at this time. While the rich Sultan of Selangor protected the grand prix for years, the local government was no longer able to host the race at the venue. The circuit of Johor Bahru, close to the country of Singapore, was chosen and as a result, the circuit was overhauled: it was modernised and a new layer of asphalt was put on it. While there were pebbles on the track that kicked up and were a nuisance to the riders, the most shocking thing that happened during the weekend was when Lucio Cecchinello drove over the tail of a passing Cobra, which then looked up before getting hit at high speed by the leg of Gino Borsoi.
In 1999 the Sepang International Circuit, designed by Hermann Tilke, had finished construction. The circuit was not only more modern and purpose-built compared to Johor, it also lay close to Kuala Lumpur International Airport. As a result, the race for that season was moved to Sepang along with Formula One, who held its first race at the country in the same year. Since 1999, the Sepang circuit has hosted the Malaysian GP every year until 2020.
In 2006, the distance between the grid positions was increased following the 2006 Catalan motorcycle Grand Prix where multiple riders crashed on the first corner. On Saturday afternoon, the circuit was hit by a hefty thunderstorm: a lot of rain fell and as a result, the qualifying practice of the MotoGP and second practice of the 250cc classes were cancelled. This caused a problem because there was no official starting times. The problem was solved by combining the three best times set by all riders on Friday practice.
In 2010, Valentino Rossi won his first race in Malaysia since his accident at the Italian round earlier that year, which saw him break his leg. In 2011, Marco Simoncelli died on the first lap of the race after a horror accident where two riders hit him in the head and lower body. The race was abandoned shortly after.
In 2020, the Malaysian round was scrapped due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

## Official names and sponsors

* 1991: Lucky Strike Malaysia Grand Prix
* 1992: Malaysia Motorcycle Grand Prix (no official sponsor)
* 1993: Malaysia Grand Prix (no official sponsor)
* 1994, 2001: Malaysian Grand Prix (no official sponsor)
* 1995–1996: Marlboro Grand Prix of Malaysia
* 1997–1999: Marlboro Malaysian Grand Prix
* 2000, 2012: Malaysian Motorcycle Grand Prix (no official sponsor)
* 2002: Gauloises Malaysian Motorcycle Grand Prix
* 2003–2006: Marlboro Malaysian Motorcycle Grand Prix
* 2007–2008: Polini Malaysian Motorcycle Grand Prix
* 2009–2011, 2013–2014: Shell Advance Malaysian Motorcycle Grand Prix
* 2015–2019: Shell Malaysia Motorcycle Grand Prix
* 2022–present: Petronas Grand Prix of Malaysia

## Formerly used circuits

* The Shah Alam circuit, used from 1991 to 1997.
* The Johor circuit, used in 1998.

## Winners of the Malaysian motorcycle Grand Prix
### Multiple winners (riders)

| # Wins | Rider | Wins | Wins |
| # Wins | Rider | Category | Years won |
| 7 | Valentino Rossi | MotoGP | 2003, 2004, 2006, 2008, 2010 |
| 7 | Valentino Rossi | 500cc | 2001 |
| 7 | Valentino Rossi | 125cc | 1997 |
| 5 | Mick Doohan | 500cc | 1992, 1994, 1995, 1997, 1998 |
| 5 | Max Biaggi | MotoGP | 2002 |
| 5 | Max Biaggi | 250cc | 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997 |
| 5 | Dani Pedrosa | MotoGP | 2012, 2013, 2015 |
| 5 | Dani Pedrosa | 250cc | 2004 |
| 5 | Dani Pedrosa | 125cc | 2003 |
| 4 | Casey Stoner | MotoGP | 2007, 2009 |
| 4 | Casey Stoner | 250cc | 2005 |
| 4 | Casey Stoner | 125cc | 2004 |
| 3 | Luca Cadalora | 500cc | 1996 |
| 3 | Luca Cadalora | 250cc | 1991, 1992 |
| 3 | Loris Capirossi | MotoGP | 2005 |
| 3 | Loris Capirossi | 250cc | 1999 |
| 3 | Loris Capirossi | 125cc | 1991 |
| 3 | Marc Márquez | MotoGP | 2014, 2018 |
| 3 | Marc Márquez | 125cc | 2010 |
| 3 | Maverick Viñales | MotoGP | 2019 |
| 3 | Maverick Viñales | Moto2 | 2014 |
| 3 | Maverick Viñales | 125cc | 2011 |
| 3 | Francesco Bagnaia | MotoGP | 2022, 2024 |
| 3 | Francesco Bagnaia | Moto3 | 2016 |
| 2 | Noboru Ueda | 125cc | 1994, 1998 |
| 2 | Kenny Roberts Jr. | 500cc | 1999, 2000 |
| 2 | Álvaro Bautista | 250cc | 2008 |
| 2 | Álvaro Bautista | 125cc | 2006 |
| 2 | Gábor Talmácsi | 125cc | 2007, 2008 |
| 2 | Hiroshi Aoyama | 250cc | 2007, 2009 |
| 2 | Thomas Lüthi | Moto2 | 2011 |
| 2 | Thomas Lüthi | 125cc | 2005 |
| 2 | Johann Zarco | Moto2 | 2015, 2016 |
| 2 | Miguel Oliveira | Moto2 | 2017 |
| 2 | Miguel Oliveira | Moto3 | 2015 |
| 2 | Andrea Dovizioso | MotoGP | 2016, 2017 |

### Multiple winners (manufacturers)

| # Wins | Manufacturer | Wins | Wins |
| # Wins | Manufacturer | Category | Years won |
| 33 | Honda | MotoGP | 2003, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2018 |
| 33 | Honda | 500cc | 1992, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2001 |
| 33 | Honda | 250cc | 1991, 1992, 1993, 1997, 1999, 2001, 2004, 2009 |
| 33 | Honda | Moto3 | 2014, 2017, 2018, 2019 |
| 33 | Honda | 125cc | 1991, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1998, 1999, 2003, 2005 |
| 19 | Aprilia | 250cc | 1994, 1995, 1996, 1998, 2002, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2008 |
| 19 | Aprilia | 125cc | 1992, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2002, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2011 |
| 9 | Yamaha | MotoGP | 2002, 2004, 2006, 2008, 2010, 2019 |
| 9 | Yamaha | 500cc | 1991, 1993 |
| 9 | Yamaha | 250cc | 2000 |
| 8 | Ducati | MotoGP | 2005, 2007, 2009, 2016, 2017, 2022, 2023, 2024 |
| 7 | KTM | Moto2 | 2017, 2019 |
| 7 | KTM | 250cc | 2007 |
| 7 | KTM | Moto3 | 2012, 2013, 2015 |
| 7 | KTM | 125cc | 2004 |
| 7 | Kalex | Moto2 | 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2018, 2022, 2024 |
| 2 | Suzuki | 500cc | 1999, 2000 |
| 2 | Derbi | 125cc | 2001, 2010 |
| 2 | Suter | Moto2 | 2010, 2011 |
| 2 | Husqvarna | Moto3 | 2022, 2023 |

### By year

| Year | Track | Moto3 | Moto3 | Moto2 | Moto2 | MotoGP | MotoGP | Report |
| Year | Track | Rider | Manufacturer | Rider | Manufacturer | Rider | Manufacturer | Report |
| 2024 | Sepang | David Alonso | CFMoto | Celestino Vietti | Kalex | Francesco Bagnaia | Ducati | Report |
| 2023 | Sepang | Collin Veijer | Husqvarna | Fermín Aldeguer | Boscoscuro | Enea Bastianini | Ducati | Report |
| 2022 | Sepang | John McPhee | Husqvarna | Tony Arbolino | Kalex | Francesco Bagnaia | Ducati | Report |
| 2021 | Sepang | Cancelled due to COVID-19 concerns | Cancelled due to COVID-19 concerns | Cancelled due to COVID-19 concerns | Cancelled due to COVID-19 concerns | Cancelled due to COVID-19 concerns | Cancelled due to COVID-19 concerns | Cancelled due to COVID-19 concerns |
| 2020 | Sepang | Cancelled due to COVID-19 concerns | Cancelled due to COVID-19 concerns | Cancelled due to COVID-19 concerns | Cancelled due to COVID-19 concerns | Cancelled due to COVID-19 concerns | Cancelled due to COVID-19 concerns | Cancelled due to COVID-19 concerns |
| 2019 | Sepang | Lorenzo Dalla Porta | Honda | Brad Binder | KTM | Maverick Viñales | Yamaha | Report |
| 2018 | Sepang | Jorge Martín | Honda | Luca Marini | Kalex | Marc Márquez | Honda | Report |
| 2017 | Sepang | Joan Mir | Honda | Miguel Oliveira | KTM | Andrea Dovizioso | Ducati | Report |
| 2016 | Sepang | Francesco Bagnaia | Mahindra | Johann Zarco | Kalex | Andrea Dovizioso | Ducati | Report |
| 2015 | Sepang | Miguel Oliveira | KTM | Johann Zarco | Kalex | Dani Pedrosa | Honda | Report |
| 2014 | Sepang | Efrén Vázquez | Honda | Maverick Viñales | Kalex | Marc Márquez | Honda | Report |
| 2013 | Sepang | Luis Salom | KTM | Esteve Rabat | Kalex | Dani Pedrosa | Honda | Report |
| 2012 | Sepang | Sandro Cortese | KTM | Alex de Angelis | FTR | Dani Pedrosa | Honda | Report |
| Year | Track | 125cc | 125cc | Moto2 | Moto2 | MotoGP | MotoGP | Report |
| Year | Track | Rider | Manufacturer | Rider | Manufacturer | Rider | Manufacturer | Report |
| 2011 | Sepang | Maverick Viñales | Aprilia | Thomas Lüthi | Suter | Abandoned (Art. 1.25.2) | Abandoned (Art. 1.25.2) | Report |
| 2010 | Sepang | Marc Márquez | Derbi | Roberto Rolfo | Suter | Valentino Rossi | Yamaha | Report |
| Year | Track | 125cc | 125cc | 250cc | 250cc | MotoGP | MotoGP | Report |
| Year | Track | Rider | Manufacturer | Rider | Manufacturer | Rider | Manufacturer | Report |
| 2009 | Sepang | Julián Simón | Aprilia | Hiroshi Aoyama | Honda | Casey Stoner | Ducati | Report |
| 2008 | Sepang | Gábor Talmácsi | Aprilia | Álvaro Bautista | Aprilia | Valentino Rossi | Yamaha | Report |
| 2007 | Sepang | Gábor Talmácsi | Aprilia | Hiroshi Aoyama | KTM | Casey Stoner | Ducati | Report |
| 2006 | Sepang | Álvaro Bautista | Aprilia | Jorge Lorenzo | Aprilia | Valentino Rossi | Yamaha | Report |
| 2005 | Sepang | Thomas Lüthi | Honda | Casey Stoner | Aprilia | Loris Capirossi | Ducati | Report |
| 2004 | Sepang | Casey Stoner | KTM | Daniel Pedrosa | Honda | Valentino Rossi | Yamaha | Report |
| 2003 | Sepang | Daniel Pedrosa | Honda | Toni Elías | Aprilia | Valentino Rossi | Honda | Report |
| 2002 | Sepang | Arnaud Vincent | Aprilia | Fonsi Nieto | Aprilia | Max Biaggi | Yamaha | Report |
| Year | Track | 125cc | 125cc | 250cc | 250cc | 500cc | 500cc | Report |
| Year | Track | Rider | Manufacturer | Rider | Manufacturer | Rider | Manufacturer | Report |
| 2001 | Sepang | Youichi Ui | Derbi | Daijiro Kato | Honda | Valentino Rossi | Honda | Report |
| 2000 | Sepang | Roberto Locatelli | Aprilia | Shinya Nakano | Yamaha | Kenny Roberts Jr. | Suzuki | Report |
| 1999 | Sepang | Masao Azuma | Honda | Loris Capirossi | Honda | Kenny Roberts Jr. | Suzuki | Report |
| 1998 | Johor | Noboru Ueda | Honda | Tetsuya Harada | Aprilia | Mick Doohan | Honda | Report |
| 1997 | Shah Alam | Valentino Rossi | Aprilia | Max Biaggi | Honda | Mick Doohan | Honda | Report |
| 1996 | Shah Alam | Stefano Perugini | Aprilia | Max Biaggi | Aprilia | Luca Cadalora | Honda | Report |
| 1995 | Shah Alam | Garry McCoy | Honda | Max Biaggi | Aprilia | Mick Doohan | Honda | Report |
| 1994 | Shah Alam | Noboru Ueda | Honda | Max Biaggi | Aprilia | Mick Doohan | Honda | Report |
| 1993 | Shah Alam | Dirk Raudies | Honda | Nobuatsu Aoki | Honda | Wayne Rainey | Yamaha | Report |
| 1992 | Shah Alam | Alessandro Gramigni | Aprilia | Luca Cadalora | Honda | Mick Doohan | Honda | Report |
| 1991 | Shah Alam | Loris Capirossi | Honda | Luca Cadalora | Honda | John Kocinski | Yamaha | Report |