Marco Bezzecchi
The Autodrom Brno has been the scene of some great races in MotoGP and landmark moments, including some unforgettable battles between some of the legends of the sport.
The track was absent from the calendar after the 2020 season, but makes its return in 2025 as the teams tackle the technical circuit for the Czech Grand Prix.
It has been freshly resurfaced since the 2020 season and provides a mix of hard braking and high corner speeds, which is why there have been some great moments over the years.
Mick Doohan wins first 500cc title in 1994
Mick Doohan kickstarted the first of his five consecutive titles in the 500cc premier category in 1994 at Brno, winning the race when it was clear he would clinch the title.
It was a momentous occasion for the Australian after he had been in and out of the hospital due to injuries between 1992 and 1993. While he was not at peak fitness, he managed to work around his injuries and still ride.
Doohan had achieved seven wins and 10 podiums by the time they reached the 10th round of the season at Brno, and he wasted no time in winning the race and clinching the title. A rendition of Waltzing Matilda was played on the podium rather than the Australian national anthem.
Valentino Rossi narrowly beats Sete Gibernau in 2003
One of Valentino Rossi’s many impressive battles with Sete Gibernau, the Autodrom Brno played host to one of the best in MotoGP.
Troy Bayliss led the race from the start, but both Gibernau and Rossi quickly dispatched the Australian in the opening laps of the race.
The pair would later exchange positions before Rossi made a move on the final lap of the race on Gibernau, with the Italian crossing the line just 0.042s ahead of his title rival.
It was Rossi’s first win in four races and enabled him to extend his run to the title by 34 points with six races left to run.
Dani Pedrosa and Jorge Lorenzo duel in 2012
In another clash of two MotoGP title rivals, Dani Pedrosa and Jorge Lorenzo duelled at the 2012 race.
After qualifying in third, Pedrosa made his way up to the leader, Lorenzo. The pair would go on to exchange positions for the lead several times before Lorenzo made a bold move on the final lap for the lead.
Sensing things were not done, Pedrosa came back with a move between Turns 13 and 14. The move secured him the lead and the win, with the pair separated by 0.178s at the finish line ahead of Cal Crutchlow.
Marc Marquez’s stunning pole lap in 2019
Marc Marquez has put in some stunning poles in his career, but the one in Brno was him at his peak on the Honda bike.
In the final five minutes of Q2, he put in a spectacular effort that put him 2.5 seconds ahead of Pramac Ducati’s Jack Miller in the mixed conditions.
Marquez switched to slicks in the dying moments of the session as the track dried up, initially setting a 2:04.165s before going even quicker on his next run on a 2:02.753s.
Brad Binder makes history for South Africa in 2020
The last race to be held before a brief hiatus in 2020 saw a momentous occasion for South Africa’s Brad Binder.
After plenty of drama on track, Binder put in a commanding ride to rise from seventh on the grid to the lead. He would go on to win the Grand Prix in just his third premier class race, taking victory ahead of Franco Morbidelli and Johann Zarco.
Binder became the first South African rider to win a MotoGP race, taking KTM’s maiden victory in the premier class in the process.
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