Grand Prix of Italy

The Grand Prix of Italy is one of MotoGP’s blue ribbon races and the Italian GP as it is also known was one of the original rounds of the 500cc world championship in 1949.

Whilst held using the name of the Nations Grand Prix, the FIM concluded its inaugural world championship season in Italy and with a visit to the Autodromo Nazionale di Monza. A home rider even won the first Grand Prix in Italy as Nello Pagani came within one point of the title.

Monza remained the exclusive home for MotoGP in Italy until Imola staged the Grand Prix in 1969. The two tracks shared staging the race until 1978 when the Autodromo Internazionale del Mugello replaced Monza, and Misano also started sharing hosting the Italian GP in 1982.

History of the MotoGP Grand Prix of Italy

Monza, Imola, Mugello and Misano have all enjoyed the honour of hosting the Italian Grand Prix at times when the 500cc/MotoGP world championship has visited the European nation. But Mugello took over as the permanent home of the Grand Prix of Italy in the 1994 season.

Ferrari bought Mugello in 1988 and it extensively renovated the circuit to create the venue which would later convince the FIM to make it the home of the 500cc world championship in Italy. Only the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020 has since seen MotoGP avoid racing at Mugello.

Misano staged its final Italian GP in 1993 as home rider Luca Cadalora won on a Yamaha bike for Team Roberts. American hero Eddie Lawson won the last Italian GP at Imola on a Yamaha for Team Agostini in 1988, a year after Honda legend Wayne Gardner won the last at Monza.

Italian riders have enjoyed plenty of success at their home Grand Prix since the maiden race in 1949 when Milan native Pagani rode his Gilera to the top step of the podium. Pagani beat Marzabotto, Emilia-Romagna native Arciso Artesiani by a mere 0.8 seconds to win at Monza.

Valentino Rossi won a record seven Italian Grands Prix in a row from 2002 to 2008

Giacomo Agostini even spearheaded a period of Italian dominance between 1966 and 1975 alongside Alberto Pagani and Franco Bonera. But Italy had to wait until Valentino Rossi took control of the Italian GP at Mugello from 2002 to 2008 to enjoy another spell of dominance.

British riders were the first to dominate the Italian GP with Geoff Duke, Leslie Graham, John Surtees and Mike Hailwood combining to win 13 of the first 17 races before Agostini started to reign supreme. Duke was even the first back-to-back Italian GP winner in 1953 plus 1954.

Surtees eclipsed Duke’s record with three wins in a row from 1958-60, only for Hailwood to immediately better him by achieving five Italian GP wins in succession. Even Agostini would not match, let alone better Hailwood’s streak during his control of the 500cc championship.

Kenny Roberts also went one win from matching Hailwood’s run as he launched a period of American brilliance at the Italian Grand Prix with four wins in succession from 1978-81. The three-time champion set a path for Freddie Spencer and Eddie Lawson to follow in the ‘80s.

The Grand Prix of Italy then became synonymous with Mick Doohan and Honda through the 1990s as the Australian achieved six wins. Doohan secured his first Italian GP win at Misano in 1991 and even won each of the first five runnings after Mugello became the race’s home.

Yet Mugello still did not know true dominance, as Hailwood’s record run finally fell thanks to Rossi winning seven in a row from 2002-08 after the 500cc world championship’s rebrand as MotoGP. Jorge Lorenzo went close to matching Rossi with five wins in six from 2011-16.

What is the Mugello circuit like?

Mugello is loved by MotoGP riders and fans alike as the circuit which hosts the Grand Prix of Italy is one of if not the best on the entire calendar. The track based in Florence, Tuscany has everything a MotoGP race needs to deliver excitement and punish any rider for any mistake.

Such is the affection that riders and fans have for Mugello that the circuit is nicknamed ‘The Playground of the Gods’. It does not rely on the emotional ties to Rossi or Ducati, also being the Bologna Bullets’ home race, but rather itself to get fans on the edge, and off, their seats.

Mugello twists and turns through the Tuscan valley, sweeping up and down with an array of elevation changes. The 1.1km (0.6m) pit straight also allows MotoGP bikes to hit one of the highest top speeds of the season thanks to the sweeping, left-handed last corner at Turn 15.

MotoGP riders dance their bikes on the limits around Mugello, with Turn 1 a cruel mistress as pilots fly into the first corner riding the crest of a bump before hitting the brakes. Mugello’s allure has also not faded over the years by not slowing down the circuit with extra chicanes.

Winners of the MotoGP Italian Grand Prix

Below, MotoGP News has listed every premier class rider to win the Italian Grand Prix…