1997 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season
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The 1997 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season was the 49th F.I.M. Road Racing World Championship season.
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Season summary
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Perspective
A fourth world championship in a row for Honda's Mick Doohan with another dominating performance. He broke Giacomo Agostini's record for victories in one season with 12 wins.[1] It was also dominating year for Honda with eight of the top ten riders aboard Hondas.[1] The Yamaha and Suzuki teams were in disarray.[1] Kenny Roberts left Yamaha to start his own venture with a lightweight, three-cylinder Modenas.[1] Wayne Rainey's team was left with the inconsistent Norifumi Abe and Sete Gibernau, a rookie.[1] Daryl Beattie wasn't able to come back from head injuries and retired at the end of the year while Anthony Gobert failed a drug test and was dismissed by the Suzuki team.[1] The Elf team soldiered on with their Swiss-Auto V4 but Aprilia decided to pull their V twin from the 500 class at the end of the year.[1]
Max Biaggi had a harder time defending his title from Tetsuya Harada and Ralf Waldmann, not clinching the title until the last race of the year.[1] A new star emerged from the 125 class with Valentino Rossi winning 11 races for a commanding win on an Aprilia.[1]
As of 2025 it was the last season that only one manufacturer won every race in one season in the premier class to date.
1997 Grand Prix season calendar
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Perspective
The following Grands Prix were scheduled to take place in 1997:[2][3]
Round | Date | Grand Prix | Circuit |
---|---|---|---|
1 | 13 April | ![]() |
Shah Alam Circuit |
2 | 20 April | ![]() |
Suzuka Circuit |
3 | 4 May | ![]() |
Circuito Permanente de Jerez |
4 | 18 May | ![]() |
Mugello Circuit |
5 | 1 June | ![]() |
A1-Ring |
6 | 8 June | ![]() |
Circuit Paul Ricard |
7 | 28 June †† | ![]() |
TT Circuit Assen |
8 | 6 July | ![]() |
Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari |
9 | 20 July | ![]() |
Nürburgring |
10 | 3 August | ![]() |
Autódromo Internacional Nelson Piquet |
11 | 17 August | ![]() |
Donington Park |
12 | 31 August | ![]() |
Brno Circuit |
13 | 14 September | ![]() |
Circuit de Catalunya |
14 | 28 September | ![]() |
Sentul International Circuit |
15 | 5 October | ![]() |
Phillip Island |
†† = Saturday race
Calendar changes
- The Malaysian Grand Prix replaced the Japanese Grand Prix with hosting the opening round Grand Prix.
- The Indonesian Grand Prix was moved back from 7 April to 28 September.
- The Austrian Grand Prix was moved forward from 4 August to 1 June.
- The Australian Grand Prix moved from the Eastern Creek Raceway to the Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit.
1997 Grand Prix season results
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Perspective
†† = Saturday race
Participants
500 cc participants
Standings
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Perspective
Riders' standings
500cc
- Scoring system
Points were awarded to the top fifteen finishers. A rider had to finish the race to earn points.
Position | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 5th | 6th | 7th | 8th | 9th | 10th | 11th | 12th | 13th | 14th | 15th |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Points | 25 | 20 | 16 | 13 | 11 | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
|
Bold – Pole |
250cc
- Scoring system
Points were awarded to the top fifteen finishers. A rider had to finish the race to earn points.
Position | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 5th | 6th | 7th | 8th | 9th | 10th | 11th | 12th | 13th | 14th | 15th |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Points | 25 | 20 | 16 | 13 | 11 | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
|
Bold – Pole |
125cc
- Scoring system
Points were awarded to the top fifteen finishers. A rider had to finish the race to earn points.
Position | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 5th | 6th | 7th | 8th | 9th | 10th | 11th | 12th | 13th | 14th | 15th |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Points | 25 | 20 | 16 | 13 | 11 | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
|
Bold – Pole |
Manufacturers' standings
500cc
Pos | Manufacturer | MAL![]() |
JPN![]() |
ESP![]() |
ITA![]() |
AUT![]() |
FRA![]() |
NED![]() |
IMO![]() |
GER![]() |
RIO![]() |
GBR![]() |
CZE![]() |
CAT![]() |
INA![]() |
AUS![]() |
Pts |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | ![]() |
1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 375 |
2 | ![]() |
4 | 7 | 7 | 2 | 3 | 7 | 10 | 6 | 7 | 3 | 5 | 2 | 4 | 5 | 3 | 188 |
3 | ![]() |
Ret | 13 | 12 | 5 | 7 | 10 | 7 | 10 | 9 | 10 | 6 | 10 | 17 | 12 | 7 | 90 |
4 | ![]() |
Ret | DNS | 6 | 11 | 10 | 11 | 3 | Ret | 5 | 7 | 7 | Ret | 10 | 10 | 11 | 88 |
5 | ![]() |
Ret | 14 | 13 | 8 | 14 | Ret | 8 | 8 | Ret | 8 | 11 | 9 | 8 | 9 | 14 | 68 |
6 | ![]() |
14 | Ret | 16 | Ret | 12 | 9 | 9 | 14 | 8 | 6 | 8 | Ret | 9 | 11 | Ret | 60 |
7 | ![]() |
16 | 16 | 15 | 14 | 15 | 19 | 16 | 15 | 15 | 12 | 16 | 14 | 18 | 17 | 17 | 12 |
Pos | Manufacturer | MAL![]() |
JPN![]() |
ESP![]() |
ITA![]() |
AUT![]() |
FRA![]() |
NED![]() |
IMO![]() |
GER![]() |
RIO![]() |
GBR![]() |
CZE![]() |
CAT![]() |
INA![]() |
AUS![]() |
Pts |
250cc
Pos | Manufacturer | MAL![]() |
JPN![]() |
ESP![]() |
ITA![]() |
AUT![]() |
FRA![]() |
NED![]() |
IMO![]() |
GER![]() |
RIO![]() |
GBR![]() |
CZE![]() |
CAT![]() |
INA![]() |
AUS![]() |
Pts |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | ![]() |
1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 360 |
2 | ![]() |
2 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 268 |
3 | ![]() |
Ret | 4 | 4 | Ret | 7 | Ret | 6 | Ret | 13 | 8 | 6 | 6 | 7 | 5 | 4 | 109 |
4 | ![]() |
11 | 10 | 10 | 11 | 11 | 8 | 8 | 9 | 11 | 15 | 11 | 11 | 10 | 12 | 11 | 81 |
5 | ![]() |
14 | 6 | 8 | 6 | 10 | Ret | Ret | 15 | 7 | Ret | 10 | 13 | 9 | Ret | 6 | 72 |
Pos | Manufacturer | MAL![]() |
JPN![]() |
ESP![]() |
ITA![]() |
AUT![]() |
FRA![]() |
NED![]() |
IMO![]() |
GER![]() |
RIO![]() |
GBR![]() |
CZE![]() |
CAT![]() |
INA![]() |
AUS![]() |
Pts |
125cc
References
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