The 2003 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season was the 55th F.I.M. Road racing World Championship season. The season consisted of 16 races, beginning with the Japanese motorcycle Grand Prix on 6 April 2003 and ending with the Valencian Community motorcycle Grand Prix on 2 November.
Season summary
Defending champion Valentino Rossi won his 3rd MotoGP championship in 2003, winning 9 races, highlighted by his win at Phillip Island where he was given a 10-second penalty for passing under a yellow flag and he overcame the penalty by winning the race with more than 10 seconds in hand. Rossi had become dissatisfied with his relationship with the Honda Racing Corporation[1] and as the season progressed and HRC tried to get Rossi to sign a new contract, Rossi demurred until finally announcing at the end of the year that he would be leaving Honda. He soon signed with Yamaha and took Jeremy Burgess with him to be his crew chief.
The season was marred by Daijiro Kato being killed at the first round at Suzuka. He lost control of his motorcycle on the approach to the Casio Triangle and hit a barrier at high speed. His heart was restarted by track paramedics, but he did not wake from a coma and died 2 weeks later. Controversy arose because the race was not red-flagged to allow Kato to be removed from the track with maximum care.[2] Suzuka has since been removed from the MotoGP calendar. Teammate Sete Gibernau would inherit Kato's factory-spec RC211V.
MotoGP rookies for 2003 included Nicky Hayden (Rookie of the Year), Troy Bayliss, Marco Melandri and Colin Edwards. A new constructor also arrived: Ducati. After much success in Superbike racing, Ducati returned to the premier-class of GP with their GP3. It made an immediate impression with its raw speed, and they finished the constructor's championship in second place, ahead of Yamaha and behind Honda.
2003 Grand Prix season calendar
The following Grands Prix were scheduled to take place in 2003:[3][4]
- †† = Saturday Race
Calendar changes
There were no calendar changes for the 2003 season.
2003 Grand Prix season results
Participants
MotoGP participants
Team
|
Constructor
|
Motorcycle
|
Tyre
|
No
|
Rider
|
Rounds
|
Camel Pramac Pons
|
Honda
|
Honda RC211V
|
M
|
3
|
Max Biaggi
|
All
|
11
|
Tohru Ukawa
|
All
|
Gauloises Yamaha Team
|
Yamaha
|
Yamaha YZR-M1
|
M
|
4
|
Alex Barros
|
All
|
19
|
Olivier Jacque
|
All
|
Pramac Honda
|
Honda
|
Honda RC211V
|
B
|
6
|
Makoto Tamada
|
All
|
Fortuna Yamaha Team
|
Yamaha
|
Yamaha YZR-M1
|
M
|
7
|
Carlos Checa
|
All
|
33
|
Marco Melandri
|
1, 3–15
|
17
|
Norifumi Abe
|
1–2, 16
|
Yamaha Racing Team
|
Yamaha
|
Yamaha YZR-M1
|
M
|
4, 9
|
Kawasaki Racing Team
|
Kawasaki
|
Kawasaki ZX-RR
|
D
|
8
|
Garry McCoy
|
All
|
88
|
Andrew Pitt
|
All
|
48
|
Akira Yanagawa
|
1, 6
|
66
|
Alex Hofmann
|
3, 5, 7, 9–10
|
/ Proton Team KR
|
Proton KR
|
Proton KR3 Proton KR5
|
B
|
9
|
Nobuatsu Aoki
|
All
|
99
|
Jeremy McWilliams
|
All
|
Suzuki Grand Prix Team
|
Suzuki
|
Suzuki GSV-R
|
M
|
10
|
Kenny Roberts, Jr.
|
1–5, 9–16
|
21
|
John Hopkins
|
1–13, 15–16
|
43
|
Akira Ryō
|
13
|
14
|
71
|
Yukio Kagayama
|
7–8
|
Ducati Marlboro Team
|
Ducati
|
Ducati Desmosedici
|
M
|
12
|
Troy Bayliss
|
All
|
65
|
Loris Capirossi
|
All
|
Telefónica Movistar Honda
|
Honda
|
Honda RC211V
|
M
|
15
|
Sete Gibernau
|
All
|
74
|
Daijiro Kato
|
1
|
23
|
Ryuichi Kiyonari
|
4–16
|
Moriwaki Racing
|
Moriwaki
|
MD211VF Proto
|
D
|
25
|
Tamaki Serizawa
|
1, 13
|
WCM
|
Harris WCM
|
Harris WCM
|
D
|
35
|
Chris Burns
|
1, 11–16
|
ROC Yamaha
|
ROC Yamaha
|
8–10
|
Sabre V4
|
Sabre V4
|
52
|
José David de Gea
|
8–10
|
Harris WCM
|
Harris WCM
|
11–16
|
Alice Aprilia Racing
|
Aprilia
|
Aprilia RS Cube
|
M
|
41
|
Noriyuki Haga
|
All
|
45
|
Colin Edwards
|
All
|
Repsol Honda
|
Honda
|
Honda RC211V
|
M
|
46
|
Valentino Rossi
|
All
|
69
|
Nicky Hayden
|
All
|
D'Antin Yamaha Team
|
Yamaha
|
Yamaha YZR-M1
|
M
|
56
|
Shinya Nakano
|
All
|
|
Key
|
Regular Rider
|
Wildcard Rider
|
Replacement Rider
|
|
250 cc participants
Rider
|
Nation
|
Team
|
Motorcycle
|
ROLFO Roberto
|
ITA
|
Fortuna Honda
|
HONDA
|
PORTO Sebastian
|
ARG
|
Telefonica Moviestar jn Team
|
HONDA
|
DEBON Alex
|
SPA
|
Troll Honda BQR
|
HONDA
|
DE PUNIET Randy
|
FRA
|
Safilo Oxydo-LCR
|
APRILIA
|
MATSUDO Naoki
|
JPN
|
Yamaha Kurz
|
YAMAHA
|
MARCHAND Hugo
|
FRA
|
Equipe de France-Scrab GP
|
APRILIA
|
NIETO Fonsi
|
SPA
|
Team Repsol Telefonica Moviestar
|
APRILIA
|
OLIVE Joan
|
SPA
|
Aspar Junior Team
|
APRILIA
|
HULES Jaroslav
|
CZE
|
Yamaha Kurz
|
YAMAHA
|
WEST Anthony
|
AUS
|
Team Zoppini Abruzzo
|
APRILIA
|
GEMMEL Christian
|
GER
|
Kiefer Castrol-Honda Racing
|
HONDA
|
STIGEFELT Johan
|
SWE
|
Team Zoppini Abruzzo
|
APRILIA
|
VD LAGEMATT Henk
|
NED
|
Dark Dog Moolenar
|
HONDA
|
BATTAINI Franco
|
ITA
|
Campetella Racing
|
APRILIA
|
ELIAS Toni
|
SPA
|
Team Repsol Telefonica Moviestar
|
APRILIA
|
BALDOLINI Alex
|
ITA
|
Matteoni Racing
|
APRILIA
|
HEIDOLF Dirk
|
GER
|
Aprilia Germany
|
APRILIA
|
PISTONI Christian
|
ITA
|
Aspar Junior Team
|
APRILIA
|
NOHLES Klaus
|
GER
|
Aprilia Germany
|
APRILIA
|
FAUBEL Hector
|
SPA
|
Aspar Junior Team
|
APRILIA
|
BATAILLE Eric
|
FRA
|
Troll Honda BQR
|
HONDA
|
NIGON Erwan
|
FRA
|
Equipe de France-Scrab GP
|
APRILIA
|
BLOK Jan
|
NED
|
MRTT
|
HONDA
|
VOS Arie
|
NED
|
J&E Sport Kunstgras
|
YAMAHA
|
SMEES Hans
|
NED
|
Performance Racing
|
HONDA
|
GEVERS Randy
|
NED
|
De Arend Horeca Meubilair
|
HONDA
|
GUINTOLI Sylvain
|
FRA
|
Campetella Racing
|
APRILIA
|
POGGIALI Manuel
|
RSM
|
MS Aprilia Team
|
APRILIA
|
DAVIES Chaz
|
GBR
|
Aprilia Germany
|
APRILIA
|
SMRZ Jakub
|
CZE
|
Elit Grand Prix
|
HONDA
|
POENSGEN Katja
|
GER
|
Dark Dog Moolenar
|
HONDA
|
Standings
MotoGP riders' standings
- Scoring system
Points are awarded to the top fifteen finishers. A rider has 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
|
- Riders marked with light blue background were eligible for Rookie of the Year awards.
|
Colour |
Result
|
Gold |
Winner
|
Silver |
Second place
|
Bronze |
Third place
|
Green |
Points finish
|
Blue |
Non-points finish
|
Non-classified finish (NC)
|
Purple |
Retired (Ret)
|
Red |
Did not qualify (DNQ)
|
Did not pre-qualify (DNPQ)
|
Black |
Disqualified (DSQ)
|
White |
Did not start (DNS)
|
Withdrew (WD)
|
Race cancelled (C)
|
Blank
|
Did not practice (DNP)
|
Did not arrive (DNA)
|
Excluded (EX)
|
Bold – Pole position Italics – Fastest lap
|
- Scoring system
Points are awarded to the top fifteen finishers. A rider has 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
|
- Riders marked with light blue background were eligible for Rookie of the Year awards.
|
Colour |
Result
|
Gold |
Winner
|
Silver |
Second place
|
Bronze |
Third place
|
Green |
Points finish
|
Blue |
Non-points finish
|
Non-classified finish (NC)
|
Purple |
Retired (Ret)
|
Red |
Did not qualify (DNQ)
|
Did not pre-qualify (DNPQ)
|
Black |
Disqualified (DSQ)
|
White |
Did not start (DNS)
|
Withdrew (WD)
|
Race cancelled (C)
|
Blank
|
Did not practice (DNP)
|
Did not arrive (DNA)
|
Excluded (EX)
|
Bold – Pole position Italics – Fastest lap
|
- Scoring system
Points are awarded to the top fifteen finishers. A rider has 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
|
- Riders marked with light blue background were eligible for Rookie of the Year awards.
|
Colour |
Result
|
Gold |
Winner
|
Silver |
Second place
|
Bronze |
Third place
|
Green |
Points finish
|
Blue |
Non-points finish
|
Non-classified finish (NC)
|
Purple |
Retired (Ret)
|
Red |
Did not qualify (DNQ)
|
Did not pre-qualify (DNPQ)
|
Black |
Disqualified (DSQ)
|
White |
Did not start (DNS)
|
Withdrew (WD)
|
Race cancelled (C)
|
Blank
|
Did not practice (DNP)
|
Did not arrive (DNA)
|
Excluded (EX)
|
Bold – Pole position Italics – Fastest lap
|
Manufacturers' standings
MotoGP
250cc manufacturers standings
125cc manufacturers standings
References