Dani Pedrosa (pictured at Welkom) became the 2004 250cc world champion
The 2004 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season was the 56th F.I.M. Road racing World Championship season.
Season summary
At the end of 2003, HRC and Valentino Rossi had parted ways, and HRC held Rossi to the letter of their contract which stipulated he could not ride another manufacturer's machine until 31 December 2003.[ 1] Rossi's move to Yamaha , therefore, was a gamble on a manufacturer that hadn't had a world championship in 12 years. Rossi won the first round of the season and lay to rest doubts about whether the rider or the motorcycle was more important when he achieved what no rider since Eddie Lawson had done in the history of the premier-class: he won back-to-back championships on different marques, Honda in 2003 and Yamaha in 2004.
Runner-up Sete Gibernau gave Rossi a strong challenge initially, but faded towards the end of the season. The friendship between him and Rossi frayed over the season, and snapped completely at the Qatar round .
Another change in 2004 was also d'Antin Team , who switched their alliance from Yamaha to Ducati motorcycles after five-year alliance with Yamaha , marked the first time Ducati MotoGP manufacturer introduced a satellite customer team.
At the Italian round , the race ran for 17 laps before rain started, and according to the rules at the time, the race was decided on a second, 6-lap race and the previous 17 laps only counted for grid positions. Conditions dried enough that the riders started the new race in slicks instead of wet-weather tires. In 2005 the rules were changed so that rain would no longer stop a race in MotoGP.
The Rookie of the Year was Rubén Xaus .
2004 Grand Prix season calendar
The following Grands Prix were scheduled to take place in 2004:[ 2] [ 3]
†† = Saturday Race
Calendar changes
This was the last time MotoGP raced in Africa and Latin America, with the latter seeing MotoGP in 2014.
2004 Grand Prix season results
Participants
MotoGP participants
Team
Constructor
Motorcycle
Tyres
Rider
Rounds
Camel Honda
Honda
Honda RC211V
M
3
Max Biaggi
All
B
6
Makoto Tamada
All
Repsol Honda
Honda
Honda RC211V
M
4
Alex Barros
All
69
Nicky Hayden
1–10, 12–16
Gauloises Fortuna Yamaha
Yamaha
Yamaha YZR-M1
M
7
Carlos Checa
All
46
Valentino Rossi
All
/ Proton Team KR
Proton KR
Proton KR5
D
9
Nobuatsu Aoki
All
80
Kurtis Roberts
1–10, 16
36
James Haydon
13–15
Team Suzuki MotoGP
Suzuki
Suzuki GSV-R
B
10
Kenny Roberts, Jr.
1–12
21
John Hopkins
1–3, 5–16
32
Gregorio Lavilla
5, 10
15–16
71
Yukio Kagayama
13–14
D'Antin MotoGP
Ducati
Ducati Desmosedici
M
11
Rubén Xaus
All
50
Neil Hodgson
All
Ducati Marlboro Team
Ducati
Ducati Desmosedici GP4
M
12
Troy Bayliss
All
65
Loris Capirossi
All
Telefónica Movistar Honda MotoGP
Honda
Honda RC211V
M
15
Sete Gibernau
All
45
Colin Edwards
All
Fortuna Gauloises Tech 3
Yamaha
Yamaha YZR-M1
M
17
Norifumi Abe
All
33
Marco Melandri
All
Moriwaki Racing
Moriwaki
Moriwaki MD5
D
19
Olivier Jacque
12, 16
88
Andrew Pitt
4–5, 10
WCM
Harris WCM
Harris WCM
D
35
Chris Burns
2–9, 11, 16
84
Michel Fabrizio
1–6, 8–10
41
Youichi Ui
12–15
52
José David de Gea
7
77
James Ellison
10–11, 13–16
Kawasaki Racing Team
Kawasaki
Kawasaki ZX-RR
B
56
Shinya Nakano
All
66
Alex Hofmann
All
MS Aprilia Racing
Aprilia
Aprilia RS Cube
M
67
Shane Byrne
1–10, 12
99
Jeremy McWilliams
All
24
Garry McCoy
14–16
84
Michel Fabrizio
11
HRC
Honda
Honda RC211V
M
72
Tohru Ukawa
12
Source: [ 4]
Key
Regular Rider
Wildcard Rider
Replacement Rider
250cc participants
Team
Constructor
Motorcycle
Tyres
Rider
Rounds
Fortuna Honda
Honda
Honda RS250R
D
2
Roberto Rolfo
All
24
Toni Elías
All
Telefónica Movistar Honda 250cc
26
Dani Pedrosa
All
73
Hiroshi Aoyama
All
Wurth Honda BQR
Honda
Honda RS250R
D
6
Alex Debón
All
34
Eric Bataille
1–8, 10–12
52
José David de Gea
9, 13–16
Safilo Carrera - LCR
Aprilia
Aprilia RSV 250
D
7
Randy de Puniet
All
Team UGT Kurz
Yamaha
Yamaha TZ250
D
8
Naoki Matsudo
All
36
Erwan Nigon
1, 3–8
43
Radomil Rous
9–16
63
Jarno Ronzoni
2
Freesoul Abruzzo Racing Team
Aprilia
Aprilia RSV 250
D
9
Hugo Marchand
All
14
Anthony West
1–15
27
Valerio Anghetti
10
63
Jarno Ronzoni
16
Repsol - Aspar Team 250cc
Aprilia
Aprilia RSV 250
D
10
Fonsi Nieto
All
19
Sebastián Porto
All
Campetella Racing
Aprilia
Aprilia RSV 250
D
11
Joan Olivé
All
21
Franco Battaini
All
43
Radomil Rous
2–3
50
Sylvain Guintoli
All
Equipe GP de France - Scrab
Aprilia
Aprilia RSV 250
D
12
Arnaud Vincent
1–4, 6–12, 16
36
Erwan Nigon
9–16
42
Grégory Leblanc
13–15
72
David Fouloi
5
77
Grégory Lefort
1–8
Castrol-Honda Kiefer Racing
Honda
Honda RS250R
D
15
Christian Gemmel
1–4
17
Klaus Nöhles
6–14
63
Jarno Ronzoni
5
64
Frederik Watz
16
82
Joshua Waters
15
Aprilia Germany
Aprilia
Aprilia RSV 250
D
16
Johan Stigefelt
All
57
Chaz Davies
All
Grefusa - Aspar Team 250cc
Aprilia
Aprilia RSV 250
D
22
Iván Silva
6
28
Dirk Heidolf
1–5, 7–16
33
Héctor Faubel
1–7, 9–16
Matteoni Racing
Aprilia
Aprilia RSV 250
D
25
Alex Baldolini
All
NC World Trade
Yamaha
Yamaha TZ250
B
30
José Luis Cardoso
5
40
Max Sabbatani
1–9
44
Taro Sekiguchi
All
88
Gergő Talmácsi
10–16
Aprilia Racing MS ApriliaTeam
Aprilia
Aprilia RSV 250
D
37
Marcellino Lucchi
14
51
Alex de Angelis
All
54
Manuel Poggiali
1–12, 15–16
Molenaar Racing
Honda
Honda RS250R
D
96
Jakub Smrž
All
Mas Racing Team-A.Molina
Aprilia
Aprilia RSV 250
D
41
Álvaro Molina
2, 16
Leblanc Racing Team
Aprilia
Aprilia RSV 250
D
42
Grégory Leblanc
2–3, 10–11, 16
Team Racer Bike
Honda
Honda RS250R
45
Samuel Aubry
3
Eisen Moto Team
Honda
Honda RS250R
46
Vincent Eisen
3
ASMV Scaccia
Yamaha
Yamaha TZ250
47
Marc-Antoine Scaccia
3
Dydo Miu Racing
Honda
Honda RS250R
B
55
Yuki Takahashi
12
Benjan Motoren
Yamaha
Yamaha TZ250
58
Patrick Lakerveld
6
Performance Racing
Honda
Honda RS250R
D
59
Hans Smees
6, 16
Jaap Kingma Racing
Aprilia
Aprilia RSV 250
60
Emile Litjens
6
De Arend - Filart Racing
Aprilia
Aprilia RSV 250
D
61
Randy Gevers
6
71
Henk van de Lagemaat
10
MRTT Hugen Racing
Yamaha
Yamaha TZ250
62
Jan Roelofs
6
Roma Racing
Yamaha
Yamaha TZ250
D
63
Jarno Ronzoni
4
Agesta Transport
Yamaha
Yamaha TZ250
D
64
Frederik Watz
9
Galemain Racing
Honda
Honda RS250R
D
65
Lee Dickinson
9
Manhattan Racing
Yamaha
Yamaha TZ250
D
66
Tony Campbell
9
BDR Racing
Honda
Honda RS250R
D
67
Bruce Dunn
9
Burning Blood RT
Honda
Honda RS250R
D
70
Choujun Kameya
12
Team Harc-Pro
Honda
Honda RS250R
B
76
Shuhei Aoyama
12
Endurance
Honda
Honda RS250R
B
78
Yuzo Fujioka
12
SP Tadao Racing Team
Yamaha
Yamaha TZ250
D
79
Katsuyuki Nakasuga
12
EMS Racing
Honda
Honda RS250R
D
80
Peter Taplin
15
Turramurra Cyclery
Yamaha
Yamaha TZ250
D
81
Mark Rowling
15
whitetiger.com.au
Yamaha
Yamaha TZ250
D
84
Ben Ried
15
Source: [ 5]
Key
Regular Rider
Wildcard Rider
Replacement Rider
125cc participants
Team
Constructor
Motorcycle
Tyres
Rider
Rounds
Seedorf Racing
Aprilia
Aprilia RS 125 R
D
3
Héctor Barberá
All
19
Álvaro Bautista
All
81
Ismael Ortega
2
Matteoni Racing
Aprilia
Aprilia RS 125 R
D
6
Mirko Giansanti
All
28
Jordi Carchano
All
Metis Gilera Racing Team
Gilera
Gilera 125 GP
D
7
Stefano Perugini
All
32
Fabrizio Lai
All
Semprucci Malaguti
Malaguti
Malaguti 125
D
8
Manuel Manna
All
14
Gábor Talmácsi
All
Angaia Racing
Honda
Honda RS125R
D
9
Markéta Janáková
6–8, 10–14, 16
10
Julián Simón
1–11, 13–16
11
Mattia Angeloni
1–5
30
Raffaele De Rosa
9
46
Matthew Kuhne
15
62
Toshihisa Kuzuhara
14
Aprilia
Aprilia RS 125 R
43
Manuel Hernández
12
Elit Grand Prix
Honda
Honda RS125R
D
12
Thomas Lüthi
1–4, 8–16
26
Dario Giuseppetti
1–6, 10–16
35
Václav Bittman
8–9
35
Václav Bittman
10
Safilo Carrera - LCR
Aprilia
Aprilia RS 125 R
D
15
Roberto Locatelli
All
54
Mattia Pasini
All
Molenaar Racing
Honda
Honda RS125R
D
16
Raymond Schouten
1–4, 6–16
Sterilgarda Racing
Aprilia
Aprilia RS 125 R
D
18
Simone Sanna
8–9
45
Lorenzo Zanetti
10–16
50
Andrea Ballerini
1–7
Rauch Bravo
Aprilia
Aprilia RS 125 R
D
21
Steve Jenkner
All
58
Marco Simoncelli
1–14
37
Michele Pirro
16
Master - Repsol Team 125cc
Aprilia
Aprilia RS 125 R
D
22
Pablo Nieto
All
33
Sergio Gadea
All
Globet.com Racing
Aprilia
Aprilia RS 125 R
D
23
Gino Borsoi
All
59
Nicolás Terol
16
63
Mike Di Meglio
1–15
Kopron Team Scot
Honda
Honda RS125R
D
24
Simone Corsi
All
34
Andrea Dovizioso
All
Team Hungary
Aprilia
Aprilia RS 125 R
D
25
Imre Tóth
All
66
Vesa Kallio
All
Red Bull KTM
KTM
KTM 125 FRR
D
27
Casey Stoner
1–8, 10–16
36
Mika Kallio
All
Ajo Motorsport
Honda
Honda RS125R
D
31
Max Sabbatani
13–16
38
Mikko Kyyhkynen
5–7
52
Lukáš Pešek
All
69
Robbin Harms
1–4, 8–12
Abruzzo Racing Team
Aprilia
Aprilia RS 125 R
D
41
Youichi Ui
1–9
42
Gioele Pellino
All
50
Andrea Ballerini
10–16
73
Michele Danese
4
Caja Madrid Derbi Racing
Derbi
Derbi 125 GP
D
47
Ángel Rodríguez
All
48
Jorge Lorenzo
All
ADAC Honda Team
Honda
Honda RS125R
D
20
Georg Fröhlich
2–3, 8–10
Motorrad Unger Racing
Aprilia
Aprilia RS 125 R
D
39
Patrick Unger
8
Team Freudenberg
Honda
Honda RS125R
D
40
Manuel Mickan
8
Team Hernandez
Aprilia
Aprilia RS 125 R
D
43
Manuel Hernández
2, 5, 11, 16
Tennen Racing
Honda
Honda RS125R
D
44
Frank Van den Dragt
6
UK1 Racing
Honda
Honda RS125R
D
49
Christian Elkin
9
Brooklands Autobody Centre
Honda
Honda RS125R
D
51
Kris Weston
9
Gold Racing
Aprilia
Aprilia RS 125 R
D
53
Stefano Bianco
4
Tassie Windscreens
Honda
Honda RS125R
D
56
Brett Simmonds
15
Racc Caja Madrid
Honda
Honda RS125R
D
57
Aleix Espargaró
16
RCGM Team F.M.I.
Aprilia
Aprilia RS 125 R
D
61
Michele Pirro
4
Honda Kumamoto Racing
Honda
Honda RS125R
D
62
Toshihisa Kuzuhara
12
Team Tec. 2 & Feel
Yamaha
Yamaha TZ125
B
64
Shigeki Norikane
12
Thai Honda Castrol/ERP
Honda
Honda RS125R
B
67
Suhathai Chaemsap
12
RC Recouso Sport
Honda
Honda RS125R
D
68
Fabricio Perrén
5
MIR Racing
Aprilia
Aprilia RS 125 R
D
70
Julián Miralles
2–3, 8, 16
TMR Competicion
Honda
Honda RS125R
D
71
Enrique Jerez
2, 5, 16
78
Jordi Planas
5
91
Vincent Braillard
11
Equipe de France Espoir
Honda
Honda RS125R
D
72
Alexis Masbou
3
TVX Racing
Honda
Honda RS125R
D
73
Yannick Deschamps
3
Big Store RMS
Honda
Honda RS125R
D
74
Mathieu Gines
3
Team Minimoto Portomaggiore
Honda
Honda RS125R
D
75
Alessio Aldrovandi
4
Swiss MTR
Honda
Honda RS125R
D
77
Lorenzo Zanetti
4
DB Racing
Honda
Honda RS125R
79
Adri den Bekker
6
Racing Team Mark Van Kreij
Honda
Honda RS125R
80
Mark van Kreij
6
Amici Racing Team
Honda
Honda RS125R
82
Jarno van der Marel
6
Bos Tivoli Racing Pevada
Honda
Honda RS125R
83
Gert-Jan Kok
6
Bridewell Racing Team
Honda
Honda RS125R
D
84
Tommy Bridewell
9
Red Bull Rookies Honda
Honda
Honda RS125R
D
85
Eugene Laverty
9
OMV Team Hanusch
Honda
Honda RS125R
D
87
Patrik Vostárek
10
Red Bull KTM Junior Team
KTM
KTM 125 FRR
D
88
Michael Ranseder
10, 16
SP Tadao Racing Team
Yamaha
Yamaha TZ125
D
89
Tomoyoshi Koyama
10, 12
Team Moto Speed
Honda
Honda RS125R
D
90
Carlos Ferreira
11
Allect Barter Card Racing
Honda
Honda RS125R
D
92
Bryan Staring
15
Tel'm Racing
Honda
Honda RS125R
D
93
Malcolm Esler
15
Snapon Tools
Honda
Honda RS125R
B
94
Brent Rigoli
15
Garage Racing Team
Honda
Honda RS125R
D
95
Yuki Hatano
12
Source: [ 6]
Key
Regular Rider
Wildcard Rider
Replacement Rider
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 are eligible for Rookie of the Year awards.
Rounds marked with light blue background were under wet race conditions.
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)
250cc 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 are eligible for Rookie of the Year awards.
Rounds marked with light blue background were under wet race conditions.
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)
125cc 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 are eligible for Rookie of the Year awards.
Rounds marked with light blue background were under wet race conditions.
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)
Manufacturers' standings
MotoGP manufacturers standings
250cc manufacturers standings
125cc manufacturers standings
References