Indianapolis motorcycle Grand Prix

The Indianapolis Grand Prix is a motorcycling event held on the combined road course at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Speedway, Indiana. From 2008 to 2015, it was held as part of the Grand Prix motorcycle racing season (MotoGP). The event was revived in 2020 with MotoAmerica.

For the IndyCar Series event, see IndyCar Grand Prix.
Indianapolis Grand Prix
Grand Prix motorcycle racing
VenueIndianapolis Motor Speedway (2008–2015)
First race2008
Last race2015
Previous namesRed Bull Indianapolis GP (2008–2015)[1]
MotoAmerica Superbikes at the Brickyard (2020)
Most wins (rider)Marc Márquez (5)
Most wins (manufacturer)Honda (8)

The addition of a motorcycle race at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway loosely coincided with the track's Centennial Era, which celebrated the 100th anniversary of the opening of the track (1909) and the 100th anniversary of the first 500 (1911). The motorcycle race represented a "throwback" to the early days of the Speedway, as motorcycle races were in fact the first competitive racing events held on the track in August 1909.

Track layout
Original Motorcycle Circuit layout (2008–2013)

The circuit used is a modified version of the combined road course used for the Formula One United States Grand Prix from 2000 to 2007. The circuit was reversed to a counterclockwise orientation, and a new complex of corners was added inside the infield of oval turn one. The new "Snake Pit" section, as it became known, was nicknamed for its location where notorious revelry once took place during the 1970s. The new series of corners precluded the bikes from using any of the banked oval corners. The double-hairpin near the museum and before the Hulman Straight was replaced with more traditional esses. Furthermore, the motorcycles stay low in the south short chute (approaching the Snake Pit section) between oval turn 1 and 2, using the pavement of the warm-up lane rather than the oval track's short chute.

The circuit was re-profiled in 2014, with three new motorcycle-only sections: one in the Snake Pit (which has become a prime overtaking spot), a more open entrance to Hulman Straight, and the final esses leading to the pit straight was changed to be more open and flowing.

History

The inaugural Red Bull Indianapolis GP took place 99 years after the previous motorcycle race at the track, in 1909.

The first motorsports event at the track consisted of 7 motorcycle races, sanctioned by the Federation of American Motorcyclists (FAM), on August 14, 1909.[2] This was originally planned as a two-day, 15-race program, but ended before the first day was completed, due to concerns over suitability of the track surface for motorcycle use. The Rider with most victories at this grand prix is Marc Márquez with three victories in MotoGP class and two victories in the Moto2, followed by Nicolas Terol with three victories in the 125cc two-stroke class, followed by Dani Pedrosa and Álex Rins with two victories each and all the others have only one victory. This grand prix has been won only by Spanish, Italian, Australian, Finnish and Belgian riders.

Motorcycles on Meridian rally

The race became part of a major motorcycle event organized by Indianapolis Motor Speedway, the Motorcycles on Meridian motorcycle rally, held on Meridian Street near Monument Circle in downtown Indianapolis, attracting approximately 10,000 cyclists each night.[3] Various dirt tracks held flat-track motorcycle races during the weekend which became analogous to midget car racing's "Night Before the 500" held during the Indianapolis 500, often drawing star MotoGP riders in attendance. The event continued to be held, and with the 2020 Indianapolis 500 being moved to the August event of the Motorcycles on Meridian date, both the Motorcycles on Meridian and the MotoAmerica round were changed.

MotoGP winners
Year Track Moto3 Moto2 MotoGP Report
Rider Manufacturer Rider Manufacturer Rider Manufacturer
2015 Indianapolis Belgium Livio Loi Honda Spain Álex Rins Kalex Spain Marc Márquez Honda Report
2014 Spain Efrén Vázquez Honda Finland Mika Kallio Kalex Spain Marc Márquez Honda Report
2013 Spain Álex Rins KTM Spain Esteve Rabat Kalex Spain Marc Márquez Honda Report
2012 Spain Luis Salom Kalex KTM Spain Marc Márquez Suter Spain Dani Pedrosa Honda Report
Year Track 125 cc Moto2 MotoGP Report
Rider Manufacturer Rider Manufacturer Rider Manufacturer
2011 Indianapolis Spain Nicolás Terol Aprilia Spain Marc Márquez Suter Australia Casey Stoner Honda Report
2010 Spain Nicolás Terol Aprilia Spain Toni Elías Moriwaki Spain Dani Pedrosa Honda Report
Year Track 125 cc 250 cc MotoGP Report
Rider Manufacturer Rider Manufacturer Rider Manufacturer
2009 Indianapolis Spain Pol Espargaró Derbi Italy Marco Simoncelli Gilera Spain Jorge Lorenzo Yamaha Report
2008 Spain Nicolás Terol Aprilia Cancelled - Hurricane Ike[note 1] Italy Valentino Rossi Yamaha Report

Multiple winners (riders)
# Wins Rider Wins
Category Years won
5 Spain Marc Márquez MotoGP 2013, 2014, 2015
Moto2 2011, 2012
3 Spain Nicolás Terol 125 cc 2008, 2010, 2011
2 Spain Dani Pedrosa MotoGP 2010, 2012
Spain Álex Rins Moto2 2015
Moto3 2013

Multiple winners (manufacturers)
# Wins Manufacturer Wins
Category Years won
8 Japan Honda MotoGP 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015
Moto3 2014, 2015
4 Germany Kalex Moto2 2013, 2014, 2015
Moto3 2012
3 Italy Aprilia 125 cc 2008, 2010, 2011
2 Japan Yamaha MotoGP 2008, 2009
Switzerland Suter Moto2 2011, 2012

Notes
  1. The 2008 250cc race was initially postponed after the MotoGP race due to torrential rain & winds caused by Hurricane Ike just before the start of the race, it was subsequently cancelled for the same reason.

MotoAmerica winners
  • 2020
    • Superbike: Cameron Beaubier
    • Stock 1000: Cameron Petersen
    • Supersport: Richie Escalante
    • Twins Cup: Rocco Landers
    • Liqui Moly Junior Cup: Rocco Landers

References
  1. "2008 MotoGP Class (FIM Grand Prix World Championship) Programmes | The Motor Racing Programme Covers Project". www.progcovers.com.
  2. "Indiana Reflections - INDY: Racing Before the 500". Archived from the original on 2007-11-09. Retrieved 2008-08-17.
  3. Gamers and bikers take over Downtown, Indianapolis Downtown Inc., 2014, archived from the original on 2014-08-14, retrieved 2014-08-14
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