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2004 MotoGP 

• Rossi left the all conquering Honda 4 stroke to ride Yamaha (which last won world championship in 1992). He won record 9 races in a season for Yamaha and took his 4th consecutive premier class championship and 6th world title.
  ROSSI: "... When I was winning at Honda everybody was saying it was because I had the best bike. But my wins on the Yamaha allowed me to lose those stereotypes. My aim was to win for Yamaha, but 2004 also gave me huge satisfaction as I could take revenge on Honda ... I've always said the rider makes the difference and I believe my victory proves this"
• CHAMPIONS: Reigning champions from 3 internatinal series competed during the 2004 season: ROSSI - 2003 MotoGP champion ; HODGSON - 2003 World Superbike Champion ; BYRNE - 2003 British Superbike Champion

250 CHAMPION:
PRDROSA

125 CHAMPION:
DOVIZIOSO

RIDER CHANGES: 2005

Bayliss dropped by Ducati
Edwards to join Yamaha
Checa joins Ducati
Xaus to join Yamaha

BIKES ON BRIDGESTONE

KAWASAKI
SUZUKI
HONDA (TAMADA)

2004 BMW Motorrad BoxerCup Champion:
Thomas Hinterreiter (AUT)

• Finale: R16 October 31 Valencia Spain won by Rossi 9th win

• R15 October 17 Australia Phillip Island won by Rossi 8th win
  *** VALENTINO ROSSI WINS MOTOGP CHAMPIONSHIP ***
  *** DANIEL PEDROSA WINS 250cc WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP ***

• R14 October 10 Malaysia Sepang won by Rossi 7th win
  *** ANDREA DIVIZIOSO WINS 125cc WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP ***

• R13 October 2 * Qatar **** NEW GP **** won by Gibernau 4th win

• R12, September 19 Japanese GP Motegi won by Tamada 2nd win

• R11, September 5 Portugal Estoril won by Rossi 6th win

• R10, August 22 Czech Republic Brno won by Gibernau 3rd win

• R9, July 25 Great Britain Donington Park won by Rossi 5th win

• R8, July 18 Germany Sachsenring won by Biaggi

• R7, July 4 Rio, Brazil won by Tamada *** maiden MotoGP win ***

• R6, June 26 Netherlands Assen won by Rossi 4th win

• R5, June 13 Catalunya Spain won by Rossi 3rd win

• R4, June 6 Italy Mugello won by Rossi 2nd win

• R3, May 16 Le Mans, France won by Gibernau 2nd win

• R2, May 2 Jerez, Spain won by Gibernau

• R1, April 18 South Africa Welkom won by Rossi

• BIAGGI vs GIBERNAU vs HAYDEN vs BARROS vs EDWARDS vs TAMADA

• In 2004 there will only be 3 riders per row (instead of 4)

• Shane Byrne - Aprilia; 2003 British Superbike champion
• Neil Hodgson - Ducati Team d'Antin; 2003 World Superbike champion
• Ruben Xaus - Ducati Team d'Antin; from World Superbikes
• Kurtis Roberts - Proton KR; from AMA Superbikes

TYRE CHANGE

• SUZUKI switches to BRIDGESTONE TYRES

NEW VENUE

• Qatar in Middle East will host its first MotoGP race (Oct 2)

• Main changes include:
• Valentino Rossi from Honda to Yamaha
• Nakano from Yamaha to Kawasaki
• Barros from Yamaha to Honda
• Melandri from Fortuna Yamaha to Tech 3 Yamaha team
• Edwards, from Aprilia to Honda (Telefonica Movistar)
• Alex Hofmann - Kawasaki full time
• McWilliams from Proton KR to Aprilia
• Abe gains full time ride with Yamaha
• OUT of MotoGP ride:
• Ukawa (test rider), Jacque , McCoy (world superbike), Pitt (test)

• PHILLIP ISLAND TEST: BIAGGI (Honda), QUICKEST, FEB 17-19
• SEPANG TEST: HAYDEN (Honda), QUICKEST, FEB 11-13

• HONDA DOMINANCE: won 15 out of 16 races
• 2003 WORLD CHAMPION: Valentino Rossi, ITA, Honda; 9 poles; 9 wins
• 2003 MANUFACTURER CHAMPION: HONDA ; its 15th title and 3rd consecutive win
• Ducati in its debut season finished 2nd overall with 1 win, 9 podiums, 3 poles. It also set the fastest speed record ( 332 kph at Italian GP)
• 2003 FINAL STANDING
  1 ROSSI, 357 pts
  2 GIBERNAU, 277
  3 BIAGGI, 228
  4 CAPIROSSI 177
  5 HAYDEN 130
  6 BAYLISS, 128
  7 UKAWA 123
  =7 CHECA 123
• TRIBUTE:
• BARRY SHEENE TRIBUTE
  Dual world motorcycle champion Barry Sheen died from cancer, on March 10, 2003.
• DAIJIRO KATO TRIBUTE
  26 year old Japanese champion never recovered from coma after his crash at Suzuka