Motor Sport

History of Motorsport

The use of motorized automobiles in sport is collectively referred to as motorsport or motorsports. Various motor racing and non-racing motorized sports all fall under the category of motorsports. There are various types of motorsports including bike racing, auto racing, kart racing, ATV (All Terrain Vehicle) dirt bikes and motocross racing, snowmobile racing, boat racing, truck racing and more. Bike racing is a worldwide sport that consists of racing motorcycles. There are several classes of motorcycle racing based on the criteria of the engine sizes, namely 125cc, 250cc and MotoGP. Auto racing or automobile racing is a popular sport that involves racing cars. The Formula One or F1, which is officially called as the FIA Formula One World Championship, is the highest level of car racing.

Ninety-eight national motorcycle federations are represented by the Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme (FIM). The first ever motorcycle Road Racing World Championship Grand started in the year 1949. In 1982, the first V4 in the 500cc bike, the Yamaha OW61 YZR500 was introduced, while 2002 saw the commencement of the new MotoGP era. In 1970 the National Motorsport Association or the NMA was founded. The annual World Mini Grand Prix is presented by NMA. The first Formula One World Championship race was conducted at Silverstone, United Kingdom in 1950. Racing enthusiasts consider the Nürburgring, Silverstone in Nürburg, Germany as a tough and dangerous racing track. Some of the well known cars used in this sport are Ferrari, Mercedes-Benz, BMW, McLaren, Jaguar and Sauber.

Previous Motorsport season(s)

The Safety Car system was introduced to ensure the safety of riders and trackside marshals in the event of any accidents. During the race, the drivers go to pit stops to refuel and change tyres. Different teams and drivers will utilize different pit stop policies in order to make the best use of their cars’ potential. Betting is quite a common affair among spectators. The record for holding the most number of Grand Prix victories from 1987 to 2001 is credited to four-time Formula One Drivers’ Champion Alain Prost until he was overtaken by Michael Schumacher. Michael Schumacher and Ferrari won an exceptional five consecutive Drivers’ Championships and six consecutive Constructors’ Championships by 2004. MotoGP World Champion Valentino Rossi is a successful motorcycle racer.

The upcoming Formula 1 race is are The Grande Premio Do Brasil from 16 – 18 October 2009 and the Abu Dhabi grand prix from 30 October – 01 November 2009. The upcoming MotoGP is to be held on 04 October 2009 at Circuito Do Estoril in Portugal, followed next by the MotoGP event in Australia.