The 2011 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season was the 63rd F.I.M. Road Racing World Championship season. The 2011 season was also the final season for 800cc engines in MotoGP, and also for 125cc machinery, as both MotoGP switched back to 1000cc engines and a new four-stroke Moto3 class was also introduced in 2012.
Casey Stoner was crowned as MotoGP World Champion for the second time, following his ninth victory of the season at the Australian Grand Prix. Stoner, who was champion previously in , finished 16 of the 17 races to be held in the top three placings – equalling a premier class record held by both Valentino Rossi and Jorge Lorenzo – including ten wins to become the final 800cc champion before the premier class reverted to 1000cc engines in . As of 2024, this was the last time the premier class was won by a non-European rider, and also the only season in the 2010s decade that the premier class was won by a rider other than Marc Márquez or Jorge Lorenzo.
The Moto2 title was decided before the final race of the season at the Valencian Grand Prix. Stefan Bradl became Germany's first motorcycle World Champion since Dirk Raudies won the 125cc World Championship title after Marc Márquez, the only rider that could deny Bradl of the championship, was ruled out of the race due to injuries suffered during free practice at the Malaysian Grand Prix.
The final 125cc world championship title went to Spain's Nicolás Terol, after he finished second in the final race of the season in Valencia, and his only title rival Johann Zarco crashed out during the early stages of the race. Terol, who finished third in the class in and second to Márquez in , ended the season 40 points clear of Zarco, with Maverick Viñales 14 points further behind, after winning the final two races of the season.
The season was marred by the death of Marco Simoncelli at the Malaysian Grand Prix.
2011 Grand Prix season calendar The following Grands Prix were scheduled to take place in 2011: An 18-race provisional calendar was announced on 30 September 2010. The Japanese Grand Prix, originally scheduled for 24 April, was moved to 2 October due to the effects of the Tōhoku earthquake and the Fukushima I nuclear accidents. RoundDateGrand PrixCircuit 1 20 March ‡ Commercialbank Grand Prix of Qatar Losail International Circuit 2 3 April Gran Premio bwin de España Circuito de Jerez 3 1 May bwin Portuguese Grand Prix Autódromo do Estoril 4 15 May Monster Energy Grand Prix de France Bugatti Circuit 5 5 June Gran Premi Aperol de Catalunya Circuit de Catalunya 6 12 June AirAsia British Grand Prix Silverstone Circuit 7 25 June †† Iveco TT Assen TT Circuit Assen 8 3 July Gran Premio d'Italia TIM Mugello Circuit 9 17 July eni Motorrad Grand Prix Deutschland Sachsenring 10 24 July † Red Bull U.S. Grand Prix Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca 11 14 August Cardion AB Grand Prix České republiky Brno Circuit 12 28 August Red Bull Indianapolis Grand Prix Indianapolis Motor Speedway 13 4 September Gran Premio Aperol di San Marino e Della Riviera di Rimini Misano World Circuit 14 18 September Gran Premio de Aragón MotorLand Aragón 15 2 October Grand Prix of Japan Twin Ring Motegi 16 16 October Iveco Australian Motorcycle Grand Prix Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit 17 23 October Shell Advance Malaysian Motorcycle Grand Prix Sepang International Circuit 18 6 November Gran Premio Generali de la Comunitat Valenciana Circuit Ricardo Tormo
‡ = Night race † = MotoGP class only †† = Saturday Race
Calendar changes The Portuguese Grand Prix was moved forward, from 31 October to 1 May. The Italian Grand Prix was moved back, from 6 June to 3 July. The Catalan Grand Prix was moved forward, from 4 July to 5 June. Only the MotoGP class raced during the United States Grand Prix because of California state and Monterey County (owner of the circuit) laws regarding emissions standards and paddock space at the circuit, preventing the 125cc and Moto2 classes from racing.
2011 Grand Prix season results Round Date Grand Prix Circuit 125cc winner Moto2 winner MotoGP winner Report 1 20 March ‡ Qatar motorcycle Grand Prix Losail Nicolás Terol Stefan Bradl Casey Stoner Report 2 3 April Spanish motorcycle Grand Prix Jerez Nicolás Terol Andrea Iannone Jorge Lorenzo Report 3 1 May Portuguese motorcycle Grand Prix Estoril Nicolás Terol Stefan Bradl Dani Pedrosa Report 4 15 May French motorcycle Grand Prix Le Mans Maverick Viñales Marc Márquez Casey Stoner Report 5 5 June Catalan motorcycle Grand Prix Catalunya Nicolás Terol Stefan Bradl Casey Stoner Report 6 12 June British motorcycle Grand Prix Silverstone Jonas Folger Stefan Bradl Casey Stoner Report 7 25 June †† Dutch TT Assen Maverick Viñales Marc Márquez Ben Spies Report 8 3 July Italian motorcycle Grand Prix Mugello Nicolás Terol Marc Márquez Jorge Lorenzo Report 9 17 July German motorcycle Grand Prix Sachsenring Héctor Faubel Marc Márquez Dani Pedrosa Report 10 24 July † United States motorcycle Grand Prix Laguna Seca No 125cc and Moto2 race Casey Stoner Report 11 14 August Czech Republic motorcycle Grand Prix Brno Sandro Cortese Andrea Iannone Casey Stoner Report 12 28 August Indianapolis motorcycle Grand Prix Indianapolis Nicolás Terol Marc Márquez Casey Stoner Report 13 4 September San Marino and Rimini Riviera motorcycle Grand Prix Misano Nicolás Terol Marc Márquez Jorge Lorenzo Report 14 18 September Aragon motorcycle Grand Prix MotorLand Aragón Nicolás Terol Marc Márquez Casey Stoner Report 15 2 October Japanese motorcycle Grand Prix Motegi Johann Zarco Andrea Iannone Dani Pedrosa Report 16 16 October Australian motorcycle Grand Prix Phillip Island Sandro Cortese Alex de Angelis Casey Stoner Report 17 23 October Malaysian motorcycle Grand Prix Sepang Maverick Viñales Thomas Lüthi Race cancelled Report 18 6 November Valencian Community motorcycle Grand Prix Valencia Maverick Viñales Michele Pirro Casey Stoner Report
‡ = Night race † = MotoGP class only †† = Saturday Race
Footnotes
Participants MotoGP participants A 17-rider provisional entry list was released on 24 January 2011. Seven-time MotoGP champion Valentino Rossi rode for the factory Ducati team, whilst Casey Stoner, winner of the MotoGP championship in 2007, moved to the factory Honda team. Jorge Lorenzo, Dani Pedrosa, and Andrea Dovizioso retained their seats at the factory Yamaha and Honda teams respectively. Former World Superbike champion Ben Spies moved from the Tech 3 Yamaha team to the factory Yamaha team. Moto2 champion in 2010, Toni Elías returned to the MotoGP class with LCR Team, while Karel Abraham also moved up from Moto2, as he signed a contract to ride a privateer Ducati in 2011. TeamConstructorMotorcycleNo.RiderRounds Ducati Team Ducati Desmosedici GP11 46 Valentino Rossi All 69 Nicky Hayden All Pramac Racing Team 14 Randy de Puniet All Loris Capirossi 1–7, 10–14, 16–18 50 Sylvain Guintoli 9 6 Damian Cudlin 15 Mapfre Aspar Team MotoGP 8 Héctor Barberá 1–15, 17–18 6 Damian Cudlin 16 Cardion AB Motoracing 17 Karel Abraham All Repsol Honda Team Honda RC212V 4 Andrea Dovizioso All 26 Dani Pedrosa 1–4, 8–18 7 Hiroshi Aoyama 7 27 Casey Stoner All Honda Racing Team 72 Shinichi Ito 15 San Carlo Honda Gresini 7 Hiroshi Aoyama 1–6, 8–18 64 Kousuke Akiyoshi 7 58 Marco Simoncelli 1–17 LCR Honda MotoGP 24 Toni Elías All 23 Ben Bostrom 10 64 Kousuke Akiyoshi 15 Rizla Suzuki MotoGP Suzuki GSV-R 19 Álvaro Bautista 1, 3–18 21 John Hopkins 2 21 John Hopkins 11, 17 Yamaha Factory Racing Yamaha YZR-M1 1 Jorge Lorenzo 1–16 89 Katsuyuki Nakasuga 17–18 11 Ben Spies All Monster Yamaha Tech 3 5 Colin Edwards 1–17 41 Josh Hayes 18 35 Cal Crutchlow AllKey Regular rider Wildcard rider
All entries used Bridgestone tyres.
1 Being his final MotoGP race, Capirossi switched numbers for Valencia as a memorial to his fallen countryman Simoncelli, killed at Sepang, by racing with the #58 that Simoncelli used, instead of his normal #65. He was still shown as #65 in official timing documentation.
Rider changes Hiroshi Aoyama moved from Interwetten Honda MotoGP Team to San Carlo Honda Gresini, still riding a Honda. Ben Spies was promoted by Yamaha from Monster Yamaha Tech 3 to the factory team. Randy de Puniet joined Pramac Racing Team, coming from LCR Honda MotoGP. Karel Abraham moved up from Moto2 with his father's team, riding a Ducati. Moto2 reigning champion Toni Elías returned to the MotoGP category, joining team LCR Honda MotoGP. Casey Stoner left Ducati factory team to join Repsol Honda Team. Cal Crutchlow debuted in MotoGP with Monster Yamaha Tech 3, moving across from the Superbike World Championship. After seven seasons, Valentino Rossi left Yamaha Factory Racing to join Ducati Team. Loris Capirossi returned to Ducati, riding for Pramac Racing Team moving across from Rizla Suzuki.
Moto2 participants On 31 October 2010, a list of 22 teams was accepted by the Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme, Dorna Sports and IRTA to compete in the 2011 championship. A 38-rider provisional entry list was released on 24 January 2011. All Moto2 competitors raced with an identical CBR600RR inline-four engine developed by Honda. Teams competed with tyres supplied by Dunlop.