Description
The 2001 500cc World Championship not only delivered a
scintillating season of elbow-to-elbow racing, it was also a landmark year.
This was the end of the historic 500cc era, as well as the first premier class
championship chapter in a legend known simply as Valentino Rossi.
From the opening round, Honda-mounted Rossi made it clear he
wanted another crown to add to his 125 and 250cc World Championships. The young
Italian devastated the opposition to take three wins in a row, his dominance
only broken when old rival Max Biaggi found form and closed the title race down
to just 10 points. With seven rounds to go, it seemed the pressure got to
Yamaha’s Biaggi, who ruined his championship chances with a series of falls. Rossi
secured the title in one of the most spectacular races of the season. Needing
only an eighth-place finish he battled Biaggi to snatch victory by just 0.013
seconds.
The 2001 season showed the man who would become known as The
Doctor was something special. He took a stunning 11 wins, and won the title by
more than 100 points from his nearest rival – total Rossi dominance. The season
also saw stunning rides from Alex Barros, Sete Gibernau and Loris Capirossi,
plus Britain's first Grand Prix winner for 15 years.
The Official Review delivers fast and furious action from
all 16 rounds of the roller coaster championship, with trackside, aerial and
on-bike cameras capturing every vital moment. Interviews with every race winner
and informed commentary ensure comprehensive coverage of an historic MotoGP
season.
Plus, this Official Review includes highlights from every
race in the 125cc and 250cc classes. As ever, each championship produced
thrilling action and genuine drama – and we witness all the best moments as
stars of the future like Dani Pedrosa, Toni Elias, Marco Melandri and Alex de
Angelis do battle, and the much-missed Daijiro Kato takes 11 wins on his way to
a deserved World Championship.