Victories, overtaking, emotions until the last second. The championship is all this, instinct and quality. But above all athletes who go further. For more than a decade we have also witnessed the successes of Valentino Rossi, his epic battles against various opponents on duty. Now the new generation is coming out powerfully, like that Marc Marquez who is breaking all records. But who is it that has won more World Championships in MotoGP?
The story of the “queen” class
The MotoGP is not born a long time ago. There has always been a premier class, the maximum limit where you wanted to get to become world champions. We have to start from the 500 class to be able to establish who has won more MotoGP World Championships. Until 2001, in fact, the maximum displacement was precisely the 500, except in an experimental period in which the motorcycles touched 750.
From 2002 onwards the current MotoGp cars were born, due to a change in engine capacity. In fact the bikes used reach up to 989 cm³. Since the 2007 season there has been a further evolution, with the maximum displacement reduced to 799 cm³ and then brought back to 1000. As we have seen there have been several changes and therefore we will tell you who won more world championships, but above all those who reign MotoGP ranking.
Who won more World Championships than MotoGP?
Only five drivers have won at least one MotoGp World Championship. The driver who currently holds the record is Valentino Rossi, world champion on six occasions. Spaniard Marc Marquez, with his last success in 2018, has reached five. Three world championships for Jorge Lorenzo, only two for Casey Stoner, now out of racing. Nicky Hayden, who died in 2017, triumphed in 2006.
Here is the complete list of winners in all years …
- Valentino Rossi (2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2008, 2009)
- Marc Marquez (2013, 2014, 2016, 2017, 2018)
- Jorge Lorenzo (2010, 2012, 2015)
- Casey Stoner (2007, 2011)
- Nicky Hayden (2006)
Who won more world titles?
As we have seen, however, there are some classes that, although deleted, remain in the annals. One of all the 500 class, which for whole decades has marked the history of the world championship. Who won more in this class? The list in this case is long, but is headed by Giacomo Agostini, with 8 world cup titles won. At 5 we find Michael Doohan, while at 4 there are Hailwood, Surtes, Duke and Lawson. Kenny Roberts and Wayne Rainey have won 3 world championships, while at 2 there are Read, Spencer, Masetti and Sheene.
Instead we see which drivers have won at least one title in the 500 class: Rossi, Hocking, Crivillè, Graham, Liberati, Lucchinelli, Uncini, Gardner, Schwantz and Kenny Roberts Junior.
But who won the most MotoGP and 500 world titles? Currently in the first position is Agostini with 8 titles, while Rossi is at 7. Marquez and Doohan are at 5, at the base of the podium. Here is the complete list of those who have won more world titles, considering the two classes. Currently only one pilot has managed to achieve at least one world championship in both categories and will remain the only one, namely Valentino Rossi …
- Giacomo Agostini – 8 world titles
- Valentino Rossi – 7 world titles
- Michael Doohan – 5 world titles
- Marc Marquez – 5 world titles
- Mike Hailwood – 4 world titles
- John Surtees – 4 world titles
- Geoff Duke – 4 world titles
- Eddie Lawson – 4 world titles
- Kenny Roberts – 3 world titles
- Wayne Rainey – 3 world titles
- Jorge Lorenzo – 3 world titles
