From the legendary pioneers of the 500 class to Valentino Rossi’s record of successes up to today’s challenge between Ducati and Aprilia: half a century of emotions on the Tuscan hills of the MotoGP
On the weekend of 30 and 31 May the MotoGP will return to the heart of Tuscany for an event which, for decades now, has represented much more than a simple race. Next Italian Grand Prix at the Autodromo Internazionale del Mugello in fact it will be held at 50 years exact from the first edition of the event which took place on the Tuscan track, an event particularly felt by all two-wheel enthusiasts. Half a century of speed, legendary rivalries and popular passion have now transformed Mugello into a sort of secular temple of motorcycling and this special anniversary also offers the opportunity to remember the many protagonists who have written its history, from the pioneers of the old 500 class to the contemporary heroes of MotoGP.
The legacy of Monza
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The first edition of the MotoGP was in fact held in 1949 and the Italian event, for a long time called the Grand Prix of Nations, found its home almost continuously at the Autodromo Nazionale Monza until 1973. The exceptions were the 1969 and 1972 editions, which were raced in Imola. The dramatically famous tragedy of 1973, marked by the terrible accident that cost the lives of Jarno Saarinen and Renzo Pasolini, led to the temporary abandonment of the Brianza facility and opened a new itinerant phase for the round Italian, which since 1991 has permanently taken the name of the Italian Grand Prix. In the following years he alternated between MugelloMisano, Imola and Monza itself, with the Tuscan circuit hosting the 1976, 1978, 1985 and 1992 editions, before becoming a stable venue for the event, starting from 1994 and up to the present day.
the first winners in 500
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The legend of the Mugello track, built in 1972 in the municipality of Scarperiatook shape starting from its debut on the world championship scene in 1976. The first pole of the 500 class bears the prestigious signature of the 15-time world champion Giacomo Agostini, but it was another motorcycling legend who climbed onto the top step of the podium for the first time at Mugello: the Englishman Barry Sheene, world champion for the first time at the end of the year with the Suzuki Rg500. In the sporadic editions of the following years, the Tuscan track was a terrain of conquest for other authentic heroes of this sport: the “Martian” Kenny Roberts triumphed there two years later with the Yamaha Yzr500, also on his way to his first title in 500, while in 1985 it was Freddie Spencer’s turn, capable of establishing himself with Honda in the premier class and also in 250 in the year in which he won both titles. The 90s opened with the victory of Kevin Schwantz on Suzuki before the winning series of the Australian Mick Doohan, unbeaten in Tuscany between 1994 and 1998. The latest successes in the premier class two times they were collected by Alex Criville, Loris Capirossi and Alex Criville, all with the legendary Honda Nsr500, but the era of the 4-stroke MotoGP would begin under the sign of a single, highly acclaimed star performer.
Rossi unbeatable in the early years of MotoGP
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With the advent of MotoGP, the great protagonist of the Italian GP has become Valentino Rossi. The relationship between the Doctor and Mugello quickly went beyond the boundaries of sport, almost transforming into a cultural phenomenon. The champion from Tavullia had begun his love story with the Tuscan track a few years earlier, winning his first personal victory in 1997 in the 125 class (made famous by the celebrations with the “Claudia Skiffer” doll) and then repeating it in 1999 in 250, again with Aprilia and always achieving the category world title. In 2000, the year of its debut in premier classand in 2001, the year in which he won the last ever title of the 500 class, Rossi didn’t even manage to get on the podium, but between 2002 and 2008, with Honda before and Yamaha then, the Italian champion left no chance for his opponents in his round home, monopolizing the top step of the podium. His seven consecutive victories have colored Mugello yellow for years, including choreography, smoke bombs, special helmets, celebrations that have now entered the collective imagination and record numbers in terms of attendance.
Jorge Lorenzo’s successes
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Rossi would remain a protagonist of MotoGP in the following years, but without finding the joy of victory in the hills of Mugello. His hegemony was broken by the phenomenon Casey Stoner in 2009, Ducati’s first victory, but the rider who showed the greatest feeling with the spectacular track owned by Ferrari was certainly the Spaniard Jorge Lorenzo6 times winner of the Italian GP with five successes for Yamaha and one for Ducati. In that period, Honda managed to win at Mugello with Marc Márquez and Dani Pedrosa while Ducati, in addition to Lorenzo, also brought success to Andrea Dovizioso in 2017 and Danilo Petrucci in 2019. And then, in 2020, there was the forced break due to the Covid emergency, with the botched calendar of that season without the Italian GP (but with the round of Misano scheduled for autumn).
the recent Ducati dominance
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The Mugello stage returned to the calendar the following year, applauding a great victory by the Frenchman Fabio Quartararo, unstoppable in that season with Yamaha, but from the following season the dominance of Ducati it was evident Desmosedici has in fact won at Mugello on three occasions with Francesco Bagnaia, twice champion in that period with the Bolognese prototype, and once last year with Marc Marquez, who returned to win on the Italian track over ten years after his only previous success with Honda. However, ahead of the 2026 edition, Ducati’s winning streak appears at risk like never before. Threatening him first and foremost is the Aprilia squad of Marco Bezzecchi and Jorge Martin, extremely competitive this season, but with a bruised Márquez and a Bagnaia who seems to have lost the luster and continuity of his best days, the official team does not seem to be going through a particularly brilliant period. The honor of Borgo Panigale it could therefore be defended by one of its independent drivers, all capable of aspiring to a place in the Top 3. However, the two Italian manufacturers seem to have dug a marked performance gap compared to the competition this season and their renewed duel promises to ignite the public in the stands.
all ready for 2026
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This year too, the Italian GP promises a spectacle not only on the track, with Moto3, Moto2 and MotoGP supported by the new Harley-Davidson Bagger World Cupbut also outside. As always, the public will be the protagonists, animating the stands and campsites with songs, music, DJ sets more or less improvised and the ritual invasion of the track after the checkered flag. Predictably there will be thousands of enthusiasts who will flock to the area to experience three days of adrenaline punctuated by the now familiar slogan: “there’s no sleeping in Mugello”. Furthermore, on Sunday, the sky over Mugello will be crossed by the spectacular evolutions of the Frecce Tricolori, now almost a permanent presence of the event.
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