A gathering of the world’s best riders at one of the world’s beautiful racing circuits, the Malaysian Motorcycle Grand Prix celebrates its 20th edition this year with Sepang International Circuit (SIC) - Malaysia’s Home of Motorsports – hosting the event for the 12th time.

A national agenda for the promotions of Malaysia as a tourist destination and uplifting the image of the country in the international arena, the Malaysian GP is the biggest motorcycling event in the region with Malaysia being the only host country in the South East Asia region. Hence, the Malaysian GP is a must-attend event for the die-hard fans from Malaysia’s neighbouring countries especially Singapore and Thailand which had their biker clubs coming in motorcycle convoys from as far as Chiangmai.  

And, with former world champion Casey Stoner always a strong contender for the premier title, fans from his home country Australia usually make up a significant amount of the total race attendance in Sepang, which is traditionally hosted at the tail end of the season where the contest for the world crown is usually climbing to its climax.

Last year, the Malaysian GP recorded its highest Race Day attendance with a total of 59,206 spectators where no less than 30 percent were foreign tourists and international expatriates. Saturday’s attendance was 28,324 people while Friday’s statistics stood at 14,725 – which by far was the highest attendance for the Friday’s free practice.

For 2010, Malaysia will host the 15th round an 18-leg world championship and it has billed as a special event for the nation. Apart from being the 20th edition and the race running on a special day of 10.10.10, the new season also marked the return of a Malaysian back in the world series – a Selangor-born boy from the fishing town of Banting representing the AirAsia-Sepang International Circuit GP125cc Racing Team.

Brokered by SIC through its negotiations with worldwide rights holder Dorna on the extension of the Malaysia’s promoters’ contract, Zulfahmi, or just simply Fahmi to his friends, is seen as a launching pad for a stronger presence of Malaysian riders and teams in MotoGP. Already, there are talks of plans to field a Malaysian team in the Moto 2 series.

A step higher than the 125cc class, the Moto2 category was introduced this season; featuring modified 600cc four-stroke bikes. It replaces the 25occ class, which at one time featured Teluk Intan-born Shahrol Yuzy Ahmad Zaini and the PETRONAS Sprinta Yamaha Team TVK, which competed in three seasons between 2000 and 2002.           

A competition that had existed since the inauguration of the FIM World Motorcycle Grand Prix in 1949, the 250cc category ended last year to make way for the Moto2 class on grounds of cost and competition. The records showed that only a handful of teams were dominating the 250cc competition and they were the few that managed to secure enough sponsors to provide them the budget.

Under the new Moto2 class, riders would compete on similar bikes. Provided to the grid by Honda Racing Corporation, the bikes are special race-going version of the popular CBR600 machines. Each riders accepted to the class received one of the engines, which produces around 150bhp, and teams are unable to make modifications.

No production bike parts had been allowed for the frame, swing arm, fuel tank, seat or cowling; which meant that these aspects of the machines had been left to the manufacturer and the discretion of the designers. Electronic systems are also more strict as compared to the previous 250cc. Data loggers, ECU, timing transponders are supplied by the organizers. Effectively, the new category had provided a chance for the riders and team to compete in a more level playing field and at a considerably low cost.     

The star of the series would continue to be the MotoGP class, which evolved from the famous 500cc category until it went into a massive change in 2002. From two-stroke engines, the championship moved to 990cc four-stroke engines, which was then lowered to 880cc in the interest of safety.   

From the days of the American rule of Eddie Lawson, Wayne Rainey and Kevin Schwantz in the early years of the 500cc in Shah Alam, it was later dominated by Australian Mick Doohan and his Repsol Honda Team. After Doohan’s retirement, Repsol Honda continued their control of the championship through Spaniard’s Alex Criville in 1999.

The domination of Repsol Honda ended at the turn of the new millennium as 2000 saw Suzuki winning the first world crown since 1994 through Kenny Roberts Jr, who was also the winner at Sepang. That reign, however, was brief as 2001 marked the era of The Doctor – Valentino Rossi.

After three years of winning it with Repsol Honda, Rossi took up a new challenge in 200with the Yamaha M-1 – a move that was ridicule by his chief rival then, Max Biaggi. Rossi, however, made a sensational debut season with Yamaha as he took his fourth world crown and defending it the following year in 2005.

2006 saw Repsol Honda winning the MotoGP world title through American Nicky Hayden, who held it for a year before being wrested by the young Australian Casey Stoner for Ducati. Like Hayden, Stoner’s reign lasted only a year before being wrested back by Rossi, who won the title for two years in succession in 2008 and 2009.

Come 2010, Rossi will be looking for his 10th world title; but it looked unlikely to be happening this year after ‘The Doctor’ broke his leg at the Italian Grand Prix in Mugello. Instead, 2010 looked like to be the year for his Fiat Yamaha team-mate Jorge Lorenzo.

With a 72-point advantage over his closest rival, Sepang could well turn out to be the stage to crown a new world MotoGP champion.

Tickets are priced at RM100 for the Main Grandstand seats and RM60 at K1 Grandstand. Entrance at F Grandstand is RM30 only.

For a closer experience with the riders and the opportunity to enjoy the race from the comfort of air-conditioned suites, one can purchase the paddock village hospitality passes at RM2,000 each.