The 2002 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season was the 54th F.I.M. Road racing World Championship season. The season consisted of 16 races, beginning with the Japanese motorcycle Grand Prix on 7 April 2002 and ending with the Valencian Community motorcycle Grand Prix on 3 November.
The premier class, now renamed MotoGP, introduced new rules and regulations which allowed 990cc four-stroke bikes to race alongside the previous year's 500cc two-stroke bikes. Defending champion Valentino Rossi won his second premier class title by winning 11 races and scoring 355 points. He clinched the title at the Rio de Janeiro Grand Prix, with four races left in the season.[1]
The 250cc title was won by Marco Melandri who won nine races and scored 298 points. He clinched the title at the Australian Grand Prix and became the youngest ever champion in the 250cc class.[2] Arnaud Vincent won the 125cc title by 19 points difference over defending champion Manuel Poggiali. The title was decided in the last race of the season at Valencia with Vincent finishing in second place to secure the title.[3]
- ^ "Rossi rides the storm to fourth world title". Crash.net. 21 September 2002. Retrieved 1 December 2011.
- ^ "Melandri claims 250cc crown – by 0.007secs!". Crash.net. 20 October 2002. Archived from the original on 17 July 2012. Retrieved 1 December 2011.
- ^ "First Frenchman Vincent seals 125cc crown". Crash.net. 3 November 2002. Retrieved 1 December 2011.