Alan Mann A Life of Chance

Sixty Years of World Championship Motorcycle Racing. The Riders, the races, the records.

Packed with a feast of information, the MotoGP Source Book is a unique historical survey of a magnificent sport, recounting the history of 60 years of motorcycle racing in an eye-catching new way.

A fascinating story is told in this attractively designed book — from the first Championship in 1949, contested over just six rounds, all but one on closed-roads circuits, to the first races outside Europe in the early 1960s, and on to today's MotoGP with races not just in Europe but also in Asia, America and Australia, watched by TV audiences running into tens of millions.

A four-page chapter for each year presents a wealth of detail: who rode what in the factory teams; the moments that shaped the year in all classes; the key facts and stats of each year; special focus on the most significant happening of each year; and a full championship points table for the 500cc/MotoGP class plus top tens for all the other solo classes. And, in addition, carefully chosen photographs accompany each year.

Year by year, the MotoGP Source Book chronicles the changing landscape of World Championship motorcycle racing in terms of the machinery, the tracks and the politics. There was initial dominance by European manufacturers, especially Italian and British ones, but NSU of Germany briefly reigned with efficient, high-technology designs at a time when the German industry was the largest in the world. Then, of course, came the Japanese, spearheaded by Honda, and into the 21st Century we have seen the revolution that is MotoGP.

Then there are the riders. From the first 500cc Champion, Les Graham, via the most successful racer ever, Giacomo Agostini, and the legendary Mike Hailwood, to Valentino Rossi, this book gives insights into the achievements of some of the greatest ever motorsport heroes.

Compiled by two co-authors renowned for their knowledge and authority, the MotoGP Source Book is the ultimate reference book for motorcycle racing fans.

About the Authors

Julian Ryder has been a motorcycle journalist for over 25 years, and has commentated on motorcycle Grand Prix racing since the advent of satellite TV in the late 1980s. He is author of the official MotoGP Season Review, now in its sixth year, and writes for magazines and websites from Japan to the USA. He lives in Cheshire.

Martin Raines has been involved in motorcycle racing since 1972, and his database has provided statistics for the sport for the last 15 years. He has been MotoGP's official statistician since 2000, supplying facts and figures to Dorna before and after every Grand Prix. He is a partner in an engineering consultancy business and lives in East Yorkshire.