Huge MotoGP milestone at Austrian Grand Prix shines a light on illustrious legacy

The 2025 Austrian Grand Prix will represent a major milestone for MotoGP, as it will be the series’ 1000th premier class race.

After a three-week summer break, MotoGP’s 2025 season resumes this weekend at the Red Bull Ring for the 13th round of the campaign.

Marc Marquez, for the factory Ducati team, leads the standings by 120 points after winning eight of the first 12 grands prix and 11 of the opening 12 sprints.

At this weekend’s Austrian Grand Prix, the eight-time world champion alongside the rest of the 22-rider grid will compete in the 1000th premier class race.

The first took place in 1949, when the British Grand Prix (staged as the Senior Isle of Man TT) was held on 17 June.

The race was the first of six as part of the news grand prix world championship, featuring numerous classes.

The premier class - what we now know as MotoGP - at the time was for 500cc machinery, with Brit Harold Daniell etching himself into the history books as the very first top category race winner.

Riding a Norton, Daniell was over a minute clear of Johnny Lockett - also riding a Norton - in second and completed the race at an average speed of 86.93mph.

The second premier class grand prix would be held on 3 July at Bremgarten in Switzerland, with Britain’s Leslie Graham taking top honours.

Round three took place a week later at Assen, with Nello Pagani winning that one, while Bill Doran triumphed at Belgian Grand Prix on 17 July.

Graham took his second win of the season at the Ulster Grand Prix on 20 August, with the Nations Grand Prix finale at Monza on 4 September topped by Pagani.

After six rounds, Les Graham would be crowned as the first premier class world champion.

Since 1949, 122 riders have won premier class races, with seven-time world champion Valentino Rossi scoring the most with 89 ahead of six-time MotoGP champion Marc Marquez on 70.

Italians have taken the most wins at 291, while Honda is the most successful manufacturer with 314 grands prix victories.

Confusingly, MotoGP already celebrated a 1000th grand prix milestone back in 2023 at the French Grand Prix.

But that round was the 1000th grand prix in total, spanning all categories.

Other bits of history that could be achieved this weekend in Austria include Ducati winning at a track on 10 occasions for the first time, as well as its 79th consecutive podium to put it four away from matching Honda’s all-time record of 83.