After giving a run-down of the ten closest race finishes since the start of the four-stroke MotoGP era, in 2002, here is a breakdown of close finishes by year, rider, circuit, engine size and compared with other championships.
It’s a far from perfect system in terms of 'judging' a race, since it doesn’t take into account the amount of overtaking - another crucial factor in terms of entertainment - or weather conditions, shortened races or where a late-race incident took place between the leaders (such as Rossi and Gibernau at Jerez 2005).
Perhaps MotoGP will do likewise?
The size of the race victory, combined with the amount of overtaking, are the two factors most would use to define entertainment in a motor race.
Note that some circuits are yet to produce a single close finish, under our 1-sec definition.
1. 2006 Portuguese Grand Prix - Estoril (990cc):
Toni Elias wins by 0.002sec over Valentino Rossi.
Elias began the last lap in third place, then overtook both Rossi and Kenny Roberts Jr into turn one! I can't believe I’ve won my first MotoGP race!”
Rossi admitted Elias ‘rode like a devil’ that day.
Elias' victory for Honda Gresini remains the last time that a satellite rider has won a MotoGP race and it wasn’t until 2009 that another race was won by a last lap pass.
Roberts Jr took the lead on the penultimate lap, having thought the race was over one lap early.
Valentino Rossi wins by 0.042sec over Sete Gibernau.
Having shaken off the satellite Honda of Max Biaggi and factory Ducatis of Troy Bayliss and Loris Capirossi, Rossi and Gibernau slugged it out for victory over the closing stages of the Czech race.
The victory marked the end of a four-race losing streak for Rossi and saw one of his most memorable celebrations.
MotoGP rookie Bayliss joined Rossi and Gibernau on the podium to give Ducati some consolation after Capirossi retired with a technical problem.
3. 2003 German Grand Prix - Sachsenring (990cc):
Sete Gibernau wins by 0.060sec over Valentino Rossi.
Sete Gibernau claimed perhaps his most impressive MotoGP victory when he out-foxed Valentino Rossi at the final turn of the 2003 German Grand Prix.
Rossi led the majority of the race, but was reeled in by Gibernau, who had spent the early stages battling with Loris Capirossi and Marco Melandri. Rossi then let Gibernau take the lead on lap 21 of 30, in order to size up his opponent.
Race over? Not this time…
Gibernau, realising Rossi had gone tight, stayed wide on the way in, then cut back under the Italian on the exit. The pair raced side-by-side to the flag, but with momentum on his side the Spaniard beat a shell-shocked Rossi by just 0.06secs.
"The last corner was incredible," beamed Gibernau. While Gibernau couldn't contain his delight, Rossi was left shaking his head in disbelief. Gibernau had now won four races in 2003, compared with three for factory Honda star Rossi. It was probably the most angry Rossi has looked on a MotoGP podium.
Rossi’s response to the defeat, and criticism, came next time out at Brno (see above).
4. 2007 Catalan Grand Prix – Catalunya (800cc):
Casey Stoner wins by 0.069sec over Valentino Rossi.
Casey Stoner’s first three MotoGP race wins were dominant affairs, but the Australian underlined his title credentials by emerging victorious from his first head-to-head showdown with reigning champion Valentino Rossi at round seven in Catalunya.
Whilst Pedrosa was close, he wasn’t able to actively participate in the thrilling victory fight, which saw Rossi and Stoner exchange the lead six times from laps 17 to 24.
Rossi was magnanimous in defeat.
5. 2009 Catalan Grand Prix - Circuit de Catalunya (800cc):
Valentino Rossi wins by 0.095sec over Jorge Lorenzo.
Valentino Rossi inflicted a huge psychological blow on team-mate and title rival Jorge Lorenzo with a daring last turn victory pass at Catalunya in 2009.
Rossi and Lorenzo had won two of the previous five rounds, but Rossi was trailing both Lorenzo and Casey Stoner in the world championship. The pair had also beaten Rossi at the previous Italian GP, marking Valentino’s first home defeat in seven years.
MotoGP had not seen a last lap victory pass since the 2006 Portuguese Grand Prix at Estoril, when Elias had overtaken Rossi.
Marco Melandri wins by 0.097sec over Nicky Hayden.
Melandri and Hayden were left to dispute victory after the Italian’s Gresini Honda team-mate, and pole sitter, Sete Gibernau suffered an engine failure early in the race.
Valentino Rossi wins by 0.097sec over Sete Gibernau.
At times the 2004 MotoGP season, Valentino Rossi’s first with Yamaha, looked like it was straight from a Hollywood script - no more so than when Rossi clinched the world title with a dramatic victory at Phillip Island.
The Australian Grand Prix was the penultimate round of the year and Rossi won Yamaha's first premier-class championship since 1992 with a heart-stopping last lap victory over title rival Sete Gibernau.
Rossi held on to win by just 0.097secs at the line.
8. 2009 German Grand Prix - Sachsenring (800cc):
Valentino Rossi wins by 0.099sec over Jorge Lorenzo.
After stunting Jorge Lorenzo’s momentum with a last turn victory pass at Catalunya (see above), Valentino Rossi claimed another close victory over the Spaniard three rounds later in Germany.
However this time Rossi was on the defensive in the closing stages, successfully containing a charging Lorenzo.
Rossi returned to the front just after mid-race distance, but now faced pressure from Lorenzo, who took the lead with five laps to go. Rossi waited until the penultimate lap to respond, diving under his fellow Fiat Yamaha rider into turn one.
Valentino Rossi wins by 0.145sec over Marco Melandri.
It was an immense victory for Valentino Rossi, who began the race just eleventh on the grid and was the lone Yamaha rider battling a trio of Hondas.
Rossi moved into fourth behind the RCVs of Nicky Hayden, Marco Melandri and Dani Pedrosa on lap 9 of 30, then cut swiftly through the pack to take the lead on lap 13.
Rossi tried break away, pushing hard for the next ten laps - but the Honda trio stuck with him, despite being locked in their own battles, and the closing stages began with Rossi, Melandri, Pedrosa and Hayden nose-to-tail once again.
Melandri finally toppled fellow Italian Rossi from the lead with three laps to go, but Rossi soon retaliated, then held off simultaneous attacks during a thrilling final lap.
Rossi won by 0.145secs from Melandri, with Hayden 0.266secs from victory and fourth placed Pedrosa 0.307secs behind. 10. 2004 Catalan Grand Prix - Circuit de Catalunya (990cc):
Valentino Rossi wins by 0.159sec over Sete Gibernau.
Sete Gibernau stepped up to lead the Honda challenge against the factory’s former star Valentino Rossi in 2004, but soul-destroying close defeats such as Catalunya helped send the title in Rossi and Yamaha’s direction.
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