The United Kingdom has a rich history in motorcycle Grand Prix racing, particularly in the early years of the premier class.
Of course, Leslie Graham was the first 500cc champion in 1949. To this day, Graham is the oldest Premier Division champion.Marc Marquez is the reigning MotoGP champion in 2025, surpassing Valentino Rossi.
26 riders from the United Kingdom have won 141 races in the premier class, putting the country fourth on record. But their dynasty is not as strong as that of Italy Spain’s greatest MotoGP riders.
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In recent years, quite a few British riders have made it to MotoGP. Cal Crutchlow was the latest. In 2023, while Jake Dixon has been linked with a seat in 2026. But he ended up joining Honda in World Superbikes.
While the talent pool may not be as large, the country still has an incredible history, with some of MotoGP’s best talent coming from Britain. over here, MotoGP news He selected five of the best riders from the UK.
5 Phil Read – 11 wins
In the year Phil Read, who started his motorcycle Grand Prix career in 1961, found great success in the lower categories. He won both the 125cc and 250cc titles in 1968 and three more in the latter category.
He joined MV Agusta in 1973, making his debut with Ducati in the 500cc class in what is now known as MotoGP in 1971. Giacomo Agostini had dominated the sport with the team for the previous seven years, but Read ended the Italian’s reign.
Britain dominated the championship in 1973 and 1974, winning four races in both seasons. Teammate Agostini finished 27 points ahead of Reading in 1973, beating his successor Franco Bonera by 13 points in 1974 when Agostini left for Yamaha.
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4 Barry Sheene – 19 wins
Barry Sheene is the most recent premier class champion, winning back-to-back titles in 1976 and 1977.
The Formula 750 champion joins Suzuki in the 500cc category with the Japanese manufacturer winning both championships and completely dominating the sport.
Shane was the only multiple winner in 1976, winning all but one of the six races he competed in and finishing second in the other. In the year In 1977, he won six and won by 107 points.
3 Geoff Duke – 22 wins
After Graham’s success in 1949, Geoff Duke became the next British champion in the premier class. In the 1950s and 1960s, it was common for equestrians to compete in two divisions at once, and Duke did so in a dominant fashion.
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In 1951 he won the 250cc and 500cc championships and won nine races in the class. In the year In 1952, he claimed the former title for a second time and tied for the premier class with the Gilera.
Duke won three 500cc titles in a row between 1953 and 1955. He would only win two more premier class races after that, but his 22 victories make him one of the UK’s greatest motorcycle riders.
2 John Surtees – 22 wins
John Surtees is perhaps more famous in the world of Formula 1, but before he got into cars, he had an incredibly successful career on two wheels.
Winning his first 500cc title in 1956, Surtees enjoyed a three-year dominance. He won both the 250cc and Premier class titles in 1958, 1959 and 1960, winning every race he entered in his first two years.
In the year He made his F1 debut with Lotus in 1960 before going on four wheels the following season. Surtees would become the second British driver to win the championship with Ferrari in 1964.
He is the only one to have won on two and four wheels so far, a feat that is unlikely to be achieved again. But despite his impressive achievements, Surtees lost the top spot.
1 Mike Hailwood – 37 wins
Mike Hailwood, the seventh all-time winner in Premier Division history with 37 wins, takes the number one spot on this list.
Winning his first motorcycle Grand Prix championship in the 250cc class in 1961, his first 500cc title came the following year with MV Agusta. Hailwood used the Italian manufacturer’s machinery to his advantage, winning four consecutive top-flight titles between 1962 and 1965.
The following year he left MV Agusta for Honda, allowing Agostini to begin his reign in the premier class, giving Hailwood nine titles in 1966 and 1967, winning the 250cc and 350cc titles.
In total, he won 76 of 152 contests, giving him an incredible 50% career win rate. Add in 112 podiums and 79 fastest laps and Hailwood is surely one of the sport’s all-time greats.
