2003 Japanese motorcycle Grand Prix

  2003 Japanese Grand Prix

Race details
Race 1 of 16 races in the 2003 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season
Date	6 April 2003
Official name	SKYY vodka Grand Prix of Japan
Location	Suzuka
Course	Permanent racing facility 5.824 km (3.619 mi)
MotorGP
Pole position Rider Valentino Rossi Time 2:06.838 Fastest lap Rider Valentino Rossi Time 2:04.970 on lap 6 Podium First Valentino Rossi Second Max Biaggi Third Loris Capirossi
250 cc
Pole position Rider Hiroshi Aoyama Time 2:17.930 Fastest lap Rider Hiroshi Aoyama Time 2:09.839 on lap 17 Podium First Manuel Poggiali Second Hiroshi Aoyama Third Yuki Takahashi
125 cc
Pole position Rider Alex de Angelis Time 2:15.417 Fastest lap Rider Stefano Perugini Time 2:14.282 on lap 6 Podium First Stefano Perugini Second Mirko Giansanti Third Steve Jenkner

Pole position
Rider	Valentino Rossi
Time	2:06.838
Fastest lap
Rider	Valentino Rossi
Time	2:04.970 on lap 6
Podium
First	Valentino Rossi
Second	Max Biaggi
Third	Loris Capirossi

Pole position
Rider	Hiroshi Aoyama
Time	2:17.930
Fastest lap
Rider	Hiroshi Aoyama
Time	2:09.839 on lap 17
Podium
First	Manuel Poggiali
Second	Hiroshi Aoyama
Third	Yuki Takahashi

Pole position
Rider	Alex de Angelis
Time	2:15.417
Fastest lap
Rider	Stefano Perugini
Time	2:14.282 on lap 6
Podium
First	Stefano Perugini
Second	Mirko Giansanti
Third	Steve Jenkner

The 2003 Japanese Motorcycle Grand Prix was the first round of the 2003 MotoGP Championship. It took place on the weekend of 4–6 April 2003 at Suzuka. The meeting was overshadowed by the death of Daijiro Kato in the MotoGP race, after he crashed at 130R and hit the barrier at high speed in the ensuing Casio Triangle. Since the accident, Suzuka has failed to reappear on the calendar, with the Japanese Grand Prix moving to Twin Ring Motegi, the previous home of the Pacific Grand Prix.

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