Speed Dating: April 6-12

April 6

On this date in 2003, Daijiro Kato was fatally injured at the season-opening MotoGP round at Suzuka. Kato, the 2001 250cc World Champion, was riding for the Gresini Honda team when he impacted a concrete barrier at high speed. He entered a two-week coma but died on April 20, 2003, at the age of 26. MotoGP has not returned to the track since the incident.

April 7

Michael Ranseder (AT) was born on this date in 1986. The Austrian has competed in the 125cc World Championship since 2004, with a best season finish of twelfth in 2007. For the upcoming season, Ranseder secured a seat on the Haojue Team alongside teammate Matthew Hoyle, representing the Chinese manufacturer in its debut in the World Championship.

Happy birthday to World Superbike rider Jakub Smrz (CZ), who was born on this date in 1983. Smrz spent a few years in the 125cc and 250cc World Championships before securing a ride in World Superbike for 2007 with SC Carrachi Ducati. After a successful 2008 season with Guandalini Racing Ducati, Smrz remains with the team for the 2009 season. After three rounds of the championship, Smrz sits sixteenth in points.

On this date in 2002, the first MotoGP-format Grand Prix was held, at the Suzuka circuit in Japan. Valentino Rossi won the race on a Honda RC211V. That year, Rossi would go on to take eleven wins and the MotoGP championship.

April 9

Tom Phillis (AU) was born on this date in 1931. Phillis gave Honda their first Grand prix victory at the Spanish round of the 1961 125cc World Championship. Phillis would go on to take that year’s 125cc championship, also a first for Honda. He was killed at the 1962 running of the Isle of Man Junior TT.

April 10

Kork Ballington (ZA) was born on this date in 1951. The South African took the 250cc and 350cc World Championships in both 1978 and 1979 aboard Kawasaki machinery. Ballington remained with the manufacturer until his retirement from Grand Prix racing in 1982.

On this date in 1988, Laguna Seca hosted its first Grand Prix World Championship event. Eddie Lawson took the inaugural victory in the 500cc class, riding for the factory Yamaha team. Fellow American Jim Filice took the 250cc win.

April 11

On this date in 2001, the Honda RC211V MotoGP motorcycle was tested for the first time, at the Sugo Circuit in Japan. The V5-powered 990cc four-stroke motorcycle represented a marked change from the two-stroke machinery that preceded the new MotoGP-era rules. The motorcycle would win three championships (2002 and 2003 with Valentino Rossi and 2006 with Nicky Hayden) before its replacement by the 800cc V4 RC212V for the 2007 season.