The 16-round 2004 Grand Prix motorcycle roadracing season roars into life this weekend at the Phakisa Freeway circuit in Welkom, South Africa, and it is one of the most eagerly awaited championships in the history of the series. From the factories, to the riders, to the sponsors, to the racing press, and even to the fans themselves, the expectation levels are sky-high. And, with a star-studded grid comprised of multiple world champions and young rising stars aboard the world's best two-wheeled prototype racing machinery, the four-stroke era of Grand Prix racing's elite class is quickly rising in stock. With Formula 1 legend Nicki Lauda recently stating that MotoGP is now leading F1 from the standpoint of being a complete racing series, the profile of the championship couldn't be higher. Another great season would lift the sport's premier series to a new high in terms of attendance, TV viewers, media exposure, and monetary involvement from the sponsors and television companies worldwide, and it would leave the marketing possibilities wide open.

In its 55-year history, Grand Prix motorcycle racing has never before seen the levels of interest that it is receiving right now, so just what can we expect from MotoGP in 2004?

The championship really is a global effort of immense proportions as it navigates the various continents to visit some of the best racing circuits available-the awesome Phillip Island track in Australia, the stunning facility at Mugello in Italy, the breathtaking atmosphere of Jerez in Spain, the historically stunning Assen circuit in Holland, and the tracks in Brazil, Malaysia, South Africa, Japan, various established European venues and, in 2004, the debut of a brand-new circuit in Doha, Qatar. This purpose-built facility only recently began work to fulfill the plans approved by the FIM and Dorna late last year for inclusion on the calendar, and the track will be finished on schedule and in plenty of time for its race date in early October.

This season, there are a couple of rules changes, and the most notable one affects the starting grid. There will now only be three riders per row on the MotoGP grid instead of four-a rule put in place apparently for safety reasons and to try to reduce congestion at the first corner at many race tracks. It remains to be seen how this change will affect the fast-starting Ducatis that, occasionally last season, got the holeshot to the first corner from as far back as a third-row starting position. And, with the field being as deep, talented, and explosive as it appears to be for the forthcoming season, many are predicting a classic exhibition of wheel-to-wheel racing from the premier class in the sport. Most of the manufacturers, teams, and riders will be familiar to many, but there have been some key changes in rider personnel and some important additions to the paddock during the winter months, as well as newly developed versions and, in some cases, brand-new bikes produced for 2004. So, with the stage set, how does the forthcoming season shape up for the competitors?

Next: a look at the Rossi led Yamaha MGP effort