Yamaha introduced a new motorcycle with a V4 engine for Kenny Roberts but, suffered from having to develop a new bike during the season.[1] Roberts was also now using Dunlop tires after Goodyear withdrew from motorcycle racing. Honda abandoned its NR500four-stroke in favor of a V3 two-strokeNS500 piloted by American newcomer, Freddie Spencer, defending champion Marco Lucchinelli and veteran Takazumi Katayama.[1] Spencer would give Honda its first 500cc win since the 1967 season and its first with a two-stroke.[1] Roberts injured a finger and a knee at the British Grand Prix and would miss the remainder of the season.[1]Barry Sheene was lying third in the championship, tied on points with Roberts after eight rounds however, his season was brought to a premature end while testing the new Yamaha V4. He hit the obscured fallen machine of Frenchman Patrick Igoa during practice at Silverstone and badly broke both legs and an arm.[1] Most of the factory sponsored riders boycotted the French round at Nogaro in protest of the unsafe track conditions.[1]
Anton Mang successfully defended his 350 title for Kawasaki despite winning only one race.[1] He would be the final 350 world champion as the class would be discontinued after 1982.[1] Mang lost his 250 crown to Jean-Louis Tournadre by one point despite winning five races.[1] Tournadre's only victory would be at the boycotted French round.[1] The Frenchman would become France's first world champion.[1]Angel Nieto clinched his eleventh title in the 125 class on a Garelli.[1] In the 50cc class, Eugenio Lazzarini and Stefan Dörflinger traded wins, each rider winning three races, but Dörflinger took the title because of his three second-place finishes.[2]
1982 Grand Prix season calendar[]
The following Grands Prix were scheduled to take place in 1982:[3][4]