The season also saw the premier class-debut of Valentino Rossi, who began the year with crashes in the first two rounds and also had a third at Valencia; nonetheless, he came in second as a rookie in the class with 2 wins and 8 podiums.
Garry McCoy achieved 3 wins with his spectacular 2-wheel sliding style, and his use of 16.5-inch (420 mm) tires began a general transition to that size,[1] though it had been used previously in 500 cc by Kevin Schwantz.
Defending champion Àlex Crivillé had a disappointing season, bothered by an undetermined illness and a new NSR engine with a power curve that was difficult to manage.
By the third round, Honda started going back to much of the 1999 parts, though Rossi and Burgess decided to use the 2000 chassis with the 1999 engine.
Bold – Pole Italics – Fastest Lap [8] Points were awarded to the top fifteen finishers.