Jerez highlights 1987-2005.

This weekend's 2006 season opening Spanish Grand Prix will mark the 20th consecutive year that a GP has been held at the Jerez circuit, since it was first used in 1987.

Assen and Donington Park are the only other current MotoGP circuits to have been used consecutively for the last 20 years.

Below are some of the highlights of the previous grands prix held at Jerez:

1987: Australian Wayne Gardner won the first premier-class race at Jerez on his way to taking the 500cc world title for Honda. The 125cc race was won by current MotoGP team owner Fausto Gresini.

1988: This event was the Portuguese Grand Prix and was won by Eddie Lawson in an all-Yamaha top four. Spanish interest was maintained with current team manager Jorge Martinez winning the now extinct 80cc class for the second year running and Juan Garriga winning his first ever 250cc Grand Prix.

1989: Eddie Lawson won the main event for the second successive year, but this time riding a Honda. Once again there was Spanish success in the smaller classes with Alex Criville winning the 125cc race and Herri Torrontegui the 80cc race.

1990: Wayne Gardner repeated his victory from four years earlier in the premier-class. Jorge Martinez won the 125cc race to become the first rider to have success in two different classes at the Jerez circuit.

1991: Mick Doohan (Honda) scored the first of his four victories at Jerez. The 250cc race was won by Helmut Bradl, father of new 125cc GP recruit Stefan. Noboru Ueda won the 125cc race on his first ever appearance in Europe.

1992: Mick Doohan repeated his win of one year earlier. In the 250cc race Loris Reggiani took the first victory for Aprilia at Jerez.

1993: Kevin Schwantz scored the first ever win for Suzuki at the Jerez circuit. In the 250cc class Tetsuya Harada won on his debut appearance in a European Grand Prix and in the 125cc class Kazuto Sakata scored his first ever GP victory. Both riders dedicated their victories to 250cc Japanese rider Nobuyuki Wakai, who lost his life in a pit-lane accident.

1994: Mick Doohan became the first rider to take three premier-class victories at Jerez after a fantastic race long battle with Kevin Schwantz.

1995: Alberto Puig riding a Honda, became the first ever Spaniard to win a premier-class race in Spain.

1996: Mick Doohan scored the last of his four victories at Jerez after a dramatic last lap when the crowd invaded the track and Alex Criville fell at the final corner after leading for the majority of the race. Max Biaggi won the 250cc race - his one and only victory at the Jerez circuit.

1997: Alex Criville beat his team-mate and great rival Mick Doohan to take victory in the premier-class for the first time at Jerez. Valentino Rossi won the 125cc race on his way to winning the first of his world titles.

1998: Alex Criville repeated his win of the year before, beating his team-mate Doohan once again but this time by just four tenths of a second.

1999: Alex Criville became the first rider to win in the premier-class for three successive years at Jerez. This time Mick Doohan could not compete after a huge practice accident that eventually brought an end to his career. Valentino Rossi won the 250cc race on his way to the world title.

2000: A two-part race due to rain was won by Kenny Roberts Jnr, the second at Jerez for Suzuki. Honda's Valentino Rossi finished third, marking his first ever podium in the premier-class.

2001: Valentino Rossi won the premier-class race to become the first rider to win in three different classes at Jerez.

2002: Valentino Rossi repeated his victory of 2001. Fonsi Nieto took the victory in the 250cc class, his first ever GP win.

2003: Valentino Rossi won for the third successive year with Honda after Loris Capirossi had qualified on pole, the first ever pole in the premier-class for Ducati.

2004: Sete Gibernau (Honda) became the third Spanish rider to win in the premier-class at Jerez.
2005: Valentino Rossi, in his second season with Yamaha, won the MotoGP race after a dramatic last corner clash with Sete Gibernau. Rossi's victory was the first for Yamaha in the premier-class at Jerez since 1988.