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1971 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Jarno Saarinen (48) at 1971 Nations Grand Prix

The 1971 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season was the 23rd F.I.M. Road Racing World Championship Grand Prix season. The season consisted of twelve Grand Prix races in six classes: 500cc, 350cc, 250cc, 125cc, 50cc and Sidecars 500cc. It began on 9 May, with Austrian Grand Prix and ended with Spanish Grand Prix on 26 September.

Season summary

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Giacomo Agostini would claim his tenth world championship in 1971, passing Carlo Ubbiali and Mike Hailwood as the all time championship leader.[1] Angel Nieto challenged for the 50cc and 125cc titles. A crash in the final 50cc race handed the title to Dutchman Jan de Vries but, Nieto was able to claim the 125 crown over a young Barry Sheene.[1] Phil Read captured the 250 championship on a private Yamaha-powered Eric Cheney-designed chassis, after falling out with the Yamaha factory.[1][2]

Agostini won the 350 title for the fourth year in a row but a newcomer served notice when young Finn, Jarno Saarinen, won his first Grand Prix at the Czechoslovakian round then won again in Italy.[1] Agostini had things his way in the 500cc class, winning the first eight rounds of the eleven race series against minimal factory-sponsored opposition.[1] For the second consecutive year a New Zealand rider finished second in the premier class – Ginger Molloy in 1970 and Keith Turner in 1971.[1]

Jack Findlay's victory at the 1971 Ulster Grand Prix not only marked the first victory for a Suzuki motorcycle in the premier 500cc class, but also the first-ever 500cc class victory for a motorcycle powered by a two stroke engine.[3][4] Kawasaki won their first 500cc class victory at the season ending Spanish Grand Prix at Jarama when Dave Simmonds won the race after Agostini sat out the event after already winning the championship.[1] The inaugural Austrian Grand Prix was held at the new high-speed Salzburgring.

1971 Grand Prix season calendar

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Round Date Grand Prix Circuit 50cc winner 125cc winner 250cc winner 350cc winner 500cc winner Sidecars 500cc winner Report
1 9 May Austria Austrian Grand Prix Salzburgring Netherlands Jan de Vries Spain Angel Nieto Italy Silvio Grassetti Italy Giacomo Agostini Italy Giacomo Agostini Germany Butscher / Huber Report
2 16 May West Germany West German Grand Prix Hockenheimring Netherlands Jan de Vries United Kingdom Dave Simmonds United Kingdom Phil Read Italy Giacomo Agostini Italy Giacomo Agostini Germany Auerbacher / Hahn Report
3 12 June Isle of Man Isle of Man TT Snaefell Mountain United Kingdom Chas Mortimer United Kingdom Phil Read United Kingdom Tony Jefferies Italy Giacomo Agostini Germany Schauzu / Kalauch Report
4 26 June Netherlands Dutch TT Assen Spain Angel Nieto Spain Angel Nieto United Kingdom Phil Read Italy Giacomo Agostini Italy Giacomo Agostini Germany Owesle / Kremer Report
5 4 July Belgium Belgian Grand Prix Spa-Francorchamps Netherlands Jan de Vries United Kingdom Barry Sheene Italy Silvio Grassetti Italy Giacomo Agostini Germany Schauzu / Kalauch Report
6 11 July East Germany East German Grand Prix Sachsenring Spain Angel Nieto Spain Angel Nieto West Germany Dieter Braun Italy Giacomo Agostini Italy Giacomo Agostini Report
7 18 July Czechoslovakia Czechoslovakian Grand Prix Brno United Kingdom Barry Sheene Spain Angel Nieto Hungary János Drapál Finland Jarno Saarinen Germany Schauzu / Kalauch Report
8 25 July Sweden Swedish Grand Prix Anderstorp Spain Angel Nieto United Kingdom Barry Sheene United Kingdom Rodney Gould Italy Giacomo Agostini Italy Giacomo Agostini Report
9 1 August Finland Finnish Grand Prix Imatra United Kingdom Barry Sheene United Kingdom Rodney Gould Italy Giacomo Agostini Italy Giacomo Agostini Germany United Kingdom Owesle / Rutterford Report
10 14 August Northern Ireland Ulster Grand Prix Dundrod Northern Ireland Ray McCullough United Kingdom Peter Williams Australia Jack Findlay Germany United Kingdom Owesle / Rutterford Report
11 12 September Italy Nations Grand Prix Monza Netherlands Jan de Vries Italy Gilberto Parlotti Switzerland Gyula Marsovsky Finland Jarno Saarinen Italy Alberto Pagani Report
12 26 September Spain Spanish Grand Prix Jarama Netherlands Jan de Vries Spain Angel Nieto Finland Jarno Saarinen Finland Teuvo Länsivuori United Kingdom Dave Simmonds Report

Scoring system

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Points were awarded to the top ten finishers in each race. Only the best of six races were counted on 50cc, 125cc, 350cc and 500cc championships, best of seven in 250cc, while in the Sidecars, the best of five races were counted.

Position  1st   2nd   3rd   4th   5th   6th   7th   8th   9th   10th 
Points 15 12 10 8 6 5 4 3 2 1

500cc final standings

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Pos Rider Machine AUT
Austria
GER
Germany
MAN
Isle of Man
HOL
Netherlands
BEL
Belgium
DDR
East Germany
SWE
Sweden
FIN
Finland
ULS
Northern Ireland
NAC
Italy
ESP
Spain
Pts
1 Italy Giacomo Agostini MV Agusta 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 Ret 90 (120)
2 New Zealand Keith Turner Coleman-Suzuki 2 Ret 7 4 Ret 2 2 4 Ret 6 5 58 (67)
3 Netherlands Rob Bron Suzuki 2 2 4 8 Ret 3 2 57
4 United Kingdom Dave Simmonds Kawasaki Ret 3 Ret 6 2 3 1 52
5 Australia Jack Findlay Suzuki / Jada 4 Ret Ret 3 10 5 1 5 6 50 (51)
6 France Eric Offenstadt Kawasaki 3 Ret Ret 2 Ret Ret Ret Ret 3 32
7 Northern Ireland Tommy Robb Hurst-Seeley / Matchless 6 15 7 Ret 3 9 3 31
8 Italy Alberto Pagani Linto / MV Agusta 7 5 Ret Ret Ret Ret 7 1 29
9 Finland Kaarlo Koivuniemi Seeley-Matchless 5 5 Ret 2 24
10 United Kingdom Ron Chandler Kawasaki 3 Ret 5 Ret 8 Ret 19
11 United Kingdom Frank Perris Suzuki / Seeley / Linto 3 7 Ret Ret Ret 14
12 Germany Lothar John Yamaha 5 Ret 12 Ret Ret Ret 8 7 13
13 Italy Gianpiero Zubani Kawasaki Ret 2 12
14 United Kingdom Peter Williams Arter-Matchless 2 12
15 Sweden Bo Granath Husqvarna 8 Ret Ret 8 Ret 6 10 Ret 12
16 United Kingdom Billie Nelson Paton 6 6 10 11
17 Germany Ernst Hiller Kawasaki Ret 11 Ret Ret 3 10
18 United Kingdom Maurice Hawthorne Kawasaki Ret 4 Ret Ret Ret Ret Ret Ret 8
19 Switzerland Hans-Rudolf Brünger Bultaco 4 Ret 8
20 Spain Benjamin Grau Bultaco 4 8
= Wales Selwyn Griffiths Cowles-Matchless 4 8
= Sweden Ulfe Nilsson Seeley-Matchless 4 8
= United Kingdom Phil Read Ducati 4 8
= United Kingdom Percy Tait Seeley-Matchless 4 8
25 Sweden Ivan Carlsson Yamaha Ret Ret 11 6 Ret Ret Ret 9 7
26 United Kingdom Jim Curry Seeley-Matchless Ret 5 Ret 6
27 Northern Ireland Gerry Mateer Norton Ret 5 6
= United Kingdom Gordon Pantall Padgett-Kawasaki 5 Ret 6
29 Austria Karl Auer Matchless Ret Ret 6 Ret 5
30 Finland Matti Salonen Yamaha Ret Ret 6 5
31 United Kingdom Roger Sutcliffe Matchless 6 5
32 Germany Hans-Otto Butenuth BMW 7 10 Ret Ret 5
33 Netherlands Piet Van der Wal Kawasaki Ret 9 Ret 8 5
34 Australia Peter Jones Suzuki 19 Ret 7 4
35 Switzerland Jean Campiche Honda 7 Ret 4
36 Northern Ireland Tom Herron Seeley 7 4
= Sweden Morgan Radberg Monark 7 4
38 Germany Kurt-Willy Bertsch BMW 8 3
= Spain Joan Bordons Bultaco 8 3
= United Kingdom Jerry Lancaster Yamaha 8 3
= United Kingdom Charlie Sanby Seeley-Matchless 8 3
42 Germany Paul Eickelberg Yamaha 9 10 Ret 3
43 Sweden Johnny Bengtsson Kawasaki 9 Ret 2
= Finland Pentti Lehtelä Yamaha 9 Ret 2
45 United Kingdom Tom Dickie Cowles-Matchless 9 2
= Germany Horst Dzierzawa Yamaha 9 2
= Italy Giuseppe Mongardi Ducati 9 2
= Northern Ireland Donnie Robinson Padgett-Yamaha 9 2
49 Australia John Dodds König Ret 10 Ret Ret Ret Ret Ret Ret 1
50 Italy Emanuele Maugliani Seeley-Matchless 10 1
= Netherlands Rob Noorlander Norton 10 1
= United Kingdom Stan Woods Norton 10 1
53 United Kingdom Brian Moses Norton 11 16 0
54 United Kingdom Charlie Dobson Seeley Ret Ret Ret 11 0
55 Austria Werner Bergold Kawasaki Ret 11 Ret 0
56 Algeria Larbi Habbiche Yamaha 11 0
57 United Kingdom Robert Graham Norton Ret 12 0
58 United Kingdom Norman Price Norton 12 0
59 United Kingdom Alan Lawton Norton 13 13 0
60 Germany Rolf Rott Kawasaki 13 0
61 United Kingdom Derek Lee Matchless 14 0
= United Kingdom Roger Nichols Matchless 14 0
63 Northern Ireland Roy Reid Seeley 32 15 0
64 United Kingdom Roy Bisbey Norton 16 0
65 United Kingdom Geoff Barry Oakley-Matchless / Seeley 17 Ret 0
66 United Kingdom Brian Scully Scott 17 0
67 Northern Ireland Bob Ramsey Seeley 18 0
= United Kingdom Jeff Wade Tickle Manx Norton 18 0
69 United Kingdom Chris Neve Seeley 30 19 0
70 United Kingdom Don Harris Norton 20 0
71 United Kingdom Dave Foulkes Norton 21 0
72 United Kingdom Jeff Boniface Norton 22 0
73 United Kingdom Brian Edwards Norton 23 0
74 United Kingdom Fred Walton Velocette Metisse 24 0
75 United Kingdom Len Williams Aermacchi 25 0
76 United Kingdom Tom Loughridge Suzuki 26 0
77 United Kingdom Gordon Daniels TWS Suzuki 27 0
78 United Kingdom Jim Ashton Seeley 28 0
79 United Kingdom John Stanley Seeley 29 0
80 United Kingdom Trevor Armstrong Norton 31 0
Switzerland Gyula Marsovszky Linto Ret Ret Ret Ret Ret Ret Ret Ret Ret 0
Netherlands Theo Louwes Kawasaki Ret Ret Ret Ret Ret 0
Finland Hannu Kuparinen Suzuki Ret Ret Ret Ret 0
United Kingdom Martin Carney Kawasaki Ret Ret Ret Ret 0
France Cristian Ravel Kawasaki Ret Ret Ret Ret 0
United Kingdom Alan Barnett Aermacchi Ret Ret Ret 0
Italy Silvano Bertarelli Kawasaki Ret Ret Ret 0
Germany Karl Hoppe König Ret Ret Ret 0
Sweden Börje Andersson Honda Ret Ret 0
United Kingdom Vincent Duckett Seeley Ret Ret 0
Italy Roberto Gallina Paton Ret Ret 0
United Kingdom Steve Ellis Yamaha Ret Ret 0
Sweden Sven-Olov Gunnarsson Kawasaki Ret Ret 0
United Kingdom Tony Jefferies Arter-Matchless Ret Ret 0
Finland Kai Kuparinen Suzuki Ret Ret 0
Northern Ireland Billy McCosh Seeley Ret Ret 0
New Zealand Ginger Molloy Kawasaki Ret Ret 0
Denmark Borge Nielsen Honda Ret Ret 0
United Kingdom Bill Smith Seeley / Kawasaki Ret Ret 0
United Kingdom John Williams Arter-Matchless Ret Ret 0
United Kingdom Brian Adams Norton Ret Ret 0
Northern Ireland Abe Alexander Seeley Ret 0
United Kingdom Tony Anderson Matchless Ret 0
United Kingdom Martin Ashwood Quaife Metisse Ret 0
Italy Sergio Baroncini Ducati Ret 0
Sweden Jöram Blom Seeley Ret 0
Austria Hans Braumandl Matchless Ret 0
United Kingdom Clive Brown Norton Ret 0
Italy Paolo Campanelli Kawasaki Ret 0
United Kingdom Alistair Copeland Norton Ret 0
United Kingdom Walter Dawson Norton Ret 0
Australia Terry Dennehy Honda Ret 0
United Kingdom Derek Filler Seeley Ret 0
United Kingdom George Fogarty Cunningham-Suzuki Ret 0
United Kingdom Bill Fulton Stafford-Matchless Ret 0
United Kingdom Denis Gallagher Seeley Ret 0
United Kingdom Alex George Kawasaki Ret 0
United Kingdom Peter Gibson Seeley Ret 0
United Kingdom Tony Godfrey Tickle Manx Norton Ret 0
Northern Ireland Campbell Gorman Seeley Ret 0
United Kingdom Don Grant Norton Ret 0
United Kingdom Terry Grotefeld Padgett-Yamaha Ret 0
Northern Ireland Billie Guthrie Yamaha Ret 0
Finland Osmo Hansen Linto Ret 0
Norway Morten Hauger Honda Ret 0
Northern Ireland Harris Healey Norton Ret 0
United Kingdom Bob Health BSA Ret 0
United Kingdom Keith Heckles Norton Ret 0
Finland Ari Heikkilä Matchless Ret 0
United Kingdom John Hughes Yamaha Ret 0
Germany Albert Hund Honda Ret 0
Germany Ted Janssen Suzuki Ret 0
United Kingdom Malcolm Jefery Norton Ret 0
Sweden Lasse Johansson HM Ret 0
Hungary Arpad Juhos Aermacchi Ret 0
Republic of Ireland Austin Kinsella Matchless Ret 0
United Kingdom Ray Knight Hughes-Triumph Ret 0
Germany Udo Kochanski BMW Ret 0
Germany Otto Labitzke BMW Ret 0
Germany Horst Lahfeld König Ret 0
Italy Vasco Loro Yamaha Ret 0
Austria Alois Maxwald Linto Ret 0
Northern Ireland Ray McCullough Seeley Ret 0
Northern Ireland Ian McGregor Norton Ret 0
Northern Ireland Stephen Murray Seeley Ret 0
United Kingdom Godfrey Nash Honda Ret 0
Finland Oiva Papunen Kawasaki Ret 0
Finland Anssi Resko Suzuki Ret 0
Switzerland Walter Rungg Aermacchi Ret 0
Sweden Hasse Rutgersson HRS Ret 0
Germany Reinhard Scholtis Kawasaki Ret 0
Germany Alfred Schwander Suzuki Ret 0
Italy Bruno Spaggiari Ducati Ret 0
Sweden Bo Strandell Linto Ret 0
Denmark Claus Tarum Honda Ret 0
United Kingdom Ken Tilley Norton Ret 0
Germany Jupp Tröblinger König Ret 0
United Kingdom Dennis Trollope Seeley Ret 0
Australia Brian Walsh Norton Ret 0
United Kingdom Carl Ward Norton Ret 0
Austria Manfred Weingartner Matchless Ret 0
Austria Max Wiener Aermacchi Ret 0
United Kingdom Louis With Kawasaki Ret 0
United Kingdom Ray Wittich Saunders-Norton Ret 0
Italy Benedetto Zambotti Kawasaki Ret 0
Pos Rider Bke AUT
Austria
GER
Germany
MAN
Isle of Man
HOL
Netherlands
BEL
Belgium
DDR
East Germany
SWE
Sweden
FIN
Finland
ULS
Northern Ireland
NAC
Italy
ESP
Spain
Pts
Colour Result
Gold Winner
Silver Second place
Bronze Third place
Green Points finish
Blue Non-points finish
Non-classified finish (NC)
Purple Retired (Ret)
Red Did not qualify (DNQ)
Did not pre-qualify (DNPQ)
Black Disqualified (DSQ)
White Did not start (DNS)
Withdrew (WD)
Race cancelled (C)
Blank Did not practice (DNP)
Did not arrive (DNA)
Excluded (EX)

Bold – Pole
Italics – Fastest Lap

1971 350 cc Roadracing World Championship final standings

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Place Rider Number Country Machine Points Wins
1 Italy Giacomo Agostini 1 Italy MV Agusta 90 6
2 Finland Jarno Saarinen Finland Yamaha 63 2
3 Sweden Ivan Carlsson Sweden Yamaha 39 0
4 Netherlands Theo Bult Netherlands Yamaha 36 0
5 United Kingdom Paul Smart United Kingdom Yamaha 34 0
6 Switzerland Werner Pfirter Switzerland Yamaha 33 0
7 Sweden Bo Granath 10 Sweden Yamaha 30 0
7 Hungary László Szabó Hungary Yamaha 29 0
9 United Kingdom Tony Jefferies United Kingdom Yamaha 25 1
10 Finland Teuvo Lansivuori Finland Yamaha 25 1

1971 250 cc Roadracing World Championship final standings

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Place Rider Number Country Machine Points Wins
1 United Kingdom Phil Read United Kingdom Yamaha 73 3
2 United Kingdom Rodney Gould 1 United Kingdom Yamaha 68 2
3 Finland Jarno Saarinen 4 Finland Yamaha 64 1
4 Australia John Dodds Australia Yamaha 59 0
5 West Germany Dieter Braun West Germany Yamaha 58 1
6 Switzerland Gyula Marsovsky 7 Switzerland Yamaha 57 1
7 Italy Silvio Grassetti 10 Italy MZ 43 2
8 United Kingdom Chas Mortimer 6 United Kingdom Yamaha 42 0
9 Hungary János Drapál Hungary Yamaha 26 1
10 Netherlands Theo Bult 20 Netherlands Yamaha 22 0

1971 125 cc Roadracing World Championship final standings

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Place Rider Number Country Machine Points Wins
1 Spain Angel Nieto 1 Spain Derbi 87 5
2 United Kingdom Barry Sheene United Kingdom Suzuki 79 3
3 Sweden Börje Jansson 3 Sweden Maico 64 0
4 West Germany Dieter Braun West Germany Maico 54 0
5 United Kingdom Chas Mortimer United Kingdom Yamaha 48 1
6 United Kingdom Dave Simmonds 4 United Kingdom Kawasaki 48 1
7 West Germany Gert Bender West Germany Maico 41 0
8 Italy Gilberto Parlotti Italy Morbidelli 39 1
9 Sweden Kent Andersson Sweden Yamaha 30 0
10 East Germany Jurgen Lenk East Germany MZ 27 0

1971 50 cc Roadracing World Championship final standings

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Place Rider Number Country Machine Points Wins
1 Netherlands Jan De Vries 5 Netherlands Kreidler 75 5
2 Spain Angel Nieto 1 Spain Derbi 69 3
3 Netherlands Jos Schurgers 6 Netherlands Kreidler 42 0
4 Netherlands Herman Meyers 10 Netherlands Jamathi 41 0
5 West Germany Rudolf Kunz West Germany Kreidler 36 0
6 Netherlands Aalt Toersen Netherlands Jamathi 24 0
7 United Kingdom Barry Sheene United Kingdom Kreidler 23 1
8 Italy Gilberto Parlotti 9 Italy Derbi 22 0
9 Spain Federico van der Hoeven Netherlands Derbi 22 0
10 Netherlands Jan Bruins Netherlands Kreidler 19 0

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f g Noyes, Dennis; Scott, Michael (1999), Motocourse: 50 Years Of Moto Grand Prix, Hazleton Publishing Ltd, ISBN 1-874557-83-7
  2. ^ Melling, Frank (10 January 2002). "Obituary:Eric Cheney". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 8 October 2010.
  3. ^ Jack Findlay obituary - The Telegraph
  4. ^ "MotoGP Milestones". crash.net. 22 May 2003. Retrieved 30 March 2017.