1969 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season

The 1969 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season was the 21st 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 4 May, with Spanish Grand Prix and ended with Yugoslavian Grand Prix on 14 September.

Season summary[]

Giacomo Agostini on an MV Agusta continued to dominate the larger classes, once again winning the 350 and 500 classes against little factory-mounted opposition.^[1] The 250 class saw a tight three-way battle go down to the last race with Benelli's Kel Carruthers coming out on top against Kent Andersson and Santiago Herrero.^[1] Carruther's win would mark the last time a four-stroke machine would win the 250 championship.^[1] Kawasaki claimed their first world title with Dave Simmonds winning the 125 class. Spain's Angel Nieto won his first world championship for Derbi. It would be the first of many for the Spaniard.^[1] Former 125 world champion Bill Ivy was killed in a crash when his Jawa seized during practice for the East German Grand Prix at the Sachsenring. When Godfrey Nash rode a Norton Manx to victory at the Yugoslavian Grand Prix at the Opatija Circuit, it would mark the last time that a 500cc Grand Prix race was won on a single-cylinder machine.^[2]

1969 Grand Prix season calendar[]

Round	Date	Grand Prix	Circuit	50cc winner	125cc winner	250cc winner	350cc winner	500cc winner	Sidecars 500cc winner	Report
1	4 May	Spanish Grand Prix	Jarama	Aalt Toersen	Cees van Dongen	Santiago Herrero	Giacomo Agostini	Giacomo Agostini
2	11 May	West German Grand Prix	Hockenheimring	Aalt Toersen	Dave Simmonds	Kent Andersson	Giacomo Agostini	Giacomo Agostini	Enders /
3	18 May	French Grand Prix	Le Mans Bugatti	Aalt Toersen		Santiago Herrero		Giacomo Agostini	Fath /
4	13 June	Isle of Man TT	Snaefell Mountain		Dave Simmonds	Kel Carruthers	Giacomo Agostini	Giacomo Agostini	Enders /	Report
5	28 June	Dutch TT	TT Circuit Assen	Barry Smith	Dave Simmonds	Renzo Pasolini	Giacomo Agostini	Giacomo Agostini	Fath /
6	6 July	Belgian Grand Prix	Spa-Francorchamps	Barry Smith	Dave Simmonds	Santiago Herrero		Giacomo Agostini	Fath /
7	13 July	East German Grand Prix	Sachsenring	Angel Nieto	Dave Simmonds	Renzo Pasolini	Giacomo Agostini	Giacomo Agostini
8	20 July	Czechoslovakian Grand Prix	Masaryk Circuit	Paul Lodewijkx	Dave Simmonds	Renzo Pasolini	Giacomo Agostini	Giacomo Agostini
9	3 August	Finnish Grand Prix	Imatra Circuit		Dave Simmonds	Kent Andersson	Giacomo Agostini	Giacomo Agostini	Enders /
10	16 August	Ulster Grand Prix	Dundrod Circuit	Angel Nieto		Kel Carruthers	Giacomo Agostini	Giacomo Agostini	Enders /
11	7 September	Nations Grand Prix	Imola	Paul Lodewijkx	Dave Simmonds	Phil Read	Phil Read	Alberto Pagani
12	14 September	Yugoslavian Grand Prix	Opatija Circuit	Paul Lodewijkx	Dieter Braun	Kel Carruthers	Silvio Grassetti	Godfrey Nash

Scoring system[]

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

500cc final standings[]

Pos Rider Machine MAN Pts 1 Giacomo Agostini MV Agusta 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 DNS 105 (150) 2 Gyula Marsovszky / Linto 4 6 6 6 4 2 Ret 7 Ret 47 3 Godfrey Nash Norton 5 9 5 7 Ret 9 3 Ret 1 45 4 Billie Nelson Paton Ret 2 9 Ret 2 7 2 Ret 42 5 Alan Barnett 2 3 3 Ret 32 6 Linto Ret 8 Ret 3 8 3 26 7 Ron Chandler Seeley-Matchless 10 6 8 5 6 6 25 8 Gilberto Milani Aermacchi 7 4 2 Ret 24 9 Robin Fitton Norton 5 Ret 16 6 4 19 10 Brian Steenson Seeley-Matchless Ret 2 5 18 11 John Dodds Linto / Seeley- 4 Ret Ret Ret Ret 3 Ret 18 12 Honda Ret 5 7 4 Ret 18 13 Jack Findlay Linto / Aermacchi / Matchless Ret 3 Ret Ret 5 Ret Ret DNS Ret Ret Ret 16 14 Alberto Pagani Linto Ret Ret Ret Ret Ret Ret Ret 1 15 15 Matchless 12 5 13 4 14 16 Matchless 3 10 9 Ret Ret Ret 13 17 Matchless 8 6 14 6 13 18 Angelo Bergamonti Paton 2 Ret Ret Ret Ret Ret 12 = Percy Tait Triumph Ret Ret 2 Ret Ret Ret 12 20 - / Seeley- 2 Ret Ret Ret 12 21 Paton / Norton Ret Ret 2 12 22 Peter Williams Matchless 2 12 23 Bohumil Stasa ČZ 12 3 9 12 24 Seeley-Matchless 3 14 10 Ret 11 25 Dan Shorey Seeley / Matchless 12 9 13 8 5 Ret Ret 11 26 Malcolm Uphill Norton Ret 3 10 27 Ginger Molloy Bultaco 3 10 28 Norton 4 Ret 13 9 10 29 Norton 5 7 10 30 Norton Ret 10 15 7 6 10 31 Matchless 4 10 Ret 9 32 Matchless 4 10 9 33 Paton / Aermacchi Ret 4 Ret 8 34 Derek Woodman Seeley-Matchless 4 8 35 Paton 7 Ret Ret 8 7 36 Keith Turner Linto Ret Ret 11 Ret Ret Ret 5 6 37 Norton 5 Ret 6 38 Phil O'Brien Matchless 20 6 11 Ret 11 5 39 Matchless 6 Ret 5 40 Linto / Matchless Ret Ret 7 Ret Ret 10 5 41 Norton Ret 11 7 4 42 Seeley-Matchless 7 11 4 43 Matchless 7 4 44 Kel Carruthers Aermacchi Ret 8 Ret Ret Ret 3 45 Norton Ret Ret 8 3 46 John Williams Matchless- / Ret 8 3 47 Seeley-Matchless 8 3 = Matchless 8 3 49 Norton 31 11 9 2 50 Seeley-Matchless 9 Ret 2 51 Norton 9 2 = Matchless 9 2 53 10 Ret 1 = / Norton 10 Ret 1 55 Norton 10 1 = MV Agusta 10 1 57 Norton / Linto 14 11 0 58 Norton 11 0 = Aermacchi 11 0 = 11 0 = BMW 11 0 62 Bo Granath Husqvarna / Ret Ret Ret Ret 12 12 Ret 0 63 Vittorio Brambilla Paton 12 0 = Matchless 12 0 = Matchless 12 0 = Norton 12 0 = Matchless 12 0 68 Matchless Ret 13 0 69 Matchless 13 0 = Matchless 13 0 = Honda 13 0 72 BMW 14 15 0 73 / Monark Ret 14 Ret 0 74 Matchless 14 0 = 14 0 = Velocette 14 0 77 Ken Kay Norton / Aermacchi Ret 15 0 78 Aermacchi 15 0 = Norton 15 0 80 Matchless Ret 16 0 81 Matchless 16 0 = BMW 16 0 = Norton 16 0 84 Norton 17 0 = Honda 17 0 = Norton 17 0 = Norton 17 0 = Norton 17 0 89 Norton 18 0 = Honda 18 0 91 Matchless 19 0 92 Norton 21 0 93 Norton 22 0 94 Kettle-Norton 23 0 95 Matchless 24 0 96 Norton 25 0 97 Harrow-Suzuki 26 0 98 Norton 27 0 99 Matchless 28 0 100 Norton 29 0 101 Hughes-Triumph 30 0 - Paul Smart Higley-Norton / Seeley Ret Ret Ret 0 - Velocette / Yamaha Ret Ret 0 - Moto Guzzi / Paton Ret Ret 0 - Ret Ret 0 - Tommy Robb Ryan-Norton Ret Ret 0 - Velocette Ret 0 - Kuhn-Seeley Ret 0 - Matchless Ret 0 - Triumph Ret 0 - Triumph Ret 0 - Matchless Ret 0 - Norton Ret 0 - Norton Ret 0 - Seeley Ret 0 - Ret 0 - Norton Ret 0 - Oakley-Matchless Ret 0 - Matchless Ret 0 - Norton Ret 0 - Norton Ret 0 - Matchless Ret 0 - Cornett-Norton Domiracer Ret 0 - Norton Ret 0 - Norton Ret 0 - Norton Ret 0 - Ret 0 - Norton Ret 0 - Norton Ret 0 - Matchless Ret 0 - Norton Ret 0 - Coleshill-Seeley Ret 0 - Matchless Ret 0 - Norton Ret 0 - Norton Ret 0 - Norton Ret 0 - Tony Jefferies Triumph Ret 0 - LGK-Norton Ret 0 - Norton Ret 0 - BMW Ret 0 - Norton Ret 0 - Norton Ret 0 - Matchless Ret 0 - Norton Ret 0 - Petty-Norton Ret 0 - Matchless Ret 0 - Norton Ret 0 - Matchless- Ret 0 - Norton Ret 0 - Frank Perris Suzuki Ret 0 - Norton Ret 0 - Norton Ret 0 - Tony Rutter Norton Ret 0 - Wragg-Seeley Ret 0 - Norton Ret 0 - Triumph Ret 0 - Bill Smith Arter-Matchless Ret 0 - Jawa Ret 0 - František Šťastný Jawa Ret 0 - Norton Ret 0 - Norton Ret 0 - Matchless Ret 0 - Bultaco Ret 0 - Honda Drixton Ret 0 - Velocette- Ret 0 - Norton Ret 0 - Norton Ret 0 - Norton Ret 0 - BSA Ret 0 - Norton Ret 0 - Ret 0 Pos Rider Bike MAN Pts

Colour Result Gold Winner Silver 2nd place Bronze 3rd 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

350cc Standings[]

Place	Rider	Number	Country	Machine	Points	Wins
1	Giacomo Agostini		Italy	MV Agusta	90	8
2	Silvio Grassetti		Italy	Yamaha / Jawa	47	1
3	Giuseppe Visenzi		Italy	Yamaha	45	0
4	Heinz Rosner		East Germany	MZ	38	0
5	Rodney Gould		United Kingdom	Yamaha	36	0
6	Jack Findlay		Australia	Yamaha	34	0
7	Kel Carruthers		Australia	Aermacchi	29	0
8	Bohumil Stasa		Czechoslovakia	ČZ	27	0
9	Frantisek Stastny		Czechoslovakia	Jawa	26	0
10	Bill Ivy		United Kingdom	Jawa	24	0
11	Martti Pesonen		Finland	Yamaha	16	0
=			West Germany	Yamaha	16	0
13	Phil Read		United Kingdom	Yamaha	15	1
14	Brian Steenson		United Kingdom	Aermacchi	12	0
=	Gilberto Milani		Italy	Aermacchi	12	0
=	Ginger Molloy		New Zealand	Bultaco	12	0
17			United Kingdom	Aermacchi	11	0
18			United Kingdom	Aermacchi	10	0
=			West Germany	Yamaha	10	0
20			United Kingdom		8	0
=			West Germany	Yamaha	8	0
=	Tony Rutter		United Kingdom	Yamaha	8	0
=			Italy	Aermacchi	8	0
24			United Kingdom	Yamaha	6	0
25			Switzerland	Aermacchi	5	0
=			United Kingdom	AJS	5	0
=			United States	Yamaha	5	0
=	Tommy Robb		United Kingdom	Aermacchi	5	0
=	Bruno Spaggiari		Italy	Ducati	5	0
30			United Kingdom	Norton	4	0
=			United Kingdom	Aermacchi	4	0
=	Brian Smith		United Kingdom	Aermacchi	4	0
33			United Kingdom	Aermacchi	3	0
=			Czechoslovakia	ČZ	3	0
=			United Kingdom	Yamaha	3	0
=			United Kingdom	Yamaha	3	0
=	Billie Nelson		United Kingdom	Aermacchi	3	0
=			United Kingdom	Norton	3	0
=	Dave Simmonds		United Kingdom	Kawasaki	3	0
=			United Kingdom	Aermacchi	3	0
42			West Germany	Aermacchi	2	0
=			Rhodesia	Yamaha	2	0
=			United Kingdom	Aermacchi	2	0
=			Netherlands	Yamaha	2	0
=	Robin Fitton		United Kingdom	Norton	2	0
=	János Drapál		Hungary	Aermacchi	2	0
48	Godfrey Nash		United Kingdom	Norton	1	0
=			United Kingdom	Aermacchi	1	0
=			Netherlands	Yamaha	1	0
=			Switzerland	Aermacchi	1	0
=	Dave Degens		United Kingdom	Aermacchi	1	0
=			Finland	Yamaha	1	0

250cc Standings[]

Place	Rider	Number	Country	Machine	Points	Wins
1	Kel Carruthers		Australia	Benelli	89	3
2	Kent Andersson		Sweden	Yamaha	84	2
3	Santiago Herrero		Spain	Ossa	83	3
4	Renzo Pasolini		Italy	Benelli	45	3
5	Börje Jansson		Sweden	Kawasaki	45	0
6	Rodney Gould		United Kingdom	Yamaha	44	0
7	Heinz Rosner		East Germany	MZ	28	0
8	Frank Perris		United Kingdom	Suzuki	25	0
9	Lothar John		West Germany	Yamaha	21	0
10	Dieter Braun		West Germany	MZ	20	0
11	Günter Bartusch		East Germany	MZ	18	0
=	Silvio Grassetti		Italy	Yamaha	18	0
13	Phil Read		United Kingdom	Yamaha	15	1
14	László Szabó		Hungary	MZ	14	0
15	Gilberto Parlotti		Italy	Benelli	12	0
=	Mick Chatterton		United Kingdom	Yamaha	12	0
17	Martti Pesonen		Finland	Yamaha	11	0
=	Angelo Bergamonti		Italy	Aermacchi	11	0
19			West Germany	Yamaha	10	0
=			United Kingdom	Yamaha	10	0
21			France	Yamaha	9	0
22			United Kingdom	Yamaha	8	0
=	Chas Mortimer		United Kingdom	Yamaha	8	0
24			United Kingdom	Yamaha	7	0
25	Giuseppe Visenzi		Italy	Yamaha	6	0
=			West Germany	Yamaha	6	0
=			United Kingdom	Suzuki	6	0
=	Walter Villa		Italy	Villa	6	0
29	Derek Chatterton		United Kingdom	Yamaha	5	0
=			Australia	Yamaha	5	0
=	Dave Simmonds		United Kingdom	Kawasaki	5	0
=	Frantisek Stastny		Czechoslovakia	Jawa	5	0
33			West Germany	Kawasaki	4	0
=	Eugenio Lazzarini		Italy	Benelli	4	0
=			United Kingdom	Yamaha	4	0
=	Jack Findlay		Australia	Yamaha	4	0
=	Pentti Korhonen		Finland	Yamaha	4	0
38			United Kingdom	Yamaha	3	0
=			West Germany	Suzuki	3	0
=			Spain	Ossa	3	0
=	Teuvo Lansivuori		Finland	Yamaha	3	0
=			United Kingdom	Yamaha	3	0
=			Austria	Rotax	3	0
=			France	Yamaha	3	0
45	Billie Nelson		United Kingdom	Yamaha	2	0
=			United Kingdom	Yamaha	2	0
=	Keith Turner		New Zealand	Aermacchi	2	0
=	Tony Rutter		United Kingdom	Yamaha	2	0
=			Rhodesia	Yamaha	2	0
=	Gyula Marsovszky		Switzerland	Yamaha	2	0
51			Finland	Yamaha	1	0
=			Czechoslovakia	ČZ	1	0

125cc Standings[]

Place	Rider	Number	Country	Machine	Points	Wins
1	Dave Simmonds		United Kingdom	Kawasaki	90	8
2	Dieter Braun		West Germany	Suzuki	59	1
3	Cees van Dongen		Netherlands	Suzuki	51	1
4	Kent Andersson		Sweden	Maico / Yamaha	36	0
5			Austria	Rotax	33	0
6	Ginger Molloy		New Zealand	Bultaco	29	0
7			Poland	MZ	27	0
8	László Szabó		Hungary	MZ	26	0
9			East Germany	MZ	24	0
10	Kel Carruthers		Australia	Aermacchi	20	0
11	Walter Villa		Italy	Villa	18	0
12			Italy	Aermacchi	17	0
13			East Germany	MZ	16	0
14			France	Yamaha	15	1
15	Lothar John		West Germany	Yamaha	14	0
16	Gunter Bartusch		East Germany	MZ	12	0
17	Jan Huberts		Netherlands	MZ	11	0
18			United Kingdom	Honda	10	0
=			Italy	Villa	10	0
20	Tommy Robb		United Kingdom	Bultaco	9	0
=			West Germany	MZ	9	0
22			Spain	Bultaco	8	0
=			France	Derbi	8	0
=			United Kingdom	Honda	8	0
25	John Dodds		Australia	Aermacchi	7	0
=	Barry Smith		Australia	Derbi	7	0
=			Italy	Villa	7	0
28			Switzerland	Honda	6	0
=	Heinz Rosner		East Germany	MZ	6	0
=			France	Villa	6	0
=			United Kingdom	Honda	6	0
32			France	Maico	5	0
=			United Kingdom	Honda	5	0
=	Chas Mortimer		United Kingdom	Villa	5	0
=			West Germany	Villa	5	0
=			United Kingdom	Honda	5	0
37			France	Maico	4	0
=			United Kingdom	Bultaco	4	0
=	Bo Granath		Sweden	MZ	4	0
=	Börje Jansson		Sweden	Maico	4	0
41			Finland	Honda	3	0
=			United Kingdom	Bultaco	3	0
=			Switzerland	Honda	3	0
44			Spain	Bultaco	2	0
=			Switzerland	Honda	2	0
=			Monaco	Bultaco	2	0
=	Bob Coulter		Ireland	Bultaco	2	0
=			Finland	MZ	2	0
49			United Kingdom	Honda	1	0
=			United Kingdom	Bultaco	1	0
=			Netherlands	Yamaha	1	0
=			East Germany	MZ	1	0
=			East Germany	MZ	1	0
=			Hungary	MZ	1	0

50cc Standings[]

Place	Rider	Number	Country	Machine	Points	Wins
1	Angel Nieto		Spain	Derbi	76	2
2	Aalt Toersen		Netherlands	Kreidler	75	3
3	Barry Smith		Australia	Derbi	69	2
4	Jan de Vries		Netherlands	Kreidler	64	0
5	Paul Lodewijkx		Netherlands		63	3
6	Gilberto Parlotti		Italy	Tomos	31	0
7	Santiago Herrero		Spain	Derbi	28	0
8	Rudolf Kunz		West Germany	Kreidler	26	0
9			West Germany	Kreidler	25	0
10			Netherlands		18	0
11	Cees van Dongen		Netherlands	Kreidler	14	0
12	Jan Huberts		Netherlands	Kreidler	12	0
13			Yugoslavia	Tomos	11	0
14			United Kingdom	Crooks-Suzuki	10	0
15			Yugoslavia	Tomos	9	0
16			West Germany		8	0
=			United Kingdom	Garelli	8	0
18			Switzerland	Kreidler	7	0
19			Italy	Guazzoni	6	0
=			United Kingdom	Derbi	6	0
21			Austria	KTM	5	0
=	Jos Schurgers		Netherlands	Kreidler	5	0
=			United Kingdom	Honda	5	0
=			Italy	Minarelli	5	0
=			Italy	Morbidelli	5	0
27			France	Derbi	4	0
=			United Kingdom	Honda	4	0
=			Monaco	Derbi	4	0
=			United Kingdom	Garelli	3	0
=			Italy	Tomos	3	0
31			Switzerland	Honda	2	0
=			West Germany	Kreidler	2	0
=			France	Kreidler	2	0
=			United Kingdom	Honda	2	0
=	Anton Kralj		Yugoslavia	Tomos	2	0
36			Spain	Derbi	1	0
=	Gerhard Thurow		West Germany	Kreidler	1	0
=			France	Kreidler	1	0
=			United Kingdom	Garelli	1	0

References[]

• Büla, Maurice & Schertenleib, Jean-Claude (2001). Continental Circus 1949-2000. Chronosports S.A. ISBN 2-940125-32-5
• "The Official MotoGP website". Retrieved 2010-07-06.