1971 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season

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[]

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[]

Round	Date	Grand Prix	Circuit	50cc winner	125cc winner	250cc winner	350cc winner	500cc winner	Sidecars 500cc winner	Report
1	9 May	Austrian Grand Prix	Salzburgring	Jan de Vries	Angel Nieto	Silvio Grassetti	Giacomo Agostini	Giacomo Agostini	/
2	16 May	West German Grand Prix	Hockenheimring	Jan de Vries	Dave Simmonds	Phil Read	Giacomo Agostini	Giacomo Agostini	/
3	12 June	Isle of Man TT	Snaefell Mountain		Chas Mortimer	Phil Read	Tony Jefferies	Giacomo Agostini	/	Report
4	26 June	Dutch TT	Assen	Angel Nieto	Angel Nieto	Phil Read	Giacomo Agostini	Giacomo Agostini	/
5	4 July	Belgian Grand Prix	Spa-Francorchamps	Jan de Vries	Barry Sheene	Silvio Grassetti		Giacomo Agostini	/
6	11 July	East German Grand Prix	Sachsenring	Angel Nieto	Angel Nieto	Dieter Braun	Giacomo Agostini	Giacomo Agostini
7	18 July	Czechoslovakian Grand Prix	Brno	Barry Sheene	Angel Nieto	János Drapál	Jarno Saarinen		/
8	25 July	Swedish Grand Prix	Anderstorp	Angel Nieto	Barry Sheene	Rodney Gould	Giacomo Agostini	Giacomo Agostini
9	1 August	Finnish Grand Prix	Imatra		Barry Sheene	Rodney Gould	Giacomo Agostini	Giacomo Agostini	/
10	14 August	Ulster Grand Prix	Dundrod				Peter Williams	Jack Findlay	/
11	12 September	Nations Grand Prix	Monza	Jan de Vries	Gilberto Parlotti	Gyula Marsovsky	Jarno Saarinen	Alberto Pagani
12	26 September	Spanish Grand Prix	Jarama	Jan de Vries	Angel Nieto	Jarno Saarinen	Teuvo Länsivuori	Dave Simmonds

Scoring system[]

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.

500cc final standings[]

Pos Rider Machine MAN Pts 1 Giacomo Agostini MV Agusta 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 Ret 90 (120) 2 Keith Turner Coleman-Suzuki 2 Ret 7 4 Ret 2 2 4 Ret 6 5 58 (67) 3 Rob Bron Suzuki 2 2 4 8 Ret 3 2 57 4 Dave Simmonds Kawasaki Ret 3 Ret 6 2 3 1 52 5 Jack Findlay Suzuki / 4 Ret Ret 3 10 5 1 5 6 50 (51) 6 Kawasaki 3 Ret Ret 2 Ret Ret Ret Ret 3 32 7 Tommy Robb Hurst-Seeley / Matchless 6 15 7 Ret 3 9 3 31 8 Alberto Pagani Linto / MV Agusta 7 5 Ret Ret Ret Ret 7 1 29 9 Seeley-Matchless 5 5 Ret 2 24 10 Ron Chandler Kawasaki 3 Ret 5 Ret 8 Ret 19 11 Frank Perris Suzuki / Seeley / Linto 3 7 Ret Ret Ret 14 12 Lothar John Yamaha 5 Ret 12 Ret Ret Ret 8 7 13 13 Kawasaki Ret 2 12 14 Peter Williams Arter-Matchless 2 12 15 Bo Granath Husqvarna 8 Ret Ret 8 Ret 6 10 Ret 12 16 Billie Nelson Paton 6 6 10 11 17 Ernst Hiller Kawasaki Ret 11 Ret Ret 3 10 18 Kawasaki Ret 4 Ret Ret Ret Ret Ret Ret 8 19 Bultaco 4 Ret 8 20 Benjamin Grau Bultaco 4 8 = Cowles-Matchless 4 8 = Seeley-Matchless 4 8 = Phil Read Ducati 4 8 = Percy Tait Seeley-Matchless 4 8 25 Ivan Carlsson Yamaha Ret Ret 11 6 Ret Ret Ret 9 7 26 Seeley-Matchless Ret 5 Ret 6 27 Norton Ret 5 6 = Padgett-Kawasaki 5 Ret 6 29 Matchless Ret Ret 6 Ret 5 30 Yamaha Ret Ret 6 5 31 Matchless 6 5 32 BMW 7 10 Ret Ret 5 33 Kawasaki Ret 9 Ret 8 5 34 Suzuki 19 Ret 7 4 35 Honda 7 Ret 4 36 Tom Herron Seeley 7 4 = Monark 7 4 38 BMW 8 3 = Bultaco 8 3 = Yamaha 8 3 = Seeley-Matchless 8 3 42 Yamaha 9 10 Ret 3 43 Kawasaki 9 Ret 2 = Yamaha 9 Ret 2 45 Cowles-Matchless 9 2 = Yamaha 9 2 = Ducati 9 2 = Padgett-Yamaha 9 2 49 John Dodds König Ret 10 Ret Ret Ret Ret Ret Ret 1 50 Seeley-Matchless 10 1 = Norton 10 1 = Norton 10 1 53 Norton 11 16 0 54 Seeley Ret Ret Ret 11 0 55 Kawasaki Ret 11 Ret 0 56 Yamaha 11 0 57 Norton Ret 12 0 58 Norton 12 0 59 Norton 13 13 0 60 Kawasaki 13 0 61 Matchless 14 0 = Matchless 14 0 63 Seeley 32 15 0 64 Norton 16 0 65 Oakley-Matchless / Seeley 17 Ret 0 66 17 0 67 Seeley 18 0 = Tickle Manx Norton 18 0 69 Seeley 30 19 0 70 Norton 20 0 71 Norton 21 0 72 Norton 22 0 73 Norton 23 0 74 Velocette 24 0 75 Aermacchi 25 0 76 Suzuki 26 0 77 TWS Suzuki 27 0 78 Seeley 28 0 79 Seeley 29 0 80 Norton 31 0 – Gyula Marsovszky Linto Ret Ret Ret Ret Ret Ret Ret Ret Ret 0 – Kawasaki Ret Ret Ret Ret Ret 0 – Suzuki Ret Ret Ret Ret 0 – Kawasaki Ret Ret Ret Ret 0 – Kawasaki Ret Ret Ret Ret 0 – Alan Barnett Aermacchi Ret Ret Ret 0 – Kawasaki Ret Ret Ret 0 – Ret Ret Ret 0 – Honda Ret Ret 0 – Seeley Ret Ret 0 – Roberto Gallina Paton Ret Ret 0 – Yamaha Ret Ret 0 – Kawasaki Ret Ret 0 – Tony Jefferies Arter-Matchless Ret Ret 0 – Suzuki Ret Ret 0 – Seeley Ret Ret 0 – Ginger Molloy Kawasaki Ret Ret 0 – Honda Ret Ret 0 – Bill Smith Seeley / Kawasaki Ret Ret 0 – John Williams Arter-Matchless Ret Ret 0 – Norton Ret Ret 0 – Seeley Ret 0 – Matchless Ret 0 – Ret 0 – Ducati Ret 0 – Seeley Ret 0 – Matchless Ret 0 – Norton Ret 0 – Kawasaki Ret 0 – Norton Ret 0 – Norton Ret 0 – Honda Ret 0 – Seeley Ret 0 – Cunningham-Suzuki Ret 0 – Stafford-Matchless Ret 0 – Seeley Ret 0 – Alex George Kawasaki Ret 0 – Seeley Ret 0 – Tickle Manx Norton Ret 0 – Seeley Ret 0 – Norton Ret 0 – Padgett-Yamaha Ret 0 – Yamaha Ret 0 – Linto Ret 0 – Honda Ret 0 – Norton Ret 0 – BSA Ret 0 – Norton Ret 0 – Matchless Ret 0 – Yamaha Ret 0 – Honda Ret 0 – Ted Janssen Suzuki Ret 0 – Norton Ret 0 – Ret 0 – Aermacchi Ret 0 – Matchless Ret 0 – Hughes-Triumph Ret 0 – BMW Ret 0 – BMW Ret 0 – König Ret 0 – Yamaha Ret 0 – Linto Ret 0 – Seeley Ret 0 – Norton Ret 0 – Seeley Ret 0 – Godfrey Nash Honda Ret 0 – Kawasaki Ret 0 – Suzuki Ret 0 – Aermacchi Ret 0 – Ret 0 – Kawasaki Ret 0 – Suzuki Ret 0 – Bruno Spaggiari Ducati Ret 0 – Linto Ret 0 – Honda Ret 0 – Norton Ret 0 – König Ret 0 – Seeley Ret 0 – Norton Ret 0 – Norton Ret 0 – Matchless Ret 0 – Aermacchi Ret 0 – Kawasaki Ret 0 – Saunders-Norton Ret 0 – Kawasaki Ret 0 Pos Rider Bke 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

1971 350 cc Roadracing World Championship final standings[]

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

1971 250 cc Roadracing World Championship final standings[]

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

1971 125 cc Roadracing World Championship final standings[]

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

1971 50 cc Roadracing World Championship final standings[]

Place	Rider	Number	Country	Machine	Points	Wins
1	Jan De Vries	5	Netherlands	Kreidler	75	5
2	Angel Nieto	1	Spain	Derbi	69	3
3	Jos Schurgers	6	Netherlands	Kreidler	42	0
4		10	Netherlands		41	0
5	Rudolf Kunz		West Germany	Kreidler	36	0
6	Aalt Toersen		Netherlands		24	0
7	Barry Sheene		United Kingdom	Kreidler	23	1
8	Gilberto Parlotti	9	Italy	Derbi	22	0
9	Federico van der Hoeven		Netherlands	Derbi	22	0
10	Jan Bruins		Netherlands	Kreidler	19	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 6 July 2010.