1975 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season

Giacomo Agostini became the 1975 500cc world champion

The 1975 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season was the 27th F.I.M. Road Racing World Championship season.

Season summary[]

1975 represented a changing of the guard in Grand Prix motorcycle racing, both for riders as well as machines. Giacomo Agostini would claim his final 500cc World Championship aboard a Yamaha two-stroke machine.^[1] This would also mark the first time a two-stroke machine had won the premier division.^[1]

Angel Nieto claimed his fourth world title for Kreidler in the 50cc class.^[1] In the 125cc division, the Morbidellis of Pileri and Bianchi dominated, finishing first and second in six of the ten events.^[1] Despite Michel Rougerie scoring more points, his Harley-Davidson teammate Walter Villa would take the 250cc title because of the "best of six finishes" rule.^[1] Nineteen-year-old newcomer Johnny Cecotto made an impressive debut at the season opening French Grand Prix where, he won the 250cc and 350cc races.^[2] He went on to claim the 350cc title, becoming the youngest-ever FIM World Champion at the time.^[1]

In the premier division, MV Agusta with Phil Read aboard, refused to go down easily. The Championship was not resolved until the tenth and final round in Czechoslovakia, when Agostini emerged triumphant to claim his fifteenth world title and the first in the premier 500cc class for a two-stroke motorcycle.^[1] Barry Sheene would also serve notice that he was an up and comer with victories at Assen and Sweden. The writing was on the wall for four-stroke machinery as eight of the top ten riders in the points standings were aboard two-stroke machines.^[1]

1975 Grand Prix season calendar[]

Round	Date	Race	Location	50cc winner	125cc winner	250cc winner	350cc winner	500cc winner	Report
1	March 30	French Grand Prix	Paul Ricard		Kent Andersson	Johnny Cecotto	Johnny Cecotto	Giacomo Agostini	Report
2	April 20	Spanish Grand Prix	Jarama	Angel Nieto	Paolo Pileri	Walter Villa	Giacomo Agostini
3	May 4	Austrian Grand Prix	Salzburgring		Paolo Pileri		Hideo Kanaya	Hideo Kanaya	Report
4	May 11	German Grand Prix	Hockenheimring	Angel Nieto	Paolo Pileri	Walter Villa	Johnny Cecotto	Giacomo Agostini	Report
5	May 18	Nations Grand Prix	Imola	Angel Nieto	Paolo Pileri	Walter Villa	Johnny Cecotto	Giacomo Agostini	Report
6	June 6	Isle of Man TT	Snaefell Mountain			Chas Mortimer	Charlie Williams	Mick Grant	Report
7	June 28	Dutch TT	Assen	Angel Nieto	Paolo Pileri	Walter Villa	Dieter Braun	Barry Sheene	Report
8	July 6	Belgian Grand Prix	Spa	Julien van Zeebroeck	Paolo Pileri	Johnny Cecotto		Phil Read	Report
9	July 20	Swedish Grand Prix	Anderstorp	Eugenio Lazzarini	Paolo Pileri	Walter Villa		Barry Sheene	Report
10	July 27	Finnish Grand Prix	Imatra	Angel Nieto		Michel Rougerie	Johnny Cecotto	Giacomo Agostini	Report
11	August 24	Czechoslovakian Grand Prix	Brno		Leif Gustafsson	Michel Rougerie	Otello Buscherini	Phil Read	Report
12	September 21	Yugoslavian Grand Prix	Opatija	Angel Nieto	Dieter Braun	Dieter Braun	Pentti Korhonen

Participants[]

500cc participants[]

Team Constructor Motorcycle No. Rider Rounds MV Agusta MV Agusta ??? 0 1 2 Phil Read 1–4, 6–8, 10 2 4 Gianfranco Bonera 6, 8-9 41 18 20 1-2 Suzuki Suzuki 1 3 6 5 8 Teuvo Länsivuori 1–3, 6, 9-10 Heron Suzuki GB Suzuki Suzuki RG 500 7 6 9 12 Barry Sheene 6-8 ??? 90 14 27 John Newbold 4, 6-7 Yamaha Yamaha 2 4 8 Giacomo Agostini 1–4, 6-10 3 22 11 Hideo Kanaya 1-4 Arwidson 5 22 7 Pentti Korhonen 8 ??? 5 10 52 Jack Findlay 2–4, 6-9 6 Charlie Williams 5 Suzuki 9 75 3-4 Yamaha 10 12 7 26 9 10 1–2, 6, 10 Gerald Brown 10 28 8 John Williams 5-8 Kawasaki/GB Kawasaki 10 29 88 11 Mick Grant 5 ??? Suzuki 18 4 Yamaha 19 24 11 Chas Mortimer 5, 9-10 Hermetite Ltd 20 63 12 46 14 15 Alex George 1–4, 7, 10 ??? Harley-Davidson 21 Michel Rougerie 1 Yamaha 23 Peter McKinley 1 26 3 König 38 10 28 36 2, 9 Yamaha 44 12 27 9 Gauloises 46 38 Olivier Chevallier 10 64 51 10 Patrick Pons 1 ??? 48 14 6 Dieter Braun 2–3, 8 König König 69 7 ??? Yamaha 93 2, 4, 7 ??? 5 ??? 5 Source:[3]

Key Regular Rider Wildcard Rider Replacement Rider

Final standings[]

Scoring system[]

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

500cc standings[]

Pos Rider Bike FRA AUT GER NAC MAN HOL BEL SWE FIN CZE Pts 1 Giacomo Agostini Yamaha 1 Ret 1 1 2 Ret Ret 1 2 84 2 Phil Read MV Agusta 3 3 2 2 3 1 2 Ret 1 76 3 Hideo Kanaya Yamaha 2 1 4 3 45 4 Teuvo Länsivuori Suzuki Ret 2 3 5 2 Ret 40 5 John Williams Yamaha Ret Ret 2 7 5 3 Ret Ret 36 6 Barry Sheene Suzuki Ret Ret 1 Ret 1 Ret Ret 30 7 Alex George Yamaha 9 9 8 6 Ret Ret 4 11 Ret 3 30 8 John Newbold Suzuki Ret 12 7 4 2 Ret 24 9 MV Agusta 4 4 Ret 4 24 10 Jack Findlay Suzuki Ret Ret 10 Ret Ret 3 9 3 Ret 23 11 Chas Mortimer Yamaha Ret DNS 3 Ret Ret 4 6 23 12 Yamaha 8 7 Ret 9 Ret 4 17 13 Dieter Braun Yamaha Ret 6 6 Ret 5 16 14 Mick Grant Kawasaki 1 15 15 Gianfranco Bonera MV Agusta 6 Ret 4 Ret 13 16 Suzuki Ret 5 5 12 17 König Ret 5 Ret Ret 6 Ret 11 18 König 7 Ret Ret 5 9 19 Yamaha 4 8 20 Olivier Chevallier Yamaha Ret 14 5 6 21 Patrick Pons Yamaha 5 Ret 16 Ret Ret 6 22 Yamaha 5 6 23 Yamaha 14 Ret Ret 16 5 6 24 Yamaha 10 8 Ret 9 6 25 Pentti Korhonen Yamaha Ret Ret Ret 6 Ret 5 26 Yamaha 6 5 27 Yamsel Ret 6 5 28 Yamaha 7 4 29 Charlie Williams Yamaha 11 Ret 7 18 Ret Ret 4 30 Michel Rougerie Harley Davidson 7 Ret Ret 4 31 Yamaha 7 4 32 Suzuki 11 11 7 4 33 Alan North Harley Davidson Ret Ret 7 4 34 Yamaha 8 Ret 3 35 Tom Herron Yamaha 8 21 Ret 14 3 36 Tony Rutter Yamaha 8 14 3 37 Yamaha 8 3 38 Hans Stadelmann Yamaha Ret 8 3 39 Yamaha 8 3 40 Yamaha 15 8 3 41 Yamaha 17 9 2 42 Helmut Kassner Yamaha 13 13 13 9 11 Ret Ret 2 43 Yamaha Ret 9 2 44 Yamaha Ret 9 Ret 2 45 Adu Celso Yamaha 12 Ret 9 2 46 Yamaha 10 1 47 Yamaha 20 10 1 48 Yamaha 10 1 49 Jean-François Baldé Yamaha 10 1 50 Yamaha 10 1 51 Yamaha 10 1 52 Yamaha DNS 10 1 53 Les Kenny Yamaha 17 Ret 10 1 Pos Rider Bike FRA AUT GER NAC MAN HOL BEL SWE FIN CZE Pts 350cc standings[] Pos Rider Bike FRA AUT GER NAC MAN HOL FIN CZE Pts 1 Johnny Cecotto Yamaha 1 2 Ret 1 1 5 1 Ret 78 2 Giacomo Agostini Yamaha 2 1 Ret Ret 2 4 2 Ret 59 3 Pentti Korhonen Yamaha 7 6 9 3 Ret 2 Ret 10 1 48 4 Dieter Braun Yamaha 5 Ret 2 4 1 5 Ret Ret 47 5 Patrick Pons Yamaha Ret Ret 5 3 Ret 3 5 32 6 Chas Mortimer Yamaha Ret Ret 7 8 2 9 Ret 3 31 7 Yamaha 3 7 7 Ret 5 Ret Ret Ret 7 Ret 28 8 Otello Buscherini Yamaha 1 2 27 9 Tom Herron Yamaha 11 Ret Ret 3 Ret 4 4 26 10 Hideo Kanaya Yamaha Ret 3 1 Ret Ret 25 11 Víctor Palomo Yamaha 4 Ret Ret Ret Ret 7 3 Ret 22 12 Alex George Yamaha Ret 8 Ret Ret 3 9 6 Ret 20 13 Philippe Coulon Yamaha 17 4 4 Ret Ret Ret Ret 16 14 Charlie Williams Yamaha Ret 1 Ret 15 15 Hans Stadelmann Yamaha 14 8 5 10 7 14 16 Jon Ekerold Yamaha 2 10 13 17 Olivier Chevallier Yamaha Ret Ret Ret 2 Ret 12 18 Adu Celso Yamaha 9 3 12 19 Yamaha Ret 6 Ret 6 9 Ret 12 20 Jean-Louis Guignabodet Yamaha 4 17 Ret 8 21 Bruno Kneubühler Yamaha Ret 4 Ret 8 22 Yamaha 4 8 23 Christian Huguet Yamaha 5 6 24 Rudolf Kunz Yamaha 6 25 Derek Chatterton Yamaha 5 6 26 Billie Guthrie Yamaha 6 5 27 Anton Mang Schloegl Mang Zender 6 5 28 Jean-François Baldé Yamaha 6 Ret 17 13 5 29 Wil Hartog Yamaha 6 5 30 Bill Henderson Yamaha 14 6 5 31 Giovanni Proni Yamaha 6 5 32 Marco Lucchinelli Yamaha 7 4 33 Mario Lega Yamaha 7 4 34 Gerry Mateer Yamaha 7 4 35 Max Wiener Yamaha 10 8 4 36 Tony Rutter Yamaha 8 3 37 Walter Villa Harley Davidson 8 3 38 Boet van Dulmen Yamaha 8 3 39 Tapio Virtanen Yamaha 8 3 40 Geoff Barry Yamaha 8 3 41 Pete McKinley Yamaha 9 10 3 42 Les Kenny Yamaha 9 2 43 Noel Clegg Yamaha 9 2 44 Guido Mandracci Yamaha 9 2 45 Janos Reisz Yamaha 9 2 46 Titer Balaz Yamaha 10 1 47 John Dodds Yamaha 10 1 48 Martin Sharpe Yamaha 10 1 49 John Williams Dugdale 10 1 50 Kjell Solberg Yamaha 10 1 250cc standings[] Place Rider Number Country Machine Points Wins 1 Walter Villa 1 Italy Aermacchi Harley-Davidson 85 5 2 Michel Rougerie 9 France Harley-Davidson 76 2 3 Dieter Braun 2 West Germany Yamaha 56 1 4 Johnny Cecotto 19 Venezuela Yamaha 54 2 5 Patrick Pons 3 France Yamaha 48 0 6 Chas Mortimer United Kingdom Yamaha 46 0 7 Otello Buscherini Italy Yamaha 40 0 8 Leif Gustafsson Sweden Yamaha 33 0 9 Bruno Kneubühler 5 Switzerland Yamaha 22 0 10 Finland Yamaha 20 0 11 Víctor Palomo 18 12 Harald Bartol 18 13 Tom Herron 16 14 John Williams 15 15 Derek Chatterton 12 16 12 17 Benjamin Grau 10 18 Alex George 9 19 John Dodds 9 20 Pentti Korhonen 9 21 Tony Rutter 8 22 8 23 8 24 Paolo Pileri 6 25 Yvon Duhamel 6 26 Mario Lega 5 27 5 28 5 29 4 30 Olivier Chevallier 3 31 Duilio Agostini 3 32 Helmut Kassner 3 33 3 34 3 35 Jean Louis Guignabodet 2 36 2 37 2 38 1 39 1 40 1 41 Jean-François Baldé 1 125cc standings[] Place Rider Number Country Machine Points Wins 1 Paolo Pileri Italy Morbidelli 90 7 2 Pier Paolo Bianchi Italy Morbidelli 72 0 3 Kent Andersson 1 Sweden Yamaha 67 1 4 Leif Gustafsson 8 Sweden Yamaha 57 1 5 Eugenio Lazzarini Italy 47 0 6 Bruno Kneubühler 2 Switzerland Yamaha 43 0 7 Henk van Kessel Netherlands Condor 38 0 8 Harald Bartol 7 Austria Suzuki 21 0 9 Austria Rotax 21 0 10 Pierluigi Conforti Italy Morbidelli 18 0 11 Dieter Braun 15 12 Hans Müller 14 13 Cees van Dongen 9 14 8 15 Jos Schurgers 6 16 6 17 5 18 Otello Buscherini 5 19 5 20 4 21 Gert Bender 4 22 4 23 4 24 V.Novella 2 25 R.Cornelis 2 26 2 27 J.Lazo 2 28 J.Svensson 2 29 2 30 R.Thiele 2 31 1 32 P.Van Niel 1 33 Ulrich Graf 1 34 Ivan Carlsson 1 35 1 36 Hans Hummel 1 37 M.Arias 1 50cc standings[] Pos Rider Bike GER NAC HOL BEL SWE FIN Pts 1 Angel Nieto Kreidler 1 1 1 1 2 2 1 1 75 2 Eugenio Lazzarini 4 2 2 3 3 1 2 Ret 61 3 Julien van Zeebroeck Kreidler 2 3 Ret 5 1 Ret 43 4 Rudolf Kunz Kreidler 9 5 6 7 3 2 37 5 Herbert Rittberger Kreidler 6 4 5 2 Ret 31 6 Stefan Dörflinger Kreidler 3 6 3 Ret 11 Ret 5 31 7 Kreidler 28 8 Gerhard Thurow Kreidler 21 9 Hans Hummel Kreidler 20 10 Claudio Lusuardi Derbi 16 11 Theo Timmer 13 12 Henk van Kessel Kreidler 12 13 Kreidler 10 14 Ulrich Graf Kreidler 10 15 Kreidler 8 16 Cees Van Dongen Kreidler 8 17 Jan Huberts Kreidler 5 18 Rolf Blatter Kreidler 4 19 Derbi 4 20 Kreidler 4 21 Jaime Alguersuari Sr. Derbi 4 22 3 23 Kreidler 3 24 Jan Bruins Kreidler 3 25 Kreidler 3 26 2 27 Kreidler 2 28 Derbi 1 29 [disambiguation needed] 1 30 Kreidler 1 31 Kreidler 1 Pos Rider Bike GER NAC HOL BEL SWE FIN Pts References[] ^ a b c d e f g h Noyes, Dennis; Scott, Michael (1999), Motocourse: 50 Years Of Moto Grand Prix, Hazleton Publishing Ltd, ISBN 1-874557-83-7 ^ "Rider Statistics - Johnny Cecotto". MotoGP.com. Retrieved 2019-04-23. ^ "500cc Grand Prix entry lists for 1972 to 1975". Motorcycle Racing Online. Büla, Maurice & Schertenleib, Jean-Claude (2001). Continental Circus 1949-2000. Chronosports S.A. ISBN 2-940125-32-5 External links[] "The Official MotoGP website". Retrieved 2010-07-06.