1980 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season

Sports season Grand Prix motorcycle racing F.I.M. Grand Prix motorcycle racing season Grand Prix motorcycle racing season 1980 1980 World Champions500cc – Kenny Roberts (Yamaha)350cc - Jon Ekerold (Yamaha)250cc – Anton Mang (Kawasaki)125cc – Pier Paolo Bianchi (MBA)50cc – Eugenio Lazzarini (Iprem) right vertical 250 TT Assen Kenny Roberts, Bestanddeelnr 930-9048.jpg TT Assen Jon Ekerold in aktie, winnaar 350 cc, Bestanddeelnr 930-9049.jpg 250 Kenny Roberts (pictured top in Assen) and Jon Ekerold (pictured in Assen) became the 1980 500cc and 350cc world champion. The 1980 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season was the 32nd F.I.M. Road Racing World Championship season. Season summary Yamaha's Kenny Roberts claimed his third successive 500cc world championship in a season shortened by the cancellations of the Venezuelan and Austrian rounds.Dennis Noyes 1999 Michael Scott Motocourse: 50 Years Of Moto Grand Prix Hazleton Publishing Ltd 1-874557-83-7 Randy Mamola took over at Suzuki from Barry Sheene. Kawasaki returned to the 500cc class with a monocoque, four cylinder bike for Kork Ballington. Honda soldiered on with its exotic four-stroke NR500 but began to realize it was at a disadvantage against its two-stroke opposition. There were only six rounds in the 350cc class that saw South Africa's Jon Ekerold, a true privateer, take the championship from the Kawasaki factory-sponsored Anton Mang. Mang would take the 250cc crown from defending champion Ballington while Pier Paolo Bianchi won the 125cc title. Eugenio Lazzarini won a tight battle from Swiss Stefan Dörflinger to take the 50cc championship by only 2 points. 1980 Grand Prix season calendar The following Grands Prix were scheduled to take place in 1980: RoundDateGrand PrixCircuit 1 11 May Italy Gran Premio delle Nazioni Circuito Internazionale Santa Monica 2 18 May Spain 1977 Gran Premio de España Circuito Permanente Del Jarama 3 25 May France Grand Prix de France Moto Circuit Paul Ricard 4 15 Jun Yugoslavia Velika Nagrada Jugoslavije Automotodrom Rijeka 5 28 June Netherlands Dutch TT Assen TT Circuit Assen 6 6 July Belgium Grand Prix of Belgium Circuit Zolder 7 27 July Finland Finnish GP Imatra Circuit 8 10 August UK Marlboro British Grand Prix Silverstone Circuit 9 17 August Czechoslovakia Grand Prix ČSSR Brno Circuit 10 24 August Germany Großer Preis von Deutschland Nürburgring-NordschleifeSources:http://www.jumpingjack.nl/GP-races_1980_heden.htm https://web.archive.org/web/20090901054236/http://www.jumpingjack.nl/GP-races_1980_heden.htm dead 2009-09-01 Grand Prix uitslagen en bijzonderheden 1980 Jumping Jack 2018-07-18https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/database/championships/1980-world-motorcycle-championship/ 1980 500cc World Championship race results motorsportmagazine.com 19 March 2026 Calendar changes The Venezuelan and Swedish Grand Prix was taken off the calendar due to financial problems. The Austrian Grand Prix, originally scheduled for April, was eventually cancelled due to snowy conditions on race week. It was the last Grand Prix to have all races cancelled until the 2018 British Grand Prix (although all free practices and qualifying took place). The German Grand Prix had its date moved from 6 May to 24 August and the venue was moved from the Hockenheimring to the Nürburgring-Nordschleife. The French Grand Prix had its date moved from 2 September to 25 May and the venue was moved from the Bugatti Circuit in Le Mans to the Circuit Paul Ricard. The Belgian Grand Prix moved from the Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps to the Circuit Zolder due to problems with the new track last year. 1980 Grand Prix season results Round Date Race Location 50cc winner 125cc winner 250cc winner 350cc winner 500cc winner Report 1 11 May Italy Nations Grand Prix Misano Italy Eugenio Lazzarini Italy Pier Paolo Bianchi Germany Anton Mang Venezuela 1930 Johnny Cecotto United States Kenny Roberts Report 2 18 May Spain 1977 Spanish Grand Prix Jarama Italy Eugenio Lazzarini Italy Pier Paolo Bianchi South Africa 1928 Kork Ballington United States Kenny Roberts Report 3 25 May France French Grand Prix Paul Ricard Spain 1977 Angel Nieto South Africa 1928 Kork Ballington South Africa 1928 Jon Ekerold United States Kenny Roberts Report 4 15 Jun Yugoslavia Yugoslavian Grand Prix Rijeka Spain 1977 Ricardo Tormo France Guy Bertin Germany Anton Mang Report 5 28 June Netherlands Dutch TT Assen Spain 1977 Ricardo Tormo Spain 1977 Angel Nieto Venezuela 1930 Carlos Lavado South Africa 1928 Jon Ekerold Netherlands Jack Middelburg Report 6 6 July Belgium Belgian Grand Prix Zolder Switzerland Stefan Dörflinger Spain 1977 Angel Nieto Germany Anton Mang United States Randy Mamola Report 7 27 July Finland Finnish Grand Prix Imatra Spain 1977 Angel Nieto South Africa 1928 Kork Ballington Netherlands Wil Hartog Report 8 10 August UK British Grand Prix Silverstone Italy Loris Reggiani South Africa 1928 Kork Ballington Germany Anton Mang United States Randy Mamola Report 9 17 August Czechoslovakia Czechoslovak Grand Prix Brno Circuit France Guy Bertin Germany Anton Mang Germany Anton Mang Report 10 24 August Germany German Grand Prix Nürburgring Switzerland Stefan Dörflinger France Guy Bertin South Africa 1928 Kork Ballington South Africa 1928 Jon Ekerold Italy Marco Lucchinelli Report Participants and standings 500cc participants TeamConstructorMotorcycleNo.RiderRounds Yamaha Motor Japan Yamaha Yamaha YZR500 (OW48) 1 USA Kenny Roberts All Cagiva Cagiva Cagiva GP500 2 ITA Virginio Ferrari All Riemersma Racing Suzuki Suzuki RG 500 34 NED Wil Hartog 1–2, 4–8 Venemotos Racing Team Yamaha Yamaha YZR500 (OW48) 4 VEN 1956 Johnny Cecotto All Jen Organs Suzuki Suzuki RG 500 557 ITA Franco Uncini 1–2, 4–8 Yamaha I.M.N. Yamaha ??? 6 NED Boet van Dulmen All 14897 NED Jack Middelburg 2–8 Team Akai with Texaco Yamaha YZR500 (OW48) 7 GBR Barry Sheene 1–4, 7 Honda International Honda Honda NR500** 8171452 JPN Takazumi Katayama 7 19??? GBR Mick Grant 9 Marlboro Frankonia Nava Suzuki ??? 9??? CHE Philippe Coulon 1–2, 5–7 Team Nava Olio Fiat Suzuki RG 500 210??? ITA Marco Lucchinelli All 2328??? ITA Graziano Rossi 1–7 Team Kawasaki Kawasaki Kawasaki KR500 11??? RSA 1928 Kork Ballington 1–3, 6–9 20??? AUS Gregg Hansford 8 Team Sonauto Gauloises GPA Yamaha Yamaha YZR500 (OW48) 1219??? FRA Patrick Pons 3–7 34 FRA Raymond Roche 1, 3–7 7 FRA Christian Sarron All Elf Moto Racing Team 1321??? CHE Michel Frutschi 2 Ecurie Sté Pernod Suzuki 1436??? FRA Michel Rougerie 2–4, 6 Ecurie Sté Pernod/Sonauto Yamaha 20??? FRA Patrick Fernandez 4–6 Texaco Heron Team Suzuki Suzuki Suzuki RG 500 1015??? USA Randy Mamola All 1540??? NZL Graeme Crosby 1–5, 7–8 ??? Yamaha ??? 18??? JPN Sadao Asami 1, 3, 5–6, 8 Suzuki 26??? CHE Sergio Pellandini 1 27??? FRA Christian Estrosi 1 GME Motul GPA 28??? FRA Bernard Fau 3, 5 Team Naldoni Yamaha 36 ITA Maurizio Massimiani 1, 5, 8 Sarome Suzuki Suzuki RG 500** 40??? JPN Hiroshi Aoyama 1–4, 8 MAN 2000 ??? 44??? FIN Seppo Rossi 2–3, 6 Team Gattino 45??? ITA Carlo Perugini 1–3, 5–6, 8 Stimorol 61??? NED Willem Zoet 4–5 Source:http://www.f1network.net/main/s180/st83379.htm 500cc Grand Prix entry list for 1983 Motorcycle Racing OnlineKey Regular Rider Wildcard Rider Replacement Rider Notes * The 500cc did not participate in rounds 4 and 9 of the championship, the Yugoslav and Czechoslovak GPs. ** Katayama raced with the Suzuki for the first four races until the Honda was ready. *** Ballington missed some races due to an injury. **** Pons was killed in a racing accident at the British GP. 500cc riders' standings Scoring system Points were awarded to the top ten finishers in each race. A rider has to finish the race to earn points. All races counted towards the final standings. (key) Position  1st   2nd   3rd   4th   5th   6th   7th   8th   9th   10th  Points 15 12 10 8 6 5 4 3 2 1 Place Rider Team Machine NATItaly ESPSpain 1977 FRAFrance NEDNetherlands BELBelgium FINFinland GBRGreat Britain GERGermany Points1United States Kenny Roberts Yamaha International YZR500 1 1 1 Ret 3 2 2 4872United States Randy Mamola Heron-Suzuki RG500 Ret 3 2 5 1 4 1 5723Italy Marco Lucchinelli Team Nava Olio Fiat RG500 Ret 2 3 Ret 2 Ret 3 1594Italy Franco Uncini Uncini-Suzuki RG500 2 7 Ret 3 6 3 6 7505Italy Graziano Rossi Team Nava Olio Fiat RG500 3 Ret 4 2 Ret 13 4 Ret386Netherlands Wil Hartog Riemersma Racing RG500 Ret Ret 19 5 1 Ret 3317Venezuela 1930 Johnny Cecotto Venemotos-Yamaha YZR500 4 6 9 6 Ret 5 6318New Zealand Graeme Crosby Heron-Suzuki RG500 Ret 12 5 8 4 13 2299Netherlands Jack Middelburg IMN-Yamaha YZR500 DNS 15 Ret 1 Ret Ret 9 82010Japan Takazumi Katayama Honda-HRC RG500/NR500 6 4 6 Ret Ret 15 1218 11Italy Carlo Perugini Team Gattina RG500 5 10 13 Ret 7 7 Ret 917 12South Africa 1928 Kork Ballington Team Kawasaki KR500 Ret 13 8 5 7 11 13 13Switzerland Philippe Coulon Frankonia-Suzuki RG500 9 8 16 Ret 11 8 8 Ret 11 14The Netherlands Boet Van Dulmen IMN-Yamaha YZR500 Ret 18 19 4 9 Ret 16 Ret 10 15Great Britain Barry Sheene Akai-Yamaha YZR500 7 5 Ret Ret DNQ Ret10 16France Patrick Pons Sonauto Gauloises-Yamaha YZR500 Ret Ret 10 10 8 6 Ret10 17France Patrick Fernandez Ecurie Ste Pernod YZR500 Ret Ret Ret 7 Ret 14 4 18France Michel Rougerie Ecurie Ste Pernod RG500 DNQ 11 7 14 Ret 15 Ret 4 19France Christian Estrosi Team Furygan Suzuki RG500 8 16 Ret Ret DNQ Ret 3 20The Netherlands Henk De Vries RG500 9 DNQ 252 21Japan Sadao Asami Yamaha International YZR500 Ret Ret 12 DNQ 15 9 Ret 152 22Switzerland Michel Frutschi Elf-Yamaha YZR500 Ret 9 22 Ret DNQ 18 Ret Ret 2 23France Raymond Roche Sonauto Gauloises-Yamaha YZR500 Ret DNQ 11 DNQ 12 10 141 24Germany Gustav Reiner Nava Kucera Racing Team RG500 DNQ DNQ Ret 22 101 25France Bernard Fau GME Motul GPA YZR500 Ret Ret 15 10 Ret Ret1 26Great Britain Dave Potter Mitsui-Yamaha YZR500 15 DNQ 101 27Switzerland Sergio Pellandini RG500 10 Ret 21 DNQ DNQ Ret 1 Italy Maurizio Massimiani YZR500 11 23 13 13 0 USA Dale Singleton YZR500 DNQ 18 Ret 11 16 0 France Franck Gross RG500 24 Ret 11 DNQ Ret 0 Australia Jeff Sayle YZR500 DNQ DNQ 11 Ret Ret Ret 0 Netherlands Willem Zoet RG500 DNQ 18 12 14 Ret 19 Ret 0 Italy Gianfranco Bonera YZR500 12 17 Ret 0 Sweden Lennart Bäckström RG500 12 0 Great Britain John Newbold RG500 12 0 Finland Markku Matikainen YZR500 DNQ 19 20 13 Ret DNQ 0 Italy Guido Paci RG500 13 Ret 0 Finland Seppo Rossi RG500 DNQ 14 14 16 Ret Ret 23 0 New Zealand Stuart Avant RG500 DNQ Ret 14 0 Belgium Richard Hubin YZR500 14 Ret 0 Austria Werner Nenning RG500 DNQ Ret DNQ Ret 16 23 18 0 GBR Mick Grant RG500 16 Ret DNQ 0 GBR Steve Parrish RG500 17 DNQ 17 17 0 France Hubert Rigal YZR500 DNQ 17 Ret Ret DNQ 17 Ret 0 Australia Kenny Blake YZR500 17 0 Great Britain Roger Marshall YZR500 18 0 Austria Max Wiener RG500 DNQ DNQ DNQ 19 25 0 Germany Josef Hage RG500 DNQ DNQ 19 0 Sweden Peter Sjöström RG500 DNQ DNQ DNQ Ret 20 0 Germany Peter Ammann RG500 20 0 Italy Giovanni Pelletier Morbidelli Ret DNQ DNQ DNQ 21 0 Great Britain Paul Henderson RG500 21 0 Switzerland Wolfgang von Muralt YZR500 22 0 Germany Gerhard Vogt RG500 24 0 Germany Jürgen Steiner RG500 24 0 Austria Michael Schmid RG500 DNQ 26 0 Germany Alois Tost YZR500 27 0 Germany Bruno Kölble YZR500 28 0 Germany Rolf Schneider YZR500 29 0 France Christian Sarron YZR500 Ret Ret 0 Italy Gianni Rolando RG500 Ret Ret DNQ Ret 0 Italy Carlo Prati RG500 Ret DNQ Ret 0 South Africa 1928 Jon Ekerold Sol/Bimota DNQ DNQ Ret DNS DNS 0 USA Skip Aksland YZR500 Ret 0 Belgium Alain Nies RG500 DNQ Ret DNQ 0 USA Freddie Spencer YZR500 Ret 0 ITA Adelio Faccioli RG500 Ret 0 GER Anton Mang KR500 Ret 0 SWE Peter Sköld RG500 Ret 0 FIN Kimmo Kopra YZR500 Ret 0 Great Britain Graham Wood YZR500 Ret 0 Great Britain Steve Manship YZR500 Ret 0 Germany Elmar Renner RG500 DNQ DNQ Ret 0 Australia Gregg Hansford KR500 Ret 0 Germany Klaus Klein RG500 Ret 0 Italy Virginio Ferrari GP500 Ret 0 Germany Clemens Driesch RG500 Ret 0 Germany Fritz Reitmaier RG500 Ret 0Sources:https://www.motogp.com/en/world-standing/1980/500cc/championship-standings 1980 500cc World Championship race results motogp.com 19 March 2026 350cc standings Place Rider Number Country Machine Points Wins1 South Africa 1928 Jon Ekerold8 South Africa Yamaha6332 West Germany Anton Mang4 West Germany Kawasaki6023 France Jean-François Baldé France Kawasaki3804 Venezuela 1930 Johnny Cecotto Venezuela Yamaha3715 Australia Jeff Sayle10 Australia Yamaha2506 France Eric Saul France Yamaha2407 Switzerland Jacques Cornu27 Switzerland Yamaha2108 Italy Massimo Matteoni4 Italy Yamaha1909 Italy Walter Villa4 Italy Yamaha16010 France Patrick Fernandez2 France Yamaha12011 Carlo Perugini 1012 Tony Head 913 Carlos Lavado 814 Roland Freymond 715 Gregg Hansford 616 Tony Rogers 617 Jacques Bolle 618 Keith Huewen 619 Thierry Espié 620 Jean-Louis Tournadre 521 Loris Reggiani 422 Graeme McGregor 423 Alan North 224 Pekka Nurmi 125 Edi Stoellinger 1Sources:https://www.motogp.com/en/world-standing/1980/350cc/championship-standings 1980 350cc World Championship race results motogp.com 19 March 2026 250cc standings Place Rider Number Country Machine Points Wins1 West Germany Anton Mang6 West Germany Kawasaki12842 South Africa 1928 Kork Ballington1 South Africa Kawasaki8753 France Jean-François Baldé8 France Kawasaki5904 France Thierry Espié France Yamaha5305 Switzerland Roland Freymond10 Switzerland Morbidelli4606 Venezuela 1930 Carlos Lavado Venezuela Yamaha2917 Italy Gianpaolo Marchetti Italy Yamaha2808 Switzerland Jacques Cornu Switzerland Yamaha2609 France Eric Saul France Yamaha24010 France Patrick Fernandez5 France Yamaha160 11Edi Stoellinger 16 12Hans Müller 16 13Sauro Pazzaglia 12 14Graeme McGregor 12 15Pier Luigi Conforti 10 16Jean-Louis Guignabodet 9 17Didier de Radiguès 8 18Eero Hyvärinen 8 19Clive Horton 7 20Paolo Ferretti 7 21Greame Geddes 6 22R.Sibille 6 23Steve Tonkin 5 24Jacques Bolle 5 25Herbert Hauf 4 26A.Gouin 4 27Reinhold Roth 4 28Walter Villa 4 29Charlie Williams 2 30Martin Wimmer 2 31Marco Papa 1 32Jean-Louis Tournadre 1 33Rene Delaby 1 34F.Marcheggiani 1 35Tony Rogers 1 36H.Tomic 1Sources:https://www.motogp.com/en/world-standing/1980/250cc/championship-standings 1980 250cc World Championship race results motogp.com 19 March 2026 125cc standings Place Rider Number Country Machine Points Wins1 Italy Pier Paolo Bianchi10 Italy MBA9022 France Guy Bertin6 France Motobécane8133 Spain 1977 Angel Nieto1 Spain Minarelli7844 Switzerland Bruno Kneubühler9 Switzerland MBA6805 Switzerland Hans Müller Switzerland MBA6406 Italy Loris Reggiani Italy Minarelli6317 Venezuela 1930 Iván Palazzese Venezuela MBA2808 Italy Maurizio Massimiani2 Italy Minarelli2009 Netherlands Peter Looijensteijn Netherlands MBA18010 Australia Barry Smith Australia MBA17011 Harald Bartol 1512 Ricardo Tormo 1313 Stefan Dörflinger 1314 Gianpaolo Marchetti 1015 August Auinger 916 Jose Dubon 817 Eugenio Lazzarini 818 Rolf Blatter 819 Henk Van Kessel 820 Gert Bender 621 Michel Galbit 622 P.Herouard 623 Janos Drapal 524 Thierry Noblesse 425 Matti Kinnunen 426 Jhonni Baeckstroem 227 S.Janssen 228 Jean Claude Selini 229 Johnny Wickstroem 130 Hugo Vignetti 131 Z.Ljeljak 132 Anton Straver 1Sources:https://www.motogp.com/en/world-standing/1980/125cc/championship-standings 1980 125cc World Championship race results motogp.com 19 March 2026 50cc standings Place Rider Number Country Machine Points Wins1 Italy Eugenio Lazzarini1 Italy Ipremen Iprem : 50cc Roadracing Story - The Iprem was a rebadged Van Veen-Kreidler7422 Switzerland Stefan Dörflinger10 Switzerland Kreidler7223 Austria Hans Hummel Austria Kreidler3704 Spain 1977 Ricardo Tormo Spain Kreidler3625 Netherlands Henk van Kessel7 Netherlands Kreidler3106 Netherlands Hans Spaan Netherlands Kreidler The Best Team2407 Netherlands Theo Timmer Netherlands Bultaco1908 France Yves Dupont France ABF1809 France Jacques Hutteau8 France ABF18010 West Germany Wolfgang Müller West Germany Kreidler15011 Switzerland Rolf Blatter 1412 West Germany Gerhard Waibel 713 AustriaOtto Machinek 714 West Germany Ingo Emmerich 615 Italy Giuseppe Ascareggi 416 West Germany Günter Schirnhofer 417 Spain Daniel Mateos 318 Italy Claudio Lusuardi 319 Italy Enrico Cereda 220 ItalyAldo Pero 121 West GermanyGerhard Böhl 1Sources:https://www.motogp.com/en/world-standing/1980/50cc/championship-standings 1980 50cc World Championship race results motogp.com 19 March 2026 References Büla, Maurice & Schertenleib, Jean-Claude (2001). Continental Circus 1949-2000. Chronosports S.A. 2-940125-32-5 Peter Clifford (1980) Motocourse 1980-81 Hazleton Publishing 978-0905138145 The Official MotoGP website http://www.motogp.com/en/Results+Statistics/1980/NAT/500cc/World+Standing 2010-07-06 2012-09-18 https://web.archive.org/web/20120918192621/http://www.motogp.com/en/Results+Statistics/1980/NAT/500cc/World+Standing dead Category:Grand Prix motorcycle racing seasons Grand Prix motorcycle racing season