1956 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season

Sports season 1956 F.I.M. Grand Prix motorcycle racing season 1955 1957 thumb|Bill Lomas (left) and John Surtees (right), the 1956 350cc and 500cc World Champion respectively. thumb|Carlo Ubbiali, the 1956 125cc and 250cc World Champion. The 1956 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season was the eighth F.I.M. Road Racing World Championship Grand Prix season. The season consisted of six Grand Prix races in five classes: 500cc, 350cc, 250cc, 125cc and Sidecars 500cc. It began on 8 June, with Isle of Man TT and ended with Nations Grand Prix in Italy on 9 September. Reigning 500cc champion Geoff Duke had to serve a six months ban at the start of the season for supporting a strike by privateer riders over starting money at the 1955 Dutch TT.GEOFF DUKE: FIRST GENTLEMAN OF RACING https://amcn.com.au/editorial/geoff-duke-first-gentleman-of-racing/ 2023-11-07 Australian Motorcycle News en-AUGeoff Duke would have been 100 years old today https://www.speedweek.com/motogp/news/205889/Geoff-Duke-waere-heute-100-Jahre-alt-geworden.html?lang=en 2023-11-07 www.speedweek.com 1956 Grand Prix season calendar Round Date Grand Prix Circuit 125cc winner 250cc winner 350cc winner 500cc winner Sidecars 500cc winner Report 1 8 June IOM Isle of Man TT Snaefell Mountain ITA 1946 Carlo Ubbiali ITA 1946 Carlo Ubbiali AUS Ken Kavanagh GBR John Surtees FRG Hillebrand / Grunwald Report 2 30 June NLD Dutch TT TT Circuit Assen ITA 1946 Carlo Ubbiali ITA 1946 Carlo Ubbiali GBR Bill Lomas GBR John Surtees FRG Hillebrand / Grunwald Report 3 8 July BEL Belgian Grand Prix Spa-Francorchamps ITA 1946 Carlo Ubbiali ITA 1946 Carlo Ubbiali GBR John Surtees GBR John Surtees FRG Noll / Cron Report 4 22 July FRG German Grand Prix Solitude ITA 1946 Romolo Ferri ITA 1946 Carlo Ubbiali GBR Bill Lomas IRL Reg Armstrong FRG Noll / Cron Report 5 11 August NIR Ulster Grand Prix Dundrod Circuit ITA 1946 Carlo Ubbiali CHE Luigi Taveri GBR Bill Lomas GBR John Hartle FRG Noll / Cron Report 6 9 September ITA 1946 Nations Grand Prix Monza ITA 1946 Carlo Ubbiali ITA 1946 Carlo Ubbiali ITA 1946 Libero Liberati GBR Geoff Duke ITA 1946 Milani / Milani Report Standings Scoring system Points were awarded to the top six finishers in each race. Only the four best races were counted in all five classes: the Sidecars, 125cc, 250cc, 350cc and 500cc championships. Position  1st   2nd   3rd   4th   5th   6th  Points 8 6 4 3 2 1 500cc final standings Pos Rider Machine MANGBR HOLNLD BELBEL GERDEU ULSUlster NACITA Pts 1 GBR John Surtees MV Agusta 1 1 1 24 2 DEU Walter Zeller BMW 4 2 2 Ret Ret 6 16 3 GBR John Hartle Norton 2 1 14 4 FRA Pierre Monneret Gilera 3 3 3 12 5 IRL Reg Armstrong Gilera Ret 1 Ret 4 11 6 ITA Umberto Masetti MV AgustaDNS Ret 4 2 Ret 9 7 GBR Geoff Duke Gilera Ret Ret Ret 1 8 8 AUS Bob Brown Matchless Ret 2 6 9 ITA Libero Liberati Gilera 2 6 10 ZAF 1928 Eddie Grant Norton 37 3 11 5 6 11 GBR Jack Brett Norton 3 6 5 12 NZL Peter Murphy Matchless Ret 3 4 13 AUS Keith Bryen Norton Ret 4 10 6 4 14 AUT Gerold Klinger BMW 4 9 3 15 GBR Geoffrey Tanner Norton Ret 4 3 16 ITA Alfredo Milani Gilera 5 8 2 17 GBR Bill Lomas Moto Guzzi 5 Ret Ret Ret Ret 2 18 NZL Paul Fahey Matchless Ret 5 Ret Ret 2 19 ITA Carlo Bandirola MV Agusta 5 2 = NIR Wilf Herron Norton 5 2 21 DEU Ernst Hiller BMW 6 8 10 1 22 IOM Derek Ennett Matchless 6 1 = BEL Auguste Goffin Norton 6 1 24 GBR Alan Trow Norton 7 9 0 25 CAN 1921 Gerald Robarts Norton 15 7 0 26 AUS Barry Hodgkinson Norton 22 Ret 7 Ret 0 27 DEU Alois Huber BMW RS 7 Ret 0 28 NIR Austin Carson Norton 7 0 = ITA Roberto Colombo MV Agusta 7 0 30 GBR John Storr Norton 8 Ret 12 0 31 GBR Dave Chadwick Norton 23 8 0 32 NLD Piet Bakker Norton 8 0 = NZL Gavin Dunlop Matchless 8 0 34 IOM Jackie Wood Velocette / Norton 24 Ret 9 Ret 0 35 NIR Bob Matthews Norton 9 Ret 0 36 NLD Priem Rozenberg BMW 9 0 = GBR George Salt Norton 9 0 38 GBR Dennis Chapman Norton 10 11 0 39 NZL Frederick Cook Matchless 18 10 13 17 0 40 NIR Angus Martin Matchless Ret 10 0 41 FRA Jacques Collot Norton Manx 10 Ret 0 42 DEU Ernst Riedelbauch BMW Ret 11 11 0 43 GBR Ralph Rensen Norton 11 13 0 44 NLD Casper Swart Norton 11 0 45 GIB John Grace Norton Ret Ret 12 0 = DEU Hans-Günther Jäger Norton Ret Ret 12 0 47 GBR Stephen Murray Norton 12 0 = NIR Mike O'Rourke Norton 12 0 49 ITA Giuseppe Cantoni MV Agusta 13 0 = IOM George Costain Norton 13 0 = DEU Peter Knees BMW 13 0 52 Wales Frank Perris Matchless 14 Ret 0 53 IRL Michael Roche NortonDNS 14 0 = DEU Hans-Joachim Scheel Norton 14 0 = NIR Harry Turner Norton 14 0 56 SWE Ulf Gate Norton 15 0 = BEL Pierre Nicholas Norton 15 0 = GBR Des Sloan Norton 15 0 59 IOM Frank Fox Norton 16 0 = GBR Bill Roberton Matchless 16 0 = DEU Berthold Sieler Norton 16 0 62 NIR Martin Brosnan BSA 17 0 = GBR Harry Plews Norton 17 0 64 GBR Harry Lowe BSA 41 18 0 = DEU Karl-Heinz Scheifel Norton 18 0 66 NIR Phil Carter Norton 19 0 = NIR Stanley Williamson Norton 19 0 68 GBR Denis Christian Matchless 20 0 69 GGY Ken Tostevin Matchless 21 Ret 0 70 GBR Ken Tully Norton 25 0 71 NIR Bob Ferguson Matchless 26 0 72 GBR Louis Carr Matchless 27 0 73 GBR Brian Duffy Norton 28 Ret 0 74 GBR Albert Moule Norton 29 0 75 AUS Dick Thomson Matchless 30 Ret 0 76 GBR Llewelyn Ranson Norton 31 0 77 British East Africa Vic Preston Norton 32 0 78 GBR Bill Beevers Norton 33 0 79 GBR Ken Willis Norton 34 0 80 ZAF 1928 James Edwards Norton 35 0 81 NZL George Begg AJS 36 Ret 0 82 GBR Joe Glazebrook Norton 38 0 83 COL E. Barona Norton 39 0 84 GBR Walter Hancock BSA 40 0 85 NZL Stan Cameron AJS 42 0 86 Ceylon 1951 Ralph Wijesinghe BSA 43 0 87 GBR Roly Capner BSA 44 0 88 GBR John Denton Norton 45 0 - AUS Keith Campbell Norton / Moto Guzzi Ret Ret Ret 0 - DEU Günther Borgesdiek Norton Ret Ret 0 - NZL Robert Coleman Norton Ret Ret 0 - ESP 1945 Francisco González Norton Ret Ret 0 - AUS Ken Kavanagh Moto GuzziDNS Ret RetDNS 0 - SWE Olle Nygren Matchless Ret Ret 0 - NLD Leen Reehorst Jawa Ret Ret 0 - NLD Martinus van Son Matchless Ret Ret 0 - SWE Sven Andersson Norton Ret 0 - FRA Jean-Pierre Bayle Norton Ret 0 - BEL Raymond Bogaerdt Norton Ret 0 - DEU Buno Böhrer Horex Ret 0 - ITA Paolo Campanelli Gilera Ret 0 - GBR George Catlin Norton Ret 0 - ITA Artemio Cirelli Gilera Ret 0 - GBR John Clark Matchless Ret 0 - NZL Robert Cook BSA Ret 0 - GBR Ronald Cousins Norton Ret 0 - GBR Dickie Dale Moto Guzzi Ret 0 - BEL Firmin Dawue Norton Ret 0 - ITA Gerardo Düring Matchless Ret 0 - NLD Anton Elbersen Matchless Ret 0 - DEU Karl-Heinz Ewig Norton Ret 0 - GBR Ray Fay BSA Ret 0 - GBR Robin Fitton Norton Ret 0 - GBR Brian Freestone Norton Ret 0 - ITA Enrico Galante Norton Ret 0 - ITA Martino Giani Gilera Ret 0 - ITA Francesco Guglielminetti Norton Ret 0 - GBR William Hall Norton Ret 0 - CZE Gustav Havel Jawa Ret 0 - CZE Frantisek Helikar Jawa Ret 0 - AUS Eric Hinton NortonDNS Ret 0 - NLD Jaap Iesberts Matchless Ret 0 - GBR Roy Ingram BSA Ret 0 - GBR Arnold Jones Matchless Ret 0 - NLD Kees Koster Norton Ret 0 - GBR George Leigh Norton Ret 0 = CAN 1921 Ivor Lloyd Norton Ret 0 = ITA Giuseppe Mantelli Gilera Ret 0 - NIR Robert McCracken Norton Ret 0 - GBR Bob McIntyre Norton Ret 0 - BEL Jules Nies Norton Ret 0 - GBR Frank Norris Norton Ret 0 - NIR Ernie Oliver Norton Ret 0 - ITA Sergio Pinza Moto Guzzi Ret 0 - GBR Maurice Pizzey Norton Ret 0 - GBR Derek Powell Matchless Ret 0 - GBR Charlie Salt BSA Ret 0 - GBR Brian Setchell AJS Ret 0 - GBR Terry Shepherd Norton Ret 0 - NLD Lodewijk Simons Norton Ret 0 - CZE František Šťastný Jawa Ret 0 - GBR Ken Swallow Matchless Ret 0 - NLD Gerrit Ten Kate Norton Ret 0 - GBR Gerry Turner Pike-BSA Ret 0 - NLD Drikus Veer Jawa Ret 0 - CAN 1921 John Waring Norton Ret 0 - GBR Arthur Wheeler Moto Guzzi Ret 0 - IND Jack Wilks BSA Ret 0 - GBR Trevor Williams Norton Ret 0 - NZL Len Aislabie NortonDNS 0 - NZL Rod Coleman NortonDNS 0 - GBR Robert King NortonDNS 0 - GBR Derek Minter BSADNS 0 - Morocco 1912 E. Muñoz NortonDNS 0 - Morocco 1912 M. Muñoz NortonDNS 0 - GBR George Northwood BSADNS 0 - GBR Tony Ovens NortonDNS 0 - CAN 1921 H. Wieland NortonDNS 0 - IRL J. Woods NortonDNS 0 Pos Rider Bike MANGBR HOLNLD BELBEL GERDEU ULSUlster NACITA PtsBold – Pole Italics – Fastest Lap 350cc Standings Place Rider Number Country Machine Points Wins 1 GBR Bill Lomas United Kingdom Moto Guzzi 24 3 2 GBR Dickie Dale United Kingdom Moto Guzzi 17 0 = FRG August Hobl Germany DKW 17 0 4 GBR John Surtees United Kingdom MV Agusta 14 1 5 GBR Cecil Sandford United Kingdom DKW 13 0 6 AUS Ken Kavanagh Australia Moto Guzzi 10 1 7 ITA Libero Liberati Italy Gilera 8 1 8 GBR John Hartle United Kingdom Norton 8 0 9 GBR Derek Ennett United Kingdom AJS 6 0 10 FRG Karl Hofmann Germany DKW 6 0 11 ITA Roberto Colombo Italy MV Agusta 4 0 12 GBR Jack Brett United Kingdom Norton 3 0 13 NLD Hans Bartl Netherlands DKW 3 0 14 ITA Umberto Masetti Italy MV Agusta 2 0 = NZL Peter Murphy New Zealand AJS 2 0 = ZAF 1928 Eddie Grant South Africa Norton 2 0 17 AUS Bob Brown Australia AJS 1 0 = GBR Bob Matthews United Kingdom Norton 1 0 = GBR Alan Trow United Kingdom Norton 1 0 250cc Standings Place Rider Number Country Machine Points Wins 1 ITA Carlo Ubbiali Italy MV Agusta 32 5 2 CHE Luigi Taveri Switzerland MV Agusta 26 1 3 ITA Enrico Lorenzetti Italy Moto Guzzi 10 0 4 ITA Roberto Colombo Italy MV Agusta 9 0 = FRG Horst Kassner Germany NSU 9 0 6 ITA Remo Venturi Italy MV Agusta 8 0 7 GBR Sammy Miller United Kingdom NSU 7 0 8 FRG Hans Baltisberger Germany NSU 7 0 9 GBR Arthur Wheeler United Kingdom Moto Guzzi 5 0 10 NZL Bob Coleman New Zealand NSU 3 0 = NLD Kees Koster Netherlands NSU 3 0 12 CSK František Bartoš Czechoslovakia ČZ 2 0 = GBR Bill Maddrick United Kingdom Moto Guzzi 2 0 = NLD Lo Simons Netherlands NSU 2 0 = ITA Alano Montanari Italy Moto Guzzi 2 0 = AUS Bob Brown Australia NSU 2 0 17 FRA Jean-Pierre Bayle France NSU 1 0 = CHE Maurice Büla Switzerland NSU 1 0 = FRG Roland Heck Germany NSU 1 0 = CSK Jiří Koštíř Czechoslovakia ČZ 1 0 125cc Riders' standings Pos. Rider Bike MANGBR NEDNLD BELBEL GERDEU ULSUlster NATITA Pts 1 ITA Carlo Ubbiali MV Agusta 1F 1F 1 2 1F 1 32 (46) 2 ITA Romolo Ferri Gilera NCF 1 2 14 3 CHE Luigi Taveri MV Agusta 2 4 4 12 4 ITA Tarquinio Provini Mondial 3 2F 10 5 ITA Fortunato Libanori MV Agusta 2 4 9 6 ESP 1945 Marcelo Cama Montesa 2 6 7 FRG August Hobl DKW 3 5 6 8 FRG Karl Hofmann DKW 5 5 6 5 9 ESP 1945 Francisco Gonzalez Montesa 3 4 9 FRA Pierre Monneret Gilera 3 4 9 GBR Bill Webster MV Agusta 3 4 9 ITA Renato Sartori Mondial 3 4 13 GBR Cecil Sandford Mondial 4 6 4 14 ESP 1945 Enrico Sirera Montesa 4 3 14 GBR Bill Maddrick MV Agusta 4 3 16 GBR Dave Chadwick LEF 5 2 16 GBR Frank Cope MV Agusta 5 2 16 ITA Sandro Artusi Ducati 5 2 19 CSK Vaclav Parus ČZ 6 1 19 CSK František Bartoš ČZ 6 1 19 GIB Johnny Grace Montesa 6 1 Pos. Rider Bike ESPESP 1945 FRAFRA MANGBR GERDEU NEDNLD NATITA Pts Constructors' standings Each constructor is awarded the same number of points as their best placed rider in each race. Pos. Constructor MANGBR NEDNLD BELBEL GERDEU ULSUlster NATITA Pts 1 ITA MV Agusta 1 1 1 2 1 1 32 (46) 2 ITA Gilera 3 1 2 18 3 ITA Mondial 4 3 2 13 4 FRG DKW 3 5 5 6 9 5 ESP 1945 Montesa 2 6 7 6 Flag of None.svg LEF 5 2 6 ITA Ducati 5 2 8 CSK ČZ 6 6 2 Pos. Constructor MANGBR NEDNLD BELBEL GERDEU ULSUlster NATITA Pts Sources References Haefliger Werner FIM MotoGP Results 1949–2023 Guide Lightweight class 25–27 978-2-9701086-8-9 2024 Büla, Maurice & Schertenleib, Jean-Claude (2001). Continental Circus 1949-2000. Chronosports S.A. 2-940125-32-5 The Official MotoGP website http://www.motogp.com/en/Results+Statistics/1956/NAT/500cc/World+Standing 2010-07-06 2012-09-18 https://web.archive.org/web/20120918192621/http://www.motogp.com/en/Results+Statistics/1956/NAT/500cc/World+Standing dead Category:Grand Prix motorcycle racing seasons Grand Prix motorcycle racing season