1971 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season

Sports season April 2014 1971 F.I.M. Grand Prix motorcycle racing season 1970 1972 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 claimed his tenth world championship in 1971, passing Carlo Ubbiali and Mike Hailwood as the all time championship leader.Dennis Noyes 1999 Michael Scott Motocourse: 50 Years Of Moto Grand Prix Hazleton Publishing Ltd 1-874557-83-7 However, after the death of Count Domenico Agusta in February 1971, MV Agusta's focus turned to the aviation industry. The Count's passion for motorcycle racing had been the driving force behind the MV Agusta team, and without his presence, the racing team's importance within the company began to wither.https://www.cycleworld.com/blogs/ask-kevin/mv-agusta-four-stroke-racing-technology-development-history/ What If MV Agusta Had Not Lost Its Leadership in 1971? Cycle World 20 August 2026 Cameron Kevin April 25, 2023 thumb|250px|Jarno Saarinen (48) at 1971 Nations Grand Prix Angel Nieto challenged for the 50cc and 125cc titles however, a crash in the final 50cc race handed the title to Dutchman Jan de Vries. Nieto was able to claim the 125 crown over a young Barry Sheene. Phil Read captured the 250 championship on a private Yamaha-powered Eric Cheney-designed chassis, after falling out with the Yamaha factory.https://www.theguardian.com/news/2002/jan/10/guardianobituaries Obituary:Eric Cheney Melling Frank 10 January 2002 The Guardian 8 October 2010 London The 1971 250cc East German Grand Prix was notable for the incident that occurred after the race victory by West German rider Dieter Braun. As Das Lied der Deutschen (the West German national anthem), was being played during the winner's ceremony, the East German crowd began singing the words to the anthem.https://www.motogp.com/pt/news/2025/05/24/figures-do-not-lie-iconic-crowds-iconic-venues/750354 Figures do not Lie motogp.com 25 August 2026 The SED officials reacted by making the East German Grand Prix open only to Eastern Bloc competitors beginning in 1973. Agostini's record setting winning streak ended at the 1971 Isle of Man TT when his MV Agusta broke down on the first lap of the Junior TT.https://www.topgear.com/car-news/motorsport/classic-motorsport-moment-agostinis-ridiculous-winning-streak Classic motorsport moment: Agostini’s ridiculous winning streak topgear.com 20 August 2026 From the beginning of the 1968 season to the 1971 Isle of Man TT, Agostini won every single race he contested in the 350cc and 500cc classes. By that point, he had won 58 consecutive races, including 26 in the 350cc class and 32 in the 500cc class. 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 Czechoslovak round then won again in Italy as Yamaha continued to close the performance gap to the dominant MV Agusta team. thumb|right|Giacomo Agostini (1) and Phil Read (5) in action during the 1971 350cc Dutch TT. Agostini had things his way in the 500cc class, winning the first eight rounds of the eleven race series against minimal factory-sponsored opposition. For the second consecutive year a New Zealand rider finished second in the premier class – Ginger Molloy in 1970 and Keith Turner in 1971. 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.Jack Findlay obituary - The Telegraphhttp://www.crash.net/motogp/feature/72234/1/motogp_milestones_1949-2003.html MotoGP Milestones 22 May 2003 crash.net 30 March 2017 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. 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 AUT Austrian Grand Prix Salzburgring NLD Jan de Vries ESP 1945 Angel Nieto ITA Silvio Grassetti ITA Giacomo Agostini ITA Giacomo Agostini DEU Butscher / Huber Report 2 16 May FRG West German Grand Prix Hockenheimring NLD Jan de Vries GBR Dave Simmonds GBR Phil Read ITA Giacomo Agostini ITA Giacomo Agostini DEU Auerbacher / Hahn Report 3 12 June IOM Isle of Man TT Snaefell Mountain GBR Chas Mortimer GBR Phil Read GBR Tony Jefferies ITA Giacomo Agostini DEU Schauzu / Kalauch Report 4 26 June NLD Dutch TT Assen ESP 1945 Angel Nieto ESP 1945 Angel Nieto GBR Phil Read ITA Giacomo Agostini ITA Giacomo Agostini DEU Owesle / Kremer Report 5 4 July BEL Belgian Grand Prix Spa-Francorchamps NLD Jan de Vries GBR Barry Sheene ITA Silvio Grassetti ITA Giacomo Agostini DEU Schauzu / Kalauch Report 6 11 July DDR East German Grand Prix Sachsenring ESP 1945 Angel Nieto ESP 1945 Angel Nieto FRG Dieter Braun ITA Giacomo Agostini ITA Giacomo Agostini Report 7 18 July CSK Czechoslovak Grand Prix Brno GBR Barry Sheene ESP 1945 Angel Nieto HUN János Drapál FIN Jarno Saarinen DEU Schauzu / Kalauch Report 8 25 July SWE Swedish Grand Prix Anderstorp ESP 1945 Angel Nieto GBR Barry Sheene GBR Rodney Gould ITA Giacomo Agostini ITA Giacomo Agostini Report 9 1 August FIN Finnish Grand Prix Imatra GBR Barry Sheene GBR Rodney Gould ITA Giacomo Agostini ITA Giacomo Agostini DEU GBR Owesle / Rutterford Report 10 14 August NIR Ulster Grand Prix Dundrod NIR Ray McCullough GBR Peter Williams AUS Jack Findlay DEU GBR Owesle / Rutterford Report 11 12 September ITA Nations Grand Prix Monza NLD Jan de Vries ITA Gilberto Parlotti CHE Gyula Marsovsky FIN Jarno Saarinen ITA Alberto Pagani Report 12 26 September ESP 1945 Spanish Grand Prix Jarama NLD Jan de Vries ESP 1945 Angel Nieto FIN Jarno Saarinen FIN Teuvo Länsivuori GBR Dave Simmonds Report Final standings 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. Position  1st   2nd   3rd   4th   5th   6th   7th   8th   9th   10th  Points 15 12 10 8 6 5 4 3 2 1 500cc final standings Pos Rider Machine AUTAUT GERDEU MANIOM HOLNLD BELBEL DDRDDR SWESWE FINFIN ULSNIR NACITA ESPESP 1945 Pts 1 ITA Giacomo Agostini MV Agusta 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 Ret 90 (120) 2 NZL Keith Turner Coleman-Suzuki 2 Ret 7 4 Ret 2 2 4 Ret 6 5 58 (67) 3 NLD Rob Bron Suzuki 2 2 4 8 Ret 3 2 57 4 GBR Dave Simmonds Kawasaki Ret 3 Ret 6 2 3 1 52 5 AUS Jack Findlay Suzuki / Jawa 4 Ret Ret 3 10 5 1 5 6 50 (51) 6 FRA Eric Offenstadt Kawasaki 3 Ret Ret 2 Ret Ret Ret Ret 3 32 7 NIR Tommy Robb Hurst-Seeley / Matchless 6 15 7 Ret 3 9 3 31 8 ITA Alberto Pagani Linto / MV Agusta 7 5 Ret Ret Ret Ret 7 1 29 9 FIN Kaarlo Koivuniemi Seeley-Matchless 5 5 Ret 2 24 10 GBR Ron Chandler Kawasaki 3 Ret 5 Ret 8 Ret 19 11 GBR Frank Perris Suzuki / Seeley / Linto 3 7 Ret Ret Ret 14 12 DEU Lothar John Yamaha 5 Ret 12 Ret Ret Ret 8 7 13 13 ITA Gianpiero Zubani Kawasaki Ret 2 12 14 GBR Peter Williams Arter-Matchless 2 12 15 SWE Bo Granath Husqvarna 8 Ret Ret 8 Ret 6 10 Ret 12 16 GBR Billie Nelson Paton 6 6 10 11 17 DEU Ernst Hiller Kawasaki Ret 11 Ret Ret 3 10 18 GBR Maurice Hawthorne Kawasaki Ret 4 Ret Ret Ret Ret Ret Ret 8 19 CHE Hans-Rudolf Brünger Bultaco 4 Ret 8 20 ESP 1945 Benjamin Grau Bultaco 4 8 = Wales Selwyn Griffiths Cowles-Matchless 4 8 = SWE Ulfe Nilsson Seeley-Matchless 4 8 = GBR Phil Read Ducati 4 8 = GBR Percy Tait Seeley-Matchless 4 8 25 SWE Ivan Carlsson Yamaha Ret Ret 11 6 Ret Ret Ret 9 7 26 GBR Jim Curry Seeley-Matchless Ret 5 Ret 6 27 NIR Gerry Mateer Norton Ret 5 6 = GBR Gordon Pantall Padgett-Kawasaki 5 Ret 6 29 AUT Karl Auer Matchless Ret Ret 6 Ret 5 30 FIN Matti Salonen Yamaha Ret Ret 6 5 31 GBR Roger Sutcliffe Matchless 6 5 32 DEU Hans-Otto Butenuth BMW 7 10 Ret Ret 5 33 NLD Piet Van der Wal Kawasaki Ret 9 Ret 8 5 34 AUS Peter Jones Suzuki 19 Ret 7 4 35 CHE Jean Campiche Honda 7 Ret 4 36 NIR Tom Herron Seeley 7 4 = SWE Morgan Radberg Monark 7 4 38 DEU Kurt-Willy Bertsch BMW 8 3 = ESP 1945 Joan Bordons Bultaco 8 3 = GBR Jerry Lancaster Yamaha 8 3 = GBR Charlie SanbySeeley-Matchless 8 3 42 DEU Paul Eickelberg Yamaha 9 10 Ret 3 43 SWE Johnny Bengtsson Kawasaki 9 Ret 2 = FIN Pentti Lehtelä Yamaha 9 Ret 2 = GBR Tom Dickie Cowles-Matchless 9 2 = DEU Horst Dzierzawa Yamaha 9 2 = ITA Giuseppe Mongardi Ducati 9 2 = NIR Donnie Robinson Padgett-Yamaha 9 2 49 AUS John Dodds König Ret 10 Ret Ret Ret Ret Ret Ret 1 = ITA Emanuele Maugliani Seeley-Matchless 10 1 = NLD Rob Noorlander Norton 10 1 = GBR Stan Woods Norton 10 1 Pos Rider Bke AUTAUT GERDEU MANIOM HOLNLD BELBEL DDRDDR SWESWE FINFIN ULSNIR NACITA ESPESP 1945 PtsBold – Pole Italics – Fastest Lap 1971 350 cc Roadracing World Championship final standings Place Rider Number Country Machine Points Wins1 ITA Giacomo Agostini1 Italy MV Agusta9062 FIN Jarno Saarinen Finland Yamaha6323 SWE Ivan Carlsson Sweden Yamaha3904 NLD Theo Bult Netherlands Yamaha3605 GBR Paul Smart United Kingdom Yamaha3406 CHE Werner Pfirter Switzerland Yamaha3307 SWE Bo Granath10 Sweden Yamaha3007 HUN László Szabó Hungary Yamaha2909 GBR Tony Jefferies United Kingdom Yamaha25110 FIN Teuvo Lansivuori Finland Yamaha251 1971 250 cc Roadracing World Championship final standings Place Rider Number Country Machine Points Wins1 GBR Phil Read United Kingdom Yamaha7332 GBR Rodney Gould1 United Kingdom Yamaha6823 FIN Jarno Saarinen4 Finland Yamaha6414 AUS John Dodds Australia Yamaha5905 FRG Dieter Braun West Germany Yamaha5816 CHE Gyula Marsovsky7 Switzerland Yamaha5717 ITA Silvio Grassetti10 Italy MZ4328 GBR Chas Mortimer6 United Kingdom Yamaha4209 HUN János Drapál Hungary Yamaha26110 NLD Theo Bult20 Netherlands Yamaha220 1971 125 cc Roadracing World Championship final standings Place Rider Number Country Machine Points Wins1 ESP 1945 Angel Nieto1 Spain Derbi8752 GBR Barry Sheene United Kingdom Suzuki7933 SWE Börje Jansson3 Sweden Maico6404 FRG Dieter Braun West Germany Maico5405 GBR Chas Mortimer United Kingdom Yamaha4816 GBR Dave Simmonds4 United Kingdom Kawasaki4817 FRG Gert Bender West Germany Maico4108 ITA Gilberto Parlotti Italy Morbidelli3919 SWE Kent Andersson Sweden Yamaha30010 DDR Jurgen Lenk East Germany MZ270 1971 50 cc Roadracing World Championship final standings Place Rider Number Country Machine Points Wins1 NLD Jan De Vries5 Netherlands Kreidler7552 ESP 1945 Angel Nieto1 Spain Derbi6933 NLD Jos Schurgers6 Netherlands Kreidler4204 NLD Herman Meyers10 Netherlands Jamathi4105 FRG Rudolf Kunz West Germany Kreidler3606 NLD Aalt Toersen Netherlands Jamathi2407 GBR Barry Sheene United Kingdom Kreidler2318 ITA Gilberto Parlotti9 Italy Derbi2209 ESP Federico van der Hoeven Netherlands Derbi22010 NLD Jan Bruins Netherlands Kreidler190 References 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/1971/NAT/500cc/World+Standing 6 July 2010 18 September 2012 https://web.archive.org/web/20120918192621/http://www.motogp.com/en/Results+Statistics/1971/NAT/500cc/World+Standing dead Category:Grand Prix motorcycle racing seasons Grand Prix motorcycle racing season