1973 FIM Motocross World Championship

Motocross championship season December 2022 1973 FIM Motocross World Championship 300px First lap action from the 1973 250cc Spanish Grand Prix. FIM 1 April/26 August 21 12 Champions 500cc BEL Roger De Coster 250cc SWE Håkan Andersson FIM Motocross World Championship 1972 1974 The 1973 FIM Motocross World Championship was the 17th edition of the Motocross World Championship organized by the FIM and reserved for 500cc and 250cc motorcycles. The FIM implements new motorcycle minimum weight restrictions as well as a new championship points scoring formula for the 1973 season. Previously, the FIM had awarded points at each Grand Prix based on a competitor's overall position after two heat races. This meant that a racer could win the first heat race yet still finish with reduced or zero points, depending on their performance in the second heat race. Beginning in 1973, points would be awarded heat race by heat race. The Grand Prix races are still run with two heat races, but it is the sum of the results of each heat that counts for the final classification of the World Championship and not the points acquired at each Grand Prix. The 1973 season also marked the beginning of the single shock absorber rear suspension era in motocross racing when Yamaha introduced their revolutionary new Monoshock suspension. The new suspension system doubled the suspension travel available from previous systems. By the end of the decade, all the major motorcycle manufacturers would produce motorcycles using their own versions of the single shock absorber rear suspension. Summary 500cc championship Roger De Coster won his third consecutive 500cc world championship for Suzuki ahead of West German rider, Willy Bauer. The championship wasn't decided until the final race in the Netherlands, when Bauer suffered a mechanical breakdown, losing the championship to De Coster by two points.http://www.memotocross.fr/maison/equipe/index.php#0440929eb50f9fc01 1973 500cc motocross world championship final standings memotocross.fr 24 January 2016 Kawasaki joined the world championships with Brad Lackey in the 500cc class and Torleif Hansen in the 250cc class. Suzuki's defense of the 500cc world championship was dealt a setback when, the FIM announced a new motorcycle minimum weight limit of 209 pounds just before the start of the season.http://www.mxworksbike.com/index.php/1973-suzuki-rn73 1973 Suzuki RN-73 mxworksbike.com 26 January 2016 9 June 2019 https://web.archive.org/web/20190609165632/http://www.mxworksbike.com/index.php/1973-suzuki-rn73 dead European motorcycle manufacturers competing in the championship complained to the FIM that Suzuki was spending millions of dollars to build lightweight motorcycles that the smaller European manufacturers found impossible to compete with. Suzuki had already developed and built their race bikes so, there was no time to build new bikes. As a result, Suzuki resorted to adding ballast to the bikes. Unfortunately, these alterations threw the bikes out of balance and caused them to lose traction.http://supercross.com/roger-decoster-interview-covering-1971-thru-2001/ Roger De Coster Interview supercross.com 28 January 2016 9 June 2019 https://web.archive.org/web/20190609165637/https://supercross.com/roger-decoster-interview-covering-1971-thru-2001/ dead To make matters worse, Maico and Yamaha had developed new rear suspensions with longer travel which helped transfer power to the rear wheel over rough terrain. The Suzuki management felt they were being unjustly treated by the FIM and were slow to react to developments by the other manufacturers.http://www.motoretroillustrated.com/archive_carlsbad.htm The First US GP motoretroillustrated.com 26 January 2016 https://web.archive.org/web/20151209181531/http://www.motoretroillustrated.com/archive_carlsbad.htm 9 December 2015 dead Most of the Western European riders boycotted the Austrian 500cc round due to heavy snow on the track.http://akejonsson.com/1973gpseries.html 1973 500cc motocross world championship akejonsson.com 31 October 2025 1 February 2016 https://web.archive.org/web/20160201231355/http://akejonsson.com/1973gpseries.html dead As the season got underway, Yamaha's new "monoshock" rear suspension began to make an impact with Christer Hammargren winning a moto and Jaak van Velthoven taking the overall win at the Finnish Grand Prix. De Coster won both motos of the Italian Grand Prix but, Bauer came back with a hard-fought victory in Czechoslovakia, relegating De Coster to second place in both motos and took the lead in the championship points tally. Bauer then took control of the championship by winning 5 out of the next 6 motos. Suzuki management's frustration at their perceived unfair treatment led to a lapse in support and, Suzuki team riders De Coster and Sylvain Geboers then took matters into their own hands by modifying their motorcycle's frames and developed new rear suspensions. Going into the final race of the season at Sint Anthonis, Holland, Bauer was still holding the points lead but, the Suzukis were showing improvement. The Sint Anthonis track was composed of deep sand which robbed engines of power and increased fuel consumption. A Suzuki engineer calculated that their bike's gas tanks did not have sufficient capacity to finish the race. De Coster then took one of their tanks and drove two and a half hours to have the tank modified to increase its volume. He then drove back in time for the race. Despite having little sleep, De Coster scored two fourth-place finishes while Bauer suffered a mechanical failure handing De Coster his third consecutive 500cc world championship. 250cc championship Håkan Andersson won the 250cc world championship to give Yamaha its first motocross world championship. Yamaha's new and innovative rear suspension with a single shock absorber made its debut at the third round in Belgium and was proven to be successful when Andersson won the overall victory.http://www.mxworksbike.com/index.php/people/interviews/16-interviews/118-torsten-hallman Torsten Hallman 2005 mxworksbike.com 2016-02-27 2016-03-05 https://web.archive.org/web/20160305033640/http://www.mxworksbike.com/index.php/people/interviews/16-interviews/118-torsten-hallman dead The new suspension design would go on to revolutionize the sport. Jim Pomeroy riding a privateer Bultaco, became the first American rider to win an overall victory in an FIM Motocross Grand Prix race when he won the season opening Spanish Grand Prix.http://www.motorcyclemuseum.org/halloffame/detail.aspx?RacerID=85&lpos=-1025px&letter=P&txtFname=&rblFname=S&txtLname=&rblLname=S&discipline=0 Jim Pomeroy at the Motorcycle Hall of Fame motorcyclemuseum.org 28 January 2016 His victory also marked the first Grand Prix victory for the Bultaco factory.https://ultimatemotorcycling.com/2011/02/14/jim-pomeroy-motocross-legend/ Jim Pomeroy, Motocross Legend 14 February 2011 ultimatemotorcycling.com 14 February 2016 Competitors from nine different manufacturers placed in the top ten of the 250cc championship final standings, reflecting the thriving vitality of the sport of motocross. Grands Prix 500cc RoundDateGrand PrixLocationRace 1 WinnerRace 2 WinnerOverall WinnerReport 1 April 1 France French Grand Prix Tarare Sweden Christer Hammargren Belgium Roger De Coster Netherlands Gerrit Wolsink Report 2 April 15 Austria Austrian Grand Prix Sittendorf Czechoslovakia Jiří Stodůlka Czechoslovakia Jiří Stodůlka Czechoslovakia Jiří Stodůlka Report 3 May 20 Finland Finnish Grand Prix Ruskeasanta Sweden Christer Hammargren Belgium Roger De Coster Belgium Jaak van Velthoven Report 4 May 27 Italy Italian Grand Prix Pinerolo Belgium Roger De Coster Belgium Roger De Coster Belgium Roger De Coster Report 5 June 3 Czechoslovakia Czechoslovak Grand Prix Holice Germany Willy Bauer Germany Willy Bauer Germany Willy Bauer Report 6 June 24 USA United States Grand Prix Carlsbad Germany Willy Bauer Germany Willy Bauer Germany Willy Bauer Report 7 July 15 Germany West German Grand Prix Bielstein Germany Willy Bauer Belgium Roger De Coster Belgium Roger De Coster Report 8 August 5 Belgium Belgian Grand Prix Namur Germany Willy Bauer Germany Willy Bauer Germany Willy Bauer Report 9 August 12 Luxembourg Luxembourg Grand Prix Ettelbruck Sweden Åke Jonsson Sweden Åke Jonsson Sweden Åke Jonsson Report 10 August 12 Netherlands Dutch Grand Prix Sint Anthonis Sweden Åke Jonsson Netherlands Gerrit Wolsink Sweden Åke Jonsson ReportSources:http://www.memotocross.fr/maison/reservation/index.php#0440929ebb0ee020a 1973 500cc motocross world championship race winners memotocross.fr 25 January 2016 https://www.memotocross.fr/downloads/2cm-1973-500-res-complet.pdf 1973 500cc motocross world championship final results memotocross.fr 15 January 2023 250cc RoundDateGrand PrixLocationRace 1 WinnerRace 2 WinnerOverall WinnerReport 1 April 8 Spain Spanish Grand Prix Sabadell USA Jim Pomeroy Germany Adolf Weil USA Jim Pomeroy Report 2 April 15 Italy Italian Grand Prix Serramazzoni Finland Heikki Mikkola USSR Pavel Rulev Germany Adolf Weil Report 3 April 29 Belgium Belgian Grand Prix Wuustwezel Finland Heikki Mikkola Sweden Håkan Andersson Sweden Håkan Andersson Report 4 May 6 Switzerland Swiss Grand Prix Payerne Sweden Håkan Andersson Sweden Håkan Andersson Sweden Håkan Andersson Report 5 May 13 Poland Polish Grand Prix Szczecin Sweden Håkan Andersson Sweden Håkan Andersson Sweden Håkan Andersson Report 6 May 20 Yugoslavia Yugoslavian Grand Prix Orehova vas USSR Gennady Moiseyev Sweden Håkan Andersson USSR Gennady Moiseyev Report 7 June 17 France French Grand Prix Cassel Germany Adolf Weil Sweden Håkan Andersson Sweden Håkan Andersson Report 8 August 5 Finland Finnish Grand Prix Hyvinkää Sweden Håkan Andersson Sweden Håkan Andersson Sweden Håkan Andersson Report 9 August 12 USSR Russian Grand Prix Leningrad Germany Adolf Weil Germany Adolf Weil Germany Adolf Weil Report 10 August 19 Sweden Swedish Grand Prix Ulricehamn Sweden Håkan Andersson Sweden Håkan Andersson Sweden Håkan Andersson Report 11 August 26 Austria Austrian Grand Prix Launsdorf Germany Adolf Weil Finland Heikki Mikkola Germany Adolf Weil ReportSources:http://www.memotocross.fr/maison/philosophie/index.php#0440929eb51058703 1973 250cc motocross world championship race winners memotocross.fr 25 January 2016 https://www.memotocross.fr/downloads/2cm-1973-250-res-complet.pdf 1973 250cc motocross world championship results memotocross.fr 16 January 2023 Final standings Beginning in 1973, points are awarded based on the results of each individual heat race and not the overall score from the individual Grands Prix. Previously points were awarded at each Grand Prix based on a competitor's overall position after two heat races rather than individually. The top 10 classified finishers in each heat race score points according to the following scale; Position  1st   2nd   3rd   4th   5th   6th   7th   8th   9th   10th  Points 15 12 10 8 6 5 4 3 2 1 500cc (Results in italics indicate overall winner) Pos Rider Machine FRAFRA AUTAUT FINFIN ITAITA TCHTCH USAUSA GERGER BELBEL LUXLUX NEDNED Points 1 BEL Roger De Coster Suzuki 1 1 1 1 2 2 2 2 1 2 3 4 4 145 2 RFA Willy Bauer Maico 4 4 5 3 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 143 3 BEL Jaak van Velthoven Yamaha 2 2 2 3 3 4 3 10 6 5 2 2 3 2 3 122 4 SWE Åke Jonsson Yamaha 3 7 8 7 7 3 2 4 1 1 1 2 109 5 NED Gerrit Wolsink Maico 6 2 4 4 5 6 4 6 2 4 3 5 3 4 1 105 6 SWE Christer Hammargren Yamaha 1 1 3 5 8 5 4 3 7 3 87 7 CZE Jiří Stodůlka ČZ 1 1 3 10 7 6 5 56 8 RFA Werner Schutz Maico 5 6 6 7 6 5 6 6 4 6 9 56 9 CZE Oldrich Hamrsmid ČZ 3 5 2 5 6 9 7 45 10 CZE Otakar Toman ČZ 9 9 3 4 5 8 7 8 5 10 45 11 UK John Banks Cheney-BSA 4 3 4 4 9 36 12 SWE Bengt Åberg Husqvarna 8 5 2 8 9 5 8 35 13 USA Brad Lackey Kawasaki 8 9 8 8 7 10 6 6 26 14 NED Frans Sigmans Yamaha 4 7 8 5 8 24 15 AUT Walter Leitgeb Puch 3 2 22 16 USSR Anatoly Botchkov ČZ 3 10 8 6 20 17 SWE Bert-Ove Wallner Husqvarna 7 7 8 6 16 18 AUT Friedrich Schiechtl Husqvarna 4 6 13 19 ITA Giuseppe Cavallero Maico 2 12 USSR Vladimir Ovchinnikov ČZ 5 5 12 UK Vic Eastwood Maico / AJS 7 9 9 7 12 22 NED Peter Willems Yamaha 9 9 5 10 23 CH Fritz Graf Yamaha 4 10 9 24 BEL Willy van Loon ČZ 8 6 8 25 ITA Paolo Piron Husqvarna / Bultaco 10 6 10 7 26 FRA Daniel Péan Maico 5 6 NED Pierre Karsmakers Yamaha 7 9 6 BEL Yvan Van den Broeck Husqvarna / Maico 9 7 6 29 SWE Arne Lindfors Yamaha 6 5 USA John DeSoto ČZ 9 8 5 31 FRA Serge Bacou Bultaco 7 4 NED Tony Van Erp Maico 7 4 BEL Raymond Heeren Maico 8 10 4 BEL Julien de Roover ČZ 8 10 4 SWE Arne Kring Husqvarna 10 10 9 4 AUT Siegfried Lerner KTM 7 4 USSR Anatoly Mandritchenko ČZ 9 10 10 4 38 USSR Nikolai Efimov ČZ 10 9 3 ITA Alberto Angiolini Maico 8 3 CZE Zdeněk Strnad ČZ 9 10 3 41 USSR Viatcheslav Krasnotchekov ČZ 10 1 USA Jimmy Weinert Kawasaki 10 1Sources: 250cc (Results in italics indicate overall winner) Pos Rider Machine ESPESP ITAITA BELBEL CHCH POLPOL YUGYUG FRAFRA FINFIN USSRUSSR SWESWE AUTAUT Points 1 SWE Håkan Andersson Yamaha 6 2 3 6 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 1 1 1 1 1 4 177 2 RFA Adolf Weil Maico 5 1 4 2 5 3 2 2 4 1 2 2 1 1 5 4 1 2 157 3 FIN Heikki Mikkola Husqvarna 3 1 1 2 3 3 2 4 3 3 4 3 2 2 3 5 1 143 4 SWE Torleif Hansen Kawasaki 4 4 6 5 6 3 4 3 3 2 2 2 3 111 5 USSR Gennady Moiseyev KTM 2 4 2 2 1 3 2 4 3 6 104 6 CZE Jaroslav Falta ČZ 7 3 6 4 4 5 4 2 6 6 5 8 6 4 86 7 USA Jim Pomeroy Bultaco 1 4 5 5 7 6 5 5 3 10 8 10 71 8 USSR Pavel Rulev KTM 9 6 1 8 4 7 7 7 7 49 SWE Uno Palm Puch 8 6 8 10 8 5 5 9 7 3 5 49 10 FIN Kalevi Vehkonen Montesa 10 5 3 5 3 8 6 9 43 11 RFA Hans Maisch Maico 2 3 10 7 4 35 USSR Leonid Shinkarenko ČZ 8 7 5 5 7 6 5 10 35 13 USSR Evgeniy Rybalchenko ČZ 9 7 9 7 9 6 10 7 6 8 32 14 BEL Harry Everts Puch 8 9 9 7 7 8 4 9 9 30 15 CZE Antonin Baborowsky ČZ 8 3 10 9 9 8 5 27 BEL Jean-Claude Laquaye Yamaha 8 5 7 6 7 10 7 27 17 JAP Torao Suzuki Yamaha 7 4 4 10 8 24 18 BEL Joël Robert Suzuki 10 5 4 15 NED Jo Lammers Montesa 10 8 9 7 8 9 15 20 BEL Gaston Rahier Suzuki 10 10 10 10 9 6 11 CZE Miroslav Halm ČZ 8 8 7 10 11 22 BEL Sylvain Geboers Suzuki 6 6 10 23 UK Andy Roberton Husqvarna 10 9 10 6 9 24 RFA Herbert Schmitz Maico 7 8 7 25 CZE Zdeněk Velký ČZ 9 9 9 6 26 USSR Alexej Kibirin ČZ 6 5 27 FIN Lars Ohberg Montesa 8 3 FIN Jorma Jarvinen Montesa 8 3 29 USSR Yuri Khudiakov ČZ 9 2 BEL Claude Jobe Montesa 9 2 BEL Raymond Boven Montesa 9 2 32 BEL Marcel Wiertz Bultaco 10 1 NED Stef Van der Sluis Yamaha 10 1 SWE Olle Pettersson Kawasaki 10 1Sources:https://www.memotocross.fr/maison/visite/index.php#0440929ca80bf251f 1973 250cc motocross world championship final standings memotocross.fr 10 February 2025 References External links https://www.fim-moto.com/en/sports/view/fim-motocross-world-championship-4414 FIM Motocross World Championship season Category:Motocross World Championship seasons