1978 FIM Motocross World Championship

Motocross championship season December 2022 1978 FIM Motocross World Championship Fernando Muñoz Circuit Vallès 1978.jpg Fernando Muñoz at the 1978 250cc Spanish Grand Prix FIM 9 April/27 August 36 18 Champions 500cc FIN Heikki Mikkola 250cc USSR Gennady Moiseyev 125cc JPN Akira Watanabe FIM Motocross World Championship 1977 1979 The 1978 FIM Motocross World Championship was the 22nd F.I.M. Motocross Racing World Championship season. Summary Heikki Mikkola successfully defended his 500cc world championship for Yamaha, finishing ahead of Honda's Brad Lackey. Mikkola dominated the season with 14 moto victories in 24 outings. Roger De Coster had a serious accident during pre-season training and ended up having his spleen removed but, recovered to finish the season in third place.http://supercross.com/roger-decoster-interview-covering-1971-thru-2001/ Roger Decoster Interview, covering 1971 thru 2001 supercross.com 14 February 2016 9 June 2019 https://web.archive.org/web/20190609165637/https://supercross.com/roger-decoster-interview-covering-1971-thru-2001/ dead Gennady Moiseyev was also successful in defending his 250cc title. In the battle for second place, Torleif Hansen, Hans Maisch and Vladimir Kavinov all finish within 1 point of each other. In the 125cc championship, Akira Watanabe ended the three-year reign of his Suzuki teammate, Gaston Rahier. Watanabe's championship marks the first and only motocross world championship for a Japanese competitor. Gérard Rond won four Grand Prix overall victories for Yamaha and finished in third place, one point behind Rahier. Grands Prix 500cc RoundDateGrand PrixLocationRace 1 WinnerRace 2 WinnerOverall WinnerReport 1 April 9 CH Swiss Grand Prix Payerne FIN Heikki Mikkola FIN Heikki Mikkola FIN Heikki Mikkola Report 2 April 16 AUT Austrian Grand Prix Sittendorf USA Brad Lackey BEL Roger De Coster USA Brad Lackey Report 3 April 30 FRA French Grand Prix Gaillefontaine USA Brad Lackey FIN Heikki Mikkola FIN Heikki Mikkola Report 4 May 7 DEN Danish Grand Prix Næstved FIN Heikki Mikkola FIN Heikki Mikkola FIN Heikki Mikkola Report 5 May 21 FIN Finnish Grand Prix Ruskeasanta FIN Heikki Mikkola FIN Heikki Mikkola FIN Heikki Mikkola Report 6 May 28 SWE Swedish Grand Prix Västerås RFA Herbert Schmitz FIN Heikki Mikkola BEL Roger De Coster Report 7 June 4 USA United States Grand Prix Carlsbad RFA Herbert Schmitz FIN Heikki Mikkola FIN Heikki Mikkola Report 8 June 11 ITA Italian Grand Prix Gallarate USA Brad Lackey FIN Heikki Mikkola FIN Heikki Mikkola Report 9 July 2 UK British Grand Prix Farleigh Castle FIN Heikki Mikkola USA Brad Lackey USA Brad Lackey Report 10 August 6 BEL Belgian Grand Prix Namur FIN Heikki Mikkola FIN Heikki Mikkola FIN Heikki Mikkola Report 11 August 13 LUX Luxembourg Grand Prix Ettelbruck BEL Roger De Coster FIN Heikki Mikkola FIN Heikki Mikkola Report 12 August 27 NED Dutch Grand Prix Sint Anthonis NED Gerrit Wolsink NED Gerrit Wolsink NED Gerrit Wolsink ReportSources:http://www.memotocross.fr/maison/reservation/index.php#0440929e520b41f02 1978 500cc motocross world championship race results memotocross.fr 13 February 2016 250cc RoundDateGrand PrixLocationRace 1 WinnerRace 2 WinnerOverall WinnerReport 1 April 9 ESP Spanish Grand Prix Sabadell BEL Harry Everts SWE Håkan Carlqvist BEL Harry Everts Report 2 May 7 ITA Italian Grand Prix Serramazzoni RFA Hans Maisch USSR Gennady Moiseyev RFA Fritz Schneider Report 3 May 21 CZE Czechoslovak Grand Prix Holice SWE Torleif Hansen USSR Vladimir Kavinov SWE Torleif Hansen Report 4 May 28 YUG Yugoslavian Grand Prix Tržič SWE Torleif Hansen USSR Gennady Moiseyev SWE Torleif Hansen Report 5 June 4 AUT Austrian Grand Prix Schwanenstadt CZE Jaroslav Falta RFA Hans Maisch CZE Jaroslav Falta Report 6 June 11 RFA West German Grand Prix Beuern RFA Hans Maisch BEL Harry Everts SWE Torleif Hansen Report 7 June 18 UK British Grand Prix Kilmartin USSR Gennady Moiseyev USSR Gennady Moiseyev USSR Gennady Moiseyev Report 8 July 2 FRA French Grand Prix Ahun USSR Vladimir Kavinov USSR Vladimir Kavinov USSR Vladimir Kavinov Report 9 July 30 USA United States Grand Prix Unadilla USA Jimmy Ellis USA Bob Hannah USA Marty Tripes Report 10 August 13 SWE Swedish Grand Prix Barkarby USSR Gennady Moiseyev USSR Vladimir Kavinov UK Neil Hudson Report 11 August 20 FIN Finnish Grand Prix Hyvinkää SWE Torleif Hansen USSR Vladimir Kavinov SWE Torleif Hansen Report 12 August 27 USSR Russian Grand Prix Leningrad USSR Gennady Moiseyev SWE Torleif Hansen SWE Torleif Hansen ReportSources:http://www.memotocross.fr/maison/philosophie/index.php#0440929e740dae401 1978 250cc motocross world championship race results memotocross.fr 13 February 2016 125cc RoundDateGrand PrixLocationRace 1 WinnerRace 2 WinnerOverall WinnerReport 1 April 9 AUT Austrian Grand Prix Launsdorf BEL Gaston Rahier BEL Gaston Rahier BEL Gaston Rahier Report 2 April 16 ITA Italian Grand Prix San Severino BEL Gaston Rahier JPN Akira Watanabe BEL Gaston Rahier Report 3 April 23 BEL Belgian Grand Prix Lanklaar-Dilsen NED Gérard Rond NED Gérard Rond NED Gérard Rond Report 4 April 30 NED Dutch Grand Prix Apeldoorn NED Gérard Rond NED Gérard Rond NED Gérard Rond Report 5 May 7 FRA French Grand Prix Vesoul BEL Gaston Rahier BEL Gaston Rahier BEL Gaston Rahier Report 6 May 21 YUG Yugoslavian Grand Prix Orehova vas NED Gérard Rond JPN Akira Watanabe NED Gérard Rond Report 7 May 28 RFA West German Grand Prix Laubus-Eschbach BEL Gaston Rahier JPN Akira Watanabe JPN Akira Watanabe Report 8 June 4 CH Swiss Grand Prix Meyrin JPN Akira Watanabe NED Gérard Rond NED Gérard Rond Report 9 June 11 POL Polish Grand Prix Szczecin NED Gérard Rond JPN Akira Watanabe JPN Akira Watanabe Report 10 July 27 USA United States Grand Prix Lexington USA Broc Glover USA Broc Glover USA Broc Glover Report 11 August 13 ESP Spanish Grand Prix Montgai JPN Akira Watanabe JPN Akira Watanabe JPN Akira Watanabe Report 12 August 27 CZE Czechoslovak Grand Prix Stříbro NED Gérard Rond BEL Gaston Rahier BEL Gaston Rahier ReportSources:http://www.memotocross.fr/maison/situation/index.php#0440929e520cc9307 1978 125cc motocross world championship race results memotocross.fr 13 February 2016 Final standings Points are awarded based on the results of each individual heat race. 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 CHCH AUTAUT FRAFRA DENDEN FINFIN SWESWE USAUSA ITAITA UKUK BELBEL LUXLUX NEDNED Points 1 FIN Heikki Mikkola Yamaha 1 1 3 6 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 3 1 3 1 1 3 1 1 2 1 3 3 299 2 USA Brad Lackey Honda 5 3 1 2 1 2 2 3 2 2 2 2 1 4 2 1 2 2 214 3 BEL Roger De Coster Suzuki 2 4 1 4 3 4 5 2 3 2 2 3 6 10 1 3 5 2 172 4 RFA Herbert Schmitz Maico 2 3 4 8 6 7 9 1 1 3 8 2 3 7 7 3 127 5 NED Gerrit Wolsink Suzuki 9 2 8 7 6 4 2 4 7 7 4 4 3 5 1 1 124 6 BEL André Malherbe KTM 7 5 6 5 3 6 5 5 3 4 4 4 6 5 9 7 4 9 109 7 UK Graham Noyce Honda 6 4 8 9 4 3 5 5 2 4 2 2 92 8 BEL Jaak van Velthoven KTM 3 6 5 10 7 7 6 6 5 8 5 4 6 6 6 78 9 FRA Jean-Jacques Bruno KTM 4 5 10 7 6 10 4 6 8 41 10 BEL Yvan van den Broeck Maico 8 8 3 9 7 7 5 7 7 40 11 BEL André Vromans Suzuki 4 7 9 9 7 7 5 6 10 9 38 12 SWE Håkan Andersson Husqvarna 8 9 5 3 8 5 9 8 10 36 13 SWE Bengt Åberg Yamaha 9 9 6 4 3 5 33 14 RFA Fritz Köbele KTM 10 10 10 8 9 8 9 8 10 7 21 15 USA Mike Bell Yamaha 4 5 14 NED Frans Sigmans Maico 4 5 14 RFA Adolf Weil Maico 7 8 5 10 14 18 DEN Frank Svendsen Husqvarna 8 10 9 7 10 19 NED Peter Herlings Husqvarna 10 6 8 9 SWE Arne Lindfors Husqvarna 10 6 9 10 9 21 NED Mat Ghielen Maico 4 8 USA Rick Burgett Yamaha 5 9 8 23 UK Jonathan Wright CCM 10 7 8 8 24 USA Danny LaPorte Suzuki 6 5 USA Terry Clark Maico 6 5 ITA Afro Rustignoli Maico 6 5 SWE Lars Axelsson Husqvarna 6 5 28 USA Rex Staten Yamaha 7 4 ITA Franco Perfini Montesa 7 4 USA Gary Semics Can-Am 10 8 4 IRL Robert Wilkinson Maico 8 10 4 SWE Torbjörn Winzell Maico 10 8 4 SWE Åke Jonsson Kramer-Rotax 10 10 9 4 34 ITA Italo Forni Montesa 8 3 BEL Raymond Heeren Maico 8 3 NED Ad Verstegen Yamaha 8 3 USA Tommy Croft Honda 9 10 3 BEL François Wellens Maico 9 10 3 39 DEN Søren Mortensen Kramer-Rotax 9 2 ITA Franco Picco Villa 9 2 NED Johan Scheele Maico 9 2 42 NED Toon Karsmakers Husqvarna 10 1Sources:https://memotocross.fr/downloads/2cm-1978-500-res-complet.pdf 1978 500cc motocross world championship final results memotocross.fr 23 October 2025https://www.memotocross.fr/maison/equipe/index.php#0440929e520b1f501 1978 500cc motocross world championship final standings memotocross.fr 23 October 2025 250cc (Results in italics indicate overall winner) Pos Rider Machine ESPESP ITAITA CZECZE YUGYUG AUTAUT GERRFA UKUK FRAFRA USAUSA SWESWE FINFIN USRUSSR Points 1 USSR Gennady Moiseyev KTM 4 10 1 4 2 3 1 2 5 1 1 3 4 5 1 3 1 9 183 2 SWE Torleif Hansen Kawasaki 3 1 3 1 2 2 2 4 6 1 2 2 1 153 3 RFA Hans Maisch Maico 3 1 1 1 3 6 4 6 2 3 7 3 4 3 3 6 152 4 USSR Vladimir Kavinov KTM 5 8 6 3 1 6 7 9 4 5 1 1 9 9 1 6 1 5 2 151 5 UK Neil Hudson Maico 4 7 4 6 5 9 3 3 5 3 3 2 5 7 10 4 2 5 9 130 6 BEL Harry Everts Bultaco 1 8 3 2 2 3 5 8 1 2 2 4 4 126 7 SWE Håkan Carlqvist Husqvarna 1 10 8 8 9 5 8 5 6 8 2 5 2 4 8 88 8 JPN Torao Suzuki Montesa 2 9 5 4 6 4 6 5 7 5 10 63 9 CZE Jaroslav Falta ČZ 9 4 7 4 1 2 6 8 7 61 10 BEL Jean-Claude Laquaye Bultaco 10 3 6 8 10 7 7 8 8 8 10 6 43 11 BEL Raymond Boven Montesa 2 4 6 5 9 9 7 10 10 10 42 12 RFA Fritz Schneider KTM 7 2 2 3 38 13 USA Chuck Sun Husqvarna 6 6 3 8 7 4 35 14 USSR Valéry Korneev KTM 9 9 8 7 3 6 9 6 33 15 BEL Jean-Paul Mingels Montesa 6 7 7 10 4 4 9 32 16 FRA Daniel Péan Maico 7 10 10 7 4 8 8 9 26 RFA Rolf Dieffenbach Kawasaki 5 9 4 7 5 26 18 USA Jimmy Ellis Honda 1 3 25 19 USA Marty Tripes Honda 2 2 24 FIN Erkki Sundström Husqvarna 9 10 10 8 5 10 3 24 21 USA Bob Hannah Yamaha 5 1 21 RFA Willy Bauer Sachs 5 5 6 7 21 UK Rob Hooper Maico 6 8 7 9 9 10 7 21 24 FRA Patrick Boniface KTM 8 7 10 8 11 25 USA Kent Howerton Husqvarna 4 8 26 ESP Fernando Muñoz Montesa 5 6 NED Kees van der Ven Maico 6 10 6 FIN Matti Tarkkonenn Honda 9 7 6 29 BEL Guy Huynen Sachs 6 5 NOR Jan Kristoffersen Yamaha 10 7 5 DEN Arne Lodal Husqvarna 8 9 5 32 ITA Dario Nani Gilera 8 3 CZE Zdeněk Velký ČZ 8 3 34 ESP Alberto Ribo Montesa 9 2 USA John Savitski Yamaha 9 2 36 ESP Antonio Elias Bultaco 10 1 CZE Jaroslav Vojtech ČZ 10 1 SWE Magnus Nyberg KTM 10 1 USA Tony DiStefano Suzuki 10 1Sources:https://memotocross.fr/downloads/2cm-1978-250-res-complet.pdf 1978 250cc motocross world championship final results memotocross.fr 23 October 2025https://www.memotocross.fr/maison/visite/index.php#0440929ca80bf1c1a 1978 250cc motocross world championship final standings memotocross.fr 23 October 2025 125cc (Results in italics indicate overall winner) Pos Rider Machine AUTAUT ITAITA BELBEL NEDNED FRAFRA YUGYUG GERRFA CHCH POLPOL USAUSA ESPESP CZECZE Points 1 JPN Akira Watanabe Suzuki 3 3 3 1 3 3 2 2 2 2 2 1 2 1 1 3 3 1 1 1 3 3 267 2 BEL Gaston Rahier Suzuki 1 1 1 2 2 2 3 1 1 4 3 1 2 2 2 2 6 3 6 2 1 249 3 NED Gérard Rond Yamaha 2 2 2 1 1 1 1 3 1 2 2 1 1 5 2 4 2 2 1 4 248 4 AUT Siegfried Lerner KTM 5 5 6 6 7 7 3 4 6 5 3 5 9 9 10 5 7 90 5 FIN Matti Autio Suzuki 5 4 5 6 7 4 8 5 3 7 3 4 8 81 6 ITA Ivan Alborghetti Aprilia 8 10 4 7 5 5 7 4 3 4 7 10 5 7 6 78 7 FIN Göte Liljegren KTM 7 8 6 6 3 8 8 4 5 8 4 4 5 5 78 8 BEL André Massant Honda 6 9 5 4 5 4 9 5 8 3 7 6 6 7 9 76 9 CZE Jiří Churavý ČZ 4 6 8 3 4 5 10 10 4 8 6 2 70 10 ITA Corrado Maddii Beta 7 7 5 4 4 6 10 10 6 7 5 10 53 11 USSR Yuri Khudiakov ČZ 4 4 10 7 8 4 10 5 9 41 12 ITA Michele Rinaldi TGM 8 8 3 8 9 9 6 8 31 13 USA Broc Glover Yamaha 1 1 30 14 UK Roger Harvey Suzuki 9 10 9 8 7 6 9 19 15 FIN Pauli Piippola Husqvarna 6 7 6 10 9 17 16 USA Marty Moates Suzuki 7 3 14 NED Peter Groeneveld Suzuki 9 7 5 10 10 14 18 USA Gaylon Mosier Kawasaki 2 12 BEL Robert Greisch Yamaha 10 9 8 10 9 8 12 20 USA Warren Reid Honda 3 10 21 NED Henk Van Mierlo Kawasaki 7 6 9 CZE Miroslav Jirka ČZ 7 6 9 USA Steve Wise Honda 4 9 24 USA Mark Gregson Suzuki 5 9 8 USSR Anatoly Ovchinikov ČZ 9 7 9 8 26 USA Mike Guerra Suzuki 8 7 7 27 NED Dinand Ziljlstra Kawasaki 6 5 UK Geoff Mayes Kawasaki 8 9 5 USA Dan Turner Yamaha 6 5 30 BEL Marc Velkeneers Yamaha 10 8 4 BEL François Minne Aprilia 10 10 9 4 32 BEL Michel Leclerq KTM 8 3 USA Ron Turner Yamaha 8 3 CZE Miroslav Novacek ČZ 8 3 35 RFA Emil Schwarz Suzuki 9 2 USSR Victor Popenko ČZ 9 2 USA David Taylor Suzuki 9 2 RFA Bernd Betzelbacher Maico 9 2 39 DEN Ole Svendson KTM 10 1 SWE Jonny Bjurström Suzuki 10 1 FRA Michel Fischer Portal 10 1 FRA Alain Fura Yamaha 10 1 CZE Antonin Gorus ČZ 10 1Sources:https://memotocross.fr/downloads/2cm-1978-125-res-complet.pdf 1978 125cc motocross world championship final results" memotocross.fr 23 October 2025https://www.memotocross.fr/maison/chambres/index.php#0440929e520cae506 1978 125cc motocross world championship final standings memotocross.fr 23 October 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