1959 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season

Sports season 1959 F.I.M. Grand Prix motorcycle racing season 1958 1960 thumb|John Surtees (pictured in 1958) won all races to retain his 350cc and 500cc World Championship title. thumb|Carlo Ubbiali (pictured in 1956) successfully defended his 125cc World Championship title. He also became the 250cc World Champion in 1959. The 1959 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season was the 11th F.I.M. Road Racing World Championship Grand Prix season. The season consisted of seven Grand Prix races in five classes: 500cc, 350cc, 250cc, 125cc and Sidecars 500cc. It began on 17 May, with French Grand Prix and ended with Nations Grand Prix in Italy on 6 September. 1959 Grand Prix season calendar Round Date Grand Prix Circuit 125cc winner 250cc winner 350cc winner 500cc winner Sidecars 500cc winner Report 1 17 May FRA French Grand Prix Charade Circuit GBR John Surtees GBR John Surtees CHEDEUScheidegger/Burkhardt Report 2 6 June IOM Isle of Man TT Snaefell Mountain ITA Tarquinio Provini ITA Tarquinio Provini GBR John Surtees GBR John Surtees DEU Schneider / Strauß Report 3 14 June FRG German Grand Prix Hockenheimring ITA Carlo Ubbiali ITA Carlo Ubbiali GBR John Surtees GBR John Surtees CHE DEU Camathias / Cecco Report 4 27 June NLD Dutch TT TT Circuit Assen ITA Carlo Ubbiali ITA Tarquinio Provini AUS Bob Brown † GBR John Surtees CHE DEU Camathias / Cecco Report 5 5 July BEL Belgian Grand Prix Spa-Francorchamps ITA Carlo Ubbiali Rhodesia and Nyasaland Gary Hocking † GBR John Surtees DEU Schneider / Strauß Report 6 26 July SWE Swedish Grand Prix Råbelövsbanan ITA Tarquinio Provini Rhodesia and Nyasaland Gary Hocking GBR John Surtees AUS Bob Brown † Report 7 8 August NIR Ulster Grand Prix Dundrod Circuit GBR Mike Hailwood Rhodesia and Nyasaland Gary Hocking GBR John Surtees GBR John Surtees Report 8 6 September ITA Nations Grand Prix†† Monza East Germany 1949 Ernst Degner ITA Carlo Ubbiali GBR John Surtees GBR John Surtees Report † Race did not count towards the World Championship. †† The Nations Grand Prix also held a non-championship 175 cc race, won by the Italian, Francesco Villa. 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 FRAFRA MANIOM GERDEU HOLNLD BELBEL ULSNIR NACITA Pts 1 GBR John Surtees MV Agusta 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 32 (56) 2 ITA Remo Venturi MV Agusta 2 2 3 5 2 22 (24) 3 AUS Bob Brown Norton 9 3 3 2 4 5 4 17 (22) 4 GBR Geoff Duke Norton 9 3 3 3 12 5 Rhodesia and Nyasaland Gary Hocking Norton 3 Ret Ret 2 Ret Ret 10 6 GBR Bob McIntyre Norton 5 2 8 7 GBR Alistair King Norton 2 6 7 8 GBR Dickie Dale BMW 4 Ret Ret 4 8 7 Ret 6 9 GBR Terry Shepherd Norton 5 Ret 4 5 10 NZL John Hempleman Norton 17 5 Ret Ret 8 5 4 11 GBR Derek Powell Matchless 4 14 3 12 AUS Ken Kavanagh NortonDNS 4 Ret Ret 3 13 ZAF 1928 Paddy Driver Norton 6 6 Ret Ret Ret 6 3 14 Rhodesia and Nyasaland Jim Redman Norton Ret Ret 5 9 Ret Ret 2 15 GBR Bob Anderson Norton 8 Ret Ret 6 1 16 AUS Ron Miles Norton 12 12 6 11 1 17 DEU Alois Huber BMW 6 1 18 AUS Tom Phillis Norton 7 16 Ret Ret 7 Ret 0 19 DEU Hans-Günter Jäger BMW 11 10 7 16 8 0 20 DEU Ernst Hiller BMW 8 Ret 7 0 21 GBR Geoff Tanner Norton Ret 7 9 11 0 22 GBR Alan Shepherd Matchless 7 9 0 23 GBR George Catlin Matchless 8 0 = NLD Anton Elbersen BMW 8 0 25 GBR Ralph Rensen Norton 10 9 10 0 26 AUT Karl Untersteggaber Norton 9 0 27 GBR Derek Minter Norton Ret Ret 10 0 = NZL Peter Pawson Norton 10 Ret Ret 0 29 ITA Paolo Campanelli Norton 10 030 FRA Jacques Insermini Norton Ret 11 0 = GBR Brian Setchell Norton 11 0 = SWE Evert Carlsson BMW 11 0 33 BEL Raymond Bogaerdt Norton Ret 12 0 34 FRA Jacques Collot Norton 12 0 = ITA Vasco Loro Norton 12 0 = GBR Stephen Murray Matchless 12 0 37 GBR Mike Hailwood MV Agusta / Norton Ret 13 Ret 0 = ITA Alfredo Milani Gilera Ret Ret 13 0 39 FRA Guy Ligier Norton 13 0 = DEU Rudolf Gläser Norton 13 0 = GBR Robin Fitton Norton Ret 13 0 = GBR Bill Smith Matchless 13 0 43 FRA Yvon Callede Norton 14 0 = GBR Ewan Haldane Norton 14 0 = FRA Charly Maubert Norton 14 0 = BEL Jules Nies Matchless 14 0 47 GBR Don Chapman Norton Ret 15 0 48 FRA Maurice de Polo Norton 15 0 = BEL Raymond Hanset Norton 15 0 = GBR Bob Rowbottom Norton 15 0 51 GBR Tommy McLeod Norton 16 0 = FRA Albert Montagne Norton 16 0 53 FRA Jean-Pierre Bayle Norton Ret Ret 17 0= NZL Stan Cameron Matchless Ret 17 0 55 GBR Joe Wright Norton 17 0 56 GBR Harry Grant Norton / Matchless 18 22 0 = GBR Jimmy Jones Norton 18 0 58 GBR William McCosh Matchless 19 0 = GBR Fred Stevens AJS 19 0 60 NIR Martin Brosnan Norton 20 0 = USA Ed LaBelle BMW 20 0 62 GBR George Northwood Norton 21 0 = GBR Willie White Norton 21 0 64 GBR Vernon Cottle Norton 22 0 66 GBR Frank Gordon Norton 23 0 67 NIR Ernie Oliver AJS 24 0 68 NIR Jack Shannon BSA 25 0 69 GBR John Brown Norton 26 0 - AUS Eric Hinton Norton Ret Ret Ret 0 - GBR Jimmy Buchan Jr Norton Ret Ret 0 - AUS Jack Findlay Norton Ret Ret 0 - GBR John Hartle MV Agusta Ret Ret 0 - GBR Llewelyn Ranson Norton Ret Ret 0 - ITA Ernesto Brambilla MV Agusta Ret 0 - GBR Jack Brett Norton Ret 0 - GBR Jack Bullock Matchless Ret 0 - GBR Louis Carr Norton Ret 0 - GBR Eric Cheers Norton Ret 0 - ITA Artemio Cirelli Gilera Ret 0 - GBR Barry Cortvriend Matchless Ret 0 - GBR George Costain Norton Ret 0 - ITA Adolfo Covi Norton Ret 0 - NIR Dick Creith Norton Ret 0 - NIR Davy Crawford Norton Ret 0 - GBR Bruce Daniels Norton Ret 0 - GBR Bertie Farlow Norton Ret 0 - GBR Ray Fay Norton Ret 0 - GBR Peter Ferbrache Matchless Ret 0 - NIR Bob Ferguson Norton Ret 0 - USA 1959 Ralph Fox AJS Ret 0 - GBR Joe Glazebrook Norton Ret 0 - GBR Roger Graham Norton Ret 0 - GBR Owen Greenwood Triumph Ret 0 - ITA Francesco Guglielminetti Norton Ret 0 - GBR Tom Hesketh Norton Ret 0 - GBR Tommy Holmes BSA Ret 0 - GBR Roy Ingram Norton Ret 0 - NIR Len Ireland Norton Ret 0 - GBR Den Jarman Norton Ret 0 - DEU Lothar John BMW Ret 0 - DEU Host Kassner Norton Ret 0 - ITA Luigi Marcelli Norton Ret 0 - NIR Angus Martin Norton Ret 0 - ITA Giuseppe Mantelli Gilera Ret 0 - ITA Emanuele Maugliani Gilera Ret 0 - NIR Robert McCracken Norton Ret 0 - CHE Fritz Messerli Ret 0 - GBR Syd Mizen Norton Dunstall Ret 0 - GBR Albert Moule Norton Ret 0 - GBR Frank Perris Norton Ret 0 - GBR Harry Plews AJS Ret 0 - AUT Ladislaus Richter Norton Ret 0 - GBR Bill Robertson Norton Ret 0 - DEU Walter Scheimann Norton Ret 0 - DEU Toni Schmitz Norton Ret 0 - GBR Ray Spence Norton Ret 0 - CAN 1957 Don Tickle Norton Ret 0 - GBR Alan Trow Norton Ret 0 - ITA Dino Valbonesi Gilera Ret 0 - FRA Michel Valentin Ret 0 - NLD Martinus van Son Norton Ret 0 - ITA Roberto Vigorito Norton Ret 0 - GBR Arthur Wheeler AJS Ret 0 - GBR Lewis Young Norton Ret 0 - ITA Benedetto Zambotti Gilera Ret 0 Pos Rider Bike FRAFRA MANGBR GERDEU HOLNLD BELBEL ULSUlster NACITA PtsBold – Pole Italics – Fastest Lap 350cc Standings Place Rider Number Country Machine Points Wins 1 GBR John Surtees United Kingdom MV Agusta 48 6 2 GBR John Hartle United Kingdom MV Agusta 16 0 3 AUS Bob Brown Australia Norton 14 0 4 Rhodesia and Nyasaland Gary Hocking Rhodesia Norton 12 0 5 GBR Geoff Duke United Kingdom Norton 10 0 6 ITA Remo Venturi Italy MV Agusta 6 0 7 GBR Dickie Dale United Kingdom AJS 6 0 8 NZL John Hempleman New Zealand Norton 6 0 9 GBR Bob Anderson United Kingdom Norton 5 0 10 GBR Alistair King United Kingdom Norton 4 0 = ITA Ernesto Brambilla Italy MV Agusta 4 0 12 ZAF 1928 Paddy Driver South Africa Norton 4 0 13 GBR Mike Hailwood United Kingdom AJS 2 0 = AUS Tom Phillis Australia Norton 2 0 15 Rhodesia and Nyasaland Jim Redman Rhodesia Norton 2 0 16 GBR Terry Shepherd United Kingdom Norton 1 0 = GBR Dave Chadwick United Kingdom Norton 1 0 = ITA Gilberto Milani Italy Norton 1 0 250cc Standings Place Rider Number Country Machine Points Wins 1 ITA Carlo Ubbiali Italy MV Agusta 28 2 2 ITA Tarquinio Provini Italy MV Agusta 16 2 = Rhodesia and Nyasaland Gary Hocking Rhodesia MZ 16 2 4 East Germany 1949 Ernst Degner East Germany MZ 14 0 5 GBR Mike Hailwood United Kingdom Mondial 13 0 6 ITA Emilio Mendogni Italy Morini 10 0 7 GBR Derek Minter United Kingdom Morini 7 0 8 GBR Tommy Robb United Kingdom GMS-MZ 7 0 9 East Germany 1949 Horst Fügner East Germany MZ 6 0 10 GBR Geoff Duke United Kingdom Benelli 5 0 11 GBR Dave Chadwick United Kingdom MV Agusta 4 0 12 ITA Libero Liberati Italy Morini 3 0 13 FRG Horst Kassner West Germany NSU 2 0 = GBR Phil Carter United Kingdom NSU 2 0 = CHE Luigi Taveri Switzerland MZ 2 0 16 AUT Rudi Thalhammer Austria NSU 1 0 = GBR Dickie Dale United Kingdom Benelli 1 0 18 FRG Günter Beer West Germany Adler 1 0 125cc Riders' standings Pos. Rider Bike MANIOM GERDEU NEDNLD BELBEL SWESWE ULSNIR NATITA Pts 1 ITA Carlo Ubbiali MV Agusta 5 1F 1F 1 2F 2F 30 (38) 2 ITA Tarquinio Provini MV Agusta 1 2 2F 1 5 28 (30) 3 GBR Mike Hailwood Ducati 3 3 3 4 1F 20 (23)4 CHE Luigi Taveri MZ 2F14 Ducati 3 3 5 GDR Ernst Degner MZ 6 3 1 13 6 ITA Bruno Spaggiari Ducati 5 2 8 7 GBR Derek Minter MZ 5 4 4 8 8 AUS Ken Kavanagh Ducati 6 5 5 4 89 Rhodesia and Nyasaland Gary Hocking MZ 27 MV Agusta 6 10 GDR Horst Fügner MZ 4 4 6 11 GDR Werner Musiol MZ 3 4 12 ITA Francesco Villa Ducati 4 3 13 ITA Alberto Pagani Ducati 5 2 14 JPN Naomi Taniguchi Honda 6 1 14 FRG Karl Kronmüller Ducati 6 1 14 SWE Ulf Svensson Ducati 6 1 14 GBR Arthur Wheeler Ducati 6 1 Pos. Rider Bike MANIOM GERDEU NEDNLD BELBEL SWESWE ULSNIR NATITA Pts Constructors' standings Each constructor is awarded the same number of points as their best placed rider in each race. Pos. Constructor MANIOM GERDEU NEDNLD BELBEL SWESWE ULSNIR NATITA Pts 1 ITA MV Agusta 1 1 1 1 1 2 32 (46) 2 GDR MZ 2 6 4 4 3 2 1 24 (31) 3 ITA Ducati 3 3 2 3 4 1 3 22 (33) 4 JPN Honda 6 1 Pos. Constructor MANIOM GERDEU NEDNLD BELBEL SWESWE ULSNIR NATITA Pts References Haefliger Werner FIM MotoGP Results 1949–2023 Guide Lightweight class 35–37 978-2-9701086-8-9 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/1959/NAT/500cc/World+Standing 2010-07-06 https://web.archive.org/web/20120302211827/http://www.motogp.com/en/Results+Statistics/1959/NAT/500cc/World+Standing 2012-03-02 dead Category:Grand Prix motorcycle racing seasons Grand Prix motorcycle racing season