1961 Motocross World Championship

Last updated

1961 Motocross World Championship
Organizer FIM
Duration8 April/3 September
Number of races11
Number of manufacturers15
Champions
500cc Flag of Sweden.svg Sten Lundin
250cc [lower-alpha 1] Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Dave Bickers
Motocross World Championship seasons

The 1961 Motocross World Championship was the 5th edition of the Motocross World Championship organized by the FIM and reserved for 500cc and 250cc motorcycles.

Contents

Summary

Sten Lundin, riding a Monark motorcycle rebadged as a Lito, took an early championship lead by winning the first three Grand Prix races of the year then, held off a challenge from Husqvarna's Bill Nilsson to claim his second 500cc Motocross World Championship. [1] [2] [3] Dave Bickers riding for the Greeves factory racing team claimed his second consecutive 250cc European Motocross Championship over his countrymen, BSA teammates Arthur Lampkin and Jeff Smith. [4] [5] Future four-time 250cc world champion, Torsten Hallman, wins the first world championship race of his career at the 1961 250cc Finnish Grand Prix.

Grands Prix

500cc

RoundDateGrand PrixLocationWinnerTeamReport
1April 9 Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg Swiss Grand Prix Payerne Flag of Sweden.svg Sten Lundin Lito Report
2April 30 Flag of Austria.svg Austrian Grand Prix Sittendorf Flag of Sweden.svg Sten LundinLito Report
3May 28 Flag of France.svg French Grand Prix Jonzac Flag of Sweden.svg Sten LundinLito Report
4June 4 Flag of the Czech Republic.svg Czechoslovakian Grand Prix Přerov Flag of Sweden.svg Bill Nilsson Husqvarna Report
5June 11 Flag of Italy.svg Italian Grand Prix Imola Flag of Sweden.svg Bill NilssonHusqvarna Report
6July 2 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg British Grand Prix Hawkstone Park Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Dave Curtis Matchless Report
7July 24 Flag of the Netherlands.svg Dutch Grand Prix Dreumel Flag of the Netherlands.svg Broer Dirkx BSA Report
8August 5 Flag of Belgium (civil).svg Belgian Grand Prix Namur Flag of Sweden.svg Sten LundinLito Report
9August 13 Flag of Luxembourg.svg Luxembourg Grand Prix Ettelbruck Flag of Sweden.svg Sten LundinLito Report
10August 20 Flag of Sweden.svg Swedish Grand Prix Uddevalla Flag of Sweden.svg Bill NilssonHusqvarna Report
11September 3 Flag of Germany.svg West German Grand Prix Immenstadt Flag of Sweden.svg Sten LundinLito Report
Sources: [2] [6]


250cc

RoundDateGrand PrixLocationWinnerTeamReport
1April 23 Flag of Belgium (civil).svg Belgian Grand Prix Aywaille Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Dave Bickers Greeves Report
2May 7 Flag of France.svg French Grand Prix Thomer-la-Sôgne Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Dave BickersGreeves Report
3May 11 Flag of the Netherlands.svg Dutch Grand Prix Markelo Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Jeff Smith BSA Report
4May 21 Flag of the Czech Republic.svg Czechoslovakian Grand Prix Divoká Šárka Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Jeff SmithBSA Report
5May 28 Flag of Poland.svg Polish Grand Prix Katowice-Zabrze Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Dave BickersGreeves Report
6June 4 Flag of Luxembourg.svg Luxembourg Grand Prix Schifflange Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Dave BickersGreeves Report
7June 18 Flag of Finland.svg Finnish Grand Prix Tikkurila Flag of Sweden.svg Torsten Hallman Husqvarna Report
8June 25 Flag of Italy.svg Italian Grand Prix Settimo Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Arthur Lampkin BSA Report
9July 2 Flag of Germany.svg West German Grand Prix Ühlingen Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Arthur LampkinBSA Report
10July 15 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg British Grand Prix Shrubland Park Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Dave BickersGreeves Report
11August 13 Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg Swiss Grand Prix Wohlen Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Arthur LampkinBSA Report
12September 3 Flag of Sweden.svg Swedish Grand Prix Knutstorp Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Dave BickersGreeves Report
13September 10 Flag of East Germany.svg East German Grand Prix Apolda Flag of the Czech Republic.svg Jaromír Čížek Jawa Report
Sources: [4] [7]

{

Final standings

Points are awarded to the top 6 classified finishers.

Position 1st  2nd  3rd  4th  5th  6th 
Points864321

500cc

PosRiderMachine CH
Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg
AUT
Flag of Austria.svg
FRA
Flag of France.svg
CZE
Flag of the Czech Republic.svg
ITA
Flag of Italy.svg
UK
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg
NED
Flag of the Netherlands.svg
BEL
Flag of Belgium (civil).svg
LUX
Flag of Luxembourg.svg
SWE
Flag of Sweden.svg
GER
Flag of Germany.svg
Points
1 Flag of Sweden.svg Sten Lundin Lito111322112148
2 Flag of Sweden.svg Bill Nilsson Husqvarna 21131536
3 Flag of Sweden.svg Gunnar JohanssonLito3433623625
4 Flag of the Czech Republic.svg Miloslav Soucek ESO 432219
5 Flag of Sweden.svg Rolf Tibblin Husqvarna5446215
6 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg John Burton BSA 24313
7 Flag of the Netherlands.svg Broer DirkBSA1312
8 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg David Curtis Matchless 18
9 Flag of Sweden.svg Ove Lundell Monark267
10 Flag of the Czech Republic.svg Ervín KrajčovičESO5457
11 Flag of Sweden.svg Lars GustavssonLito26
12 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Jeff Smith BSA536
13 Flag of Belgium (civil).svg Herman De SoeteMatchless5646
14 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Derek Rickman Triumph-Métisse 34
15 Flag of France.svg Guy BertrandBSA43
16 Flag of the Netherlands.svg Jan ClijnkBSA43
17 Flag of Sweden.svg Per Olaf Persson Monark 43
18 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Gordon BlakewayTriumph43
19 Flag of Australia (converted).svg Tim Gibbes AJS 52
20 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg John HarrisBSA52
21 Flag of Belgium (civil).svg Frans SlechtenBSA52
22 Flag of Belgium (civil).svg Hubert ScailletTriumph52
23 Flag of Sweden.svg Roine LööfBSA52
24 Flag of France.svg Georges DelpeyratTriumph61
25 Flag of the Czech Republic.svg Josef HrebecekESO61
26 Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg Florian ThevenazTriumph61
27 Flag of Belgium (civil).svg Roger VanderbeckenBSA61
28 Flag of Belgium (civil).svg Jef TheuwissenBSA61
28 Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg Jacques LangelBSA61
Source: [6]

250cc

PosRiderMachine BEL
Flag of Belgium (civil).svg
FRA
Flag of France.svg
NED
Flag of the Netherlands.svg
CZE
Flag of the Czech Republic.svg
POL
Flag of Poland.svg
LUX
Flag of Luxembourg.svg
FIN
Flag of Finland.svg
ITA
Flag of Italy.svg
GER
Flag of Germany.svg
UK
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg
CH
Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg
SWE
Flag of Sweden.svg
GDR
Flag of East Germany.svg
Pts
1 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Dave Bickers Greeves 114111151
2 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Arthur Lampkin BSA 222431121248
3 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Jeff Smith BSA21142423240
4 Flag of Sweden.svg Torsten Hallman Husqvarna 43353123433
5 Flag of the Czech Republic.svg Jaromír Čížek Jawa 3365119
6 Flag of Finland.svg Aarno ErolaHusqvarna5524317
7 Flag of the Czech Republic.svg Vlastimil Valek ČZ/Greeves355214
8 Flag of Sweden.svg Lennart DahlénJawa249
9 Flag of the Netherlands.svg Fritz SellingGreeves6339
10 Flag of Germany.svg Fritz Betzelbacher Maico 6537
11 Flag of Sweden.svg Sivert ErikssonHusqvarna64657
12 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg John Draper BSA5466
13 Flag of Belgium (civil).svg Nic JansenGreeves545
14 Flag of the Czech Republic.svg Miloslav Soucek ESO 43
Flag of East Germany.svg Fred Willamowski MZ 43
16 Flag of the Czech Republic.svg Josef CharaJawa6663
17 Flag of Italy.svg Luciano Conti Aermacchi 52
Flag of Germany.svg Gerhard StauchMaico52
Flag of Germany.svg Otto WalzMaico52
20 Flag of Italy.svg Vincenzo Soletti Parilla 61
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Bryan SharpGreeves61
Flag of Sweden.svg Jan JohanssonHusqvarna61
Flag of East Germany.svg Paul Friedrichs ESO61
Source: [7]


Notes

  1. Now called the European Championship.

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References

  1. "Classic Motocross Iron: 1961 Lito 500 Motocross". motocrossactionmag.com. 11 June 2022. Retrieved 21 December 2022.
  2. 1 2 "1961 500cc motocross world championship race winners". memotocross.fr. Retrieved 21 December 2022.
  3. "1961 500cc motocross world championship results". memotocross.fr. Retrieved 21 December 2022.
  4. 1 2 "1961 250cc motocross world championship race winners". memotocross.fr. Retrieved 21 December 2022.
  5. "1961 250cc motocross world championship results". memotocross.fr. Retrieved 21 December 2022.
  6. 1 2 "1961 500cc motocross world championship results" (PDF). memotocross.fr. Retrieved 18 December 2022.
  7. 1 2 "1961 250cc motocross world championship results" (PDF). memotocross.fr. Retrieved 18 December 2022.