1971 FIM Motocross World Championship

Last updated

1971 FIM Motocross World Championship
Organizer FIM
Duration18 April/3 October
Number of races24
Number of manufacturers10
Champions
500cc Flag of Belgium (civil).svg Roger De Coster
250cc Flag of Belgium (civil).svg Joël Robert
FIM Motocross World Championship seasons

The 1971 Motocross World Championship was the 15th edition of the Motocross World Championship organized by the FIM and reserved for 500cc and 250cc motorcycles.

Contents

Summary

The Suzuki factory won the premier 500cc class in their first attempt with rider Roger De Coster winning five of the 12 Grand Prix events to become the first Japanese manufacturer to win the 500cc World Championship. [1] De Coster faced strong opposition from Maico factory team rider Åke Jonsson who won three rounds and was leading the championship going into the final event of the season in Holland. [1]

At the season ending Dutch Grand Prix, Jonsson had built a sizeable lead over De Coster when his motorcycle’s spark plug came loose, allowing De Coster to take the lead and go to win the 1971 500 World Championship. [1] [2] [3] [4] For the second consecutive year, Jonsson had the World Championship slip from his grasp in the final round of the championship. [1] De Coster became the first Belgian to claim the 500 division since Rene Baeten won in 1958. [1]

In the middle of the 1971 season, the BSA factory announced that they were ceasing operations, leaving their team rider John Banks without a motorcycle. [5] Banks would finish the season riding a privateer Husqvarna motorcycle. [5] The BSA team remained competitive up to the end with Banks placing third at the British Grand Prix.

Suzuki also claimed the 250cc World Championship where Joël Robert dominated the smaller class, winning eight of the twelve Grand Prix events to clinch the title ahead of Husqvarna factory rider, Håkan Andersson. [6] [7] It would be Robert's fourth consecutive 250cc title, and second since joining the Suzuki factory racing team. It was his fifth 250cc world championship overall in his career. Four-time World Champion, Torsten Hallman, scored the Yamaha factory's first motocross world championship points with a 7th place at the 1971 250cc Dutch Grand Prix. [8] Hallman retired at the end of the season. Siegfried Lerner scored the first motocross world championship points for the KTM factory with a 10th place at the 1971 250cc East German Grand Prix.

Grands Prix

500cc

RoundDateGrand PrixLocationRace 1 WinnerRace 2 WinnerOverall WinnerReport
1April 18 Flag of Italy.svg Italian Grand Prix Macerata Flag of Belgium (civil).svg Roger De Coster Flag of Belgium (civil).svg Roger De Coster Flag of Belgium (civil).svg Roger De Coster Report
2May 2 Flag of Austria.svg Austrian Grand Prix Sittendorf Flag of East Germany.svg Paul Friedrichs Flag of East Germany.svg Paul Friedrichs Flag of East Germany.svg Paul Friedrichs Report
3May 16 Flag of Sweden.svg Swedish Grand Prix Huskvarna Flag of Belgium (civil).svg Roger De Coster Flag of Sweden.svg Christer Hammargren Flag of Belgium (civil).svg Roger De Coster Report
4May 23 Flag of Finland.svg Finnish Grand Prix Ruskeasanta Flag of East Germany.svg Paul Friedrichs Flag of Sweden.svg Åke Jonsson Flag of East Germany.svg Paul Friedrichs Report
5June 13 Flag of the Czech Republic.svg Czechoslovakian Grand Prix Stribro Flag of Belgium (civil).svg Roger De Coster Flag of Germany.svg Adolf Weil Flag of Belgium (civil).svg Roger De Coster Report
6June 20 Flag of the Soviet Union.svg Russian Grand Prix Chișinău Flag of Sweden.svg Bengt Åberg Flag of Sweden.svg Åke Jonsson Flag of Sweden.svg Åke Jonsson Report
7June 27 Flag of East Germany.svg East German Grand Prix Schwerin Flag of Sweden.svg Bengt Åberg Flag of Sweden.svg Åke Jonsson Flag of Sweden.svg Bengt Åberg Report
8July 11 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg British Grand Prix Farleigh Castle Flag of Sweden.svg Åke Jonsson Flag of East Germany.svg Paul Friedrichs Flag of Sweden.svg Åke Jonsson Report
9July 18 Flag of Germany.svg West German Grand Prix Bielstein Flag of Germany.svg Adolf Weil Flag of Sweden.svg Åke Jonsson Flag of Germany.svg Adolf Weil Report
10August 1 Flag of Belgium (civil).svg Belgian Grand Prix Namur Flag of Belgium (civil).svg Roger De Coster Flag of Belgium (civil).svg Roger De Coster Flag of Belgium (civil).svg Roger De Coster Report
11August 8 Flag of Luxembourg.svg Luxembourg Grand Prix Ettelbruck Flag of Belgium (civil).svg Roger De Coster Flag of Sweden.svg Åke Jonsson Flag of Sweden.svg Åke Jonsson Report
12August 22 Flag of the Netherlands.svg Dutch Grand Prix Sint Anthonis Flag of Belgium (civil).svg Roger De Coster Flag of Sweden.svg Åke Jonsson Flag of Belgium (civil).svg Roger De Coster Report
Sources: [4] [9] [10]

250cc

RoundDateGrand PrixLocationRace 1 WinnerRace 2 WinnerOverall WinnerReport
1April 18 Flag of Spain.svg Spanish Grand Prix Sabadell Flag of Belgium (civil).svg Joël Robert Flag of Belgium (civil).svg Joël Robert Flag of Belgium (civil).svg Joël Robert Report
2April 25 Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg Swiss Grand Prix Payerne Flag of Belgium (civil).svg Joël Robert Flag of Belgium (civil).svg Joël Robert Flag of Belgium (civil).svg Joël Robert Report
3May 2 Flag of Poland.svg Polish Grand Prix Szczecin Flag of Finland.svg Heikki Mikkola Flag of Finland.svg Kalevi Vehkonen Flag of Finland.svg Kalevi Vehkonen Report
4May 9 Flag of Germany.svg West German Grand Prix Beuren Flag of Belgium (civil).svg Joël Robert Flag of Sweden.svg Torleif Hansen Flag of Finland.svg Heikki Mikkola Report
5May 16 Flag of Yugoslavia (1946-1992).svg Yugoslavian Grand Prix Karlovac Flag of Belgium (civil).svg Joël Robert Flag of Belgium (civil).svg Joël Robert Flag of Belgium (civil).svg Joël Robert Report
6May 23 Flag of Italy.svg Italian Grand Prix Busca Flag of Belgium (civil).svg Joël Robert Flag of Belgium (civil).svg Joël Robert Flag of Belgium (civil).svg Joël Robert Report
7June 20 Flag of the Netherlands.svg Dutch Grand Prix Bergharen Flag of Belgium (civil).svg Joël Robert Flag of Belgium (civil).svg Sylvain Geboers Flag of Belgium (civil).svg Sylvain Geboers Report
8July 4 Flag of East Germany.svg East German Grand Prix Teutschenthal Flag of Belgium (civil).svg Joël Robert Flag of Belgium (civil).svg Joël Robert Flag of Belgium (civil).svg Joël Robert Report
9August 8 Flag of Finland.svg Finnish Grand Prix Hyvinkää Flag of Belgium (civil).svg Sylvain Geboers Flag of Belgium (civil).svg Sylvain Geboers Flag of Belgium (civil).svg Sylvain Geboers Report
10August 15 Flag of Sweden.svg Swedish Grand Prix Ulricehamn Flag of Belgium (civil).svg Joël Robert Flag of Belgium (civil).svg Joël Robert Flag of Belgium (civil).svg Joël Robert Report
11August 22 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg British Grand Prix Bristol Flag of Belgium (civil).svg Joël Robert Flag of Belgium (civil).svg Joël Robert Flag of Belgium (civil).svg Joël Robert Report
12October 3 Flag of Austria.svg Austrian Grand PrixLaunsdorf Flag of Sweden.svg Håkan Andersson Flag of Finland.svg Heikki Mikkola Flag of Belgium (civil).svg Joël Robert Report
Sources: [7] [11] [12]

Final standings

Points are awarded to the top 10 classified finishers. For the 250cc and 500cc final championship standings, the 7 best of 12 results are retained.

Position12345678910
Points1512108654321

500cc

(Results in italics indicate overall winner)

PosRiderMachine ITA
Flag of Italy.svg
AUT
Flag of Austria.svg
SWE
Flag of Sweden.svg
FIN
Flag of Finland.svg
CZE
Flag of the Czech Republic.svg
USSR
Flag of the Soviet Union.svg
GDR
Flag of East Germany.svg
UK
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg
GER
Flag of Germany.svg
BEL
Flag of Belgium (civil).svg
LUX
Flag of Luxembourg.svg
NED
Flag of the Netherlands.svg
Points
R1R2R1R2R1R2R1R2R1R2R1R2R1R2R1R2R1R2R1R2R1R2R1R2
1 Flag of Belgium (civil).svg Roger De Coster Suzuki 112-12461243--242311121297
2 Flag of Sweden.svg Åke Jonsson Maico -352854314421211231222110193
3 Flag of Germany.svg Adolf Weil Maico2232352331345---124-3182681
4 Flag of East Germany.svg Paul Friedrichs ČZ 4-112312----6641----63--70
5 Flag of Sweden.svg Bengt Åberg Husqvarna --724----2512123---3384--52
6 Flag of Sweden.svg Christer Hammargren Husqvarna--86415898--44----10845--45
7 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg John Banks BSA 1110123--8-8-5-3393108------37
Husqvarna------------------6499--
8 Flag of Germany.svg Willy Bauer Maico--641289-7665-7794-79787836
9 Flag of Belgium (civil).svg Jaak van Velthoven Husqvarna7-42716622563--956597-5--4432
10 Flag of the Czech Republic.svg Jiri StodulkaČZ5421111512--5-----1066-5756141027
11 Flag of Sweden.svg Jan JohanssonHusqvarna9695711------88--86----61127
12 Flag of the Netherlands.svg Gerrit Wolsink Husqvarna68--9--410---------8610-3321
13 Flag of Belgium (civil).svg Willy van LoonHusqvarna1051382015--15-----1411----14105516
14 Flag of Sweden.svg Arne Kring Husqvarna8710767------------------14
15 Flag of the Czech Republic.svg Karel KonecnyČZ3-149-19--117-----7--121011717-12
16 Flag of the Czech Republic.svg Jaroslav HomolaČZ17--15813610129----810--11-12-18-10
17 Flag of Sweden.svg Bert-Ove WallnerHusqvarna------77---10-----10------9
18 Flag of Germany.svg Hans MaischMaico----------------55------8
19 Flag of Germany.svg Herbert SchmitzMaico----------------74------6
20 Flag of East Germany.svg Heinz HoppeČZ121816121310--191076--1215--------5
21 Flag of Sweden.svg Jan Erik SallqvistHusqvarna----109149----------------5
Flag of the Soviet Union.svg Mikhail RastvortsevČZ----1816----9-713----------5
23 Flag of the Soviet Union.svg Viatcheslav KrasnotchekovČZ----21---14148710-----------4
Flag of the Netherlands.svg Peter WillemsHusqvarna----------------------874
25 Flag of Italy.svg Giuseppe CavalleroČZ1491919--------------------2
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Jim AirdHusqvarna--------------1112--------2
Flag of Belgium (civil).svg Riik Van HoofHusqvarna------------------911-11--2
28 Flag of East Germany.svg Manfred SteinČZ1313------------1617--------1
Flag of Austria.svg Siegfried Lerner KTM --1113--------------------1
Flag of the Czech Republic.svg Vlastimil ValekČZ--------1311--------------1
Flag of the Soviet Union.svg Anatoly BotchkovČZ----------10-------------1
Flag of the Soviet Union.svg Vladimir OvchinnikovČZ-----------81110----------1
Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg Walter KalbererHusqvarna-----------------9------1
Flag of the Netherlands.svg Jo KeizerHusqvarna------------------1312--991
- Flag of Finland.svg Pauli PippolaHusqvarna--151011-10---------------11120
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Andy RobertonBSA--------------58--------0
Sources: [3] [9] [10]

250cc

(Results in italics indicate overall winner)

PosRiderMachine ESP
Flag of Spain.svg
CH
Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg
POL
Flag of Poland.svg
GER
Flag of Germany.svg
YUG
Flag of Yugoslavia (1946-1992).svg
ITA
Flag of Italy.svg
NED
Flag of the Netherlands.svg
GDR
Flag of East Germany.svg
FIN
Flag of Finland.svg
SWE
Flag of Sweden.svg
UK
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg
AUT
Flag of Austria.svg
Pts
R1R2R1R2R1R2R1R2R1R2R1R2R1R2R1R2R1R2R1R2R1R2R1R2
1 Flag of Belgium (civil).svg Joël Robert Suzuki 11114-1-1111121122111122105
2 Flag of Sweden.svg Håkan Andersson Husqvarna 53985263--59--233332541-72
3 Flag of Belgium (civil).svg Sylvain Geboers Suzuki----128--22--213211--22--66
4 Flag of Finland.svg Heikki Mikkola Husqvarna--231322--23------2---3163
5 Flag of Sweden.svg Olle PetterssonSuzuki427566711-4-7337546--33--59
6 Flag of Sweden.svg Uno PalmHusqvarna14-5474--534555--94--1075953
7 Flag of the Czech Republic.svg Miroslav Halm ČZ --46119847582-84105--5454446
8 Flag of the Soviet Union.svg Vladimir KavinovČZ84628558---46-6667--866-41
9 Flag of the Czech Republic.svg Jaroslav Falta ČZ--810--3737669-97-10--13-7336
10 Flag of Finland.svg Kalevi VehkonenHusqvarna6-12721------44--754-11108-33
11 Flag of Belgium (civil).svg Gaston Rahier ČZ36119--186--310------87----20
12 Flag of Sweden.svg Torleif Hansen Husqvarna7-----4186--------------17
13 Flag of the Soviet Union.svg Pavel RulevČZ2211----11969--76---8--1213-716
14 Flag of Belgium (civil).svg Marcel Wiertz Bultaco 97-14----1010------------9613
15 Flag of the Soviet Union.svg Gennady Moiseyev ČZ2-3-3-959-78--1048---6---12
16 Flag of Sweden.svg Bengt Arne BonnHusqvarna11-----------------6316---10
17 Flag of the Soviet Union.svg Alexej KibirineČZ------------------9617-10810
18 Flag of Sweden.svg Gunnar NilssonHusqvarna------------------54----8
19 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Bryan WadeHusqvarna125--97--------------7---8
20 Flag of the Czech Republic.svg Otakar TomanČZ--10-----------59---9---57
21 Flag of Austria.svg Siegfried Lerner KTM --13---------101288---10----5
22 Flag of Sweden.svg Torsten Hallman Yamaha ------------810----------4
23 Flag of Belgium (civil).svg François Minne Ossa 138----------------------3
Flag of Finland.svg Jyrki StormHusqvarna----------9-119------20---3
Flag of Sweden.svg Stig PetterssonHusqvarna----------------1097-----3
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Andy RobertonHusqvarna--------------------99--3
27 Flag of East Germany.svg Helmut SchadenbergČZ---13-10---------12--------3
28 Flag of Belgium (civil).svg George Houssonlonge Montesa 1710----------------------2
Flag of Austria.svg Friedrich SchiechtlHusqvarna-----------------------102
30 Flag of Sweden.svg Lars ForsbergMontesa1513----------------------1
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Malcolm DavisBultaco--------158--------------1
Flag of the Czech Republic.svg Oldrich HamrsmidČZ----------10-------------1
Flag of Denmark.svg Erling RasmussenHusqvarna------------------10-2215--1
Flag of the Czech Republic.svg Jiri ChuravyČZ---------------------8--1
Flag of Belgium (civil).svg Harry Everts Puch -----------------------111
- Flag of Japan.svg Taichi YoshimuraSuzuki10-----------------------0
Sources: [6] [11] [12]

Notes

    References

    1. 1 2 3 4 5 Nicholls, B.R. (1 December 1971). "Continental Report". Cycle World. Retrieved 23 January 2025.
    2. "Flashback Friday: Ake Jonsson's spark plug". motocrossactionmag.com. Retrieved 23 January 2025.
    3. 1 2 "1971 500cc motocross world championship final standings". memotocross.fr. Retrieved 23 January 2025.
    4. 1 2 "1971 500cc motocross world championship race winners". memotocross.fr. Retrieved 23 January 2025.
    5. 1 2 Westlake, John (2022), John Banks, Mortons Motorcycle Media Ltd, ISSN   0142-890X, After John got third place at the British GP he was told the competition department was closing and he was unemployed.
    6. 1 2 "1971 250cc motocross world championship final standings". memotocross.fr. Retrieved 23 January 2025.
    7. 1 2 "1971 250cc motocross world championship race winners". memotocross.fr. Retrieved 23 January 2025.
    8. "Torsten Totte Hallman". silverpilen.net. Retrieved 23 January 2025.
    9. 1 2 "1971 500cc motocross world championship results" (PDF). memotocross.fr. Retrieved 23 January 2025.
    10. 1 2 "1971 500cc motocross world championship complete results" (PDF). memotocross.fr. Retrieved 13 February 2025.
    11. 1 2 "1971 250cc motocross world championship results" (PDF). memotocross.fr. Retrieved 23 January 2025.
    12. 1 2 "1971 250cc motocross world championship complete results" (PDF). memotocross.fr. Retrieved 23 January 2025.