The 1976 Formula 750 season was the fourth season of the FIM Formula 750 Prize. The confused results of the Venezuelan round caused the championship's final standings to be shrouded in controversy. Kawasaki's Gary Nixon appeared to have won the second leg of the Venezuelan race however, the race organizers credited Yamaha's Steve Baker with the victory. [1] Víctor Palomo was crowned champion, winning three races on aggregate despite not winning a single heat. If Nixon had been awarded the victory in the Venezuelan round, he would have won the world championship by one point. Nixon protested the Venezuelan results to the FIM, who threw out the results of the event, thus denying his appeal. [2]
1976 Calendar | |||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Round | Race Title | Circuit | Date | Heat 1 Winner | Heat 2 Winner | Overall Winner | |
1 | 35th Daytona 200 1 | Daytona International Speedway | March 7 | Johnny Cecotto | |||
— | Venezuela 200 Miles 2 | Autodromo Internacional de San Carlos | March 21 | Johnny Cecotto | Steve Baker | Steve Baker | |
2 | Imola 200 | Autodromo Dino Ferrari | April 4 | Steve Baker | Steve Baker | Steve Baker | |
3 | Jarama 200 Miles | Circuito Permanente del Jarama | May 4–5 | Michel Rougerie | Michel Rougerie | Michel Rougerie | |
4 | Nivelles 200 Miles | Complexe Européen de Nivelles-Baulers | May 23 | Gary Nixon | Mick Grant | Gary Nixon | |
5 | Nogaro 200 Miles | Circuit Automobile Paul Armagnac | May 30 | Christian Estrosi | Christian Estrosi | Christian Estrosi | |
6 | John Player British Grand Prix | Silverstone Grand Prix Circuit | August 14–15 | Steve Baker | Mick Grant | Víctor Palomo | |
7 | Champion Assen 200 Miles | Circuit van Drenthe, Assen | September 5 | Phil Read | Giacomo Agostini | Víctor Palomo | |
8 | ADAC Preis von Baden-Württemberg und Hessen | Hockenheimring | September 26 | John Newbold | Gary Nixon | Víctor Palomo |
Notes:
Barry Steven Frank Sheene was a British professional motorcycle racer and television sports presenter. He competed in Grand Prix motorcycle racing between 1971 and 1984, most prominently as a member of the Suzuki factory racing team where he won two consecutive 500cc World Championships in 1976 and 1977. Sheene's 1977 title remained as Britain's last solo motorcycle world championship until Danny Kent won the 2015 Moto3 championship. However, Sheene is still the last British champion in the premier class.
Johnny Alberto Cecotto Persello, better known as Johnny Cecotto, is a Venezuelan former professional Grand Prix motorcycle racer and auto racer. He rose to prominence as a teenage prodigy in 1975 when he became the youngest motorcycle road racing world champion at the age of 19. Despite the auspicious beginning to his motorcycle racing career, he suffered numerous injuries and mechanical problems which curtailed his success in motorcycle Grand Prix racing.
Giacomo Agostini is an Italian former Grand Prix motorcycle road racer. Nicknamed Ago, he amassed 122 Grand Prix wins and 15 World Championship titles. Of these, 68 wins and 8 titles came in the 500 cc class, the rest in the 350 cc class. For these achievements obtained over the course of a career spanning 17 years, the AMA described him as "...perhaps the greatest Grand Prix rider of all time". In 2000, Agostini was inducted into the MotoGP Hall of Fame as a MotoGP Legend, while in 2010, he was named an FIM Legend for his motorcycling achievements.
Kenneth Leroy Roberts is an American former professional motorcycle racer and racing team owner. In 1978, he became the first American to win a Grand Prix motorcycle racing world championship. He was also a two-time winner of the A.M.A. Grand National Championship. Roberts is one of only four riders in American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) racing history to win the AMA Grand Slam, representing Grand National wins at a mile, half-mile, short-track, TT Steeplechase and road race events.
Jarno Karl Keimo Saarinen was a Finnish professional Motorcycle racer. He competed in the FIM Grand Prix motorcycle racing world championships from 1968 to 1971 as Yamaha privateer, before receiving the Yamaha factory's full support in 1972 and 1973. In the early 1970s, he was considered one of the most promising and talented motorcycle road racers of his era until he was killed during the 1973 Nations Grand Prix in Italy. Saarinen's death led to increased demands for better safety conditions for motorcycle racers competing in the world championships. He remains the only Finn to have won a solo motorcycle road racing world championship. Saarinen was inducted into the F.I.M. MotoGP Hall of Fame in 2009.
Erv Kanemoto is an American former Grand Prix motorcycle mechanic and motorcycle race team owner. He was one of the most successful motorcycle racing tuners and race team crew chiefs of the 1970s through the early 2000s, working with motorcycle racers who won two national championships and six world championships. He is best known for his association with motorcycle racers Gary Nixon and Freddie Spencer.
The 1978 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season was the 30th F.I.M. Road Racing World Championship season.
Pat Hennen was an American professional motorcycle racer. He competed in AMA dirt track and road racing competitions from 1971 to 1975 and in the Grand Prix motorcycle racing world championships from 1976 to 1978.
Hugh Neville "Kork" Ballington is a South African former professional motorcycle racer. He competed in the Grand Prix motorcycle racing world championships from 1976 to 1982, most prominently as a member of the Kawasaki factory racing team with whom he won four FIM road racing world championships. Ballington was inducted into the MotoGP Legends Hall of Fame in 2018.
Gary Nixon was an American professional motorcycle racer who most notably won the A.M.A. Grand National Championship in 1967 and 1968 as a member of the Triumph factory racing team. He was also the winner of the 1967 Daytona 200 motorcycle race on a 500cc Triumph Daytona.
The 1977 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season was the 29th F.I.M. Road Racing World Championship season.
Steve Baker is an American former professional motorcycle racer. He competed in AMA dirt track and road racing competitions from 1973 to 1976 and in the Grand Prix motorcycle racing world championships in 1977 and 1978.
Yvon Duhamel was a French Canadian professional motorcycle and snowmobile racer. A six-time winner of the White Trophy, the highest award in Canadian motorcycle racing, he was one of the most accomplished motorcycle racers in Canadian motorsports history. His motorcycle racing career spanned the transition from the 60 horsepower four-stroke motorcycles of the 1960s, to the 100 horsepower two-stroke motorcycles of the 1970s. Duhamel was a versatile rider competing in numerous motorcycle racing disciplines including; trials, motocross, ice racing, drag racing, flat track racing and most prominently in road racing as a member of the Kawasaki factory racing team.
Paul Smart was an English short circuit motorcycle road racer who later entered Grands Prix.
Gregory John "Gregg" Hansford was an Australian professional motorcycle and touring car racer. He competed in the FIM Grand Prix motorcycle racing world championships from 1978 to 1981 and in Australian touring car championships from 1982 to 1994. Hansford was a two-time vice-champion in the 250cc road racing world championships. With 10 Grand Prix victories to his credit, he is ranked fourth for the most Grand Prix wins by an Australian behind Mick Doohan, Casey Stoner (38) and Wayne Gardner (18).
Víctor Palomo was a Spanish world champion water skier, Grand Prix motorcycle road racer and Olympic bobsleigh pilot.
The 1977 Formula 750 season was the fifth season of the FIM Formula 750 World Championship and the first season to have full world championship status. Steve Baker was crowned champion, winning five races on aggregate.
David William Potter was an English motorcycle racer who won the British Superbike Championship twice. Potter crashed during a race at Oulton Park on 31 August 1981 and suffered head injuries from which he died in hospital 17 days later.
The 1975 Formula 750 season was the third season of the FIM Formula 750 Prize. The series consisted of 17 races held at nine events. Jack Findlay won the series although he didn't win any races.
The 1973 Formula 750 season was the first season of the FIM Formula 750 Prize. The series had previously been run as a British competition under ACU rules. Ten races were held over seven rounds. Although disqualified at Silverstone for using a different bike in the second race, Barry Sheene won the championship.
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