1980 FIM Motocross World Championship

1980 FIM Motocross World Championship
Organizer	FIM
Duration	13 April/24 August
Number of races	36
Number of manufacturers	18
Champions
500cc	André Malherbe
250cc	Georges Jobé
125cc	Harry Everts
FIM Motocross World Championship seasons
← 1979 1981 →

The 1980 FIM Motocross World Championship was the 24th F.I.M. Motocross Racing World Championship season.

Summary

500 class

André Malherbe (Honda) won the first 500cc World Championship of his career after a season-long battle with Brad Lackey (Kawasaki) that was not decided until the final race of the year. ^{[1] [2] [3]} As well as battling with Lackey, Malherbe also faced a strong field of competitors in the 1980 season including the defending champion Graham Noyce (Honda), five-time World Champion Roger De Coster (Honda), and the 1979 250cc World Champion Håkan Carlqvist (Yamaha) as well as talented newcomer André Vromans (Yamaha). ^[3]

The season was dominated by Malherbe and Lackey as the two racers traded the top two positions in the points standing five times during a season-long battle for the 500cc World Championship. ^[3] Entering the final race of the year in Luxembourg, Malherbe held a slim one-point lead over Lackey in the championship points standings. ^{[1] [2]} Lackey suffered two crashes in Luxembourg which allowed Malherbe to win the world championship with Lackey finishing in second place. ^{[1] [2] [4]} Malherbe claimed the world title by winning 9 individual heat races and 4 Grand Prix overall victories. ^[3] Carlqvist won his home Grand Prix in Sweden to put himself into title contention but then faded in the second half of the season to be challenged by his teammate Vromans before he prevailed to claim third in the championship. ^[3]

Privateer racer Marty Moates (Yamaha) scored an upset victory at the 500cc United States Grand Prix held at the Carlsbad Raceway. ^[5] His unexpected victory against a field of top-rated competitors came at a time when European racers dominated the sport and marked the first time that an American had won his home Grand Prix since the event's inception in 1973. Five-time World Champion Roger De Coster announced his retirement after scoring an impressive victory at the season-ending 500cc Luxembourg Grand Prix. ^[6] The retirements of Heikki Mikkola and De Coster who had dominated the 1970s, marked the beginning of a new era in the Motocross World Championships.

250 class

The 1980 250cc World Championship lacked any one clearly dominant competitor as eleven different riders won heat races during the season. ^[7] Despite only winning only three Grand Prix victories, Georges Jobé (Suzuki) won the championship through sheer consistency as he was able to score points at a rate that none of his competitors were able to match. ^{[8] [7]} Runnerup Kees van der Ven (Maico) also had three Grand Prix victories but failed to score any points in 10 races. ^[7] At 19 years, 6 months and 14 days, Jobé dethroned Joël Robert for the honorary title of youngest Motocross World Champion in history at the time. ^[7]

125 class

After dominating the 1979 season, Harry Everts faced stronger opposition in the 1980 125cc Motocross World Championship from a trio of young riders. ^[9] Marc Velkeneers (Yamaha) won two of the first three rounds to take the championship points lead. Everts then suffered a broken wrist in France forcing him to miss three rounds while points leader Velkeneers suffered a broken leg in West Germany. Their absence allowed Michèle Rinaldi (TGM) and Eric Geboers (Suzuki) to narrow the points gap before Everts was able to return and win the Finnish and Spanish Grand Prix events to clinch the title at the last race of the season by 5 points over Rinaldi. ^[10] Everts' Suzuki teammate Akira Watanabe was expected to be one of his strongest rival for the title but he suffered an injury in the opening round and never returned. ^[9] The dominant Suzuki factory racing team narrowly avoided defeat by the tiny Italian manufacturer TGM with Rinaldi finishing in second place just 5 points behind Everts. ^[9]

Grands Prix

500cc

Round	Date	Grand Prix	Location	Race 1 Winner	Race 2 Winner	Overall Winner	Report
1	April 13	Swiss Grand Prix	Payerne	André Malherbe	André Malherbe	André Malherbe	Report
2	April 20	Austrian Grand Prix	Sittendorf	Brad Lackey	Brad Lackey	Brad Lackey	Report
3	May 4	French Grand Prix	Gaillefontaine	André Malherbe	André Malherbe	André Malherbe	Report
4	May 11	Swedish Grand Prix	Vissefjarda	Brad Lackey	Håkan Carlqvist	Håkan Carlqvist	Report
5	May 18	Finnish Grand Prix	Ruskeasanta	Graham Noyce	André Malherbe	Graham Noyce	Report
6	June 8	Italian Grand Prix	Fermo	Roger De Coster	André Malherbe	André Malherbe	Report
7	June 15	Dutch Grand Prix	Valkenswaard	André Vromans	André Vromans	André Vromans	Report
8	June 22	United States Grand Prix	Carlsbad	Marty Moates	Marty Moates	Marty Moates	Report
9	July 13	Canadian Grand Prix	Saint-Gabriel	Brad Lackey	André Malherbe	Håkan Carlqvist	Report
10	July 20	West German Grand Prix	Gaildorf	André Vromans	Håkan Carlqvist	André Vromans	Report
11	August 5	Belgian Grand Prix	Namur	André Malherbe	André Malherbe	André Malherbe	Report
12	August 12	Luxembourg Grand Prix	Ettelbruck	Roger De Coster	Roger De Coster	Roger De Coster	Report
Sources: [11] [3]

250cc

Round	Date	Grand Prix	Location	Race 1 Winner	Race 2 Winner	Overall Winner	Report
1	April 13	Spanish Grand Prix	Sabadell	Rolf Dieffenbach	Jaroslav Falta	Rolf Dieffenbach	Report
2	May 11	Czechoslovak Grand Prix	Holice	Jaroslav Falta	Dimitar Rangelov	Raymond Boven	Report
3	May 18	West German Grand Prix	Beuren	Neil Hudson	Raymond Boven	Fritz Kobele	Report
4	June 1	Belgian Grand Prix	Marche-en-Famenne	Georges Jobé	Georges Jobé	Georges Jobé	Report
5	June 8	Polish Grand Prix	Szczecin	Kees van der Ven	Rolf Dieffenbach	Kees van der Ven	Report
6	June 15	Russian Grand Prix	Chișinău	Dimitar Rangelov	Vladimir Kavinov	Vladimir Kavinov	Report
7	June 22	British Grand Prix	Hawkstone Park	Kees van der Ven	Georges Jobé	Georges Jobé	Report
8	June 29	French Grand Prix	Brou	Jean-Claude Laquaye	Dimitar Rangelov	Georges Jobé	Report
9	July 13	Dutch Grand Prix	Hengelo	Kees van der Ven	Kees van der Ven	Kees van der Ven	Report
10	July 20	United States Grand Prix	Unadilla	Kent Howerton	Kent Howerton	Kent Howerton	Report
11	August 17	Finnish Grand Prix	Hyvinkää	Kees van der Ven	Jean-Claude Laquaye	Kees van der Ven	Report
12	August 24	Swedish Grand Prix	Bra	Jean-Paul Mingels	Rolf Dieffenbach	Jean-Paul Mingels	Report
Sources: [12] [7]

125cc

Round	Date	Grand Prix	Location	Race 1 Winner	Race 2 Winner	Overall Winner	Report
1	March 30	Dutch Grand Prix	Norg	Harry Everts	Marc Velkeneers	Harry Everts	Report
2	April 13	Austrian Grand Prix	Launsdorf	Harry Everts	Marc Velkeneers	Harry Everts	Report
3	April 20	Belgian Grand Prix	Hechtel	Harry Everts	Marc Velkeneers	Marc Velkeneers	Report
4	April 27	French Grand Prix	Verdun	Marc Velkeneers	Eric Geboers	Eric Geboers	Report
5	May 18	Yugoslavian Grand Prix	Tržič	Michele Rinaldi	Gaston Rahier	Gaston Rahier	Report
6	June 8	West German Grand Prix	Sankt Wendel	Eric Geboers	Tetsumi Mitsuyasu	Eric Geboers	Report
7	June 15	Italian Grand Prix	Montevarchi	Michele Rinaldi	Michele Rinaldi	Michele Rinaldi	Report
8	June 22	Czechoslovak Grand Prix	Dalečín	Tetsumi Mitsuyasu	Eric Geboers	Eric Geboers	Report
9	July 6	Finnish Grand Prix	Salo	Matti Autio	Harry Everts	Harry Everts	Report
10	July 27	United States Grand Prix	Lexington	Johnny O'Mara	Ron Sun	Johnny O'Mara	Report
11	August 17	Spanish Grand Prix	Montgai	Harry Everts	Harry Everts	Harry Everts	Report
Sources: [13] [9]

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	CH		AUT		FRA		SWE		FIN		ITA		NED		USA		CAN		GER		BEL		LUX		Points
1	André Malherbe	Honda	1	1	8	5	1	1	3	2	4	1	2	1	2	7			3	1		8	1	1	3	3	235
2	Brad Lackey	Kawasaki	2	2	1	1	5	2	1	3	3	3	5	6		2	6		1	4	2	2	3	2	5	10	221
3	Håkan Carlqvist	Yamaha	3	3	2	2	4		2	1			10	8	4		2		2	2	4	1	4	3	4	2	188
4	André Vromans	Yamaha	4	5	3	10		7	4	5	6	5	3	2	1	1	4	6		3	1	3			2		166
5	Roger De Coster	Honda	5		6	4		5			2		1	3					4	9	3	4	2	8	1	1	135
6	Gérard Rond	Suzuki	6	4			7			4	7	2	6	4	3	3		2	5	5			8	4	8		112
7	Jean-Jacques Bruno	Suzuki			5	6	2	3			5	6	9	5		4					5				9		68
8	Graham Noyce	Honda					3	4	5		1	4	4														55
9	Yvan van den Broeck	Maico		7	4	8	8					9			7	10			7	10		5			6	4	49
10	Jaak van Velthoven	KTM		6							8	8		7	8	5		9	6	8	10		9	5			43
11	Tapani Pikkarainen	KTM	8	10			10	9		6		10			6	6			8	6			6				36
12	Herbert Schmitz	Maico	7	8						8			8									7	5		7	6	32
13	Marty Moates	Yamaha															1	1									30
14	Gerrit Wolsink	Maico	9		10	3			7						5				10								24
15	Danny LaPorte	Suzuki															3	3									20
16	Arne Lindfors	Yamaha					6	6			10										9			7			17
	Conny Carlsson	Husqvarna					9	8	8		9										8		7				17
18	Laurence Spence	Yamaha												9				10	9	7		6				9	16
19	Ludwig Reinbold	KTM				9															6				10	5	14
	Geoff Mayes	Maico			7				6															9		8	14
20	Peter Herlings	Maico							9	9		7			10	8											12
22	Chuck Sun	Honda															7	5									10
23	Marty Smith	Suzuki																4									8
24	Bertil Ovgard	Husqvarna	10						10						9	9							10				7
25	Goat Breker	Kawasaki															5										6
	Walter Gruhler	Suzuki				7																10		10			6
27	André Massant	Maico																						6			5
	Morizio Dolce	Maico											7	10													5
	Jim Gibson	Honda															10	7									5
30	Uno Palm	Suzuki								7																	4
	Arne Lodal	Husqvarna																			7						4
	Raymond Heeren	Yamaha																								7	4
33	Rex Staten	Yamaha															8										3
	Gary Semics	Yamaha																8									3
35	Fritz Graf	Yamaha		9																							2
	Herbert Salzmann	Husqvarna			9																						2
	Gaylon Mosier	Kawasaki															9										2
	Georg Reiter	KTM																				9					2
39	Jim Pomeroy	Beta						10																			1
	Pelle Grandqvist	Husqvarna								10																	1
Sources: [3] [14]

250cc

(Results in italics indicate overall winner)

Pos	Rider	Machine	ESP		CZE		GER		BEL		POL		USR		UK		FRA		NED		USA		FIN		SWE		Points
1	Georges Jobé	Suzuki	4	4	4	3		2	1	1	4	3	4	2	2	1	3	3	3	4	2	2		8	2		218
2	Kees van der Ven	Maico			8			8	10		1	4			1			2	1	1	5	4	1	2	7		132
3	Dimitar Rangelov	Husqvarna		8	6	1	5	4		3	3	5	1	3	8	5		1								7	116
4	Rolf Dieffenbach	Honda	1	3		8	8					1	5	10		4	10	5				8			3	1	96
5	Raymond Boven	Husqvarna			2	2		1	4	4	8	7		6				6	7	6	7		3				95
6	Jean-Claude Laquaye	SWM		7		9	3	6			5	2	7		5		1			8		5		1			88
7	Jaroslav Falta	ČZ		1	1	4	6	7		2	10		8	5									10	3			80
8	Erkki Sundstrom	Husqvarna	6		7					8	7		6	8		2	9		4	2		9	9	4			70
9	Jean-Paul Mingels	Yamaha				7	4		7	9	2							9		5					1	3	63
10	Matti Tarkkonen	Yamaha		10		10				7	6	6			9		8	8	5	10		10	2	7	6	9	55
11	Fritz Kobele	Honda	2	2			2	3					10	7													51
12	Vladimir Kavinov	ČZ	5	5	5								2	1													45
	Benny Wilken	KTM													3	6			2				6	5	9	6	45
14	Jan Kristofferson	Yamaha		6					5	5						8		4	10	7					8	5	42
15	Patrick Fura	Husqvarna	3	9					3			10	3	4													41
16	Gennady Moiseyev	ČZ				6			2			9				3	4										37
	Magnus Nyberg	KTM								6					6	10		10						6	4	2	37
18	Neil Hudson	Maico			3	5	1														9						33
19	Soren Mortensen	Kramer-Rotax	8		10			5			9				4					9				10	10	4	32
20	Kent Howerton	Suzuki																			1	1					30
21	Darrell Schultz	Suzuki																			3	3					20
22	Henk Van Mierlo	Suzuki																	6	3							15
23	Patrick Boniface	KTM							9								2										14
	Rolf Wisksell	Husqvarna															7						4	9			14
25	Leif Nicklasson	Husqvarna								10					7				9		8					8	13
26	Mike Guerra	Husqvarna																			4	7					12
	Sven Berggren	Husqvarna																					5		5		12
28	Johny Wasilewski	Honda															5		8								9
	Hans Maisch	Maico	7												10	7											9
	Jiří Churavý	ČZ					7	10					9	9													9
31	Jukka Sintonen	Suzuki										8											7				7
	Michele Magarotto	Montesa	10				9											7									7
33	Billy Aldbridge	Suzuki							6																		5
	Dave Watson	Suzuki															6										5
	JoJo Keller	Honda																			6						5
	David Bailey	Kawasaki																				6					5
	Heinz Kinigadner	KTM						9	8																		5
38	Taimi Simo	Husqvarna																					8				3
39	Tony Arcarons	Montesa	9																								2
	Stanislas Jacenek	ČZ			9																						2
	Rob Hooper	Maico														9											2
42	Willy Wallinger	KTM					10																				1
	Jimmy Ellis	Yamaha																			10						1
	Ove Karlsson	Suzuki																								10	1
Sources: [7] [15]

125cc

(Results in italics indicate overall winner)

Pos	Rider	Machine	NED		AUT		BEL		FRA		YUG		GER		ITA		CZE		FIN		USA		ESP		Points
1	Harry Everts	Suzuki	1	2	1		1	3	2	7							8		2	1	7		1	1	147
2	Michele Rinaldi	TGM	5	7				6		3	1	5	5	3	1	1	3	6	4	6	6		2	6	142
3	Eric Geboers	Suzuki					4	5	4	1			1	2	2		2	1	5	2			4		129
4	Marc Velkeneers	Yamaha		1	2	1	2	1	1		5	3							8	3					113
	Tetsumi Mitsuyasu	Yamaha			4					9	3	6	2	1	3		1	2		5		5		2	113
6	Torao Suzuki	Aprilia	7	8	5	3				5			3		4	2	10	3	3				3	8	93
7	Matti Autio	Honda	3				5	9	7		4	4	9			5	5		1				5	7	77
8	Dario Nani	Gilera			7				5	2	6		6		5	4	4	4			5	8	6		55
9	Gaston Rahier	Gilera	4	6		2	7		10		2	1									9			4	67
	Peter Groeneveld	Honda		3			3	2				7		5		6		5	7	4			10	10	67
11	Jacky Vimond	Yamaha			6				6				7	4	9			10	9	8					30
12	Mauro Miele	Cagiva			10	4					9				6	3									26
13	Yuri Khudiakov	ČZ		10					3		10	10	10				6	9		10			7		26
	Corrado Maddii	Aprilia				9	6							8				8					8	3	26
15	Johnny O'Mara	Honda																			1	3			25
	Dinant Zijlstra	Yamaha	2	5										9				7	10						25
17	Jean-Marie Milissen	TGM	6	9			10	4		4															24
18	Walter Kalberer	KTM		4								2													20
19	Franco Perfini	Gilera				7			8				4		7										19
20	Ron Sun	Honda																				1			15
	Craig Coleman	Suzuki			3								8											9	15
22	Pauli Piipola	Gilera						10		8						9				9				5	14
23	Ove Svendson	KTM			9						7			6			9								13
24	Mark Barnett	Suzuki																			2				12
	Richard Coon	Honda																				2			12
26	Tom Benolkin	Honda																			3				10
27	Antonio Elias	Derbi	10			5			9																9
	Seppo Isomaki	Suzuki																	6	7					9
	Valery Korneev	ČZ				6		7																	9
	Renato Zocchi	Cagiva													8	7							9		9
31	Dick Bentley	Suzuki																			4				8
	Broc Glover	Yamaha																				4			8
	Paul Rottler	KTM								6	8														8
	Pat Moroney	Yamaha																			8	6			8
	Robert Greisch	Puch					8									10	7								8
36	Hank Seppenwoolde	Honda	8											7											7
37	Dave Taylor	Cagiva																				7			4
	Ivan Alborghetti	KTM													10	8									4
	Erik Van Essen	KTM	9				9																		4
40	Georg Reiter	KTM			8																				3
	Emil Schwarz	Honda				8																			3
	Gilbert De Roover	Aprilia						8																	3
	Tony Kalberer	KTM										8													3
	Helmut Frauwellner	KTM				10						9													3
45	Pat Mihalik	Honda																				9			2
46	Gote Liljegren	Suzuki								10															1
	Andreiv Ledovsky	ČZ												10											1
	Jon Surwall	Yamaha																			10				1
	Pedro Perales	Suzuki																				10			1
Sources: [9] [16]

References

1. "André Malherbe: a life full of struggle". mxmag.net. Retrieved 25 September 2025.
2. "Jack Burnicle looks back at Andre Malherbe's remarkable career". dirtbikerider.com. 19 November 2020. Retrieved 22 December 2025.
3. "1980 500cc motocross world championship final results" (PDF). memotocross.fr. Retrieved 22 December 2025.
4. Mueller, Tom (1 June 1982). "Malherbe Aims For Number 3". Cycle World. Retrieved 22 December 2025.
5. "Marty Moates: Once in a Lifetime". racerxonline.com. Retrieved 25 September 2025.
6. "Roger De Coster at the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame". motorcyclemuseum.org. Retrieved 25 September 2025.
7. "1980 250cc motocross world championship final results" (PDF). memotocross.fr. Retrieved 22 December 2025.
8. "Godspeed! Georges Jobé (1961-2012)". motocrossactionmag.com. 13 March 2014. Retrieved 22 December 2025.
9. "1980 125cc motocross world championship final results"" (PDF). memotocross.fr. Retrieved 22 December 2025.
10. "MXA Interview: Harry Everts Started the Dynasty". motocrossactionmag.com. Retrieved 22 December 2025.
11. "1980 500cc motocross world championship race results". memotocross.fr. Retrieved 22 December 2025.
12. "1980 250cc motocross world championship race results". memotocross.fr. Retrieved 22 December 2025.
13. "1980 125cc motocross world championship race results". memotocross.fr. Retrieved 22 December 2025.
14. "1980 500cc motocross world championship final standings". memotocross.fr. Retrieved 22 December 2025.
15. "1980 250cc motocross world championship final standings" (PDF). memotocross.fr. Retrieved 22 December 2025.
16. "1980 125cc motocross world championship final standings". memotocross.fr. Retrieved 22 December 2025.

External links

• Official website