The 1980 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season was the 32nd F.I.M. Road Racing World Championship season.
Yamaha's Kenny Roberts claimed his third successive 500cc world championship in a season shortened by the cancellations of the Venezuelan and Austrian rounds. [1] Randy Mamola took over at Suzuki from Barry Sheene. Kawasaki returned to the 500cc class with a monocoque, four cylinder bike for Kork Ballington. [1] Honda soldiered on with its exotic four-stroke NR500 but began to realize it was at a disadvantage against its two-stroke opposition. [1]
There were only six rounds in the 350cc class that saw South Africa's Jon Ekerold, a true privateer, take the championship from the Kawasaki factory-sponsored Anton Mang. [1] Mang would take the 250cc crown from defending champion Ballington while Pier Paolo Bianchi won the 125cc title. [1] Eugenio Lazzarini won a tight battle from Swiss Stefan Dörflinger to take the 50cc championship by only 2 points. [2]
The following Grands Prix were scheduled to take place in 1980: [3] [4]
Round | Date | Grand Prix | Circuit |
---|---|---|---|
1 | 11 May | Gran Premio delle Nazioni | Circuito Internazionale Santa Monica |
2 | 18 May | Gran Premio de España | Circuito Permanente Del Jarama |
3 | 25 May | Grand Prix de France Moto | Circuit Paul Ricard |
4 | 15 Jun | Velika Nagrada Jugoslavije | Automotodrom Rijeka |
5 | 28 June | Dutch TT Assen | TT Circuit Assen |
6 | 6 July | Grand Prix of Belgium | Circuit Zolder |
7 | 27 July | Finnish GP | Imatra Circuit |
8 | 10 August | Marlboro British Grand Prix | Silverstone Circuit |
9 | 17 August | Grand Prix ČSSR | Brno Circuit |
10 | 24 August | Großer Preis von Deutschland | Nürburgring-Nordschleife |
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Points are awarded to the top ten finishers. A rider has to finish the race to earn points.
Position | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 5th | 6th | 7th | 8th | 9th | 10th |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Points | 15 | 12 | 10 | 8 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
Place | Rider | Team | Machine | NAT | ESP | FRA | NED | BEL | FIN | GBR | GER | Points |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Kenny Roberts | Yamaha International | YZR500 | 1 | 1 | 1 | Ret | 3 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 87 |
2 | Randy Mamola | Heron-Suzuki | RG500 | Ret | 3 | 2 | 5 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 5 | 72 |
3 | Marco Lucchinelli | Nava Gallina-Suzuki | RG500 | Ret | 2 | 3 | Ret | 2 | Ret | 3 | 1 | 59 |
4 | Franco Uncini | Uncini-Suzuki | RG500 | 2 | 7 | Ret | 3 | 6 | 3 | 6 | 7 | 50 |
5 | Graziano Rossi | Nava Gallina-Suzuki | RG500 | 3 | Ret | 4 | 2 | Ret | 13 | 4 | Ret | 38 |
6 | Wil Hartog | Riemersma Racing | RG500 | Ret | Ret | 19 | 5 | 1 | Ret | 3 | 31 | |
7 | Johnny Cecotto | Venemotos-Yamaha | YZR500 | 4 | 6 | 9 | 6 | Ret | 5 | 6 | 31 | |
8 | Graeme Crosby | Heron-Suzuki | RG500 | Ret | 12 | 5 | 8 | 4 | 13 | 2 | 29 | |
9 | Jack Middelburg | IMN-Yamaha | YZR500 | DNS | 15 | Ret | 1 | Ret | Ret | 9 | 8 | 20 |
10 | Takazumi Katayama | Honda-HRC | RG500/NR500 | 6 | 4 | 6 | Ret | Ret | 15 | 12 | 18 | |
11 | Carlo Perugini | Team Gattina | RG500 | 5 | 10 | 13 | Ret | 7 | 7 | Ret | 9 | 17 |
12 | Kork Ballington | Team Kawasaki | KR500 | Ret | 13 | 8 | 5 | 7 | 11 | 13 | ||
13 | Philippe Coulon | Frankonia-Suzuki | RG500 | 9 | 8 | 16 | Ret | 11 | 8 | 8 | Ret | 11 |
14 | Boet Van Dulmen | IMN-Yamaha | YZR500 | Ret | 18 | 19 | 4 | 9 | Ret | 16 | Ret | 10 |
15 | Barry Sheene | Akai-Yamaha | YZR500 | 7 | 5 | Ret | Ret | DNQ | Ret | 10 | ||
16 | Patrick Pons | Sonauto Gauloises-Yamaha | YZR500 | Ret | Ret | 10 | 10 | 8 | 6 | Ret | 10 | |
17 | Patrick Fernandez | Ecurie Ste Pernod | YZR500 | Ret | Ret | Ret | 7 | Ret | 14 | 4 | ||
18 | Michel Rougerie | Ecurie Ste Pernod | RG500 | DNQ | 11 | 7 | 14 | Ret | 15 | Ret | 4 | |
19 | Christian Estrosi | Team Furygan Suzuki | RG500 | 8 | 16 | Ret | Ret | DNQ | Ret | 3 | ||
20 | Henk De Vries | RG500 | 9 | DNQ | 25 | 2 | ||||||
21 | Sadao Asami | Yamaha International | YZR500 | Ret | Ret | 12 | DNQ | 15 | 9 | Ret | 15 | 2 |
22 | Michel Frutschi | Elf-Yamaha | YZR500 | Ret | 9 | 22 | Ret | DNQ | 18 | Ret | Ret | 2 |
23 | Raymond Roche | Sonauto Gauloises-Yamaha | YZR500 | Ret | DNQ | 11 | DNQ | 12 | 10 | 14 | 1 | |
24 | Gustav Reiner | Nava Kucera Racing Team | RG500 | DNQ | DNQ | Ret | 22 | 10 | 1 | |||
25 | Bernard Fau | GME Motul GPA | YZR500 | Ret | Ret | 15 | 10 | Ret | Ret | 1 | ||
26 | Dave Potter | Mitsui-Yamaha | YZR500 | 15 | DNQ | 10 | 1 | |||||
27 | Sergio Pellandini | RG500 | 10 | Ret | 21 | DNQ | DNQ | Ret | 1 | |||
Maurizio Massimiani | YZR500 | 11 | 23 | 13 | 13 | 0 | ||||||
Dale Singleton | YZR500 | DNQ | 18 | Ret | 11 | 16 | 0 | |||||
Franck Gross | RG500 | 24 | Ret | 11 | DNQ | Ret | 0 | |||||
Jeff Sayle | YZR500 | DNQ | DNQ | 11 | Ret | Ret | Ret | 0 | ||||
Willem Zoet | RG500 | DNQ | 18 | 12 | 14 | Ret | 19 | Ret | 0 | |||
Gianfranco Bonera | YZR500 | 12 | 17 | Ret | 0 | |||||||
Lennart Bäckström | RG500 | 12 | 0 | |||||||||
John Newbold | RG500 | 12 | 0 | |||||||||
Markku Matikainen | YZR500 | DNQ | 19 | 20 | 13 | Ret | DNQ | 0 | ||||
Guido Paci | RG500 | 13 | Ret | 0 | ||||||||
Seppo Rossi | RG500 | DNQ | 14 | 14 | 16 | Ret | Ret | 23 | 0 | |||
Stuart Avant | RG500 | DNQ | Ret | 14 | 0 | |||||||
Richard Hubin | YZR500 | 14 | Ret | 0 | ||||||||
Werner Nenning | RG500 | DNQ | Ret | DNQ | Ret | 16 | 23 | 18 | 0 | |||
Mick Grant | RG500 | 16 | Ret | DNQ | 0 | |||||||
Steve Parrish | RG500 | 17 | DNQ | 17 | 17 | 0 | ||||||
Hubert Rigal | YZR500 | DNQ | 17 | Ret | Ret | DNQ | 17 | Ret | 0 | |||
Kenny Blake | YZR500 | 17 | 0 | |||||||||
Roger Marshall | YZR500 | 18 | 0 | |||||||||
Max Wiener | RG500 | DNQ | DNQ | DNQ | 19 | 25 | 0 | |||||
Josef Hage | RG500 | DNQ | DNQ | 19 | 0 | |||||||
Peter Sjöström | RG500 | DNQ | DNQ | DNQ | Ret | 20 | 0 | |||||
Peter Ammann | RG500 | 20 | 0 | |||||||||
Giovanni Pelletier | Morbidelli | Ret | DNQ | DNQ | DNQ | 21 | 0 | |||||
Paul Henderson | RG500 | 21 | 0 | |||||||||
Wolfgang von Muralt | YZR500 | 22 | 0 | |||||||||
Gerhard Vogt | RG500 | 24 | 0 | |||||||||
Jürgen Steiner | RG500 | 24 | 0 | |||||||||
Michael Schmid | RG500 | DNQ | 26 | 0 | ||||||||
Alois Tost | YZR500 | 27 | 0 | |||||||||
Bruno Kölble | YZR500 | 28 | 0 | |||||||||
Rolf Schneider | YZR500 | 29 | 0 | |||||||||
Christian Sarron | YZR500 | Ret | Ret | 0 | ||||||||
Gianni Rolando | RG500 | Ret | Ret | DNQ | Ret | 0 | ||||||
Carlo Prati | RG500 | Ret | DNQ | Ret | 0 | |||||||
Jon Ekerold | Sol/Bimota | DNQ | DNQ | Ret | DNS | DNS | 0 | |||||
Skip Aksland | YZR500 | Ret | 0 | |||||||||
Alain Nies | RG500 | DNQ | Ret | DNQ | 0 | |||||||
Freddie Spencer | YZR500 | Ret | 0 | |||||||||
Adelio Faccioli | RG500 | Ret | 0 | |||||||||
Anton Mang | KR500 | Ret | 0 | |||||||||
Peter Sköld | RG500 | Ret | 0 | |||||||||
Kimmo Kopra | YZR500 | Ret | 0 | |||||||||
Graham Wood | YZR500 | Ret | 0 | |||||||||
Steve Manship | YZR500 | Ret | 0 | |||||||||
Elmar Renner | RG500 | DNQ | DNQ | Ret | 0 | |||||||
Gregg Hansford | KR500 | Ret | 0 | |||||||||
Klaus Klein | RG500 | Ret | 0 | |||||||||
Virginio Ferrari | GP500 | Ret | 0 | |||||||||
Clemens Driesch | RG500 | Ret | 0 | |||||||||
Fritz Reitmaier | RG500 | Ret | 0 | |||||||||
Ron Haslam | YZR500 | DNS | 0 | |||||||||
Dennis Ireland | RG500 | DNQ | DNQ | DNQ | 0 | |||||||
Carlos de San Antonio | RG500 | DNQ | DNQ | 0 | ||||||||
Gary Lingham | RG500 | DNQ | DNQ | 0 | ||||||||
Antonio Garcia | RG500 | DNQ | DNQ | 0 | ||||||||
Masaru Iwasaki | RG500 | DNQ | DNQ | 0 | ||||||||
Henk Twikler | RG500 | DNQ | DNQ | 0 | ||||||||
Timo Pohjola | RG500 | DNQ | DNQ | 0 | ||||||||
Fabio Biliotti | RG500 | DNQ | 0 | |||||||||
Corrado Tuzii | RG500 | DNQ | 0 | |||||||||
Didier de Radigues | RG500 | DNQ | 0 | |||||||||
Richard Schlachter | YZR500 | DNQ | 0 | |||||||||
Jacques Agopian | RG500 | DNQ | 0 | |||||||||
Børge Nielsen | RG500 | DNQ | 0 | |||||||||
Dick Alblas | RG500 | DNQ | 0 | |||||||||
Philippe Chaltin | RG500 | DNQ | 0 | |||||||||
Albert Siegers | RG500 | DNQ | 0 | |||||||||
Walter Koschine | RG500 | DNQ | 0 | |||||||||
Jean-Philippe Delers | YZR500 | DNQ | 0 | |||||||||
John Woodley | RG500 | DNQ | 0 | |||||||||
Roberto Pietri | RG500 | DNQ | 0 | |||||||||
Alex George | YZR500 | DNQ | 0 | |||||||||
Günter Riehl | Yamato | DNQ | 0 | |||||||||
Place | Rider | Number | Country | Machine | Points | Wins |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Jon Ekerold | 8 | South Africa | Yamaha | 63 | 3 |
2 | Anton Mang | 4 | West Germany | Kawasaki | 60 | 2 |
3 | Jean-François Baldé | France | Kawasaki | 38 | 0 | |
4 | Johnny Cecotto | Venezuela | Yamaha | 37 | 1 | |
5 | Jeff Sayle | 10 | Australia | Yamaha | 25 | 0 |
6 | Eric Saul | France | Yamaha | 24 | 0 | |
7 | Jacques Cornu | 27 | Switzerland | Yamaha | 21 | 0 |
8 | Massimo Matteoni | 4 | Italy | Yamaha | 19 | 0 |
9 | Walter Villa | 4 | Italy | Yamaha | 16 | 0 |
10 | Patrick Fernandez | 2 | France | Yamaha | 12 | 0 |
11 | Carlo Perugini | Usa | 10 | |||
12 | Tony Head | usa | 9 | |||
13 | Carlos Lavado | Usa | 8 | |||
14 | Roland Freymond | fra | 7 | |||
15 | Gregg Hansford | Fra | 6 | |||
16 | Tony Rogers | Fra | 6 | |||
17 | Jacques Bolle | Ita | 6 | |||
18 | Keith Huewen | Ita | 6 | |||
19 | Thierry Espié | Ita | 6 | |||
20 | Jean Louis Tournadre | aus | 5 | |||
21 | Loris Reggiani | aus | 4 | |||
22 | Graeme McGregor | Aus | 4 | |||
23 | Alan North | Jpn | 2 | |||
24 | Pekka Nurmi | Jpn | 1 | |||
25 | Edi Stoellinger | Jpn | 1 |
Place | Rider | Number | Country | Machine | Points | Wins |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Anton Mang | 6 | West Germany | Kawasaki | 128 | 4 |
2 | Kork Ballington | 1 | South Africa | Kawasaki | 87 | 5 |
3 | Jean-François Baldé | 8 | France | Kawasaki | 59 | 0 |
4 | Thierry Espié | France | Yamaha | 53 | 0 | |
5 | Roland Freymond | 10 | Switzerland | Morbidelli | 46 | 0 |
6 | Carlos Lavado | Venezuela | Yamaha | 29 | 1 | |
7 | Gianpaolo Marchetti | Italy | Yamaha | 28 | 0 | |
8 | Jacques Cornu | Switzerland | Yamaha | 26 | 0 | |
9 | Eric Saul | France | Yamaha | 24 | 0 | |
10 | Patrick Fernandez | 5 | France | Yamaha | 16 | 0 |
11 | Edi Stoellinger | Usa | 16 | |||
12 | Hans Müller | usa | 16 | |||
13 | Sauro Pazzaglia | usa | 12 | |||
14 | Graeme McGregor | Fra | 12 | |||
15 | Pier Luigi Conforti | Fra | 10 | |||
16 | Jean-Louis Guignabodet | Fra | 9 | |||
17 | Didier de Radiguès | ita | 8 | |||
18 | Eero Hyvärinen | Ita | 8 | |||
19 | Clive Horton | Ita | 7 | |||
20 | Paolo Ferretti | jpn | 7 | |||
21 | Greame Geddes | Jpn | 6 | |||
22 | R.Sibille | jpn | 6 | |||
23 | Steve Tonkin | Kor | 5 | |||
24 | Jacques Bolle | irl | 5 | |||
25 | Herbert Hauf | Aut | 4 | |||
26 | A.Gouin | ita | 4 | |||
27 | Reinhold Roth | ita | 4 | |||
28 | Walter Villa | Ita | 4 | |||
29 | Charlie Williams | Can | 2 | |||
30 | Martin Wimmer | Chi | 2 | |||
31 | Marco Papa | mex | 1 | |||
32 | Jean-Louis Tournadre | Gbr | 1 | |||
33 | Rene Delaby | Gbr | 1 | |||
34 | F.Marcheggiani | Gbr | 1 | |||
35 | Tony Rogers | fin | 1 | |||
36 | H.Tomic | Nze | 1 |
Place | Rider | Number | Country | Machine | Points | Wins |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Pier Paolo Bianchi | 10 | Italy | MBA | 90 | 2 |
2 | Guy Bertin | 6 | France | Motobécane | 81 | 3 |
3 | Angel Nieto | 1 | Spain | Minarelli | 78 | 4 |
4 | Bruno Kneubühler | 9 | Switzerland | MBA | 68 | 0 |
5 | Hans Müller | Switzerland | MBA | 64 | 0 | |
6 | Loris Reggiani | Italy | Minarelli | 63 | 1 | |
7 | Iván Palazzese | Venezuela | MBA | 28 | 0 | |
8 | Maurizio Massimiani | 2 | Italy | Minarelli | 20 | 0 |
9 | Peter Looijensteijn | Netherlands | MBA | 18 | 0 | |
10 | Barry Smith | Australia | MBA | 17 | 0 | |
11 | Harald Bartol | usa | 15 | |||
12 | Ricardo Tormo | usa | 13 | |||
13 | Stefan Dörflinger | Usa | 13 | |||
14 | Gianpaolo Marchetti | Fra | 10 | |||
15 | August Auinger | Fra | 9 | |||
16 | Jose Dubon | fra | 8 | |||
17 | Eugenio Lazzarini | Ita | 8 | |||
18 | Rolf Blatter | Ita | 8 | |||
19 | Henk Van Kessel | Ita | 8 | |||
20 | Gert Bender | jpn | 6 | |||
21 | Michel Galbit | Jpn | 6 | |||
22 | P.Herouard | jpn | 6 | |||
23 | Janos Drapal | kor | 5 | |||
24 | Thierry Noblesse | Can | 4 | |||
25 | Matti Kinnunen | Irl | 4 | |||
26 | Jhonni Baeckstroem | Gbr | 2 | |||
27 | S.Janssen | gbr | 2 | |||
28 | Jean Claude Selini | Gbr | 2 | |||
29 | Johnny Wickstroem | Irl | 1 | |||
30 | Hugo Vignetti | Ita | 1 | |||
31 | Z.Ljeljak | can | 1 | |||
32 | Anton Straver | Mex | 1 |
Place | Rider | Number | Country | Machine | Points | Wins |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Eugenio Lazzarini | 1 | Italy | Iprem [6] | 74 | 2 |
2 | Stefan Dörflinger | 10 | Switzerland | Kreidler | 72 | 2 |
3 | Hans Hummel | Austria | Kreidler | 37 | 0 | |
4 | Ricardo Tormo | Spain | Kreidler | 36 | 2 | |
5 | Henk van Kessel | 7 | Netherlands | Kreidler | 31 | 0 |
6 | Hans Spaan | Netherlands | Kreidler The Best Team | 24 | 0 | |
7 | Theo Timmer | Netherlands | Bultaco | 19 | 0 | |
8 | Yves Dupont | France | ABF | 18 | 0 | |
9 | Jacques Hutteau | 8 | France | ABF | 18 | 0 |
10 | Wolfgang Müller | West Germany | Kreidler | 15 | 0 | |
11 | Rolf Blatter | Usa | 14 | |||
12 | Gerhard Waibel | Usa | 7 | |||
13 | Otto Machinek | Usa | 7 | |||
14 | Ingo Emmerich | Spa | 6 | |||
15 | Giuseppe Ascareggi | Spa | 4 | |||
16 | Günter Schirnhofer | Spa | 4 | |||
17 | Daniel Mateos | ita | 3 | |||
18 | Claudio Lusuardi | Ita | 3 | |||
19 | Enrico Cereda | Ita | 2 | |||
20 | Aldo Pero | Irl | 1 | |||
21 | Gerhard Böhl | Fin | 1 |
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.
The 1978 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season was the 30th F.I.M. Road Racing World Championship season.
The 1975 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season was the 27th F.I.M. Road Racing World Championship season.
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.
The 1972 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season was the 24th F.I.M. Road Racing World Championship Grand Prix season. The season consisted of twelve Grand Prix races in six classes: 500cc, 350cc, 250cc, 125cc, 50cc and Sidecars 500cc. It began on 30 April, with West German Grand Prix and ended with Spanish Grand Prix on 23 September.
The 1979 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season was the 31st F.I.M. Road Racing World Championship season.
The 1964 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season was the 16th F.I.M. Road Racing World Championship Grand Prix season. The season consisted of twelve Grand Prix races in six classes: 500cc, 350cc, 250cc, 125cc, 50cc and Sidecars 500cc. It began on 2 February, with United States Grand Prix and ended with Japanese Grand Prix on 1 November.
The 1965 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season was the 17th F.I.M. Road Racing World Championship Grand Prix season. The season consisted of thirteen Grand Prix races in six classes: 500cc, 350cc, 250cc, 125cc, 50cc and Sidecars 500cc. It began on 21 March, with United States Grand Prix and ended with Japanese Grand Prix on October, 24.
The 1966 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season was the 18th F.I.M. Road Racing World Championship Grand Prix season. The season consisted of twelve Grand Prix races in six classes: 500cc, 350cc, 250cc, 125cc, 50cc and Sidecars 500cc. It began on 8 May, with Spanish Grand Prix and ended with Japanese Grand Prix on 17 October.
The 1968 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season was the 20th F.I.M. Road Racing World Championship Grand Prix season. The season consisted of ten Grand Prix races in six classes: 500cc, 350cc, 250cc, 125cc, 50cc and Sidecars 500cc. It began on 21 April, with German Grand Prix and ended with Nations Grand Prix on 15 September. As the sidecar race was cancelled at the Nations Grand Prix, it was announced that a replacement race would be held at Hockenheimring in October alongside the German national championship.
The 1969 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season was the 21st F.I.M. Road Racing World Championship Grand Prix season. The season consisted of twelve Grand Prix races in six classes: 500cc, 350cc, 250cc, 125cc, 50cc and Sidecars 500cc. It began on 4 May, with Spanish Grand Prix and ended with Yugoslavian Grand Prix on 14 September.
The 1977 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season was the 29th F.I.M. Road Racing World Championship season.
The 1981 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season was the 33rd F.I.M. Road Racing World Championship season.
The 1982 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season was the 34th F.I.M. Road Racing World Championship season.
The 1971 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season was the 23rd F.I.M. Road Racing World Championship Grand Prix season. The season consisted of twelve Grand Prix races in six classes: 500cc, 350cc, 250cc, 125cc, 50cc and Sidecars 500cc. It began on 9 May, with Austrian Grand Prix and ended with Spanish Grand Prix on 26 September.
The 1970 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season was the 22nd F.I.M. Road Racing World Championship Grand Prix season. The season consisted of twelve Grand Prix races in six classes: 500cc, 350cc, 250cc, 125cc, 50cc and Sidecars 500cc. It began on 3 May, with West German Grand Prix and ended with Spanish Grand Prix on 27 September.
Anton "Toni" Mang is a former five-time world champion in Grand Prix motorcycle racing from Germany.
The 1979 Venezuelan motorcycle Grand Prix, the first of 13 rounds of the F.I.M. 1979 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season, was held on 18 March at the San Carlos Circuit. British rider Barry Sheene, world champion in 1976 and 1977, won the 500cc GP by 18 seconds from Italian Virginio Ferrari to make it three successive Venezuelan GPs. Venezuelan racer Carlos Lavado won the 350cc class from Italian Walter Villa and Frenchman Patrick Fernandez.