1981 FIM Motocross World Championship

1981 FIM Motocross World Championship
Organizer	FIM
Duration	29 March/16 August
Number of races	36
Number of manufacturers	14
Champions
500cc	André Malherbe
250cc	Neil Hudson
125cc	Harry Everts
FIM Motocross World Championship seasons
← 1980 1982 →

The 1981 FIM Motocross World Championship was the 25th F.I.M. Motocross Racing World Championship season.

Summary

500 class

The reigning 500cc World Champion André Malherbe (Honda) successfully defended his title after a season-long battle with his Honda teammate Graham Noyce who had missed most of the 1980 season after sustaining a broken leg. As in 1980, the championship wasn't decided until the final race in Luxembourg where Malherbe would prevail to score his second consecutive World Championship. ^{[1] [2] [3]}

Malherbe began the year by winning the 500cc Austrian Grand Prix but then suffered a dislocated shoulder at the second round in Switzerland. He also experienced mechanical problems Sweden, France, and Great Britain which allowed Noyce to take the championship points lead at mid-season. ^[4] Malherbe then reclaimed the championship points lead at his home Grand Prix in Belgium when Noyce withdrew with a mechanical failure. Noyce was 10 points behind Malherbe with one race left in the season however, Malherbe clinched the World Championship when he finished in second place behind Håkan Carlqvist (Yamaha) at the season-ending 500cc Luxembourg Grand Prix.

Carlqvist took third place in the championship with six podium results in the final six races of the season, including victories in the final two races of the year. ^[4] Suzuki returned to Grand Prix motocross after a three-year hiatus and hired Brad Lackey, the 1980 500cc class runner-up. Lackey struggled with injuries and mechanical problems while developing a new motorcycle and dropped to sixth in the 1981 world championship. ^[5]

Two-time 500cc Class Vice Champion, Gerrit Wolsink retired after the 1981 season. Future three-time World Champion David Thorpe competed in his first Motocross World Championship event at the 1981 500cc French Grand Prix riding for the Kawasaki-UK team. ^[4]

250 class

Georges Jobé (Suzuki) won five of the first seven Grand Prix races to lead the 1981 250cc Motocross World Championship by 53 points over his closest rival, Neil Hudson (Yamaha) with four rounds remaining and appeared to be heading towards a second consecutive World Championship when he was injured while competing in a Belgian National Championship race. ^[6] He attempted to compete in the penultimate round in Russia but was injured again, allowing Hudson to overtake him and win the World Championship by only two points in the final standings. ^{[6] [7]}

125 class

The 1981 125cc Motocross World Championship developed into a four-way battle between the defending champion Harry Everts (Suzuki), Michele Rinaldi (Gilera), Eric Geboers (Suzuki), and Marc Velkeneers (Yamaha). After the first ten rounds of the championship the four competitors were 12 points apart but, Everts won the last two Grand Prix races of the year to claim his third consecutive 125cc Motocross World Championship ahead of his Suzuki teammate, Geboers. ^[8]

Grands Prix

500cc

Round	Date	Grand Prix	Location	Race 1 Winner	Race 2 Winner	Overall Winner	Report
1	April 5	Austrian Grand Prix	Sittendorf	André Malherbe	André Malherbe	André Malherbe	Report
2	April 26	Swiss Grand Prix	Payerne	Håkan Carlqvist	André Vromans	Håkan Carlqvist	Report
3	May 17	Finnish Grand Prix	Ruskeasanta	André Vromans	Tapani Pikkarainen	André Malherbe	Report
4	May 24	Swedish Grand Prix	Västerås	Graham Noyce	André Malherbe	Graham Noyce	Report
5	May 31	Italian Grand Prix	Cingoli	Jean-Jacques Bruno	André Malherbe	André Malherbe	Report
6	June 14	French Grand Prix	Metz	Graham Noyce	Håkan Carlqvist	Brad Lackey	Report
7	June 21	United States Grand Prix	Carlsbad	Broc Glover	Chuck Sun	Chuck Sun	Report
8	July 5	British Grand Prix	Farleigh Castle	Håkan Carlqvist	Håkan Carlqvist	Håkan Carlqvist	Report
9	July 19	Dutch Grand Prix	Lichtenvoorde	Graham Noyce	André Vromans	André Malherbe	Report
10	July 26	Czechoslovak Grand Prix	Sverepec	André Vromans	Jean-Jacques Bruno	Jean-Jacques Bruno	Report
11	August 2	Belgian Grand Prix	Namur	Jean-Jacques Bruno	André Malherbe	Håkan Carlqvist	Report
12	August 9	Luxembourg Grand Prix	Ettelbruck	Håkan Carlqvist	André Vromans	Håkan Carlqvist	Report
Sources: [4] [9]

250cc

Round	Date	Grand Prix	Location	Race 1 Winner	Race 2 Winner	Overall Winner	Report
1	March 29	French Grand Prix	Cognac	Fritz Schneider	Kees van der Ven	Georges Jobé	Report
2	April 5	Spanish Grand Prix	Sabadell	Georges Jobé	Georges Jobé	Georges Jobé	Report
3	May 3	Austrian Grand Prix	Schwanenstadt	Neil Hudson	Georges Jobé	Neil Hudson	Report
4	May 17	Italian Grand Prix	Gallarate	Georges Jobé	Georges Jobé	Georges Jobé	Report
5	May 24	Czechoslovak Grand Prix	Holice	Georges Jobé	Georges Jobé	Georges Jobé	Report
6	May 31	Bulgarian Grand Prix	Samokov	Neil Hudson	Georges Jobé	Neil Hudson	Report
7	June 14	Swiss Grand Prix	Roggenburg	Georges Jobé	Georges Jobé	Georges Jobé	Report
8	June 21	British Grand Prix	Hawkstone Park	Kees van der Ven	Neil Hudson	Kees van der Ven	Report
9	July 5	West German Grand Prix	Beuren	Hans Maisch	Georges Jobé	Georges Jobé	Report
10	July 26	United States Grand Prix	Unadilla	Donnie Hansen	Steve Wise	Neil Hudson	Report
11	August 9	Russian Grand Prix	Leningrad	Neil Hudson	Neil Hudson	Neil Hudson	Report
12	August 16	Dutch Grand Prix	Apeldoorn	Kees van der Ven	Kees van der Ven	Kees van der Ven	Report
Sources: [6] [10]

125cc

Round	Date	Grand Prix	Location	Race 1 Winner	Race 2 Winner	Overall Winner	Report
1	March 30	Italian Grand Prix	Lovolo	Giuseppe Andreani	Michele Rinaldi	Michele Rinaldi	Report
2	April 5	Dutch Grand Prix	Valkenswaard	Eric Geboers	Marc Velkeneers	Marc Velkeneers	Report
3	April 12	Austrian Grand Prix	Launsdorf	Akira Watanabe	Harry Everts	Akira Watanabe	Report
4	April 26	West German Grand Prix	Niederwurzb	Giuseppe Andreani	Giuseppe Andreani	Giuseppe Andreani	Report
5	May 3	French Grand Prix	Berchères	Eric Geboers	Akira Watanabe	Eric Geboers	Report
6	May 24	Yugoslavian Grand Prix	Tržič	Harry Everts	Harry Everts	Harry Everts	Report
7	May 31	Polish Grand Prix	Szczecin	Marc Velkeneers	Eric Geboers	Harry Everts	Report
8	July 5	Swiss Grand Prix	Frauenfeld	Michele Rinaldi	Matti Autio	Eric Geboers	Report
9	July 19	United States Grand Prix	Lexington	Mark Barnett	Mark Barnett	Mark Barnett	Report
10	August 2	Finnish Grand Prix	Salo	Eric Geboers	Michele Rinaldi	Michele Rinaldi	Report
11	August 9	Czechoslovak Grand Prix	Dalečín	Harry Everts	Harry Everts	Harry Everts	Report
12	August 16	Spanish Grand Prix	Montgai	Harry Everts	Eric Geboers	Eric Geboers	Report
Sources: [8] [11]

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	AUT		CH		FIN		SWE		ITA		FRA		USA		UK		NED		CZE		BEL		LUX		Points
1	André Malherbe	Honda	1	1	4	2	2	2	1		3	1		3		2		7	2	2	5	4	5	1	2	8	214
2	Graham Noyce	Honda		5	2		3	4	2	1	2	2	1	4	3	6	3	2	1	6	4	5	4		3	4	207
3	Håkan Carlqvist	Yamaha			1	4		8	3	2	5			1	2	8	1	1	5	3	3	2	3	2	1	2	201
4	André Vromans	Yamaha	3		5	1	1		5		4		8	5			9		10	1	1	3	2	3	6	1	154
5	Jean-Jacques Bruno	Suzuki	2	2		3		3			1		4				2	10	3	7	2	1	1		5	3	152
6	Brad Lackey	Suzuki			3		6		7			5	2	2	6	3	6	3	6		6	9		4			99
7	Gérard Rond	KTM		10				7	6	4	7	3	3	7		9	5	4	4		8	8	6	8			84
8	Jaak van Velthoven	KTM		3	6	6		5	8	6	6	6	5	9			4				7	7		6	7	5	83
9	Yvan van den Broeck	Maico		8	9			6	4	5		10		10			7	5	9		9		7		8	10	48
10	Gerrit Wolsink	Honda	7							3					4	7		8	7	5		6			9		46
11	Tapani Pikkarainen	Maico	8	9		5	9	1	9			7															34
12	Conny Carlsson	Husqvarna	9				4	9						6	10					8			8	5			30
13	Georg Reiter	KTM	5	4	10	7	8			9	8																27
14	Chuck Sun	Honda													5	1											21
15	David Thorpe	Kawasaki											9				8								4	6	18
16	Laurence Spence	Yamaha		6					10		10		10										9	7		9	16
17	Broc Glover	Yamaha													1												15
	Franco Picco	Yamaha			8							4														7	15
19	Toon Karsmakers	Honda																	8	4							11
20	Danny LaPorte	Honda													9	4											10
	Geoff Mayes	Suzuki			7	8												9							10		10
22	Mike Bell	Yamaha													8	5											9
23	Herbert Schmitz	Maico	4																								8
	Ludwig Reinbold	KTM										8	6														8
	Walter Gruhler	Suzuki		7		9															10	10					8
	Jukka Sintonen	Suzuki								8		9		8													8
27	Arne Lindfors	Yamaha					5																				6
	Billy Aldbridge	Suzuki															10	6									6
	Marty Tripes	Husqvarna									9		7														6
30	Steve Beamish	Suzuki	6																								5
31	Arne Lodal	Yamaha					7																				4
	Lasse Karlsson	KTM								7																	4
	Marty Smith	Suzuki													7												4
	Eddy Sterckx	Yamaha																		10			10	9			4
35	Gieljo Van Zoggel	Maico																		9							2
	Bertil Ovgard	Husqvarna				10	10																				2
37	Patrick Boniface	Honda	10																								1
	Gunnar Lindqvist	Suzuki						10																			1
	Inge Edberg	Husqvarna								10																	1
	Steve Rhyan	Husqvarna														10											1
	Daniel Péan	Kawasaki																						10			1
Sources: [4] [12]

250cc

(Results in italics indicate overall winner)

Pos	Rider	Machine	FRA		ESP		AUT		ITA		CZE		BUL		CH		UK		GER		USA		USR		NED		Points
1	Neil Hudson	Yamaha				2	1	2		2	2	2	1	2	2	2	3	1	6	2	2	2	1	1	4	6	235
2	Georges Jobé	Suzuki	5	2	1	1	4	1	1	1	1	1	5	1	1	1	2		2	1			2				233
3	Kees van der Ven	Maico	8	1	9	3	7	3			3	3		5	8	9	1	2	10	5	3	3			1	1	159
4	Rolf Dieffenbach	Honda			7	4		6	2		4	6	10	3	3	3			9		5		3	3			101
5	Heinz Kinigadner	Puch		3		8	3	8	7	8	8			8	4	5		4	7		8	7		4			80
6	Mike Guerra	Husqvarna			10	7	9	5			6	5	6				4	3	5	3					7	3	77
7	Jean-Claude Laquaye	SWM	4		2					9	5	4	2	6	7	6						9			10		65
8	Dave Watson	Yamaha					2			10		7	8		5	4	7			9		6	5	5	5		63
9	Dimitar Rangelov	Husqvarna						4	8	5			4	4	10					10			4	2			55
10	Matti Tarkkonen	Yamaha	2	9					3			10				10		7					7	7	6	4	51
11	Henk Van Mierlo	Husqvarna															5	5							2	2	36
	Soren Mortensen	KTM		7	3				6			9							4	7	10				9		36
13	Morizio Dolce	Maico			8		6	7		3			7	9		7							8				35
14	Hans Maisch	Maico			6	6				7									1				6				34
15	Jean-Paul Mingels	Yamaha	3						4										3					10			29
16	Raymond Boven	Husqvarna			5	9	5				7	8		7													25
17	Steve Wise	Honda																			4	1					23
18	Peter Groeneveld	Honda		6					10	6								6						6			21
19	Donnie Hansen	Honda																			1						15
	Fritz Schneider	Sachs	1																								15
	Fritz Kobele	Honda			4		8				10								8								15
22	Sven Berggren	Husqvarna	9																						3	9	14
	Erkki Sundstrom	Honda						10									6	8				10				7	14
24	Benny Wilken	Honda											9				8	9								5	13
25	Simo Taimi	Husqvarna	6			10			5																		12
	Patrick Fura	Husqvarna	7								9			10						6							12
27	Paul Decendre	Husqvarna		4																					8		11
	Michele Magarotto	Gilera				5									6												11
29	Willy Willinger	Puch											3														10
	Arno Drechsel	Kawasaki							9	4																	10
31	Magnus Nyberg	KTM																		4							8
	JoJo Keller	Suzuki																				4					8
	Steve Martin	Suzuki																			9	5					8
34	Gennady Moiseyev	ČZ														8	10	10					10				6
	Jan Kristoffersen	Yamaha		5																							6
36	Kris Bigelow	Yamaha																			6						5
	Vladimir Kavinov	ČZ																					9	8			5
38	David Bailey	Kawasaki																			7						4
39	Patrick Gervaise	Maico		8																							3
	Vilen Toman	Suzuki																		8							3
	Chad Pedersen	Kawasaki																				8					3
	Dinant Zijlstra	Yamaha																								8	3
	Steve Russell	Suzuki	10												9												3
44	Alberto Dotti	Puch						9																			2
	Rob Hooper	Maico															9										2
	Leif Nicklasson	Husqvarna																						9			2
47	Rolf Wicksell	Husqvarna		10																							1
	Zdeněk Velký	ČZ					10																				1
	Henk Bloemert	Husqvarna																								10	1
Sources: [6] [13]

125cc

(Results in italics indicate overall winner)

Pos	Rider	Machine	ITA		NED		AUT		GER		FRA		YUG		POL		CH		USA		FIN		CZE		ESP		Points
1	Harry Everts	Suzuki	8		2	3	4	1	2	4	9		1	1	2	4	7		5	5	5	2	1	1	1	2	211
2	Eric Geboers	Suzuki		3	1			6	4	2	1	3	5	7		1	4	3		6	1	3	3	2	2	1	197
3	Michele Rinaldi	Gilera	2	1	6	4			3	3	4	2	3		3	6	1		6		2	1		4		3	170
4	Marc Velkeneers	Yamaha		9	3	1	2	3	7	6	2		2	3	1		5	4		8	3	4	2	3			164
5	Akira Watanabe	Suzuki	3	2			1	2	6		5	1	8	2		2		2		3		5			3	5	146
6	Giuseppe Andreani	KTM	1	7			3	8	1	1	3	4	10	5	4								4			6	108
7	Gaston Rahier	Gilera	6	4	4	5			5	7		5	4	8	6		2				4	8	7	8		4	97
8	Corrado Maddii	Aprilia	4	6			10	4		10	8	6	7	6	5	8	9	8					5	5	6		71
9	Jacky Vimond	Yamaha					7	10			6	8		4		3	3				10	6	8	10	7		55
10	Alain Lejeune	Cagiva			7	8	9		9			9	9		10		8	6			7		9	6	4		43
11	Matti Autio	Honda	10		8	6										9		1			9		6	9		7	39
12	Hank Seppenwoolde	Honda			5	7				9				9	7	5	10	7			6						34
13	Mark Barnett	Suzuki																	1	1							30
	Mauro Miele	KTM	5	5			8		8	5			6													10	30
15	Johan Martens	Yamaha				2	6	7			7				9												27
16	Jean-Marie Milissen	TGM									10	7			8	7		5						7	9		24
17	Yuri Khudiakov	ČZ				9	5	5		8																	17
18	Johnny O'Mara	Honda																	10	2							13
19	Jim Gibson	Honda																	2								12
20	Richard Coon	Honda																	3								10
21	Ricky Johnson	Yamaha																	4								8
	Donnie Cantaloupe	Yamaha																		4							8
	Scott Durnworth	Yamaha																	7	7							8
24	Fernando Muñoz	Gilera		10																					5		7
	Robert Greisch	Honda																					10		8	8	7
26	Dario Nani	TGM															6										5
	Jonathan Wright	Kawasaki	9	8																							5
	Danny Bentley	Suzuki																	8	9							5
	Ari Viiri	Suzuki							10			10						9				10					5
30	Friedrich Grabner	Yamaha	7																								4
	Andre Sprengelmayer	Yamaha																				7					4
32	Erik Van Essen	Suzuki																			8						3
	Jeff Nilsson	Yamaha																10								9	3
34	Johan Van Poppel	KTM			9																						2
	Helmut Frauwellner	Puch						9																			2
	Danny Chandler	Suzuki																	9								2
	Seppo Isomaki	Suzuki																				9					2
38	Johny Ponjee	Honda			10																						1
	Albert Ensing	Suzuki				10																					1
	Alain Fura	TGM												10													1
	Guy Van Gysegheim	Honda														10											1
	Phil Larson	Yamaha																		10							1
	Pablo Colomina	Gilera																							10		1
Sources: [8] [14]

References

1. "André Malherbe: a life full of struggle". mxmag.net. Retrieved 25 February 2026.
2. "Jack Burnicle looks back at Andre Malherbe's remarkable career". dirtbikerider.com. 19 November 2020. Retrieved 25 February 2026.
3. Mueller, Tom (1 June 1982). "Malherbe Aims For Number 3". Cycle World. Retrieved 25 February 2026.
4. "1981 500cc motocross world championship final results" (PDF). memotocross.fr. Retrieved 25 February 2026.
5. "Motorcycle Hall of Fame". motorcyclemuseum.org. Retrieved 17 December 2015.
6. "1981 250cc motocross world championship final results" (PDF). memotocross.fr. Retrieved 25 February 2026.
7. "Remembered – Georges Jobe". mxlarge.com. Archived from the original on 15 February 2022. Retrieved 15 February 2022.
8. "1981 125cc motocross world championship final results"" (PDF). memotocross.fr. Retrieved 25 February 2026.
9. "1981 500cc motocross world championship race results". memotocross.fr. Retrieved 25 February 2026.
10. "1981 250cc motocross world championship race results". memotocross.fr. Retrieved 25 February 2026.
11. "1981 125cc motocross world championship race results". memotocross.fr. Retrieved 25 February 2026.
12. "1981 500cc motocross world championship final standings". memotocross.fr. Retrieved 25 February 2026.
13. "1981 250cc motocross world championship final standings". memotocross.fr. Retrieved 25 February 2026.
14. "1981 125cc motocross world championship final standings". memotocross.fr. Retrieved 25 February 2026.

External links

• Official website