List of 50/80cc World Riders' Champions

Last updated

Angel Nieto, who won six 50cc championships 1972. Angel Nieto.jpg
Ángel Nieto, who won six 50cc championships

Grand Prix motorcycle racing is the premier championship of motorcycle road racing, which has been divided into three classes since 1990: 125cc, 250cc and MotoGP. Classes that have been discontinued include 350cc, 50cc/80cc and sidecar. [1] The 50/80cc referred to the size of the engines of the motorcycles that raced in that class. [2] The Grand Prix Road Racing World Championship was established in 1949 by the sport's governing body, the Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme (FIM), and is the oldest motorsport World Championship. [2] The 50cc was introduced in 1962, 13 years after the start of the first world championships. The category was replaced by 80cc in 1984 and the class was subsequently discontinued in 1989. [3]

Contents

Each season consisted of five to ten Grands Prix contested on closed circuits, as opposed to public roads. Points earned in these events counted toward the drivers' and constructors' World Championships. The driver's and constructor's championship were separate championships, but were based on the same point system. The points systems used in the championship varied over the years. The first championship in 1962 awarded points from first to sixth place; a point was also awarded for the rider who completed the fastest lap. The last championship in 1989 awarded points from first to fifteenth place. [4] Results from all Grands Prix counted towards the championships; however, in some seasons only a certain number of results were counted. [5]

Ángel Nieto won the most championships during his career with six. Stefan Dörflinger won the second most championships with four, and Hans-Georg Anscheidt and Jorge Martínez won the third most with three. Spanish riders won the most championships; four riders won a total of 12 championships. Swiss and German riders were second with four, while Ernst Degner won the inaugural championship in 1962. Manuel Herreros was the last champion before the class was discontinued in 1989. [6]

Champions

Key
Champion also won the 125cc Championship in that season
Indicates that information is unavailable

By season

50/80cc Motorcycle World Champions
SeasonNationality Rider Constructor Grands Prix Poles Wins Podiums Fastest laps PointsMargin
1962 Flag of Germany.svg West Germany Ernst Degner Suzuki 10454415
1963 Flag of New Zealand.svg New Zealand Hugh Anderson Suzuki 9272342
1964 Flag of New Zealand.svg New Zealand Hugh Anderson Suzuki 9464388
1965 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg United Kingdom Ralph Bryans Honda 8351364
1966 Flag of Germany.svg West Germany Hans-Georg Anscheidt Suzuki 6243282
1967 Flag of Germany.svg West Germany Hans-Georg Anscheidt Suzuki 7361302
1968 Flag of Germany.svg West Germany Hans-Georg Anscheidt Suzuki 53423013
1969 Flag of Spain (1945-1977).svg Spain Ángel Nieto Derbi 10264761
1970 Flag of Spain (1945-1977).svg Spain Ángel Nieto Derbi 105758712
1971 Flag of the Netherlands.svg Netherlands Jan de Vries Kreidler 9574756
1972 Flag of Spain (1945-1977).svg Spain Ángel Nieto [A] Derbi 8365690
1973 Flag of the Netherlands.svg Netherlands Jan de Vries Kreidler 7555609
1974 Flag of the Netherlands.svg Netherlands Henk van Kessel Kreidler Van Veen 104689025
1975 Flag of Spain (1945-1977).svg Spain Ángel Nieto Kreidler 81687514
1976 Flag of Spain (1945-1977).svg Spain Ángel Nieto Bultaco 9857859
1977 Flag of Spain (1977-1981).svg Spain Ángel Nieto Bultaco 74378715
1978 Flag of Spain (1977-1981).svg Spain Ricardo Tormo Bultaco 74579935
1979 Flag of Italy.svg Italy Eugenio Lazzarini Kreidler 74557513
1980 Flag of Italy.svg Italy Eugenio Lazzarini Kreidler Van Veen 6126742
1981 Flag of Spain (1977-1981).svg Spain Ricardo Tormo Bultaco 83669025
1982 Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg Switzerland Stefan Dörflinger Kreidler 65368112
1983 Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg Switzerland Stefan Dörflinger Krauser74368112
1984 Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg Switzerland Stefan Dörflinger Zündapp 8545827
1985 Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg Switzerland Stefan Dörflinger Krauser75278619
1986 Flag of Spain.svg Spain Jorge Martínez Derbi 9547949
1987 Flag of Spain.svg Spain Jorge Martínez Derbi 1077912943
1988 Flag of Spain.svg Spain Jorge Martínez Derbi 776713740
1989 Flag of Spain.svg Spain Manuel Herreros Derbi 60049212

Multiple champions

Multiple champions of the 50/80cc class
RiderTotalSeasons
Flag of Spain.svg Ángel Nieto 6 1969, 1970, 1972, 1975, 1976, 1977
Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg Stefan Dörflinger 4 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985
Flag of Germany.svg Hans-Georg Anscheidt 3 1966, 1967, 1968
Flag of Spain.svg Jorge Martínez 3 1986, 1987, 1988
Flag of New Zealand.svg Hugh Anderson 2 1963, 1964
Flag of the Netherlands.svg Jan de Vries 2 1971, 1973
Flag of Spain.svg Ricardo Tormo 2 1978, 1981
Flag of Italy.svg Eugenio Lazzarini 2 1979, 1980

By constructor

50/80cc championships won by constructor
ConstructorTotal
Flag of Spain.svg Derbi 7
Flag of Japan.svg Suzuki 6
Flag of Germany.svg Kreidler 5
Flag of Spain.svg Bultaco 4
Flag of Germany.svg Kreidler Van Veen 2
Flag of Germany.svg Krauser 2
Flag of Japan.svg Honda 1
Flag of Germany.svg Zündapp 1

By nationality

50/80cc championships won by nationality
NationalityRidersTotal
Flag of Spain.svg Spanish412
Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg Swiss14
Flag of Germany.svg German24
Flag of the Netherlands.svg Dutch23
Flag of Italy.svg Italian12
Flag of New Zealand.svg New Zealander12
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg British11

Footnotes

A.  ^ The points awarded in the 1962 championship were 8 points for a win, with 6, 4, 3, 2 and 1 point from second place to sixth place. [4]

B.  ^ The points awarded to riders in the 1989 championship were 20 points for a win, with 17, 15, 13, 11, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2 and 1 point from second place to fifteenth place. [4]

C.  ^ Ángel Nieto and Jan de Vries finished the 1972 championship tied on 69 points. Nieto and de Vries had both won three Grands Prix and finished second three times. As a result, the championship was decided by adding up their times from the five races that the two had finished together. Nieto was declared the winner by 21.5 seconds. [7]

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References

Bibliography

General

Specific

  1. Marshall 1997 , p. 289
  2. 1 2 "Basics". MotoGP. Archived from the original on 7 July 2011. Retrieved 3 February 2012.
  3. "History". MotoGP. Archived from the original on 12 September 2013. Retrieved 30 April 2011.
  4. 1 2 3 Morrison 1991 , p. 14
  5. "Points". MotoGP. Archived from the original on 5 September 2015. Retrieved 12 August 2011.
  6. Teitge, Stefan. "World 80cc championship overview". Motorsport–archive. Archived from the original on 9 October 2011. Retrieved 7 May 2011.
  7. Walker 2000 , p. 117