Marc Fontan

Last updated
Marc Fontan
NationalityFrench
Motorcycle racing career statistics
Grand Prix motorcycle racing
Active years 1978, 1981 - 1983
First race 1978 250cc British Grand Prix
Last race 1983 500cc San Marino Grand Prix
Team(s)Gauloises-Yamaha
StartsWinsPodiums Poles F. laps Points
320000119

Marc Fontan (born 20 October 1956) is a French former professional motorcycle racer. He competed in the Grand Prix road racing world championships from 1978 to 1983. [1]

Fontan was born in Canet-en-Roussillon in the French department of Pyrénées-Orientales. [2] He began to race motorcycles in 1977 and, competed in his first world championship race riding a Yamaha TZ250 at the 1978 250cc British Grand Prix. [1] [3] He also placed 7th at the 1978 Bol d'Or 24 hour endurance race. [3]

Fontan joined the French Japauto Honda team and won the 1980 24 Hours of Le Mans with teammate Herve Moineau. [3] They went on to win the 1980 FIM Endurance World Championship. [3] In 1981 he began competing in the premier 500cc Grand Prix world championship as a member of the French Yamaha importer's Sonauto team. [3] He was crowned French champion in October 1981, and the following weekend took part in the final round of the British championship at Brands Hatch, however he came off his bike at Druids while in sixth position. His best year was in 1983 when he finished in sixth place in the 500cc world championship. [1]

Fontan's career ended after an serious arm injury at the 1984 24 Hours of Le Mans left him with nerve damage. [4]

Today Fontan is known for being the principal architect of the Moto-Tour, a seven-day competitive rally that crosses huge swaths of France.

Motorcycle Grand Prix results [1]

Position12345678910
Points1512108654321

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position; races in italics indicate fastest lap)

YearClassTeam123456789101112PointsRankWins
1978 250cc Yamaha VEN
-
ESP
-
FRA
-
NAT
-
NED
-
BEL
-
SWE
-
FIN
-
GBR
10
GER
-
CZE
-
YUG
-
128th0
1981 500ccSonauto-Yamaha AUT
12
GER
9
NAT
NC
FRA
10
YUG
NC
NED
13
BEL
8
RSM
8
GBR
5
FIN
6
SWE
6
259th0
1982 500ccSonauto-Yamaha ARG
7
AUT
-
FRA
-
ESP
7
NAT
9
NED
9
BEL
10
YUG
-
GBR
8
SWE
4
RSM
-
GER
6
2910th0
1983 500ccSonauto-Yamaha RSA
4
FRA
6
NAT
7
GER
6
ESP
7
AUT
6
YUG
6
NED
7
BEL
6
GBR
5
SWE
4
RSM
6
646th0

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wayne Rainey</span> American motorcycle racer (born 1960)

Wayne Wesley Rainey is an American former Grand Prix motorcycle road racer. During the late 1980s and early 1990s, he won the 500cc World Championship three times and the Daytona 200 once. He was characterized by his smooth, calculating riding style, and for his intense rivalry with compatriot Kevin Schwantz, between 1987 and 1993.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Johnny Cecotto</span> Venezuelan motorcycle racer and racing driver (born 1956)

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Giacomo Agostini</span> Italian motorcycle racer (born 1942)

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eddie Lawson</span> American motorcycle racer

Eddie Ray Lawson is an American former professional motorcycle racer. He competed in the Grand Prix motorcycle racing world championships from 1983 to 1992.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Randy Mamola</span> American motorcycle racer

Randy Mamola is an American former professional motorcycle racer and television sports presenter. He competed in Grand Prix motorcycle racing between 1979 and 1992. A 13-time Premier Class race winner, Mamola was one of the most charismatic Grand Prix road racers of his generation, becoming a favourite because of his interaction with race fans both on and off the track as well as his aggressive and spirited riding style.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Freddie Spencer</span> American motorcycle racer

Frederick Burdette Spencer, sometimes known by the nickname Fast Freddie, is an American former world champion motorcycle racer. Spencer is regarded as one of the greatest motorcycle racers of the early 1980s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Phil Read</span> English motorcycle racer (1939–2022)

Phillip William Read, was an English professional motorcycle racer. He competed in Grand Prix motorcycle racing from 1961 to 1976. Read is notable for being the first competitor to win world championships in the 125 cc, 250 cc and 500 cc classes. Although he was often overshadowed by his contemporary, Mike Hailwood, he won seven FIM Grand Prix road racing world championships.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jean-Michel Bayle</span> French motorcycle racer

Jean-Michel Bayle is a French former professional motorcycle racer. He was one of the most successful riders of his era, achieving success at the highest levels in both motocross and road racing.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sylvain Guintoli</span> French motorcycle racer

Sylvain Guintoli is a French professional motorcycle racer and race analyst for television. He was FIM World Superbike Champion in 2014. Until the Suzuki MotoGP team's withdrawal from racing in 2022, he was contracted as their test and development rider, with occasional race entries as a wild card or replacement rider.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Christian Sarron</span> French motorcycle racer

Christian Sarron is a French former Grand Prix motorcycle road racer.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Marco Lucchinelli</span> Italian motorcycle racer

Marco Lucchinelli is an Italian former professional Grand Prix motorcycle road racer. He was 1981 FIM Road Racing World Champion with Suzuki. He is a MotoGP Legend.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sébastien Gimbert</span> French motorcycle racer

Sébastien Gimbert is a professional motorcycle road racer. He currently competes in the Endurance FIM World Championship aboard a Honda CBR1000RR. His greatest success has come in the Endurance World Championship, and the bulk of his career has been spent on Yamaha YZF-R1 with more recent seasons spent on BMW S1000RR and Honda CBR1000RR motorcycles.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Daryl Beattie</span> Australian motorcycle racer

Daryl Beattie is a former Grand Prix solo motorcycle road racer.

Graeme Crosby is a former professional Grand Prix motorcycle road racer from New Zealand. A versatile rider, Crosby was equally capable on either four stroke Superbike racers or two stroke Grand Prix racers. He is the only person to have won the Daytona 200, the Imola 200, the Suzuka 8 Hours endurance race, and the Isle of Man TT.

Mike Baldwin is an American former professional motorcycle road racer. He was a top contender in AMA Superbike racing during the 1980s who also competed in Grand Prix motorcycle racing. Baldwin was inducted into the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame in 2001.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Didier de Radiguès</span> Belgian motorcycle racer

Didier de Radiguès is a Belgian former professional motorcycle racer, auto racing driver and current artist. He also serves as a television sports color commentator for Belgium television, a Moto GP riders manager and as the owner of a motorcycle riding school. He competed in the FIM motorcycle Grand Prix world championships from 1980 to 1991.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Éric Saul</span> French motorcycle racer

Éric Saul is a French former Grand Prix motorcycle road racer.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tadahiko Taira</span> Japanese motorcycle racer

Tadahiko Taira is a Japanese former Grand Prix motorcycle road racer.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mike Di Meglio</span> French motorcycle racer

Mike Di Meglio is a French Grand Prix motorcycle road racer and three-time world champion claiming the 2008 125cc title, as well as winning the 2022 & 2017-2018 FIM Endurance World Championship. Since the 2018–19 FIM EWC season, Di Meglio has raced for F.C.C. TSR Honda France. From 2019 on, he also competes in the MotoE World Cup aboard an Energica Ego Corsa. He twice won the 24 Hours of Le Mans endurance race in 2017 on Yamaha and in 2020 on the Honda CBR. He also twice won the Bol d'Or 24-hour motorcycle endurance race on Circuit Paul Ricard. In 2017 Yamaha and 2018 Honda.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dominique Aegerter</span> Swiss motorcycle racer

Dominique Aegerter is a Swiss professional circuit racer of solo motorcycles, competing in World superbike Championship. He won the Supersport World Championship in 2021 and 2022. He also won the MotoE World Cup in 2022.He is also the first Swiss rider to step foot on a world SBK podium.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "Marc Fontan career statistics at MotoGP.com". motogp.com. Retrieved 18 May 2021.
  2. "Marc Fontan career statistics at Motorsport Magazine.com". motorsportmagazine.com. Retrieved 18 May 2021.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 "Marc Fontan Yamaha profile". yamaha-motor.com. Retrieved 18 May 2021.
  4. "Histoire pilote : Marc Fontan". Le Repaire des Motards (in French). 2013-09-27. Retrieved 2023-12-19.