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.
Mike Hailwood easily claimed his fourth successive 500 class crown for MV Agusta, although he was beginning to show his disenchantment with the autocratic Count Agusta by accepting a 250 class ride from Honda. [1] Newcomer Giacomo Agostini riding for MV Agusta would battle Honda's reigning champion Jim Redman for the 350 title. [1] The outcome wouldn't be decided until the final race of the year in Japan, when Agostini's MV Agusta suffered a mechanical failure, handing the championship to Redman. [1]
The Yamaha duo of Phil Read and Michelle Duff finished first and second in the 250 class, as Honda's Redman battled early season injuries. [1] Hugh Anderson won six races to claim his second 125 championship for Suzuki while Honda's Ralph Bryans took the 50cc crown ahead of his Honda teammate Luigi Taveri. [1]
Points were awarded to the top six finishers in each race. Only the best of six races were counted in 50cc, 350cc and 500cc championships, best of seven in 125cc and 250cc championships, while in the Sidecars, only the best of four races were counted.
| Position | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 5th | 6th |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Points | 8 | 6 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
| Place | Rider | Number | Country | Machine | Points | Wins |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Jim Redman | Rhodesia | Honda | 38 | 4 | |
| 2 |  Giacomo Agostini | Italy | MV Agusta | 32 | 3 | |
| 3 |  Mike Hailwood | United Kingdom | MV Agusta | 20 | 1 | |
| 4 | Bruce Beale | Rhodesia | Honda | 15 | 0 | |
| 5 |  Frantisek Stastny | Czechoslovakia | Jawa | 14 | 1 | |
| 6 | Derek Woodman | United Kingdom | MZ | 14 | 0 | |
| 7 | Gustav Havel | Czechoslovakia | Jawa | 12 | 0 | |
| 8 | Renzo Pasolini | Italy | Aermacchi | 9 | 0 | |
| 9 | Phil Read | United Kingdom | Yamaha | 6 | 0 | |
| = | Silvio Grassetti | Italy | Benelli | 6 | 0 | |
| 11 | Frantisek Bocek | Czechoslovakia | Jawa | 6 | 0 | |
| 12 | Gilberto Milani | Italy | Aermacchi | 6 | 0 | |
| 13 |  Nicolaï Sevostianov | USSR | Vostok | 4 | 0 | |
| = | Tarquinio Provini | Italy | Benelli | 4 | 0 | |
| = |  Isamu Kasuya | Japan | Honda | 4 | 0 | |
| 16 | Chris Conn | United Kingdom | Norton | 3 | 0 | |
| = |  Agne Carlsson | Sweden | AJS | 3 | 0 | |
| = | Isao Yamashita | Japan | Honda | 3 | 0 | |
| 19 | Griff Jenkins | United Kingdom | Norton | 3 | 0 | |
| = | John Cooper | United Kingdom | Norton | 3 | 0 | |
| 21 | Endel Kiisa | USSR | CKEB | 2 | 0 | |
| = | Lewis Young | United Kingdom | AJS | 2 | 0 | |
| 23 | Dan Shorey | United Kingdom | Norton | 2 | 0 | |
| 24 |  Paddy Driver | South Africa | AJS | 1 | 0 | |
| = |  Eric Hinton | Australia | Norton | 1 | 0 | |
| = | Bill Smith | United Kingdom | Norton | 1 | 0 |
| Place | Rider | Number | Country | Machine | Points | Wins |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Phil Read | United Kingdom | Yamaha | 56 | 7 | |
| 2 |  Michelle Duff | Canada | Yamaha | 42 | 1 | |
| 3 | Jim Redman | Rhodesia | Honda | 34 | 3 | |
| 4 |  Heinz Rosner | East Germany | MZ | 18 | 0 | |
| 5 | Derek Woodman | United Kingdom | MZ | 15 | 0 | |
| 6 | Bruce Beale | Rhodesia | Honda | 14 | 0 | |
| 7 | Tarquinio Provini | Italy | Benelli | 11 | 1 | |
| 8 |  Ramón Torras | Spain | Bultaco | 10 | 0 | |
| 9 | Frank Perris | United Kingdom | Suzuki | 9 | 0 | |
| 10 | Mike Hailwood | United Kingdom | Honda | 8 | 1 | |
| 11 | Frantisek Stastny | Czechoslovakia | ČZ | 8 | 0 | |
| 12 | Isamu Kasuya | Japan | Honda | 6 | 0 | |
| 13 | Ralph Bryans | United Kingdom | Honda | 6 | 0 | |
| 14 | Yoshimi Katayama | Japan | Suzuki | 6 | 0 | |
| 15 | Giuseppe Visenzi | Italy | Aermacchi | 5 | 0 | |
| 16 | Silvio Grassetti | Italy | Morini | 4 | 0 | |
| = | Barry Smith | Australia | Bultaco | 4 | 0 | |
| = | Remo Venturi | Italy | Benelli | 4 | 0 | |
| = | Bill Ivy | United Kingdom | Yamaha | 4 | 0 | |
| 20 |  Ginger Molloy | New Zealand | Bultaco | 4 | 0 | |
| 21 |  Jean-Claude Guénard | France | Bultaco | 3 | 0 | |
| = | Gosuke Yamashita | Japan | Honda | 3 | 0 | |
| 23 |  Günter Beer | West Germany | Honda | 3 | 0 | |
| 24 | José Busquets | Spain | Montesa | 2 | 0 | |
| = | Kevin Cass | Australia | Cotton | 2 | 0 | |
| = | Rex Avery | United Kingdom | Bultaco | 2 | 0 | |
| = | Hiroshi Hasegawa | Japan | Yamaha | 2 | 0 | |
| 28 |  John Buckner | United States | Yamaha | 1 | 0 | |
| = | Gilberto Milani | Italy | Aermacchi | 1 | 0 | |
| = | Alberto Pagani | Italy | Aermacchi | 1 | 0 | |
| = | Alain Barbaroux | France | Aermacchi | 5 | 0 | |
| = | Dave Williams | United Kingdom | FB-Mondial | 1 | 0 | |
| = | Bob Coulter | United Kingdom | Bultaco | 1 | 0 |
| Place | Rider | Number | Country | Machine | Points | Wins |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hugh Anderson | New Zealand | Suzuki | 56 | 7 | |
| 2 | Frank Perris | United Kingdom | Suzuki | 44 | 2 | |
| 3 | Derek Woodman | United Kingdom | MZ | 28 | 0 | |
| 4 | Ernst Degner | West Germany | Suzuki | 23 | 1 | |
| 5 |  Luigi Taveri | Switzerland | Honda | 14 | 0 | |
| 6 | Michelle Duff | Canada | Yamaha | 12 | 1 | |
| 7 | Klaus Enderlein | East Germany | MZ | 11 | 0 | |
| 8 | Ralph Bryans | United Kingdom | Honda | 11 | 0 | |
| 9 | Joachim Leitert | East Germany | MZ | 10 | 0 | |
| 10 | Phil Read | United Kingdom | Yamaha | 8 | 1 | |
| 11 | Yoshimi Katayama | Japan | Suzuki | 6 | 0 | |
| = | Dieter Krumpholz | East Germany | MZ | 6 | 0 | |
| 13 | Bill Ivy | United Kingdom | Yamaha | 6 | 0 | |
| 14 | Bruce Beale | Rhodesia | Honda | 6 | 0 | |
| 15 | Ramón Torras | Spain | Bultaco | 4 | 0 | |
| = | Heinz Rosner | East Germany | MZ | 4 | 0 | |
| 17 | Roland Rentzsch | East Germany | MZ | 4 | 0 | |
| 18 | Rick Schell | United States | Honda | 3 | 0 | |
| = | Bruno Spaggiari | Italy | Ducati | 3 | 0 | |
| 20 | Giuseppe Visenzi | Italy | Honda | 3 | 0 | |
| 21 | Jeff Tate | United States | Honda | 2 | 0 | |
| = | Hans-Georg Anscheidt | West Germany | MZ-Kreidler | 2 | 0 | |
| = | Yasuhara Yuzawa | Japan | Honda | 2 | 0 | |
| 24 | Bob Gehring | United States | Bultaco | 1 | 0 | |
| = | Walter Scheimann | West Germany | Honda | 1 | 0 | |
| = | Arthur Fegbli | Switzerland | Honda | 1 | 0 | |
| = | Jürgen Lenk | East Germany | MZ | 1 | 0 | |
| = | Frantisek Bocek | Czechoslovakia | ČZ | 1 | 0 | |
| = | Tommy Robb | United Kingdom | Bultaco | 1 | 0 | |
| = | Ginger Molloy | New Zealand | Bultaco | 1 | 0 | |
| = | Hironori Matsushima | Japan | Yamaha | 1 | 0 |
| Place | Rider | Number | Country | Machine | Points | Wins |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ralph Bryans | United Kingdom | Honda | 36 | 3 | |
| 2 | Luigi Taveri | Switzerland | Honda | 32 | 2 | |
| 3 | Hugh Anderson | New Zealand | Suzuki | 32 | 1 | |
| 4 | Ernst Degner | West Germany | Suzuki | 26 | 2 | |
| 5 | Mitsuo Itoh | Japan | Suzuki | 16 | 0 | |
| 6 | Michio Ichino | Japan | Suzuki | 6 | 0 | |
| 7 | Hans-Georg Anscheidt | West Germany | Kreidler | 6 | 0 | |
| 8 | José Busquets | Spain | Derbi | 4 | 0 | |
| 9 | Jacques Roca | France | Derbi | 4 | 0 | |
| 10 | Haruo Koshino | Japan | Suzuki | 3 | 0 | |
| = | Charlie Mates | United Kingdom | Honda | 3 | 0 | |
| 12 | Angel Nieto | Spain | Derbi | 2 | 0 | |
| = | Ian Plumridge | United Kingdom | Derbi | 2 | 0 | |
| 14 |  Cees van Dongen | Netherlands | Kreidler | 2 | 0 | |
| 15 |  Gastón Biscia | Uruguay | Suzuki | 1 | 0 | |
| = | Barry Smith | Australia | Derbi | 1 | 0 | |
| = | Leslie Griffiths | United Kingdom | Honda | 1 | 0 | |
| = | Akira Itoh | Japan | Honda | 1 | 0 |
Grand Prix motorcycle racing is the premier class of motorcycle road racing events held on road circuits sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme (FIM). Independent motorcycle racing events have been held since the start of the twentieth century and large national events were often given the title Grand Prix. The foundation of the Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme as the international governing body for motorcycle sport in 1949 provided the opportunity to coordinate rules and regulations in order that selected events could count towards official World Championships. It is the oldest established motorsport world championship.
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.
The 1967 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season was the 19th 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 30 April, with Spanish Grand Prix and ended with Japanese Grand Prix on 15 October.
The 1975 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season was the 27th F.I.M. Road Racing World Championship season.
The 1957 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season was the ninth F.I.M. Road Racing World Championship Grand Prix season. The season consisted of six Grand Prix races in five classes: 500cc, 350cc, 250cc, 125cc and Sidecars 500cc. It began on 19 May, with German Grand Prix and ended with Nations Grand Prix in Italy on 1 September.
The 1962 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season was the 14th F.I.M. Road Racing World Championship Grand Prix season. The season consisted of eleven Grand Prix races in six classes: 500cc, 350cc, 250cc, 125cc, 50cc and Sidecars 500cc. It began on 6 May, with Spanish Grand Prix and ended with Argentine Grand Prix on 14 October. Defending 350cc and 500cc world champion Gary Hocking was deeply affected by the death of his friend, Tom Phillis at the 1962 Isle of Man TT and, announced his retirement from motorcycle racing after winning the 1962 Senior TT. Hocking's MV Agusta teammate, Mike Hailwood went on to win his first 500cc world championship.
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 1963 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season was the 15th 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 5 May, with Spanish Grand Prix and ended with Japanese Grand Prix on 10 November.
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 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 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.
The MV Agusta 500cc Three (1965–1973) or MV Agusta Tre was a road racing motorcycle produced by the Italian manufacturer MV Agusta to compete in the 500 cc Grand Prix motorcycle racing World Championship. The motorcycle was introduced in 1966 to compete against the ever competitive Honda racing machines and was a bored out version of MV Agusta's highly successful 350 cc three cylinder. Giacomo Agostini won consecutive world championships in the 500 cc class with this motorbike from 1966 to 1972. In addition, MV Agusta won the Constructors' World Championships from 1967 to 1972. The MV Agusta Tre is considered the most successful racing motorcycle in history.
The MV Agusta 500cc road racers were motorcycles that the manufacturer MV Agusta built and which were used to compete in 500cc Grand Prix motorcycle racing series between 1950 and 1976. 18 500cc world championship titles were achieved with these machines ridden by John Surtees, Gary Hocking, Mike Hailwood, Giacomo Agostini and Phil Read between 1958 and 1974.
The MV Agusta 350 cc racers were motorcycles produced by MV Agusta between 1954 and 1976 and raced in the 350 cc motorcycle GP championships. 10 world titles were achieved by riders John Surtees, Gary Hocking and Giacomo Agostini on these machines.
The MV Agusta 350 6 cilindri was a prototype racing motorcycle built by the Varese company MV Agusta in 1957, for the 350 cc class of the FIM Motorcycle World Championship. The project was resurrected in 1968. Neither version was ever used in a race. The only surviving model is now in the MV Agusta factory museum.
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