1973 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season

The 1973 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season was the 25th F.I.M. Road Racing World Championship season.

Season summary

MV Agusta teammates Phil Read and Giacomo Agostini battled it out for supremacy of the 500cc class but the season was overshadowed by the deaths of Jarno Saarinen and Renzo Pasolini at the Italian round at Monza.[1] The 500cc title runner-up, Kim Newcombe, also died at a non-championship race at Silverstone late in the year.[1] Agostini claimed his 13th championship in the 350cc class.[1] 1973 marked the first year that most of the top competitors joined Agostini in boycotting the Isle of Man TT event over safety concerns.[2]

In the 250cc class, West German Dieter Braun won the crown for Yamaha. Kent Andersson gave Yamaha another title in the 125cc class while Kreidler dominated the 50cc class after the Derbi factory pulled out of racing with Dutchman Jan de Vries taking the crown.[1]

1973 Grand Prix season calendar

Round Date Race Location 50cc winner 125cc winner 250cc winner 350cc winner 500cc winner Report
1 22 April French Grand Prix Paul Ricard Kent Andersson Jarno Saarinen Giacomo Agostini Jarno Saarinen Report
2 6 May Austrian Grand Prix Salzburgring Kent Andersson Jarno Saarinen János Drapál Jarno Saarinen Report
3 13 May West German Grand Prix Hockenheimring Theo Timmer Kent Andersson Jarno Saarinen Teuvo Länsivuori Phil Read Report
4 20 May Nations Grand Prix Monza Jan de Vries Kent Andersson Race cancelled[N 1] Giacomo Agostini Race cancelled[N 1] Report
5 8 June Isle of Man TT Snaefell Mountain Tommy Robb Charlie Williams Tony Rutter Jack Findlay Report
6 17 June Yugoslavian Grand Prix Opatija Jan de Vries Kent Andersson Dieter Braun János Drapál Kim Newcombe Report
7 23 June Dutch TT Assen Bruno Kneubühler Eugenio Lazzarini Dieter Braun Giacomo Agostini Phil Read Report
8 1 July Belgian Grand Prix Spa Jan de Vries Jos Schurgers Teuvo Länsivuori Giacomo Agostini Report
9 15 July Czechoslovak Grand Prix Brno Otello Buscherini Dieter Braun Teuvo Länsivuori Giacomo Agostini Report
10 21 July Swedish Grand Prix Anderstorp Jan de Vries Börje Jansson Dieter Braun Teuvo Länsivuori Phil Read Report
11 29 July Finnish Grand Prix Imatra Otello Buscherini Teuvo Länsivuori Giacomo Agostini Giacomo Agostini Report
12 23 September Spanish Grand Prix Jarama Jan de Vries Chas Mortimer John Dodds Adu Celso Phil Read Report
Sources:[1][3][4]
Footnotes
  1. ^ a b The 250cc race was stopped, following an accident on the first lap that resulted in the deaths of Jarno Saarinen and Renzo Pasolini. The race meeting was ultimately cancelled.

Final standings

Scoring system

Points were awarded to the top ten finishers in each race. Only the best of five results were counted in the Sidecars championship, while only the best of four results were counted in the in the 50cc championship. The best of seven results were counted in the 125cc championship while only the top six results were counted in the 250cc, 350cc and 500cc championships.[1]

(key)

Position  1st   2nd   3rd   4th   5th   6th   7th   8th   9th   10th 
Points 15 12 10 8 6 5 4 3 2 1

500cc final standings

Place Rider Team Machine FRA
 AUT
 GER
 NAC
 MAN
 YUG
 HOL
BEL
CZE
 SWE
 FIN
 ESP
 Pts
1 Phil Read MV Agusta MV500 2 Ret 1 DNS 1 2 2 1 2 1 84
2 Kim Newcombe König König 500 5 3 Ret 1 2 4 Ret 3 4 Ret 63
3 Giacomo Agostini MV Agusta MV500 Ret Ret Ret DNS Ret 1 1 2 1 Ret 57
4 Werner Giger YZ634A Ret 6 2 5 6 Ret Ret 5 7 3 44
5 Jack Findlay Suzuki TR500 10 Ret Ret 1 Ret 5 3 5 Ret Ret Ret 38
6 Bruno Kneubühler YZ634A Ret 9 Ret Ret 3 Ret 3 2 34
7 Jarno Saarinen Yamaha NV YZR500 1 1 Ret 30
8 Hideo Kanaya Yamaha NV YZR500 3 2 Ret 22
9 Ernst Hiller König König 500 19 Ret 3 Ret 7 6 19
Alex George Hermetite Ltd YZ634A Ret 9 4 6 11 14 Ret Ret 7 19
Billie Nelson YZ634A 9 8 5 Ret 8 10 Ret 7 10 Ret 19
12 Christian Bourgeois YZ634A Ret 3 Ret Ret 6 9 Ret 17
Eric Offenstadt Kawasaki-France H1R-RW 7 Ret 9 Ret 4 Ret 8 Ret 17
14 Guido Mandracci TR500 6 4 Ret Ret Ret Ret Ret 15
15 Peter Williams Tom Arter Matchless G50 2 15
Steve Ellis YZ634A 2 Ret Ret Ret Ret Ret 14
Bo Granath Husqvarna 12 7 Ret Ret 14 8 Ret 13 6 13
18 Paul Eickelberg König König 500 Ret Ret Ret 14 Ret 6 Ret 5 Ret 10
19 Gianfranco Bonera YZ634A 3 Ret Ret 10
Seppo Kangasniemi YZ634A 22 4 13 9 12 10
21 Børge Nielsen YZ634A Ret Ret Ret 4 10 9
Georg Pohlmann YZ634A 4 10 9
23 Christian Léon Kawasaki-France H1R-RW 4 8
Wil Hartog YZ634A 4 8
Chas Mortimer YZ634A Ret 15 Ret 11 4 8
Marcel Ankone YZ634A 9 5 8
27 Roberto Gallina YZ634A Ret 5 Ret Ret Ret Ret 6
Michel Rougerie Aermacchi-Harley Davidson RR500 Ret Ret 5 6
Roger Nichols TWS-Suzuki TR500 5 6
30 Reinhard Hiller König König 500 Ret Ret 6 Ret Ret 5
Dave Hughes Tom Arter Matchless G50 6 5
Bohumil Staša YZ634A 6 Ret 5
33 Mario Lega YZ634A 7 Ret 4
Gyula Marsovszky YZ634A Ret Ret 7 Ret 13 Ret Ret 4
Donnie Robinson Crooks-Suzuki TR500 7 4
Peter Stocksiefen TR500 7 4
Derek Chatterton YZ634A Ret 7 4
Peter van der Wal YZ634A 8 10 Ret 4
Sven Gunnarsson H1R-RW 15 11 10 Ret 15 Ret 8 Ret Ret 4
40 Jean-François Baldé YZ634A 8 3
Derek Lee TR500 18 13 8 16 3
Ivan Carlsson YZ634A Ret Ret Ret 8 3
Udo Kochansk König König 500 8 3
John Taylor Seeley TR500 8 3
45 Ted Jansen König König 500 9 Ret 2
Selwyn Griffiths Ray Cowles Motorcycles Matchless G50 9 2
Jean Paul Boinet H1R-RW 9 2
Lothar John TR500 Ret 15 12 9 Ret 2
49 Graham Bailey H1R-RW 10 1
Bo Brolin TR500 10 1
Hans Maxwald Rotax 11 10 Ret Ret Ret 1
Jerome Van Halter TR500 10 18 1
- Charlie Sanby TR500 3 -
Place Rider Team Machine FRA
 AUT
 GER
 NAC
 MAN
 YUG
 HOL
BEL
CZE
 SWE
 FIN
 ESP
 Pts
Sources:[1][3][4][5]

Notes: The 1973 500cc Nations Grand Prix was cancelled after the deaths of Saarinen and Pasolini in the 350 race.[1] The major factory teams refused to participate in the Yugoslavian Grand Prix in a dispute over safety conditions at the Opatija Circuit.[1] Charlie Sanby scored a third-place result at the 1973 Isle of Man Senior TT but is not classified in the FIM championship final standings.[2]

1973 350 cc Roadracing World Championship final standings

Place Rider Number Country Machine Points Wins
1 Giacomo Agostini 1 Italy MV Agusta 84 4
2 Teuvo Länsivuori 7 Finland Yamaha 77 3
3 Phil Read 5 United Kingdom MV Agusta 56 0
4 John Dodds Australia Yamaha 49 0
5 Billie Nelson United Kingdom Yamaha 38 0
6 Kent Andersson Sweden Yamaha 38 0
7 Adu Celso-Santos Brazil Yamaha 33 1
8 Dieter Braun 8 West Germany Yamaha 33 0
9 János Drapál Hungary Yamaha 30 2
10 Pentti Korhonen Finland Yamaha 25 0

1973 250 cc Roadracing World Championship final standings

Place Rider Number Country Machine Points Wins
1 Dieter Braun West Germany Yamaha 80 4
2 Teuvo Länsivuori 5 Finland Yamaha 64 2
3 John Dodds 6 Australia Yamaha 58 1
4 Jarno Saarinen 1 Finland Yamaha 45 3
5 Michel Rougerie France Harley-Davidson 45 0
6 Chas Mortimer United Kingdom Yamaha 40 0
7 Hideo Kanaya 11 Japan Yamaha 36 0
8 Roberto Gallina Italy Yamaha 32 0
9 Bruno Kneubühler Switzerland Yamaha 28 0
10 Silvio Grassetti 4 Italy Yamaha 21 0

1973 125 cc Roadracing World Championship final standings

Place Rider Number Country Machine Points Wins
1 Kent Andersson 2 Sweden Yamaha 99 5
2 Chas Mortimer United Kingdom Yamaha 75 1
3 Jos Schurgers 9 Netherlands Bridgestone 70 1
4 Börje Jansson 4 Sweden Maico 64 1
5 Eugenio Lazzarini Italy Maico 59 1
6 Otello Buscherini Italy Malanca 51 2
7 Angel Nieto Spain Morbidelli 46 0
8 Rolf Minhoff 4 West Germany Maico 42 0
9 Matti Salonen Finland Yamaha 32 0
10 Pentti Salonen Finland Yamaha 28 0

1973 50 cc Roadracing World Championship final standings

Place Rider Number Country Machine Points Wins
1 Jan de Vries 2 Netherlands Kreidler 60 5
2 Bruno Kneubühler Switzerland Kreidler 51 1
3 Theo Timmer 3 Netherlands Jamathi 47 1
4 Gerhard Thurow West Germany Kreidler 36 0
5 Henk van Kessel Netherlands Kreidler 27 0
6 Herbert Rittberger West Germany Kreidler 22 0
7 Ulrich Graf Switzerland Kreidler 21 0
8 Jan Huberts 8 Netherlands Kreidler 21 0
9 Rudolf Kunz 9 West Germany Kreidler 14 0
10 Wolfgang Gedlich West Germany Kreidler 13 0

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i Noyes, Dennis; Scott, Michael (1999), Motocourse: 50 Years Of Moto Grand Prix, Hazleton Publishing Ltd, ISBN 1-874557-83-7
  2. ^ a b "1973 Isle of Man TT summary". iomtt.com. Retrieved 13 March 2026.
  3. ^ a b "1973 500cc World Championship race results". motogp.com. Retrieved 13 March 2026.
  4. ^ a b "1973 500cc World Championship race results". motorsportmagazine.com. Retrieved 13 March 2026.
  5. ^ "500cc Grand Prix entry lists for 1972 to 1975". f1network.net. Retrieved 13 March 2026.
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