1978 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season

The 1978 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season was the 30th F.I.M. Road Racing World Championship season.

Season summary

There was an air of excitement at the start of the 1978 Grand Prix season.[1] The popularity of defending champion Barry Sheene had boosted the appeal of motorcycle racing into the realm of the mass marketing media.[1] The arrival of Kenny Roberts from America added to the anticipation.[1] A young Spaniard, Ricardo Tormo took five of seven rounds to claim the 50 cc title for Bultaco. Italy's Eugenio Lazzarini won the 125 cc crown aboard an MBA. South Africa's Kork Ballington pulled off an impressive double, winning the 250 cc and 350 cc titles for Kawasaki, matching the double championships of Walter Villa in 1976 and Mike Hailwood in 1967.[1]

In the 500 cc class, Suzuki returned with its defending world champion, Barry Sheene, along with teammate Pat Hennen, Wil Hartog and Teuvo Lansivuori.[1] Yamaha's official factory team entered former 350 cc world champions Johnny Cecotto and Takazumi Katayama.[1] Lacking a competitive bike with which to compete against Harley Davidson in the AMA Grand National Championship, Yamaha's American subsidiary decided to send its former AMA champion Roberts to compete in the 250 cc, 500 cc and Formula 750 F.I.M. road racing world championships.[2] Roberts also secured the financial backing of the Goodyear tire company, as well as exclusive use of their tires for the season.[2]

Sheene opened the season with a win in the Venezuelan Grand Prix.[1][3] Roberts won the 250 cc Grand Prix in Venezuela but then suffered a mechanical failure in the 500 cc race.[1][4] American Pat Hennen won the second round at the Spanish Grand Prix with Roberts finishing in second place and Sheene some distance back in fifth place.[5] Roberts then won his first-ever 500 cc Grand Prix with a win at the Austrian Grand Prix, quickly followed by two more victories in France and Italy to take the championship points lead.[6][7][8] Hennen's promising career was cut short when he suffered head injuries while competing in the Isle of Man TT at the midpoint of the season. He trailed Roberts by only a couple of points in the point standings, with Sheene some distance behind.[9]

Cecotto won the Dutch TT with Roberts finishing ahead of a resurgent Sheene in third place.[10] Hartog would claim the Belgian Grand Prix for Suzuki with Roberts and Sheene once again finishing in second and third places respectively.[11] At the 1978 Swedish Grand Prix, Roberts crashed during practice for the 250 cc race, sustaining a concussion and a thumb injury.[12] Shaken up by the accident, he could do no better than seventh place in the 500 cc race, while Sheene won the race to close the points gap on championship points leader Roberts.[12][13] Hartog won his second Grand Prix of the season with a victory at the Finnish Grand Prix, while the two championship leaders, Roberts and Sheene failed to finish the race.[14]

The two championship contenders arrived in England for the British Grand Prix with only three points separating them.[12] The race ended in controversy when torrential rains during the race, along with pit stops for tire changes by both Roberts and Sheene, created confusion among official scorers.[15] Eventually, Roberts was declared the winner with Sheene being awarded third place behind privateer Steve Manship, who did not stop for a tire change.[16][17][18]

The title fight between Roberts and Sheene went down to the final race of the season, the German Grand Prix held at the daunting, 14.2-mile-long (22.9 km) Nürburgring racetrack. Suzuki privateer, Virginio Ferrari, won the first Grand Prix of his career, while Roberts finished in third place, ahead of Sheene in fourth place to claim the first world championship for an American rider in Grand Prix road racing history.[19][20] Cecotto claimed third place in the final championship standings.[20]

1978 Grand Prix season calendar

Round Date Race Location 50cc winner 125cc winner 250cc winner 350cc winner 500cc winner Report
1 March 19 Venezuelan Grand Prix San Carlos Pier Paolo Bianchi Kenny Roberts Takazumi Katayama Barry Sheene Report
2 April 16 Spanish Grand Prix Jarama Eugenio Lazzarini Eugenio Lazzarini Gregg Hansford Pat Hennen Report
3 April 30 Austrian Grand Prix Salzburgring Eugenio Lazzarini Kork Ballington Kenny Roberts Report
4 May 7 French Grand Prix Nogaro Pier Paolo Bianchi Gregg Hansford Gregg Hansford Kenny Roberts Report
5 May 14 Nations Grand Prix Mugello Ricardo Tormo Eugenio Lazzarini Kork Ballington Kork Ballington Kenny Roberts Report
6 June 24 Dutch TT Assen Eugenio Lazzarini Eugenio Lazzarini Kenny Roberts Kork Ballington Johnny Cecotto Report
7 July 2 Belgian Grand Prix Spa-Francorchamps Ricardo Tormo Pier Paolo Bianchi Paolo Pileri Wil Hartog Report
8 July 23 Swedish Grand Prix Karlskoga Pier Paolo Bianchi Gregg Hansford Gregg Hansford Barry Sheene Report
9 July 30 Finnish Grand Prix Imatra Angel Nieto Kork Ballington Kork Ballington Wil Hartog Report
10 August 6 British Grand Prix Silverstone Angel Nieto Anton Mang Kork Ballington Kenny Roberts Report
11 August 20 German Grand Prix Nürburgring Nordschleife Ricardo Tormo Angel Nieto Kork Ballington Takazumi Katayama Virginio Ferrari Report
12 August 27 Czechoslovak Grand Prix Brno Ricardo Tormo Kork Ballington Kork Ballington Report
13 September 17 Yugoslavian Grand Prix Rijeka Ricardo Tormo Angel Nieto Gregg Hansford Gregg Hansford Report
Sources:[1][20][21]

Scoring system

Points were awarded to the top ten finishers in each race. All races counted towards the final standings.[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 VEN
 ESP
 AUT
 FRA
 NAT
 NED
 BEL
 SWE
 FIN
 GBR
 GER
 Points
1 Kenny Roberts Yamaha USA YZR500 Ret 2 1 1 1 2 2 7 Ret 1 3 110
2 Barry Sheene Heron-Suzuki RG500 1 5 3 3 5 3 3 1 Ret 3 4 100
3 Johnny Cecotto Venemotos-Yamaha YZR500 Ret 4 2 Ret Ret 1 Ret 6 3 7 2 66
4 Wil Hartog Riemersma Racing RG500 9 7 5 6 5 1 2 1 Ret Ret 65
5 Takazumi Katayama Sarome & Motul Team YZR500 Ret 3 Ret Ret Ret 4 6 3 2 9 5 53
6 Pat Hennen Heron-Suzuki RG500 2 1 Ret 2 2 51
7 Steve Baker Team Gallina Nava Olio Fiat RG500 3 6 Ret DNS 4 9 Ret 4 6 Ret 7 42
8 Teuvo Länsivuori RG500 7 5 Ret 7 5 8 4 5 9 39
9 Marco Lucchinelli RG500 Ret 4 Ret 3 Ret 7 Ret Ret 4 Ret 30
10 Michel Rougerie RG500 14 6 Ret 6 4 Ret Ret 11 6 23
11 Virginio Ferrari Team Gallina Nava Olio Fiat RG500 Ret Ret Ret 17 Ret Ret Ret 5 Ret 10 1 22
12 Steve Parrish RG500 4 10 Ret 7 Ret 10 Ret 15 5 15 13 20
13 Boet van Dulmen RG500 11 8 21 9 8 Ret 11 7 Ret 8 15
14 Steve Manship RG500 2 12
15 Christian Estrosi RG500 8 4 Ret 11
16 Graziano Rossi Team Gallina Nava Olio Fiat RG500 6 12 16 14 9 Ret Ret 7
John Newbold Ray Hamblin Motorcycles RG500 Ret Ret 18 7 Ret 8 7
18 Roberto Pietri Venemotos Yamaha YZR500 5 6
Gianni Rolando Team Librenti RG500 DNQ 10 Ret 6 Ret 6
20 Gerhard Vogt Bill Smith Racing YZR500 6 16 21 20 14 17 16 5
Philippe Coulon Marlboro Nava Total RG500 Ret 11 20 8 11 Ret 9 16 20 5
22 Leandro Becheroni RG500 7 DNS 4
Alex George Hermetite Racing International RG500 18 11 14 14 8 10 Ret 13 15 4
Jürgen Steiner Caramba Racing Team Bohme RG500 14 Ret 8 10 4
25 Jean Philippe Orban Team La Licorne RG500 12 Ret 8 3
26 Carlo Perugini RG500 9 Ret 2
Tom Herron RG500 Ret 9 2
Gianfranco Bonera Team Kiwi Yamoto RG500 9 22 13 Ret 12 2
Bruno Kneubühler RSS Racing Team RG500 16 10 Ret Ret Ret Ret 14 10 Ret Ret 2
27 Dennis Ireland RG500 10 Ret Ret Ret 1
Kenny Blake YZR500 10 1
Sources:[1][20][21]

350cc standings

Place Rider Number Country Machine Points Wins
1 Kork Ballington 5 South Africa Kawasaki 134 6
2 Takazumi Katayama 1 Japan Yamaha 77 2
3 Gregg Hansford Australia Kawasaki 76 3
4 Jon Ekerold 3 South Africa Yamaha 64 0
5 Tom Herron 2 United Kingdom Yamaha 50 0
6 Michel Rougerie 4 France Yamaha 47 0
7 Franco Bonera Italy Yamaha 37 0
8 Patrick Fernandez 8 France Yamaha 36 0
9 Victor Soussan 12 Australia Yamaha 34 0
10 Olivier Chevallier 6 France Yamaha 27 0
11 Penti Korhonen Finland Yamaha 20
12 Franco Uncini Italy Yamaha 19
13 Paolo Pileri Italy 18
14 Mick Grant United Kingdom Kawasaki 16
15 Christian Sarron France Yamaha 15
16 Anton Mang West Germany Kawasaki 14
17 Patrick Pons France Yamaha 9
18 Marco Lucchinelli Italy Yamaha 5
19 Guy Bertin France Yamaha 5
20 Eric Saul France Yamaha 4
21 Vanes Francini Italy Yamaha 3
22 Raymond Roche France Yamaha 3
23 Alejandro Aleman Venezuela Yamaha 2
24 Leif Gustafsson Sweden Yamaha 2
25 Peter Van Der Wal Netherlands Yamaha 2
26 Gianni Pelletier Italy Yamaha 2
27 A.Piccioni Italy Yamaha 1
28 Eero Hyvärinen Finland Yamaha 1
29 Hervi Moineau France Yamaha 1
30 Roland Freymond Switzerland Yamaha 1
31 Mario Lega Italy 1
Sources:[1][22]

250cc standings

Place Rider Number Country Machine Points Wins
1 Kork Ballington 6 South Africa Kawasaki 124 4
2 Gregg Hansford Australia Kawasaki 118 4
3 Patrick Fernandez 10 France Yamaha 55 0
4 Kenny Roberts 80 United States Yamaha 54 2
5 Anton Mang Germany Kawasaki 52 1
6 Tom Herron 5 United Kingdom Yamaha 48 0
7 Mario Lega Italy Morbidelli 44 0
8 Franco Uncini Italy Yamaha 42 0
9 Jon Ekerold 9 South Africa Yamaha 40 0
10 Paolo Pileri 31 Italy Morbidelli 35 1
11 Raymond Roche France 26
12 Olivier Chevallier France 25
13 Jean-François Baldé France 19
14 Mick Grant United Kingdom 17
15 Victor Soussan Australia 14
16 Walter Villa Italy 13
17 Carlos Lavado Venezuela 12
18 Chas Mortimer United Kingdom 12
19 Penti Korhonen Finland 10
20 Clive Padgett United Kingdom 5
21 Hans Müller Switzerland 5
22 Roland Freymond Switzerland 4
23 Ted Henter United States 3
24 Pekka Nurmi Finland 2
25 Ray Quincey Australia 2
26 Alejandro Aleman Venezuela 2
27 John Dodds Australia 2
28 Leif Gustafsson Sweden 1
29 Sadao Asami Japan 1
30 Eero Hyvärinen Finland 1
31 Marc Fontan France 1
32 Hervi Moineau France 1
33 Guy Bertin France 1
34 Thierry Espié France 1
Sources:[1][23]

125cc standings

Place Rider Number Country Machine Points Wins
1 Eugenio Lazzarini 2 Italy MBA 114 4
2 Angel Nieto 3 Spain Minarelli 88 4
3 Pier Paolo Bianchi 1 Italy Minarelli 70 4
4 Harald Bartol 7 Austria Morbidelli 68 0
5 Thierry Espié 27 France Motobécane 62 0
6 Maurizio Massimiani 11 Italy Morbidelli 56 0
7 Hans Müller 8 Switzerland Morbidelli 48 0
8 Per-Edward Carlsson Sweden Morbidelli 46 0
9 Jean-Louis Guignabodet France Morbidelli 42 0
10 Clive Horton United Kingdom MBA 25 0
11 Patrick Plisson jpn 20
12 Matti Kinnunen Kor 18
13 Stefan Dörflinger jpn 17
14 Pierluigi Conforti fra 16
15 August Auinger fra 14
16 Christian Leon Fra 10
17 Thierry Noblesse ita 9
18 Alejandro Aleman ita 8
19 Felice Agostini ita 7
20 Ricardo Russo Gbr 6
21 Cees van Dongen gbr 6
22 Claudio Granata gbr 5
23 Gert Bender isl 5
24 Walter Koschine Isl 5
25 Hiroshi isl 4
26 Luciano Schiavone irl 4
27 Hiroshi irl 3
28 Rolf Blatter irl 3
29 Henk van Kessel Spa 2
30 Alois Meyer spa 1
31 Benny Janssen spa 1
32 Ricardo Tormo Aus 1
33 Enrico Cereda Aus 1
34 Hiroshi aus 1
Sources:[1][24]

50cc standings

Place Rider Number Country Machine Points Wins
1 Ricardo Tormo 3 Spain Bultaco 99 5
2 Eugenio Lazzarini 2 Italy Kreidler 64 2
3 Patrick Plisson 5 France ABF 48 0
4 Wolfgang Müller 20 West Germany Kreidler 28 0
5 Rolf Blatter 17 Switzerland Kreidler 25 0
6 Stefan Dörflinger 6 Switzerland Kreidler 24 0
7 Claudio Lusuardi 18 Italy Bultaco 20 0
8 Peter Looijensteijn 27 Netherlands Kreidler 14 0
9 Ingo Emmerich 23 West Germany Kreidler 14 0
10 Aldo Pero 15 Italy Kreidler 13 0
11 Angel Nieto 12
12 Henk van Kessel 11
13 Enrico Cereda 11
14 Julien van Zeebroeck 10
15 Cees van Dongen 10
16 Willi Scheidhauer 10
17 Hagen Klein 9
18 Theo Timmer 9
19 C.Dumont 6
20 Daniel Corvi 5
21 Gerrit Strikker 4
22 Luigi Rinaudo 4
23 Ramon Gali 3
24 A.Jeva 3
25 S.Monreale 2
26 Zbynek Havdra 2
27 J.Mira 1
28 Jacques Hutteau 1
Sources:[1][25]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o Noyes, Dennis; Scott, Michael (1999), Motocourse: 50 Years Of Moto Grand Prix, Hazleton Publishing Ltd, ISBN 1-874557-83-7
  2. ^ a b Moses, Sam (March 1979). "The daring young man whips the heroes with ease". American Motorcyclist. Retrieved 15 December 2010.
  3. ^ "1978 500cc Venezuelan Grand Prix Results". motogp.com. Retrieved 29 December 2013.
  4. ^ "1978 250cc Venezuelan Grand Prix Results". motogp.com. Retrieved 29 December 2013.
  5. ^ "1978 500cc Spanish Grand Prix Results". motogp.com. Retrieved 29 December 2013.
  6. ^ "1978 500cc Austrian Grand Prix Results". motogp.com. Retrieved 29 December 2013.
  7. ^ "1978 500cc French Grand Prix Results". motogp.com. Retrieved 29 December 2013.
  8. ^ "1978 500cc Nations Grand Prix Results". motogp.com. Retrieved 28 February 2026.
  9. ^ "Pat Hennen at the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame". motorcyclemuseum.org. Retrieved 29 December 2013.
  10. ^ "1978 500cc Dutch TT Results". motogp.com. Retrieved 28 February 2026.
  11. ^ "1978 500cc Belgian Grand Prix Results". motogp.com. Retrieved 28 February 2026.
  12. ^ a b c "Roberts makes the right dream come true". The Modesto Bee. Bee News Services. 23 August 1978. p. 1. Retrieved 15 January 2011.
  13. ^ "1978 500cc Swedish Grand Prix Results". motogp.com. Retrieved 28 February 2026.
  14. ^ "1978 500cc Finnish Grand Prix Results". motogp.com. Retrieved 28 February 2026.
  15. ^ Assoc, American Motorcyclist (November 1978). "Roberts: A Champ With Class". American Motorcyclist. Retrieved 15 December 2010.
  16. ^ "Roberts Declared Official Winner". The Modesto Bee. Bee News Services. 8 August 1978. p. 6. Retrieved 20 December 2010.
  17. ^ "Time to Fix 'Flag-to-Flag' Pit Stops Before Luck Runs Out". moto-racing.speedtv.com. Archived from the original on 24 July 2011. Retrieved 15 December 2010.
  18. ^ "1978 500cc British Grand Prix Results". motogp.com. Retrieved 29 December 2013.
  19. ^ "1978 500cc German Grand Prix Results". motogp.com. Retrieved 28 February 2026.
  20. ^ a b c d "1978 500cc World Championship race results". motogp.com. Retrieved 28 February 2026.
  21. ^ a b "1978 500cc World Championship race results". motorsportmagazine.com. Retrieved 28 February 2026.
  22. ^ "1978 350cc World Championship race results". motogp.com. Retrieved 3 March 2026.
  23. ^ "1978 250cc World Championship race results". motogp.com. Retrieved 3 March 2026.
  24. ^ "1978 125cc World Championship race results". motogp.com. Retrieved 3 March 2026.
  25. ^ "1978 50cc World Championship race results". motogp.com. Retrieved 3 March 2026.
  • Büla, Maurice & Schertenleib, Jean-Claude (2001). Continental Circus 1949-2000. Chronosports S.A. ISBN 2-940125-32-5
  • "The Official MotoGP website". Retrieved 2010-07-06.
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