1979 FIM Motocross World Championship

1979 FIM Motocross World Championship
OrganizerFIM
Duration8 April/12 August
Number of races36
Number of manufacturers18
Champions
500cc Graham Noyce
250cc Håkan Carlqvist
125cc Harry Everts

The 1979 FIM Motocross World Championship was the 23rd F.I.M. Motocross Racing World Championship season.

Summary

As the 1970s came to an end, it also marked a changing of the guard in the 500cc Motocross World Championships. Roger De Coster (Suzuki) and Heikki Mikkola (Yamaha) had dominated the premier class during the 1970s, between them winning every World Championship from 1971 to 1978. That streak came to an end in 1979 as Mikkola struggled to recover from a broken leg suffered in preseason and De Coster was still feeling the effects from his serious injuries in 1978.[1][2]

Despite only winning two Grand Prix races, Graham Noyce (Honda) won the 1979 500cc World Championship by consistently scoring points in all but two races. Noyce earned the championship points lead at the midpoint of the season with Suzuki's Gerrit Wolsink, Mikkola and Kawasaki's Brad Lackey within reach of the points lead.[1] Wolsink won his fifth 500cc United States Grand Prix in six years and followed that with another victory at the Canadian Grand Prix to narrow the points lead.[1] Mikkola then suffered another injury at the Canadian Grand Prix and his injuries forced him to sit out the West German Grand Prix.[1] Former Honda factory rider, Lackey, won 6 individual moto victories, more than any other rider in the championship yet, his factory sponsored Kawasaki proved to be unreliable as the team struggled through development issues on a new motorcycle.[1] Noyce then took command of the championship by posting a series of top five finishes to win the title for the Honda team.

The victory marked the Honda factory's first ever motocross world championship as well as the first motocross world championship for a British rider since Jeff Smith in 1965. Four-time World Champion Mikkola made the decision to retire from competition at the end of the 1979 season. Jean-Jacques Bruno won the first heat race at the French Grand Prix to become the first French competitor in history to win a 500cc World Championship heat race. He then won the 500cc West German Grand Prix to become the first French 500cc Motocross Grand Prix winner.

Håkan Carlqvist won six of the twelve Grand Prix events, finishing comfortably ahead of second-placed Neil Hudson to be crowned the 250cc World Champion. Harry Everts dominated the 125cc world championship for the Suzuki factory racing team.

Grands Prix

500cc

Round Date Grand Prix Location Race 1 Winner Race 2 Winner Overall Winner Report
1 April 22 Austrian Grand Prix Sittendorf Yvan van den Broeck Brad Lackey Graham Noyce Report
2 April 29 French Grand Prix Thours Jean-Jacques Bruno Brad Lackey Brad Lackey Report
3 May 13 Swedish Grand Prix Huskvarna Brad Lackey Gerrit Wolsink Gerrit Wolsink Report
4 May 27 Italian Grand Prix Faenza Heikki Mikkola Heikki Mikkola Heikki Mikkola Report
5 June 10 United States Grand Prix Carlsbad Gerrit Wolsink Brad Lackey Gerrit Wolsink Report
6 June 17 Canadian Grand Prix Mosport Graham Noyce Gerrit Wolsink Gerrit Wolsink Report
7 June 24 West German Grand Prix Beuren Jean-Jacques Bruno André Malherbe Jean-Jacques Bruno Report
8 July 1 British Grand Prix Farleigh Castle Brad Lackey Graham Noyce Graham Noyce Report
9 July 8 Swiss Grand Prix Payerne Heikki Mikkola Heikki Mikkola Heikki Mikkola Report
10 July 29 Dutch Grand Prix Markelo Graham Noyce Gerrit Wolsink Gerrit Wolsink Report
11 August 5 Belgian Grand Prix Namur Roger De Coster André Malherbe André Malherbe Report
12 August 12 Luxembourg Grand Prix Ettelbruck Brad Lackey André Malherbe André Malherbe Report
Sources:[3]

250cc

Round Date Grand Prix Location Race 1 Winner Race 2 Winner Overall Winner Report
1 April 8 Spanish Grand Prix Sabadell Jaroslav Falta Håkan Carlqvist Håkan Carlqvist Report
2 April 22 Dutch Grand Prix Halle Håkan Carlqvist Håkan Carlqvist Håkan Carlqvist Report
3 April 29 Italian Grand Prix Bra Neil Hudson Håkan Carlqvist Neil Hudson Report
4 May 6 Belgian Grand Prix Genk Neil Hudson Håkan Carlqvist Neil Hudson Report
5 May 20 Yugoslavian Grand Prix Karlovac Håkan Carlqvist Neil Hudson Neil Hudson Report
6 May 27 Czechoslovak Grand Prix Holice Håkan Carlqvist Håkan Carlqvist Håkan Carlqvist Report
7 June 10 Polish Grand Prix Szczecin Håkan Carlqvist Håkan Carlqvist Håkan Carlqvist Report
8 June 17 French Grand Prix Lavaur Håkan Carlqvist Håkan Carlqvist Håkan Carlqvist Report
9 July 1 Finnish Grand Prix Hyvinkää Kees van der Ven Neil Hudson Kees van der Ven Report
10 July 29 United States Grand Prix Unadilla Marty Tripes Bob Hannah Kent Howerton Report
11 August 5 West German Grand Prix Bielstein Håkan Carlqvist Håkan Carlqvist Håkan Carlqvist Report
12 August 12 Bulgarian Grand Prix Samokov Gennady Moiseyev Gennady Moiseyev Gennady Moiseyev Report
Sources:[4]

125cc

Round Date Grand Prix Location Race 1 Winner Race 2 Winner Overall Winner Report
1 April 8 Austrian Grand Prix Launsdorf Harry Everts Harry Everts Harry Everts Report
2 April 15 West German Grand Prix Goldbach Harry Everts Harry Everts Harry Everts Report
3 May 13 Dutch Grand Prix Mill Harry Everts Harry Everts Harry Everts Report
4 May 20 Italian Grand Prix Esanatoglia Akira Watanabe Akira Watanabe Akira Watanabe Report
5 June 10 Finnish Grand Prix Tampere Harry Everts Harry Everts Harry Everts Report
6 June 17 Czechoslovak Grand Prix Dalečín Harry Everts Harry Everts Harry Everts Report
7 June 24 Yugoslavian Grand Prix Karlovac Akira Watanabe Harry Everts Harry Everts Report
8 July 1 Swiss Grand Prix Schupfart Harry Everts Gaston Rahier Mauro Miele Report
9 July 8 French Grand Prix Sucé-sur-Erdre Harry Everts Harry Everts Harry Everts Report
10 July 15 Irish Grand Prix Slane[5] Harry Everts Harry Everts Harry Everts Report
11 July 22 United States Grand Prix Lexington Broc Glover Mark Barnett Mark Barnett Report
12 August 12 Spanish Grand Prix Montgai Harry Everts Harry Everts Harry Everts Report
Sources:[6]

Final standings

Points are awarded based on the results of each individual heat race. The top 10 classified finishers in each heat race score points according to the following scale;

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

500cc

(Results in italics indicate overall winner)

Pos Rider Machine AUT
 FRA
 SWE
 ITA
 USA
 CAN
 RFA
 UK
 CH
 NED
 BEL
 LUX
 Points
1 Graham Noyce Honda 2 2 2 7 2 6 3 3 3 5 1 3 6 2 2 1 2 5 1 2 3 4 225
2 Gerrit Wolsink Suzuki 3 3 7 8 4 1 10 6 1 3 2 1 5 3 4 8 6 2 1 3 177
3 André Malherbe Honda 6 5 2 6 5 4 5 4 7 1 6 2 3 2 4 2 1 2 1 176
4 Brad Lackey Kawasaki 5 1 3 1 1 4 1 4 2 9 1 4 4 8 9 7 1 2 173
5 Heikki Mikkola Yamaha 4 3 3 2 1 1 2 5 1 1 3 3 10 4 147
6 Roger De Coster Suzuki 10 4 6 3 2 7 2 7 3 4 3 3 3 1 5 125
7 André Vromans Suzuki 8 6 5 9 2 5 7 5 5 6 4 5 8 6 5 8 86
8 Jean-Jacques Bruno KTM 4 9 1 5 7 8 7 8 6 1 5 5 4 85
9 Yvan van den Broeck Maico 1 6 8 9 8 3 8 9 9 7 4 8 3 6 75
10 Gérard Rond Suzuki 8 5 9 4 7 4 6 8 7 7 5 4 2 73
11 Herbert Schmitz Maico 7 10 6 9 6 9 4 10 8 6 3 46
12 Fritz Köbele Maico 9 7 10 5 8 7 6 5 31
13 Arne Lodal Husqvarna 9 10 8 9 6 6 7 22
14 Bengt Åberg Maico 10 2 6 18
15 Håkan Andersson Husqvarna 9 7 7 5 16
16 Chuck Sun Husqvarna 10 9 10 4 9 14
17 Bob Wright CCM 7 5 10
18 Marty Smith Honda 10 4 9
Laurence Spence Cotton - Rotax 8 10 10 9 9 9
20 Rick Burgett Yamaha 9 6 7
Jimmy Weinert Kawasaki 9 6 7
22 Peter Mathia Maico 9 10 8 6
Rex Staten Yamaha 8 8 6
24 Arne Lindfors Yamaha 8 9 5
25 Danny LaPorte Suzuki 7 4
Geoff Mayes Maico 7 4
Toon Karsmakers Maico 7 4
Tapani Pikkarainen Suzuki 7 4
Ludwig Reinbold KTM 10 8 4
30 Raymond Heeren Yamaha 8 3
Parry Klassen Maico 10 10 10 3
32 Steve Beamish Suzuki 9 2
Frantz Sigmans Maico 9 2
Vic Allan Bultaco 10 10 2
35 Peter Herlings Maico 10 1
Ad Verstegen Maico 10 1
Henk Poorte Montesa 10 1
Herbert Salzmann Husqvarna 10 1
Sources:[7][8]

250cc

(Results in italics indicate overall winner)

Pos Rider Machine ESP
 NED
 ITA
 BEL
 YUG
 CZE
 POL
 FRA
 FIN
 USA
 GER
 BUL
 Points
1 Håkan Carlqvist Husqvarna 2 1 1 1 1 3 1 1 5 1 1 1 1 1 1 3 1 1 248
2 Neil Hudson Maico 5 3 4 5 1 4 1 2 2 1 2 3 3 1 2 2 178
3 Vladimir Kavinov KTM 6 8 6 2 3 5 3 5 6 4 2 4 2 2 5 6 4 133
4 Gennady Moiseyev KTM 6 2 3 2 2 3 3 8 5 4 4 1 1 126
5 Kees van der Ven Maico 5 2 5 9 2 8 10 7 1 3 8 5 5 3 7 5 106
6 Rolf Dieffenbach Kawasaki 3 7 3 6 4 9 4 4 3 2 3 7 4 99
7 Georges Jobé Suzuki 8 9 5 6 8 3 7 2 3 4 9 9 9 9 71
8 Jean-Claude Laquaye SWM 10 3 6 5 6 5 5 6 10 7 2 6 66
9 Jaak van Velthoven KTM 10 10 6 4 9 6 4 8 7 5 10 6 2 61
10 Jaroslav Falta ČZ 1 5 6 7 7 4 5 3 58
11 Torao Suzuki Montesa 9 7 6 4 5 6 5 3 46
12 Vaughan Semmens Maico 4 7 10 10 6 9 7 3 8 38
13 Hans Maisch Maico 4 9 5 5 2 9 36
14 Erkki Sundström Husqvarna 10 7 9 7 10 8 6 8 8 4 34
15 Bennie Wilken Maico 3 4 10 6 9 9 28
16 Raymond Boven Husqvarna 7 9 10 6 6 10 6 8 26
17 Bob Hannah Yamaha 3 1 25
Jim Pomeroy Bultaco / Beta 9 8 4 7 4 25
19 Kent Howerton Suzuki 2 2 24
20 Antonio Elias Bultaco 8 2 10 8 19
21 Zdeněk Velký ČZ 9 2 10 15
Marty Tripes Honda 1 15
Ivan Alborghetti KTM 8 8 7 9 8 15
24 Pavel Rulev ČZ 5 7 10
25 Magnus Nyberg KTM 10 4 9
Mike Guerra Husqvarna 6 7 9
Rob Hooper Husqvarna 10 10 10 7 9 9
28 Pier Antonio Dal Brun Aprilia 4 8
29 Pierre Schroyen KTM 7 8 7
30 Jan Kristoffersen Yamaha 9 10 9 5
31 Fernando Muñoz Montesa 7 4
Pierre Karsmakers Yamaha 7 4
Mark Gregson Yamaha 7 4
34 Henk Van Mierlo KTM 8 3
Daniel Péan Montesa 8 3
Dimitar Rangelov ČZ 8 3
Tommy Olsson Maico 8 3
Patrick Boniface Honda 8 3
Henk Bloemert Husqvarna 9 10 3
Frank Stacy KTM 10 9 3
41 Timo Remes Yamaha 10 1
Marian Avbelj KTM 10 1
Sources:[9][10]

125cc

(Results in italics indicate overall winner)

Pos Rider Machine AUT
 GER
 NED
 ITA
 FIN
 CZE
 YUG
 CH
 FRA
 IRL
 USA
 ESP
 Points
1 Harry Everts Suzuki 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 3 1 1 1 1 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 3 1 1 314
2 Akira Watanabe Suzuki 3 2 2 2 2 2 1 1 2 2 4 1 2 2 8 2 4 2 5 2 2 236
3 Gaston Rahier Yamaha 2 4 5 4 3 3 3 4 3 4 1 3 2 3 3 3 5 3 3 183
4 Matti Autio Suzuki 5 6 3 4 4 2 3 4 2 2 3 6 5 4 2 132
5 Corrado Maddii Aprilia 8 8 5 9 10 7 5 8 7 4 5 6 6 6 7 8 68
6 Peter Groeneveld Honda 7 8 6 3 6 9 7 6 10 7 4 5 6 62
7 Mauro Miele KTM 10 9 7 4 5 4 4 3 2 10 10 61
8 Michele Rinaldi TGM 9 6 9 7 4 7 6 6 5 5 6 8 55
9 Robert Greisch Puch 10 9 10 9 8 8 5 3 4 3 46
10 Göte Liljegren Aprilia 5 6 5 10 8 8 8 8 10 9 9 9 10 6 43
11 Yuri Khudiakov ČZ 7 3 10 9 7 6 9 7 5 38
Dinand Ziljlstra Kawasaki 5 5 5 7 10 7 10 7 8 8 38
13 Valéri Korneev ČZ 8 9 8 5 5 5 9 9 30
14 Renato Zocchi Cagiva 8 3 7 10 6 6 10 29
15 Pauli Piippola Husqvarna 7 10 8 8 10 4 4 28
16 Mark Barnett Suzuki 2 1 27
Broc Glover Yamaha 1 2 27
Jiří Churavý ČZ 4 4 7 6 9 27
19 Siegfried Lerner KTM 5 3 6 21
20 Dario Nani Gilera 6 9 3 17
21 Donnie Cantaloupi Yamaha 4 6 13
Brian Myerscough Suzuki 6 4 13
23 Seppo Isomaki Suzuki 6 5 11
24 Franco Perfini Gilera 4 9 10
25 Tod Perkins Yamaha 8 7 7
Ole Svendson KTM 7 9 10 7
27 Bernd Betzelbacher Maico 9 7 6
Graig Coleman Suzuki 9 7 6
29 Andrei Ledovskoy ČZ 10 7 5
Steve Martin Yamaha 9 8 5
31 Tom Benolkin Suzuki 7 4
Eddy Hau Zündapp 8 10 4
33 Henk Pauw Honda 8 3
34 Randy Hess Yamaha 9 2
Theunis Boersma Suzuki 9 2
36 Jaroslav Janis ČZ 10 1
Arne Wilkman Suzuki 10 1
Jeff Ward Kawasaki 10 1
Robert Handy Suzuki 10 1
Sources:[11][12]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e Assoc, American Motorcyclist (September 1979). Noyce makes his mark with run for the title. American Motorcyclist. Retrieved 31 December 2016.
  2. ^ "History MXGP". hondaracingcorporation.com. Retrieved 31 December 2016.
  3. ^ "1979 500cc motocross world championship race results". memotocross.fr. Retrieved 30 December 2016.
  4. ^ "1979 250cc motocross world championship race results". memotocross.fr. Retrieved 30 December 2016.
  5. ^ "Fairyhouse To Host The Irish Motocross Grand Prix". motocross.ie. Archived from the original on 7 March 2017. Retrieved 6 March 2017.
  6. ^ "1979 125cc motocross world championship race results". memotocross.fr. Retrieved 30 December 2016.
  7. ^ "1979 500cc motocross world championship final results" (PDF). memotocross.fr. Retrieved 31 October 2025.
  8. ^ "1979 500cc motocross world championship final standings". memotocross.fr. Retrieved 31 October 2025.
  9. ^ "1979 250cc motocross world championship final results" (PDF). memotocross.fr. Retrieved 31 October 2025.
  10. ^ "1979 250cc motocross world championship final standings". memotocross.fr. Retrieved 5 November 2025.
  11. ^ "1979 125cc motocross world championship final results"" (PDF). memotocross.fr. Retrieved 31 October 2025.
  12. ^ "1979 125cc motocross world championship final standings". memotocross.fr. Retrieved 31 October 2025.
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