1979 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season

The 1979 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season was the 31st F.I.M. Road Racing World Championship season.

Season summary

A season of changing fortunes in the 500cc class saw American, Kenny Roberts capture his second crown in the face of the Suzuki-mounted opposition.[1] In the 50cc class, Eugenio Lazzarini won every race in which he finished to take the championship.[1] Angel Nieto dominated on a Minarelli to take his seventh world championship.[1] Kork Ballington would repeat as double world champion in the 250cc and 350cc classes for Kawasaki.[1]

Defending champion Roberts was injured in a pre-season test but came back to win round two in impressive fashion.[2] His rivals also suffered from bad luck. Hartog breaking his arm in practice, Cecotto badly breaking his kneecap in Austria and Sheene suffering from mechanical failures.[1] The 1979 British Grand Prix would be remembered as one of the greatest races of the modern era with Roberts beating Sheene to the finish line by three-hundredths of a second.[3]

After an eleven-year absence from world championship racing, Honda returned to competition with the exotic, four-stroke NR500 ridden by riders Mick Grant and Takazumi Katayama at the British Grand Prix.[4] The motorcycle featured an engine with oval-shaped cylinders as well as a monocoque chassis. Both bikes retired from the race, Grant crashing out on the first turn after the bike spilled oil onto his rear tire. Katayama retired on the seventh lap due to ignition problems.[4]

The top riders boycotted the Belgian Grand Prix over safety issues showing their increasing dissatisfaction with the way the FIM conducted races.[5] After several safety issues, the top riders banded together near the end of the year to announce that they would create a competing championship called the World Series.[1] Although the series never got off the ground, the riders had flexed their political muscles and it forced the FIM to change the way they dealt with races and the riders themselves.[1] The FIM announced an increase in prize money for the following year.[1] This would mark the beginning of an era of increased professionalism in the sport.[1]

1979 Grand Prix season calendar

Round Date Race Location 50cc winner 125cc winner 250cc winner 350cc winner 500cc winner Report
1 March 18 Venezuelan Grand Prix San Carlos Angel Nieto Walter Villa Carlos Lavado Barry Sheene Report
2 April 29 Austrian Grand Prix Salzburgring Angel Nieto Kork Ballington Kenny Roberts Report
3 May 6 German Grand Prix Hockenheimring Gerhard Waibel Angel Nieto Kork Ballington Jon Ekerold Wil Hartog Report
4 May 13 Nations Grand Prix Imola Eugenio Lazzarini Angel Nieto Kork Ballington Gregg Hansford Kenny Roberts Report
5 May 20 Spanish Grand Prix Jarama Eugenio Lazzarini Angel Nieto Kork Ballington Kork Ballington Kenny Roberts Report
6 June 10 Yugoslavian Grand Prix Rijeka Eugenio Lazzarini Angel Nieto Graziano Rossi Kork Ballington Kenny Roberts Report
7 June 23 Dutch TT Assen Eugenio Lazzarini Angel Nieto Graziano Rossi Gregg Hansford Virginio Ferrari Report
8 July 1 Belgian Grand Prix[6] Spa-Francorchamps Henk van Kessel Barry Smith Edi Stoellinger Dennis Ireland Report
9 July 22 Swedish Grand Prix Karlskoga Pier Paolo Bianchi Graziano Rossi Barry Sheene Report
10 July 29 Finnish Grand Prix Imatra Ricardo Tormo Kork Ballington Gregg Hansford Boet van Dulmen Report
11 August 12 British Grand Prix Silverstone Angel Nieto Kork Ballington Kork Ballington Kenny Roberts Report
12 August 19 Czechoslovak Grand Prix Brno Guy Bertin Kork Ballington Kork Ballington Report
13 September 2 French Grand Prix Le Mans Eugenio Lazzarini Guy Bertin Kork Ballington Patrick Fernandez Barry Sheene Report
Sources:[1][7][8]

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
 AUT
 GER
 NAT
 ESP
 YUG
 NED
 BEL
 SWE
 FIN
 GBR
 FRA
 Points
1 Kenny Roberts Yamaha USA YZR500 1 2 1 1 1 8 DNS 4 6 1 3 113
2 Virginio Ferrari Team Gallina Nava Olio Fiat RG500 2 2 3 2 4 2 1 DNS Ret 15 4 Ret 89
3 Barry Sheene Heron-Suzuki RG500 1 12 Ret 4 Ret Ret 2 DNS 1 3 2 1 87
4 Wil Hartog Riemersma Racing RG500 Ret 3 1 Ret 2 4 3 DNS Ret 10 3 18 66
5 Franco Uncini Team Zago International RG500 4 6 6 Ret 5 3 6 DNS Ret Ret 7 4 51
6 Boet van Dulmen IMN Yamaha YZR500 Ret Ret Ret 6 5 4 DNS 3 1 5 Ret 50
7 Jack Middelburg Racing Westland Suzuki RG500 15 7 7 7 Ret 7 DNS 2 4 DNS 42
8 Philippe Coulon Frankonia Suzuki RG500 Ret 5 8 8 Ret 5 DNS Ret 8 8 6 29
Randy Mamola Team Zago International RG500 13 DNS 6 2 Ret 2 29
10 Tom Herron Heron-Suzuki RG500 3 4 Ret 3 DNS 28
11 Christian Sarron Sonauto Gauloises-Yamaha YZR500 7 8 Ret 7 9 DNS 9 5 6 26
12 Steve Parrish Heron-Suzuki RG500 Ret 7 9 11 11 9 10 DNS 5 11 Ret 7 19
13 Dennis Ireland Derry's Racing RG500 10 18 11 Ret 17 15 1 Ret Ret Ret Ret 17
Mike Baldwin Team Zago International RG500 14 10 5 3 17
14 Michel Rougerie Ecurie Ste Pernod RG500 5 9 6 DNS 8 16
15 Bernard Fau Suzuki-France RG500 11 4 6 Ret Ret 13
17 Kenny Blake YZR500 2 DNQ 12
RG500 Ret
18 Marco Lucchinelli RG500 9 Ret Ret 10 Ret Ret DNS 7 9 9 Ret 11
19 Johnny Cecotto Venemotos-Yamaha YZR500 Ret Ret Ret Ret DNS Ret 7 Ret 5 10
Gary Lingham RG500 3 Ret DNQ 10
21 Gustav Reiner Dieter Braun Racing RG500 20 Ret Ret DNQ 4 Ret Ret Ret 8
22 Hiroyuki Kawasaki Heron-Suzuki RG500 5 Ret DNS Ret 6
Henk De Vries Team 77 RG500 13 13 Ret 18 12 6
Gerhard Vogt Bill Smith Racing RG500 8 Ret 14 14 17 8 14 Ret 16 6
25 Roberto Pietri Venemotos Yamaha RG500 6 Ret 15 5
Josef Hage Dieter Braun Racing RG500 6 5
27 Jacky Matagne RG500 7 4
Max Wiener RG500 8 10 DNQ Ret 16 Ret 4
29 Ikujiro Takai Yamaha International YZR500 Ret 14 DNS 8 Ret Ret 3
Carlo Perugini RG500 Ret Ret Ret 8 Ret 11 Ret 3
31 Sergio Pellandini RG500 9 Ret 2
Guy Cooremans RG500 9 2
Graziano Rossi Morbidelli Morbidelli 500-4 Ret 9 Ret Ret 12 DNS Ret Ret Ret Ret 2
John Woodley RG500 9 2
35 Peter Sjöström Ava MC Stockholm RG500 17 DNS DNQ Ret 14 Ret Ret 13 13 10 1
Seppo Rossi Kouv MK RG500 22 15 Ret 12 Ret DNS 10 Ret Ret 11 1
Gianni Pelletier RG500 Ret Ret 10 12 15 DNS Ret Ret 1
Mick Grant RG500 Ret 10 Ret 1
Honda-HRC NR500 Ret DNQ
Dieter Heinen RG500 10 1
John Newbold Team Appleby Glade RG500 10 1
Sources:[1][7][8]

350cc standings

Place Rider Number Country Machine Points Wins
1 Kork Ballington 1 South Africa Kawasaki 99 5
2 Patrick Fernandez France Yamaha 90 1
3 Gregg Hansford 3 Australia Kawasaki 77 3
4 Anton Mang 16 West Germany Kawasaki 64 0
5 Michel Frutschi Switzerland Yamaha 47 0
6 Michel Rougerie 6 France Yamaha 47 0
7 Roland Freymond 27 Switzerland Yamaha 40 0
8 Jon Ekerold 4 South Africa Yamaha 34 1
9 Sadao Asami Japan Yamaha 27 0
10 Jeff Sayle Australia Yamaha 24 0
11 Pekka Nurmi 23
12 Penti Korhonen 17
13 Christian Estrosi 16
14 Carlos Lavado 15
15 Patrick Pons 12
16 Eric Saul 10
17 Michel Rougerie 10
18 Richard Hubin 9
19 Herve Guilleux 8
20 Olivier Chevallier 8
21 Victor Soussan 8
22 Graeme McGregor 5
23 M.Sayle 5
24 E.Elias 4
25 B.Elgh 4
26 Paolo Pileri 4
27 Edi Stoellinger 4
28 Reinhold Roth 3
29 Tony Head 3
30 K.Hernamdt 3
31 Victor Palomo 3
32 Eero Hyvärinen 3
33 Alan North 3
34 A.Faccioli 2
35 Joey Dunlop 2
36 Y.Matsumoto 2
37 Gianfranco Bonera 2
38 Max Wiener 1

250cc standings

Place Rider Number Country Machine Points Wins
1 Kork Ballington 1 South Africa Kawasaki 141 7
2 Gregg Hansford 2 Australia Kawasaki 81 0
3 Graziano Rossi Italy Morbidelli 67 3
4 Randy Mamola United States Yamaha 64 0
5 Patrick Fernandez 3 France Yamaha 63 0
6 Anton Mang 5 West Germany Kawasaki 56 0
7 Walter Villa 16 Italy Yamaha 39 1
8 Jean-François Baldé 13 France Kawasaki 29 0
9 Edi Stoellinger Austria Kawasaki 28 1
10 Roland Freymond 22 Switzerland Yamaha 22 0
11 Olivier Chevallier 22
12 Christian Estrosi 19
13 Chas Mortimer 14
14 Paolo Pileri 14
15 Graeme McGregor 14
16 Barry Ditchburn 13
17 Victor Soussan 11
18 Eric Saul 11
19 M.Sayle 10
20 Fernando Gonzales de N. 9
21 Penti Korhonen 9
22 Jon Ekerold 8
23 Richard Hubin 7
24 Guy Bertin 6
25 Michel Simeon 5
26 Jeffrey Sayle 4
27 Hans Müller 4
28 Massimo Matteoni 3
29 Maurizio Massimiani 3
30 Pekka Nurmi 3
31 J.Lazo 3
32 B.Elgh 2
33 Y.Matsumoto 2
34 Eero Hyvärinen 1
35 Tony Head 1
36 Sadao Asami 1
37 Thierry Espié 1
38 Alan North 1
39 Rinus Van Kasteren 1

125cc standings

Place Rider Number Country Machine Points Wins
1 Angel Nieto 2 Spain Minarelli 120 8
2 Maurizio Massimiani 6 Italy MBA 53 0
3 Hans Müller 7 Switzerland MBA 50 0
4 Thierry Espié 5 France Motobécane 48 0
5 Gert Bender West Germany GB Bender 47 0
6 Guy Bertin France Motobécane 40 2
7 Ricardo Tormo 8 Spain Bultaco 39 1
8 Harald Bartol 4 Austria Morbidelli 36 0
9 Bruno Kneubühler Switzerland MBA 36 0
10 Pier Paolo Bianchi 3 Italy Minarelli 35 1
11 Stefan Dorflinger 35
12 Barry Smith
13 Walter Koschine 25
14 August Auinger 25
15 Eugenio Lazzarini 22
16 Jean Louis Guignabodet 20
17 Matti Kinnunen 19
18 Patrick Herouard 18
19 Marcelino Garcia 17
20 Thierry Noblesse 16
21 Per Edvard Carlsson 14
22 Jean Francois Lecureux 12
23 Patrick Plisson 12
24 Martin Van Soest 10
25 Gianpaolo Marchetti 10
26 Rolf Blatter 8
27 Peter Looijesteijn 8
28 Clive Horton 7
29 Francois Granon 7
30 Stefan Janssen 7
31 Ivan Troisi 5
32 Paul Bordes 5
33 Pierluigi Conforti 4
34 Anton Straver 4
35 Peter Balaz 3
36 Jean Paul Magnoni 2
37 Alfred Waibel 2
38 Stefano Ferretti 2
39 Henk van Kessel 2
40 Jan Huberts 2
41 Marc Antoine Constantin 2
42 Miguel Cortes 1
43 Fernando Gonzales de N. 1
44 Renè Renier 1
45 Johnny Wickstroem 1

50cc standings

Place Rider Number Country Machine Points Wins
1 Eugenio Lazzarini 2 Italy Kreidler 75 5
2 Rolf Blatter 5 Switzerland Kreidler 62 0
3 Patrick Plisson 3 France ABF 32 0
4 Gerhard Waibel West Germany Kreidler 31 1
5 Peter Looijensteijn 8 Netherlands Kreidler 30 0
6 Hagen Klein 17 West Germany Kreidler 26 0
7 Henk van Kessel 12 Netherlands Sparta 23 1
8 Jacques Hutteau France Kreidler 27 0
9 Ingo Emmerich West Germany Kreidler 8 0
10 Stefan Dörflinger Switzerland Kreidler 6 0
11 Rainer Scheidhauer 17
12 Theo Timmer 16
13 Aldo Pero 16
14 Rudolf Kunz 13
15 E.Saffioti 10
16 Wolfgang Müller 9
17 Ricardo Tormo 6
18 Enrico Cereda 5
19 Joaquim Gali 5
20 Daniel Mateos 4
21 M.Servadio 4
22 Graham Singer 4
23 P.Verbic 3
24 Theo Van Geffen 3
25 R.Oosting 2
26 Claudio Granata 2
27 Hans Hummel 2
28 Cees Van Dongen 1
29 D.Priori 1
30 Gerrit Strikker 1

Notes

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Noyes, Dennis; Scott, Michael (1999), Motocourse: 50 Years Of Moto Grand Prix, Hazleton Publishing Ltd, ISBN 1-874557-83-7
  2. ^ "Roberts Ruptures Spleen In Crash". The Hour. United Press International. 16 February 1979. p. 26. Retrieved 15 December 2010.
  3. ^ "Silverstone 1979 – a Roberts-Sheene classic". motogp.com. Retrieved 28 February 2026.
  4. ^ a b "The NR500s: A Humiliating Debut". world.honda.com. Retrieved 23 October 2012.
  5. ^ "Roberts Suspended For Boycott". Modesto Bee. Modesto Bee. 2 July 1979. p. 1. Retrieved 15 December 2010.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link)
  6. ^ Top riders went on strike at the Belgian Grand Prix over track safety.
  7. ^ a b "1979 500cc World Championship race results". motogp.com. Retrieved 28 February 2026.
  8. ^ a b "1979 500cc World Championship race results". motorsportmagazine.com. Retrieved 28 February 2026.

References

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