1949 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season

Summary

The 1949 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season was the inaugural 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 600cc. It began on 17 June, with Isle of Man TT and ended with Nations Grand Prix on 4 September.

1949 Grand Prix season calendar edit

Round Date Grand Prix Circuit 125cc winner 250cc winner 350cc winner 500cc winner Sidecars 600cc winner Report
1 17 June   Isle of Man TT Snaefell Mountain   Manliff Barrington   Freddie Frith   Harold Daniell Report
2 3 July   Swiss Grand Prix Bremgarten   Nello Pagani   Bruno Ruffo   Freddie Frith   Leslie Graham   Oliver / Jenkinson Report
3 9 July   Dutch TT Assen   Nello Pagani   Freddie Frith   Nello Pagani Report
4 17 July   Belgian Grand Prix Spa-Francorchamps   Freddie Frith   Bill Doran   Oliver / Jenkinson Report
5 20 August   Ulster Grand Prix Clady   Maurice Cann   Freddie Frith   Leslie Graham Report
6 4 September   Nations Grand Prix Monza   Gianni Leoni   Dario Ambrosini   Nello Pagani   Frigerio / Dobelli Report

Standings edit

Scoring system edit

Points were awarded to the top five finishers in each race with an extra point for the race finisher with the fastest lap. All rounds counted towards the championship in the 125cc, 250cc and Sidecar categories, while in the 350cc and 500cc championships, only the best three results counted.

Position  1st   2nd   3rd   4th   5th   Fastest lap 
Points 10 8 7 6 5 1

500cc final standings edit

Pos Rider Machine MAN
 
SUI
 
HOL
 
BEL
 
ULS
 
NAT
 
Pts
1   Leslie Graham AJS 10 1 2 Ret 1 Ret 30 (31)
2   Nello Pagani Gilera 4 1 5 3 1 29 (40)
3   Arciso Artesiani Gilera 2 3 2 Ret 2 25 (32)
4   Bill Doran AJS 8 Ret 1 4 3 23
5   Artie Bell Norton 4 Ret 4 4 2 20 (26)
6   Harold Daniell Norton 1 3 6 7 17
7   Johnny Lockett Norton 2 Ret 5 Ret Ret 13
8   Enrico Lorenzetti Moto Guzzi 10 3 7
9   Ernie Lyons Velocette 3 7
10   Gianni Leoni Moto Guzzi 6 Ret 6 4 6
11   Syd Jensen Triumph 5 Ret 9 5
12   Freddie Frith Velocette Ret 5 Ret Ret 5
13   Bruno Bertacchini Moto Guzzi Ret Ret 5 5
14   Jock West AJS 5 5
15   Ken Armstrong AJS 6 0
=   Cromie McCandless Norton 6 0
=   Fred Stevens Triumph 6 0
18   Ken Bills Velocette 7 Ret 10 0
19   Harry Turner Norton 18 7 0
20   Umberto Masetti Gilera 7 Ret 0
21   Reg Armstrong AJS 7 0
=   Felice Benasedo Moto Guzzi 7 0
23   Harry Hinton Norton 9 8 16 0
24   George Morrison Norton 31 Ret 8 Ret 0
25   Roger Richoz Norton 8 0
=   Ricardo Sabbadini Moto Guzzi 8 0
=   James Scott Triumph 8 0
28   Oscar Clemencich Gilera 9 Ret 15 0
29   Sante Geminiani Moto Guzzi 9 0
=   Hans Kaufmann Gilera 9 0
31   Dante Bianchi Moto Guzzi 10 0
=   Georges Cordey Norton 10 0
=   Ernie Callahan Triumph 10 0
34   Arthur Wheeler Triumph Ret Ret 11 0
35   Phil Heath Norton 11 Ret 0
36   Adelmo Mandolini Moto Guzzi 11 0
=   Benoit Musy Moto Guzzi 11 0
=   Drikus Veer Triumph 11 0
38   Oliver Scott Norton Ret 12 15 0
39   Bill Beevers Norton 16 12 Ret Ret Ret 0
40   Antonio Dalle Fusine Gilera 12 Ret 0
=   Bill Petch Triumph 12 Ret 0
42   Lodovico Facchinelli Gilera 12 0
43   Edward Nicholls Triumph 13 9 0
44   Guy Newman Norton 13 0
=   Nandor Puhony Gilera 13 0
=   Orlando Valdinoci Gilera 13 0
=   Albert Vertriest Triumph 13 0
48   Alfeo Maramotti Moto Guzzi 14 0
=   Eric McPherson AJS 14 0
=   Jacques Schot Norton 14 0
=   László Szabó Gilera 14 0
=   Jules Tacheny Triumph 14 0
53   Roy Evans Norton 15 0
=   Gerard Hoek BMW 15 0
55   Jack Bailey Triumph 17 Ret 0
56   Johnny Hodgkin Norton 19 0
57   Dick Addie Norton 20 0
58   Albert Moule Triumph 21 0
59   George Paterson Triumph 22 0
60   Bob Matthews Norton 23 0
61   George Hayden Norton 24 0
62   John Purnell Norton 25 0
63   Lesly Hill Norton 26 0
64   Arthur Fenn Norton 27 0
65   Harry Francis Norton 28 0
66   Eric Hardy Norton 29 0
67   Jack Brett Norton 30 0
68   Lennart Fenning Norton 32 0
69   Rob Weston Norton 33 0
70   Joe Glazebrook Triumph 34 0
71   Joe Dent Norton 35 0
-   Bob Foster Moto Guzzi Ret Ret Ret Ret 0
-   Carlo Bandirola Gilera Ret Ret Ret 0
-   Eric Briggs Norton Ret Ret Ret 0
-   Les Dear Norton Ret Ret Ret 0
-   Ted Frend AJS Ret Ret Ret 0
-   Fergus Anderson Moto Guzzi Ret Ret 0
-   Wilf Billington Norton Ret Ret 0
-   Norman Croft Triumph Ret Ret 0
-   Frank Fry Norton Ret Ret 0
-   Eric Oliver Norton Ret Ret 0
-   Ernie Thomas Triumph Ret Ret 0
-   David Whitworth Triumph Ret Ret 0
-   Dario Ambrosini Gilera Ret 0
-   Syl Anderton Triumph Ret 0
-   Syd Barnett Norton Ret 0
-   Jean Behra Moto Guzzi Ret 0
-   Aldo Bernardoni Gilera Ret 0
-   Ernie Braine Norton Ret 0
-   Charlie Brett Velocette Ret 0
-   Aldo Brini Gilera Ret 0
-   Gerard Carter Norton Ret 0
-   Javier de Ortueta Norton Ret 0
-   Roland Dumond Moto Guzzi Ret 0
-   Juhan Franta Moto Guzzi Ret 0
-   Auguste Goffin Triumph Ret 0
-   Arthur Good Norton Ret 0
-   Hans Haldemann Moto Guzzi Ret 0
-   Piet Knijnenburg BMW Ret 0
-   Roger Laurent Moto Guzzi Ret 0
-   Sid Lawton Triumph Ret 0
-   Reg Lee Norton Ret 0
-   Leon Martin Gilera Ret 0
-   Reginald MacDonald Triumph Ret 0
-   Tommy McEwans Triumph Ret 0
-   Armando Miele Gilera Ret 0
-   Stan Miller Norton Ret 0
-   Bert Myers Triumph Ret 0
-   Billy Graham Norton Ret 0
-   Ashley Len Parry Norton Ret 0
-   Hub Pellikaan BMW Ret 0
-   Henry Pinnington Norton Ret 0
-   Charlie Salt Norton Ret 0
-   Emilio Soprani Gilera Ret 0
-   Jan Veer Triumph Ret 0
-   Roy Walker Norton Ret 0
-   Tom Wycherley Norton Ret 0
Pos Rider Bike MAN
 
SUI
 
HOL
 
BEL
 
ULS
 
NAT
 
Pts
Colour Result
Gold Winner
Silver Second place
Bronze Third place
Green Points finish
Blue Non-points finish
Non-classified finish (NC)
Purple Retired (Ret)
Red Did not qualify (DNQ)
Did not pre-qualify (DNPQ)
Black Disqualified (DSQ)
White Did not start (DNS)
Withdrew (WD)
Race cancelled (C)
Blank Did not practice (DNP)
Did not arrive (DNA)
Excluded (EX)

Bold – Pole
Italics – Fastest Lap

Constructors' 500cc World Championship edit

Pos Constructor             Pts
1   AJS 6 1 2 1 1 3 32 (48)
2   Gilera 2 1 2 3 1 31 (46)
3   Norton 1 3 4 4 2 Ret 25 (37)
4   Moto Guzzi Ret 6 10 3 Ret 4 13
5   Velocette 3 5 Ret 10 12
6   Triumph 5 Ret 11 9 8 Ret 5
  BMW 15 0

350cc final standings edit

Place Rider Number Country Machine Points Wins
1   Freddie Frith United Kingdom Velocette 33 5
2   Reg Armstrong Ireland AJS 18 0
3   Bob Foster United Kingdom Velocette 16 0
4   Eric McPherson Australia AJS 16 0
5   Johnny Lockett United Kingdom Norton 14 0
6   David Whitworth United Kingdom Velocette 12 0
7   Leslie Graham United Kingdom AJS 8 0
8   Ernie Lyons Ireland Velocette 8 0
9   Charlie Salt United Kingdom Velocette 8 0
10   Bill Doran United Kingdom AJS 7 0
 
250cc runner-up Dario Ambrosini.

250cc final standings edit

Place Rider Number Country Machine Points Wins
1   Bruno Ruffo Italy Moto Guzzi 24 1
2   Dario Ambrosini Italy Benelli 19 1
3   Ronald Mead United Kingdom Norton 13 0
4   Maurice Cann United Kingdom Moto Guzzi 11 1
5   Claudio Mastellari Italy Moto Guzzi 11 0
6   Manliff Barrington Ireland Moto Guzzi 10 1
7   Tommy Wood United Kingdom Moto Guzzi 9 0
8   Fergus Anderson United Kingdom Moto Guzzi 8 0
9   Gianni Leoni Italy Moto Guzzi 8 0
10   Umberto Masetti Italy Benelli 7 0

125cc final standings edit

Place Rider Number Country Machine Points Wins
1   Nello Pagani Italy Mondial 27 2
2   Renato Magi Italy Morini 14 0
3   Umberto Masetti Italy Morini 13 0
4   Carlo Ubbiali Italy MV Agusta 13 0
5   Gianni Leoni Italy Mondial 11 1
6   Oscar Clemencich Italy Mondial 8 0
7   Umberto Braga Italy Mondial 7 0
8   Celeste Cavaciuti Italy Mondial 7 0
9   Franco Bertoni Italy MV Agusta 6 0
10   Giuseppe Matucci Italy MV Agusta 5 0

Sidecar final standings edit

Place Rider Number Country Machine Points Wins
1   Eric Oliver / Denis Jenkinson UK Norton 27 2
2   Ercole Frigerio / Lorenzo Dobelli Italy Gilera 18 1
3    Frans Vanderschrick / Martin Whitney Belgium/United Kingdom Norton 16 0
4   Ernesto Merlo / Aldo Veglio Italy Gilera 13 0
5   Albino Milani / Ezio Ricotti Italy Gilera 12 1
6   Hans Haldemann / Herbert Läderach Switzerland Norton 8 0
7   Roland Benz / Max Hirzel Switzerland BMW 6 0
8   Jakob Keller / Ernst Brutschi Switzerland Gilera 6 0
9   Pip Harris / Neil Smith United Kingdom Norton 5 0

References edit

  • Büla, Maurice & Schertenleib, Jean-Claude (2001). Continental Circus 1949–2000. Chronosports S.A. ISBN 2-940125-32-5
  • "The Official MotoGP website". Archived from the original on 2012-09-18. Retrieved 2010-07-06.