1953 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season

Summary

The 1953 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season was the fifth F.I.M. Road Racing World Championship Grand Prix season. The season consisted of nine Grand Prix races in five classes: 500cc, 350cc, 250cc, 125cc and Sidecars 500cc. It began on 12 June, with Isle of Man TT and ended with Spanish Grand Prix on 4 October.

Geoff Duke (pictured in 1951) won his second 500cc World Championship title in 1953.
Werner Haas, the 1953 125cc and 250cc World Champion.

1953 Grand Prix season calendar edit

Round Date Grand Prix Circuit 125cc winner 250cc winner 350cc winner 500cc winner Sidecars 500cc winner Report
1 12 June   Isle of Man TT Snaefell Mountain   Leslie Graham   Fergus Anderson   Ray Amm   Ray Amm Report
2 27 June   Dutch TT Assen   Werner Haas   Werner Haas   Enrico Lorenzetti   Geoff Duke Report
3 5 July   Belgian Grand Prix Spa-Francorchamps   Fergus Anderson   Alfredo Milani   Oliver / Dibben Report
4 19 July   German Grand Prix Schottenring   Carlo Ubbiali   Werner Haas   Carlo Bandirola   Walter Zeller Report
5 2 August   French Grand Prix Rouen-Les-Essarts   Fergus Anderson   Geoff Duke   Oliver / Dibben Report
6 15 August   Ulster Grand Prix Dundrod   Werner Haas   Reg Armstrong   Ken Mudford   Ken Kavanagh   Smith / Nutt Report
7 23 August   Swiss Grand Prix Bremgarten   Reg Armstrong   Fergus Anderson   Geoff Duke   Oliver / Dibben Report
8 6 September   Nations Grand Prix Monza   Werner Haas   Enrico Lorenzetti   Enrico Lorenzetti   Geoff Duke   Oliver / Dibben Report
9 4 October   Spanish Grand Prix Montjuïc   Angelo Copeta   Enrico Lorenzetti   Fergus Anderson Report

† After pronouncing the track unsafe before practice had begun, all the factory teams withdrew from the 350cc and 500cc classes in the proposed German Grand Prix. The event continued, but with the agreement that these two classes were only counted as an ordinary international event.[1]

Standings edit

Scoring system edit

Points were awarded to the top six finishers in each race. Only the four best races counted in the Sidecars, 125cc and 250cc, while in the 350cc and 500cc championships, the five best results were counted.

Position  1st   2nd   3rd   4th   5th   6th 
Points 8 6 4 3 2 1

500cc final standings edit

Pos Rider Machine MAN
 
HOL
 
BEL
 
FRA
 
ULS
 
SUI
 
NAC
 
ESP
 
Pts
1   Geoff Duke Gilera Ret 1 Ret 1 2 1 1 DNS 38
2   Reg Armstrong Gilera 3 2 3 2 4 3 4 Ret 24 (30)
3   Alfredo Milani Gilera Ret Ret 1 3 Ret 2 18
4   Ken Kavanagh Norton / Moto Guzzi Ret 3 4 4 1 Ret Ret 18
5   Ray Amm Norton 1 Ret 2 DNS 14
6   Jack Brett Norton 2 5 8 6 3 Ret 13
7   Dickie Dale Gilera Ret Ret 6 8 7 2 3 11
8   Giuseppe Colnago Gilera 4 Ret 5 4 4 11
9   Fergus Anderson Moto Guzzi Ret 7 Ret 1 8
10   Rod Coleman AJS / Norton 4 Ret 5 7 7 5 Ret 7
11   Carlo Bandirola MV Agusta Ret Ret 2 6
12   Libero Liberati Gilera 3 Ret 4
13   Bill Doran AJS 5 6 11 3
14   Derek Farrant Matchless / AJS Ret 5 6 3
15   Nello Pagani Gilera 9 7 5 2
16   Cecil Sandford MV Agusta 5 Ret 2
17   Ken Mudford Norton Ret Ret 14 6 Ret 1
18   Tommy Wood Norton Ret Ret 6 1
19   Hermann Paul Müller Horex / MV Agusta Ret 6 1
20   Peter Davey Norton 6 1
21   Walter Zeller BMW Ret 7 8 Ret 0
22   Javier de Ortueta Norton 7 0
=   Ted Frend Norton 7 0
24   Robin Sherry AJS 8 Ret Ret 0
25   Piet Bakker Norton 8 0
=   Louis Carter Norton 8 0
=   Antonio Creus Norton 8 0
=   Bruno Francisi MV Agusta 8 DNS 0
29   Auguste Goffin Norton 10 Ret 9 0
=   Harry Pearce Matchless 9 Ret 10 0
31   Pierre Monneret AJS / Gilera 12 9 Ret 0
32   Charlie Salt BSA 16 9 0
33   Pierre Cherrier Norton 9 0
=   Léon Martin Gilera 9 0
35   John Storr Norton Ret Ret 10 0
36   Hans Baltisberger BMW 10 Ret 0
=   John Grace Norton 10 Ret 0
38   Robin Fitton Norton 10 0
=   Alfredo Flores Norton 10 0
=   Geoff Read Norton 10 0
41   Keith Bryen Norton Ret 11 18 0
42   Laurie Boulter Norton 11 0
=   Leslie Dear Norton 11 0
=   Enrico Galante Norton 11 0
=   Sidney Mason Norton 11 0
=   Heer Meyer BMW 11 0
=   Heinz Thorn-Prikker Moto Guzzi 11 0
48   Leo Simpson Matchless / AJS Ret Ret 12 Ret Ret 0
49   Jost Albisser Norton Ret 12 Ret 0
50   Felice Benasedo Moto Guzzi 12 0
=   Ken Harwood AJS 12 0
=   Frank Norris Norton 12 0
=   Priem Rozenberg Matchless 12 0
=   Siegfried Wünsche DKW 12 0
55   Arthur Wheeler Matchless Ret Ret 13 15 0
56   Jack Bailey Norton 20 13 0
57   Joe Glazebrook Norton 22 13 0
58   Lodweijk Simons Matchless 13 Ret 0
59   B. Botta Norton 13 0
=   Lodovico Facchinelli Gilera 13 0
=   Eric Houseley Norton 13 0
62   Ray Laurent Norton 15 9 14 0
63   Malcolm Templeton Matchless 14 Ret 0
=   Leonard Williams Norton Ret 14 0
65   Florian Camathias BMW 14 DNS 0
66   Keith Campbell Norton 15 DNS 0
=   Arthur Feen Norton 15 0
=   Antonio Ronchei Gilera 15 0
69   Charlie Gray AJS 27 16 0
70   Roger Laurent Norton 16 0
=   Henri Vidonne Norton 16 0
71   Sparky Campbell Norton Ret Ret 17 0
72   Charles Bruguiere Norton Ret 17 0
73   Eric Pantlin Norton 17 0
=   Karl Rührschneck Norton 17 0
75   Nick Nicholson Norton 18 0
=   Ernie Oliver Norton 18 0
77   Bill Beevers Norton 19 0
=   Reg MacDonald AJS 19 0
=   Andrè Wuyts Norton 19 0
80   Jimmy Hayes AJS 20 0
81   Ken Swallow AJS / Norton Ret 21 0
82   Les Dear Norton 21 0
83   Rally Dean Norton Ret Ret 22 0
84   George Scott AJS 23 Ret 0
85   Robert Browne AJS 23 0
86   Zachary Dean Norton 35 Ret 24 0
87   Peter Carter Matchless 24 0
88   Ray Travers Norton 25 0
=   Stanley Williamson Norton 25 0
90   Fred Pusey Norton 26 0
=   Roy Walker Norton 26 0
92   Jackie Joseph Wood Norton 27 0
93   Eric Hardy AJS 28 0
94   Kel Prince AJS 29 0
95   Sid Franklen AJS 30 0
96   Luis Gilbert AJS 31 0
97   Llewelyn Ranson AJS 32 0
98   John Fisher AJS 33 0
99   Bob McDonald AJS 34 0
100   Jack Harding Norton 36 0
  Tony McAlpine Norton Ret Ret Ret Ret 0
  Harold Clark Matchless / Norton Ret Ret Ret 0
  Enrico Lorenzetti Moto Guzzi Ret Ret Ret 0
  Peter Murphy Matchless Ret Ret Ret 0
  Ernie Ring Matchless / AJS Ret Ret Ret 0
  Friedel Schön Horex Ret Ret Ret 0
  Barry Stormont Norton Ret Ret Ret 0
  Fritz Kläger Horex Ret Ret 0
  Georges Monneret Gilera / Matchless Ret Ret 0
  Humphrey Ranson Norton Ret Ret 0
  Barde Norton Ret 0
  Syd Barnett Norton Ret 0
  Ernie Barrett Phoenix-JAP Ret 0
  Francis Basso Norton Ret 0
  Carletto Bellotti Norton Ret 0
  George Brown Norton Ret 0
  Georges Burgaff Norton Ret 0
  John Clark AJS Ret 0
  John Cooper Matchless Ret 0
  Archie Fenn Norton Ret 0
  Giulio Galbiati Moto Guzzi Ret 0
  Martino Giani MV Agusta DNS Ret 0
  Leslie Graham MV Agusta Ret 0
  Francesco Guglielminetti Norton Ret 0
  William Hall Norton Ret 0
  Phil Heath Matchless Ret 0
  Robert Herbert Triumph Ret 0
  August Hobl DKW Ret 0
  Karl Hoffman DKW Ret 0
  Kuno Johansson Triumph Ret 0
  Cyril Julian Norton Ret 0
  Rudolf Knees Norton Ret 0
  Dick Knox Norton Ret 0
  Gordon Laing Norton Ret 0
  George Leigh Norton Ret 0
  Umberto Masetti Gilera Ret 0
  Bob Matthews Norton Ret 0
  Alexander Mayer Norton Ret DNS 0
  Tommy McEwan Matchless Ret 0
  Bob McIntyre Matchless Ret 0
  John McKay Triumph Ret 0
  George Morgan Norton Ret 0
  Mike O'Rourke Matchless Ret 0
  Fred Passmore Norton Ret 0
  Jacques Raffeld Norton Ret 0
  Bob Rowbottom AJS Ret 0
  Ron Rudge Norton Ret 0
  Simon Sandys-Winsch Norton Ret 0
  Roland Schnell Horex Ret 0
  Emilio Soprani Gilera Ret 0
  Sven Sørensen Norton Ret 0
  Leo Starr Norton Ret 0
  Henk Steman Matchless Ret 0
  Edouard Texidor Norton Ret 0
  Harry Turner Norton Ret 0
  Geoff Walker Norton Ret 0
  Sid Willis Norton Ret 0
  Vic Willoughby Norton Ret 0
  Tito Forconi MV Agusta DNS 0
  Juan Leal Norton DNS 0
  Albert Moule Norton DNS 0
  Leonard Parry DKW DNS 0
  Bill Petch Norton DNS 0
Pos Rider Bike MAN
 
HOL
 
BEL
 
FRA
 
ULS
 
SUI
 
NAC
 
ESP
 
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

350cc Standings edit

Place Rider Number Country Machine Points Wins
1   Fergus Anderson United Kingdom Moto Guzzi 34 3
2   Enrico Lorenzetti Italy Moto Guzzi 26 2
3   Ray Amm Southern Rhodesia Norton 18 1
4   Ken Kavanagh Australia Norton 18 0
5   Jack Brett United Kingdom Norton 12 0
6   Rod Coleman New Zealand AJS 9 0
7   Ken Mudford New Zealand Norton 8 1
8   Bob McIntyre United Kingdom AJS 6 0
=   Pierre Monneret France AJS 6 0
10   Duilio Agostini Italy Moto Guzzi 4 0
11   August Hobl Germany DKW 3 0
=   Josef Albisser Switzerland Norton 3 0
=   Harry Pearce United Kingdom Velocette 3 0
14   Bill Doran United Kingdom AJS 3 0
=   Derek Farrant United Kingdom AJS 3 0
16   Tommy Wood United Kingdom Norton 2 0
=   Ernie Ring Austria AJS 2 0
=   Leo Simpson New Zealand AJS 2 0
=   Malcolm Templeton United Kingdom AJS 2 0
20   Karl Hoffman Germany DKW 1 0
=   Ray Laurent New Zealand Norton 1 0
=   Ken Harwood United Kingdom AJS 1 0
=   Tony McAlpine Australia Norton 1 0

250cc Standings edit

Place Rider Number Country Machine Points Wins
1   Werner Haas Germany NSU 28 2
2   Reg Armstrong United Kingdom NSU 23 2
3   Enrico Lorenzetti Italy Moto Guzzi 22 2
4   Fergus Anderson United Kingdom Moto Guzzi 22 1
5   Alano Montanari Italy Moto Guzzi 19 0
6   Ken Kavanagh Australia Moto Guzzi 6 0
7   Siegfried Wünsche Germany DKW 6 0
8   August Hobl Germany DKW 6 0
9   Otto Daiker Germany NSU 6 0
10   Arthur Wheeler United Kingdom Moto Guzzi 4 0
11   Walter Reichert Germany NSU 3 0
12   Tommy Wood United Kingdom Moto Guzzi 3 0
13   Wolfgang Brandt Germany NSU 2 0
=   Sid Willis Australia Velocette 2 0
15   Umberto Masetti Italy NSU 1 0
=   Rupert Hollaus Austria Moto Guzzi 1 0

125cc Standings edit

Place Rider Number Country Machine Points Wins
1   Werner Haas Germany NSU 30 3
2   Cecil Sandford United Kingdom MV Agusta 20 0
3   Carlo Ubbiali Italy MV Agusta 18 1
4   Angelo Copeta Italy MV Agusta 17 1
5   Leslie Graham United Kingdom MV Agusta 8 1
6   Otto Daiker Germany NSU 7 0
7   Emilio Mendogni Italy Morini 6 0
8   Wolfgang Brandt Germany NSU 5 0
9   Reg Armstrong United Kingdom NSU 4 0
=   Rupert Hollaus Austria NSU 4 0
11   Luigi Zinzani Italy Morini 3 0
12   Marcelo Cama Spain Montesa 2 0
=   Tito Forconi Italy MV Agusta 2 0
=   Arnold Jones United Kingdom MV Agusta 2 0
=   Walter Reichert Germany NSU 2 0
=   Drikus Veer Netherlands Morini 2 0
17   Georg Braun Germany Mondial 1 0
=   Paolo Campanelli Italy MV Agusta 1 0
=   Karl Lottes Germany MV Agusta 1 0
=   Fron Purslow United Kingdom MV Agusta 1 0
=   Lo Simons Netherlands Mondial 1 0
=   Bill Webster United Kingdom MV Agusta 1 0

References edit

  1. ^ "A Farcical German Grand Prix". The Motor Cycle. 91 (2624). London: Ilffe & Sons Ltd: 124. 23 July 1953.
  • 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 2012-03-02. Retrieved 2010-07-06.