1973 FIM Motocross World Championship
The 1973 FIM Motocross World Championship was the 17th F.I.M. Motocross Racing World Championship season.
Summary
500cc championship
Suzuki's defense of the 500cc world championship was dealt a setback when, the FIM announced a new motorcycle minimum weight limit of 209 pounds just before the start of the season.
Most of the Western European riders boycotted the Austrian 500cc round due to heavy snow on the track.[5] As the season got underway, Yamaha's new "monoshock" rear suspension began to make an impact with Christer Hammargren winning a moto and Jaak van Velthoven taking the overall win at the Finnish Grand Prix.[2] De Coster won both motos of the Italian Grand Prix but, Bauer came back with a hard fought victory in Czechoslovakia, relegating De Coster to second place in both motos and took the lead in the championship points tally.[2] Bauer then took control of the championship by winning 5 out of the next 6 motos.[5] Suzuki management's frustration at their perceived unfair treatment led to a lapse in support and, Suzuki team riders De Coster and Sylvain Geboers then took matters into their own hands by modifying their motorcycle's frames and developed new rear suspensions.[2][3]
Going into the final race of the season at Sint Anthonis, Holland, Bauer was still holding the points lead but, the Suzukis were showing improvement. The Sint Anthonis track was composed of deep sand which robbed engines of power and increased fuel consumption.[2] A Suzuki engineer calculated that their bike's gas tanks did not have sufficient capacity to finish the race.[2] De Coster then took one of their tanks and drove two and a half hours to have the tank modified to increase its volume.[2] He then drove back in time for the race. Despite having little sleep, De Coster scored two fourth-place finishes while Bauer suffered a mechanical failure handing De Coster his third consecutive 500cc world championship.[2]
250cc championship
Grands Prix
500cc
Round | Date | Grand Prix | Location | Race 1 Winner | Race 2 Winner | Overall Winner | Report |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | April 1 | French Grand Prix | Tarare | Christer Hammargren | Roger De Coster | Gerrit Wolsink | Report |
2 | April 15 | Austrian Grand Prix | Sittendorf | Jiri Stodulka | Jiri Stodulka | Jiri Stodulka | Report |
3 | May 20 | Finnish Grand Prix | Ruskeasanta | Christer Hammargren | Roger De Coster | Jaak van Velthoven | Report |
4 | May 27 | Italian Grand Prix | Pinerolo | Roger De Coster | Roger De Coster | Roger De Coster | Report |
5 | June 3 | Czechoslovakian Grand Prix | Holice | Willy Bauer | Willy Bauer | Willy Bauer | Report |
6 | June 24 | United States Grand Prix | Carlsbad | Willy Bauer | Willy Bauer | Willy Bauer | Report |
7 | July 15 | West German Grand Prix | Bielstein | Willy Bauer | Roger De Coster | Roger De Coster | Report |
8 | August 5 | Belgian Grand Prix | Namur
|
Willy Bauer | Willy Bauer | Willy Bauer | Report |
9 | August 12 | Luxembourg Grand Prix | Ettelbruck | Åke Jonsson | Åke Jonsson | Åke Jonsson | Report |
10 | August 12 | Dutch Grand Prix | Sint Anthonis | Åke Jonsson | Gerrit Wolsink | Åke Jonsson | Report |
250cc
Round | Date | Grand Prix | Location | Race 1 Winner | Race 2 Winner | Overall Winner | Report |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | April 8 | Spanish Grand Prix | Sabadell | Jim Pomeroy
|
Adolf Weil | Jim Pomeroy | Report |
2 | April 15 | Italian Grand Prix | Serramazzoni | Heikki Mikkola | Pavel Rulev | Adolf Weil | Report |
3 | April 29 | Belgian Grand Prix | Wuustwezel | Heikki Mikkola | Håkan Andersson | Håkan Andersson | Report |
4 | May 6 | Swiss Grand Prix | Payerne | Håkan Andersson | Håkan Andersson | Håkan Andersson | Report |
5 | May 13 | Polish Grand Prix | Szczecin | Håkan Andersson | Håkan Andersson | Håkan Andersson | Report |
6 | May 20 | Yugoslavian Grand Prix | Orehova vas
|
Gennady Moiseyev | Håkan Andersson | Gennady Moiseyev | Report |
7 | June 17 | French Grand Prix | Cassel | Adolf Weil | Håkan Andersson | Adolf Weil | Report |
8 | August 5 | Finnish Grand Prix | Hyvinkää | Håkan Andersson | Håkan Andersson | Håkan Andersson | Report |
9 | August 12 | Russian Grand Prix | Leningrad
|
Adolf Weil | Adolf Weil | Adolf Weil | Report |
10 | August 19 | Swedish Grand Prix | Ulricehamn | Håkan Andersson | Håkan Andersson | Håkan Andersson | Report |
11 | August 26 | Austrian Grand Prix | Launsdorf | Adolf Weil | Heikki Mikkola | Adolf Weil | Report |
Final standings
Points are awarded to the top 10 classified finishers.
Position | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 5th | 6th | 7th | 8th | 9th | 10th |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Points | 15 | 12 | 10 | 8 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
500cc
Pos | Rider | Machine | FRA |
AUT |
FIN |
ITA |
CZE |
USA |
GER |
BEL |
LUX |
NED |
Points | ||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Roger De Coster | Suzuki | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 145 | |||||||
2 | Willy Bauer | Maico | 4 | 4 | 5 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 143 | ||||||||
3 | Jaak van Velthoven | Yamaha | 2 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 10 | 6 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 122 | |||||
4 | Åke Jonsson | Yamaha | 3 | 7 | 8 | 7 | 7 | 3 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 109 | ||||||||
5 | Gerrit Wolsink | Maico | 6 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 4 | 6 | 2 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 105 | |||||
6 | Christer Hammargren | Yamaha | 1 | 1 | 3 | 5 | 8 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 7 | 3 | 87 | ||||||||||
7 | Jiri Stodulka | ČZ
|
1 | 1 | 3 | 10 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 56 | |||||||||||||
8 | Werner Schutz | Maico | 5 | 6 | 6 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 6 | 6 | 4 | 6 | 9 | 56 | |||||||||
9 | Oldrich Hamrsmid | ČZ | 3 | 5 | 2 | 5 | 6 | 9 | 7 | 45 | |||||||||||||
10 | Otakar Toman | ČZ | 9 | 9 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 8 | 7 | 8 | 5 | 10 | 45 | ||||||||||
11 | John Banks | BSA | 4 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 9 | 36 | |||||||||||||||
12 | Bengt Åberg | Husqvarna | 8 | 5 | 2 | 8 | 9 | 5 | 8 | 35 | |||||||||||||
13 | Brad Lackey | Kawasaki
|
8 | 9 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 10 | 6 | 6 | 26 | ||||||||||||
14 | Frans Sigmans | Yamaha | 4 | 7 | 8 | 5 | 8 | 24 | |||||||||||||||
15 | Walter Leitgeb | Puch | 3 | 2 | 22 | ||||||||||||||||||
16 | Anatoly Botchkov | ČZ | 3 | 10 | 8 | 6 | 20 | ||||||||||||||||
17 | Bert-Ove Wallner | Husqvarna | 7 | 7 | 8 | 6 | 16 | ||||||||||||||||
18 | Friedrich Schiechtl | Husqvarna | 4 | 6 | 13 | ||||||||||||||||||
19 | Giuseppe Cavallero | Maico | 2 | 12 | |||||||||||||||||||
Vladimir Ovchinnikov | ČZ | 5 | 5 | 12 | |||||||||||||||||||
Vic Eastwood | Maico / AJS | 7 | 9 | 9 | 7 | 12 | |||||||||||||||||
22 | Peter Willems | Yamaha | 9 | 9 | 5 | 10 | |||||||||||||||||
23 | Fritz Graf | Yamaha | 4 | 10 | 9 | ||||||||||||||||||
24 | Willy van Loon | ČZ | 8 | 6 | 8 | ||||||||||||||||||
25 | Paolo Piron | Husqvarna / Bultaco | 10 | 6 | 10 | 7 | |||||||||||||||||
26 | Daniel Péan | Maico | 5 | 6 | |||||||||||||||||||
Pierre Karsmakers | Yamaha | 7 | 9 | 6 | |||||||||||||||||||
Yvan Van den Broeck | Husqvarna / Maico | 9 | 7 | 6 | |||||||||||||||||||
29 | Arne Lindfors | Yamaha | 6 | 5 | |||||||||||||||||||
John DeSoto | ČZ | 9 | 8 | 5 | |||||||||||||||||||
31 | Serge Bacou | Bultaco | 7 | 4 | |||||||||||||||||||
Tony Van Erp | Maico | 7 | 4 | ||||||||||||||||||||
Raymond Heeren | Maico | 8 | 10 | 4 | |||||||||||||||||||
Julien de Roover | ČZ | 8 | 10 | 4 | |||||||||||||||||||
Arne Kring | Husqvarna | 10 | 10 | 9 | 4 | ||||||||||||||||||
Siegfried Lerner | KTM | 7 | 4 | ||||||||||||||||||||
Anatoly Mandritchenko | ČZ | 9 | 10 | 10 | 4 | ||||||||||||||||||
38 | Nikolai Efimov | ČZ | 10 | 9 | 3 | ||||||||||||||||||
Alberto Angiolini | Maico | 8 | 3 | ||||||||||||||||||||
Zdenek Strnad | ČZ | 9 | 10 | 3 | |||||||||||||||||||
41 | Viatcheslav Krasnotchekov | ČZ | 10 | 1 | |||||||||||||||||||
Jimmy Weinert | Kawasaki | 10 | 1 |
250cc
Pos | Rider | Machine | ESP |
ITA |
BEL |
CH |
POL |
YUG |
FRA |
FIN |
USSR |
SWE |
AUT |
Points | |||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Håkan Andersson | Yamaha | 6 | 2 | 3 | 6 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 177 | ||||
2 | Adolf Weil | Maico | 5 | 1 | 4 | 2 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 157 | ||||
3 | Heikki Mikkola | Husqvarna | 3 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 1 | 143 | |||||
4 | Torleif Hansen | Kawasaki
|
4 | 4 | 6 | 5 | 6 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 111 | |||||||||
5 | Gennady Moiseyev | KTM | 2 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 4 | 3 | 6 | 104 | ||||||||||||
6 | Jaroslav Falta | ČZ
|
7 | 3 | 6 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 2 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 8 | 6 | 4 | 86 | ||||||||
7 | Jim Pomeroy | Bultaco | 1 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 3 | 10 | 8 | 10 | 71 | ||||||||||
8 | Pavel Rulev | KTM | 9 | 6 | 1 | 8 | 4 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 49 | |||||||||||||
Uno Palm | Puch | 8 | 6 | 8 | 10 | 8 | 5 | 5 | 9 | 7 | 3 | 5 | 49 | ||||||||||||
10 | Kalevi Vehkonen | Montesa | 10 | 5 | 3 | 5 | 3 | 8 | 6 | 9 | 43 | ||||||||||||||
11 | Hans Maisch | Maico | 2 | 3 | 10 | 7 | 4 | 35 | |||||||||||||||||
Leonid Shinkarenko | ČZ | 8 | 7 | 5 | 5 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 10 | 35 | |||||||||||||||
13 | Evgeniy Rybalchenko | ČZ | 9 | 7 | 9 | 7 | 9 | 6 | 10 | 7 | 6 | 8 | 32 | ||||||||||||
14 | Harry Everts | Puch | 8 | 9 | 9 | 7 | 7 | 8 | 4 | 9 | 9 | 30 | |||||||||||||
15 | Antonin Baborowsky | ČZ | 8 | 3 | 10 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 5 | 27 | |||||||||||||||
Jean-Claude Laquaye | Yamaha | 8 | 5 | 7 | 6 | 7 | 10 | 7 | 27 | ||||||||||||||||
17 | Torao Suzuki | Yamaha | 7 | 4 | 4 | 10 | 8 | 24 | |||||||||||||||||
18 | Joël Robert | Suzuki | 10 | 5 | 4 | 15 | |||||||||||||||||||
Jo Lammers | Montesa | 10 | 8 | 9 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 15 | |||||||||||||||||
20 | Gaston Rahier | Suzuki | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 9 | 6 | 11 | ||||||||||||||||
Miroslav Halm | ČZ | 8 | 8 | 7 | 10 | 11 | |||||||||||||||||||
22 | Sylvain Geboers | Suzuki | 6 | 6 | 10 | ||||||||||||||||||||
23 | Andy Roberton | Husqvarna | 10 | 9 | 10 | 6 | 9 | ||||||||||||||||||
24 | Herbert Schmitz | Maico | 7 | 8 | 7 | ||||||||||||||||||||
25 | Zdeneck Velky | ČZ | 9 | 9 | 9 | 6 | |||||||||||||||||||
26 | Alexej Kibirin | ČZ | 6 | 5 | |||||||||||||||||||||
27 | Lars Ohberg | Montesa | 8 | 3 | |||||||||||||||||||||
Jorma Jarvinen | Montesa | 8 | 3 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
29 | Yuri Khudiakov | ČZ | 9 | 2 | |||||||||||||||||||||
Claude Jobe | Montesa | 9 | 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Raymond Boven | Montesa | 9 | 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
32 | Marcel Wiertz | Bultaco | 10 | 1 | |||||||||||||||||||||
Stef Van der Sluis | Yamaha | 10 | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Olle Pettersson | Kawasaki | 10 | 1 |
References
- ^ a b "1973 500cc motocross world championship final standings". memotocross.fr. Retrieved 24 January 2016.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m "1973 Suzuki RN-73". mxworksbike.com. Archived from the original on 9 June 2019. Retrieved 26 January 2016.
- ^ a b c d "Roger De Coster Interview". supercross.com. Archived from the original on 9 June 2019. Retrieved 28 January 2016.
- ^ "The First US GP". motoretroillustrated.com. Archived from the original on 9 December 2015. Retrieved 26 January 2016.
- ^ a b c d "1973 500cc motocross world championship". akejonsson.com. Retrieved 25 January 2016.
- ^ a b "Torsten Hallman 2005". mxworksbike.com. Archived from the original on 2016-03-05. Retrieved 2016-02-27.
- ^ "Jim Pomeroy at the Motorcycle Hall of Fame". motorcyclemuseum.org. Retrieved 28 January 2016.
- ^ "Jim Pomeroy, Motocross Legend". ultimatemotorcycling.com. 14 February 2011. Retrieved 14 February 2016.
- ^ "1973 500cc motocross world championship race results". memotocross.fr. Retrieved 25 January 2016.
- ^ "1973 250cc motocross world championship race results". memotocross.fr. Retrieved 25 January 2016.
- ^ "1973 250cc motocross world championship race results". jwvanessen.com. Archived from the original on 17 January 2016. Retrieved 25 January 2016.
- ^ "1973 500cc motocross world championship final standings" (PDF). memotocross.fr. Retrieved 15 January 2023.
- ^ "1973 250cc motocross world championship final standings" (PDF). memotocross.fr. Retrieved 16 January 2023.
- ^ "1973 250cc motocross world championship final standings". jwvanessen.com. Archived from the original on 16 January 2016. Retrieved 25 January 2016.