Pier Paolo Bianchi

Pier Paolo Bianchi (born March 11, 1952 in Rimini ) is a former Italian motorcycle racer and three-time motorcycle world champion .

In 2003, Pier Paolo Bianchi was awarded the title Commendatore dell'Ordine al Merito della Repubblica Italiana by then President Carlo Azeglio Ciampi .

Career

Pier Paolo Bianchi made his debut in the motorcycle world championship in 1973 as a wildcard rider at the Grand Prix of Nations on a Yamaha in the 125 cc class. In the following season he started in this World Championship run, this time on Minarelli , and achieved third place.

In the 1975 season , Bianchi competed permanently in the 125cc class on Morbidelli . He achieved six second places in seven races and was runner-up behind his compatriot Paolo Pileri . In the following year, 1976 , the Italian won the 125 cc world championship. He dominated the competition with seven wins in nine grands prix and won with a 23 point lead over Ángel Nieto .

In the 1977 season , Pier Paolo Bianchi repeated his previous year's success even more clearly. In ten races he won seven and achieved a total of nine podium finishes. With 131 points at the end of the season he had 26 more points than his closest rival Eugenio Lazzarini . For the 1978 season, Bianchi switched back to Minarelli and achieved four victories, in the overall standings he took third place. The following season he was only tenth in the World Cup.

In 1980 Pier Paolo Bianchi started his MBA and won his third 125 cc world title. In the following years he competed for several smaller manufacturers and could not achieve the very big successes. In the 1985 season, Bianchi was about to win his fourth title in the 125cc class, but was unable to start due to an injury at the last run in San Marino and finally lost the title to his compatriot Fausto Gresini .

After that, Bianchi could only win one race and ended his career after the 1989 season . Pier Paolo Bianchi completed a total of 111 Grand Prix races as part of the Motorcycle World Championship and was able to win 27 of them.

successes

• 1972 - Italian 50 cc mountain champion
• 1973 - Italian 50 cc mountain champion
• 1974 - Italian 50 cc mountain champion
• 1975 - 125 cc vice world champion and Italian 125 cc champion on Morbidelli
• 1976 - 125 cm³ world champion and Italian 125 cm³ champion on Morbidelli
• 1977 - 125 cc world champion on Morbidelli
• 1978 - 125 cm³ World Championship third on Minarelli
• 1980 - 125 cm³ world champion and Italian 125 cm³ champion on MBA
• 1981 - 125 cm³ World Championship third on MBA
• 1984 - 80 cm³ World Championship third on HuVo Casal and Italian 125 cm³ mountain champion
• 1985 - 125 cc vice world champion on MBA and Italian F4 mountain champion
• 27 Grand Prix victories

Web links

• Pier Paolo Bianchi on the official website of the Motorcycle World Championship (English).
• Photos by Bianchi at highsider.com