John Williams (racing driver)
Nation: | United Kingdom |
John Williams (born May 27, 1946 , † August 12, 1978 in Northern Ireland ) was an English motorcycle racer .
Career
At the end of the 1960s, Williams began racing, initially in the smaller displacement classes on Ducati. Williams was soon seen as a great talent in road racing . In addition, he took part in competitions of the motorcycle world championship . How well he mastered his machine, he was able to show with a victory in 1976 at the Belgian Grand Prix over the mostly superior driving world champion Barry Sheene .
In the same year he set a new lap record of 181 km / h in the senior class of the TT . Williams was in the lead and would have won the race if he hadn't run out of fuel on the home straight. Without gas he pushed the motorcycle over the finish line and collapsed exhausted. This engagement brought him seventh place and a wide media coverage. In memory of this spectacle, the John Williams Prize for the fastest lap in the Superbike class is awarded annually in his honor .
Williams always remained a privateer in his racing career. That means he never competed in a brand team, but with the financial support of a sponsor. He had a serious accident during the Ulster Grand Prix in August 1978. He succumbed to his injuries in a hospital a few days later.
Victory statistics
year | class | machine | run |
---|---|---|---|
1971 | Production 500 | Honda | Isle of Man |
1972 | Production 250s | Honda | Isle of Man |
1973 | 250s | Yamaha | Ulster GP |
1973 | 350s | Yamaha | Ulster GP |
1973 | 500s | Yamaha | Ulster GP |
1974 | 350s | Yamaha | North west 200 |
1974 | 500s | Yamaha | North west 200 |
1974 | 750s | Yamaha | North west 200 |
1975 | Classic | Yamaha | Isle of Man |
1976 | Classic | Suzuki | Isle of Man |
1976 | Motorcycle World Championship | Suzuki | Belgian GP |
1977 | 500s | Suzuki | Ulster GP |
1977 | 1000s | Yamaha | Ulster GP |
1977 | 500s | Suzuki | North west 200 |
1977 | Superbike | Yamaha | North west 200 |
1978 | 500s | Suzuki | Ulster GP |
Web links and sources
- Short biography on the Isle of Man website, accessed October 5, 2015
- Motorsport memorial, accessed October 5, 2015
- "Gone but never forgotten", The TZ350 an 250 Website, accessed October 5, 2015
personal data | |
---|---|
SURNAME | Williams, John |
BRIEF DESCRIPTION | English motorcycle racer |
DATE OF BIRTH | May 27, 1946 |
DATE OF DEATH | August 12, 1978 |
Place of death | Northern Ireland |