1961 motorcycle world championship

1961 motorcycle world championship

500 cm³ world champion
Driver:	Gary Hocking
Constructor:	MV Agusta
350 cm³ world champion
Driver:	Gary Hocking
Constructor:	MV Agusta
250 cc world champion
Driver:	Mike Hailwood
Constructor:	Honda
125 cc world champion
Driver:	Tom Phillis
Constructor:	Honda
Team (500 cm³) world champions
Driver:	Max Deubel Emil Hörner
Constructor:	BMW
<1960 season	1962 season>

350 cc and 500 cc world champion Gary Hocking after his victory in the Durch TT

The 1961 motorcycle world championship season was the 13th in the history of the FIM - motorcycle road world championship . Ten races were held in the class up to 500 cm³, seven in the classes up to 350 cm³, eleven in the classes up to 250 cm³ and up to 125 cm³ and six races for the sidecar .

Distribution of points

Scoring
space	1	2	3	4th	5	6th
Points	8th	6th	4th	3	2	1

• The number of rated runs was calculated with an even number of races held by halving this number and then adding one. In six races, four went into the championship ranking.
• If an odd number of races was held, the number of runs was added by one and then halved. In seven races, four were therefore counted.

useful information

Deaths

• On April 30, 1961, the winners of the first World Championship run of the sidecar , Helmut Fath and co-driver Alfred Wohlgemuth, had a serious accident in the Eifel race on the Nürburgring. Wohlgemuth succumbed to his injuries, Fath was unable to start the season because of a long hospital stay.
• On June 16, 1961, the Briton Ralph Rensen had an accident in the senior TT race and died a little later from his serious neck injuries.
• The Australian Ron Miles died on the evening of August 9, 1961 from the injuries he had suffered on the same day in a fall during 350cc training for the Ulster Grand Prix.

500 cc class

Race results

	date	run	route	1st place	place 2	place 3	Nice Race lap
1	14.05.	25th GP of Germany	Hockenheim	Gary Hocking	Frank Perris	Hans-Günter Jäger	Gary Hocking
2	05/21	French GP	Clermont-Ferrand	Gary Hocking	Mike Hailwood	Antoine Paba	Gary Hocking
3	16.05.	43rd Isle of Man TT	Mountain Course	Mike Hailwood	Bob McIntyre	Tom Phillis	Gary Hocking
4th	June 24th	31. Dutch TT	Aces	Gary Hocking	Mike Hailwood	Bob McIntyre	Gary Hocking
5	02.07.	34th Belgian GP	Spa Francorchamps	Gary Hocking	Mike Hailwood	Bob McIntyre	Gary Hocking
6th	07/30	4th GP of the GDR	Sachsenring	Gary Hocking	Mike Hailwood	Bert Schneider	Gary Hocking
7th	08/12	33rd Ulster GP	Dundrod	Gary Hocking	Mike Hailwood	Alastair King	Gary Hocking
8th	03.09.	39th Nations Grand Prix	Monza	Mike Hailwood	Alastair King	Paddy Driver	Gary Hocking
9	17.09.	Swedish GP	Kristianstad	Gary Hocking	Mike Hailwood	Frank Perris	Gary Hocking
10	15.10.	Argentina GP	Buenos Aires	Jorge Kissling	Juan Carlos Salatino	Frank Perris	Juan Carlos Salatino

Driver ranking

1  Gary Hocking MV Agusta 48 (56) 2  Mike Hailwood Norton / MV Agusta 40 (55) 3  Frank Perris Norton 16 4th  Bob McIntyre Norton 14th 5  Alistair King Norton 13 6th  Bert Schneider Norton 9 7th  Jorge Kissling Matchless 8th 8th  Ron Langston Matchless 7th 9  Juan Carlos Salatino Norton 6th 10  Paddy Driver Norton 5  Mike Duff Matchless 5 12  Hans-Günter Jäger BMW 4th  Antoine Paba Norton 4th  Tom Phillis Norton 4th 15th  Gyula Marsovszky Norton 3  Phil Read Norton 3

John Farnsworth Norton 3  Alberto Pagani Norton 3  Juan Perkins Norton 3  Jack Findlay Norton 3 21st  Ernst Hiller BMW 2  Fritz Messerli Matchless 2  Peter Chatterton Norton 2  Eduardo Salatino Norton 2 25th  Lothar John BMW 1  Roland Foell Matchless 1  Tony Godfrey Norton 1  Ron Miles (†) Norton 1  Anssi Resko Norton 1  Tom Thorp Norton 1  Peter Pawson Norton 1  Horacio Costa Norton 1

(Points in brackets including deletion results )

Constructors' championship

1	MV Agusta	48 (64)
2	Norton	38 (60)
3	Matchless	20th
4th	BMW	4th

(Points in brackets including deletion results )

350 cm³ class

Race results

	date	run	route	1st place	place 2	place 3	Nice Race lap
1	14.05.	25th GP of Germany	Hockenheim	František Šťastný	Gustav Havel	Rudi Thalhammer	František Šťastný
2	16.05.	43rd Isle of Man TT	Mountain Course	Phil Read	Gary Hocking	Ralph Rensen	Gary Hocking
3	June 24th	31. Dutch TT	Aces	Gary Hocking	Bob McIntyre	František Šťastný	Gary Hocking
4th	07/30	4th GP of the GDR	Sachsenring	Gary Hocking	František Šťastný	Bob McIntyre	Gary Hocking
5	08/12	33rd Ulster GP	Dundrod	Gary Hocking	Alastair King	František Šťastný	Gary Hocking
6th	03.09.	39th Nations Grand Prix	Monza	Gary Hocking	Mike Hailwood	Gustav Havel	Gary Hocking
7th	17.09.	Swedish GP	Kristianstad	František Šťastný	Gustav Havel	Tommy Robb	Gary Hocking

Driver ranking

1  Gary Hocking MV Agusta 32 (38) 2  František Šťastný Jawa 26 (32) 3  Gustav Havel Jawa 19th 4th  Phil Read Norton 13 5  Bob McIntyre Bianchi 10 6th  Rudi Thalhammer Norton 7th  Ralph Rensen (†) Norton 7th 8th  Alistair King Bianchi 6th 9  Mike Hailwood MV Agusta 6th 10  Ernesto Brambilla Bianchi 5  Alan Shepherd AJS 5

12  Tommy Robb AJS 4th 13  Derek Minter Norton 3 14th  Hans Pesl Norton 2  Silvio Grassetti Benelli 2  Ron Langston AJS 2 17th  Frank Perris Norton 2  Mike Duff AJS 2 19th  Roy Ingram Norton 1  Bert Schneider Norton 1  Hugh Anderson Norton 1

(Points in brackets including deletion results )

Constructors' championship

1	MV Agusta	32 (38)
2	Jawa	26 (36)
3	Norton	18 (22)
4th	Bianchi	16
5	AJS	9
6th	Benelli	2

(Points in brackets including deletion results )

250 cc class

Race results

	date	run	route	1st place	place 2	place 3	Nice Race lap
1	04/23	11th Spanish GP	Montjuïc	Gary Hocking	Tom Phillis	Silvio Grassetti	Gary Hocking
2	14.05.	25th GP of Germany	Hockenheim	Kunimitsu Takahashi	Jim Redman	Tarquinio Provini	Kunimitsu Takahashi
3	05/21	French GP	Clermont-Ferrand	Tom Phillis	Mike Hailwood	Kunimitsu Takahashi	Gary Hocking
4th	05/12	43rd Isle of Man TT	Mountain Course	Mike Hailwood	Tom Phillis	Jim Redman	Bob McIntyre
5	June 24th	31. Dutch TT	Aces	Mike Hailwood	Bob McIntyre	Jim Redman	Mike Hailwood
6th	02.07.	34th Belgian GP	Spa Francorchamps	Jim Redman	Tom Phillis	Mike Hailwood	Jim Redman
7th	07/30	4th GP of the GDR	Sachsenring	Mike Hailwood	Jim Redman	Kunimitsu Takahashi	Mike Hailwood
8th	08/12	33rd Ulster GP	Dundrod	Bob McIntyre	Mike Hailwood	Jim Redman	Bob McIntyre
9	03.09.	39th Nations Grand Prix	Monza	Jim Redman	Mike Hailwood	Tom Phillis	Mike Hailwood
10	17.09.	Swedish GP	Kristianstad	Mike Hailwood	Luigi Taveri	Kunimitsu Takahashi	Jim Redman
11	15.10.	Argentina GP	Buenos Aires	Tom Phillis	Kunimitsu Takahashi	Jim Redman	Tom Phillis

Driver ranking

1  Mike Hailwood Honda 44 (54) 2  Tom Phillis Honda 38 (45) 3  Jim Redman Honda 36 (51) 4th  Kunimitsu Takahashi Honda 29 (30) 5  Bob McIntyre Honda 14th 6th  Tarquinio Provini Morini 10 7th  Silvio Grassetti Benelli 10 8th  Gary Hocking MV Agusta 8th 9  Fumio Ito Yamaha 7th 10  Luigi Taveri Honda 6th

11  Alan Shepherd MZ 6th  František Šťastný Jawa 6th 13  Ernst Degner MZ 3  Sadao Shimazaki Honda 3 15th  Hans Fischer MZ 3 16  Naomi Taniguchi Honda 2 17th  Dan Shorey NSU 1  Yoshikazu Sunako Yamaha 1  Werner Musiol MZ 1

(Points in brackets including deletion results )

Constructors' championship

1	Honda	60 (96)
2	Morini	10
3	Benelli	10
4th	MZ	9
5	MV Agusta	8th
6th	Yamaha	7th
7th	Jawa	6th
8th	NSU	1

125 cm³ world champion Tom Phillis at the Dutch TT

125 cc class

Race results

	date	run	route	1st place	place 2	place 3	Nice Race lap
1	04/23	11th Spanish GP	Montjuïc	Tom Phillis	Ernst Degner	Jim Redman	Mike Hailwood
2	14.05.	25th GP of Germany	Hockenheim	Ernst Degner	Alan Shepherd	Walter Brehme	Ernst Degner
3	05/21	French GP	Clermont-Ferrand	Tom Phillis	Ernst Degner	Jim Redman	Tom Phillis and Ernst Degner
4th	16.05.	43rd Isle of Man TT	Mountain Course	Mike Hailwood	Luigi Taveri	Tom Phillis	Luigi Taveri
5	June 24th	31. Dutch TT	Aces	Tom Phillis	Jim Redman	Alan Shepherd	Tom Phillis
6th	02.07.	34th Belgian GP	Spa Francorchamps	Luigi Taveri	Tom Phillis	Jim Redman	Tom Phillis
7th	07/30	4th GP of the GDR	Sachsenring	Ernst Degner	Tom Phillis	Kunimitsu Takahashi	Kunimitsu Takahashi
8th	08/12	33rd Ulster GP	Dundrod	Kunimitsu Takahashi	Ernst Degner	Tom Phillis	Tom Phillis
9	03.09.	39th Nations Grand Prix	Monza	Ernst Degner	Teisuke Tanaka	Luigi Taveri	Tom Phillis
10	17.09.	Swedish GP	Kristianstad	Luigi Taveri	Kunimitsu Takahashi	Jim Redman	Luigi Taveri
11	15.10.	Argentina GP	Buenos Aires	Tom Phillis	Jim Redman	Kunimitsu Takahashi	Tom Phillis

Driver ranking

1  Tom Phillis Honda 44 (56) 2  Ernst Degner MZ 42 (45) 3  Luigi Taveri Honda 29 (31) 4th  Jim Redman Honda 28 (37) 5  Kunimitsu Takahashi Honda 24 6th  Mike Hailwood EMC / Honda 16 7th  Alan Shepherd MZ 12 8th  Walter Brehme MZ 7th 9  Teisuke Tanaka Honda 6th 10  Sadao Shimazaki Honda 5  Werner Musiol MZ 5

12  Hans Fischer MZ 3  Phil Read EMC 3  László Szabó MZ 3 15th John Grace Bultaco 2  Ulf Svensson Ducati 2  Naomi Taniguchi Honda 2 18th  Rex Avery EMC 2 19th  Ricardo Quintanilla Bultaco 1  Ralph Rensen (†) Bultaco 1  Héctor Pochettino Bultaco 1

(Points in brackets including deletion results )

Constructors' championship

1	Honda	48 (74)
2	MZ	42 (52)
3	EMC	10
4th	Bultaco	4th
5	Ducati	2

(Points in brackets including deletion results )

Harris / Campbell (No. 1) followed by Deubel / Hörner (No. 8) at the Dutch TT

Carriages (500 cm³)

Race results

	date	run	route	1st place	place 2	place 3	Nice Race lap
1	04/23	11th Spanish GP	Montjuïc	Helmut Fath / Alfred Wohlgemuth	Fritz Scheidegger / Horst Burkhardt	Edgar Strub / Kurt Huber	Helmut Fath / Alfred Wohlgemuth
2	14.05.	25th GP of Germany	Hockenheim	Max Deubel / Emil Hörner	Fritz Scheidegger / Horst Burkhardt	Otto Kölle / Dieter Hess	Max Deubel / Emil Hörner
3	05/21	French GP	Clermont-Ferrand	Fritz Scheidegger / Horst Burkhardt	Max Deubel / Emil Hörner	Edgar Strub / Kurt Huber	Fritz Scheidegger / Horst Burkhardt
4th	16.05.	43rd Isle of Man TT	Mountain Course	Max Deubel / Emil Hörner	Fritz Scheidegger / Horst Burkhardt	Pip Harris and Ray Campbell	Max Deubel / Emil Hörner
5	June 24th	31. Dutch TT	Aces	Max Deubel / Emil Hörner	Edgar Strub / Kurt Huber	Jackie Beeton / Eddie Bulgin	Max Deubel / Emil Hörner
6th	02.07.	34th Belgian GP	Spa Francorchamps	Fritz Scheidegger / Horst Burkhardt	Max Deubel / Emil Hörner	Pip Harris and Ray Campbell	Fritz Scheidegger / Horst Burkhardt

Driver ranking

1	Max Deubel	Emil Horns	BMW	30 (36)
2	Fritz Scheidegger	Horst Burkhardt	BMW	28 (34)
3	Edgar Strub	Kurt Huber	BMW	14th
4th	August Rohsiepe	Lothar Böttcher	BMW	10 (11)
5	Otto Kölle	Dieter Hess	BMW	9
6th	Arsenius Butscher	Manfred Ludwigkeit, Alfred Schmidt and Erika Butscher	BMW	9
7th	Helmut Fath	Alfred Wohlgemuth (†)	BMW	8th
8th	Pip Harris	Ray Campbell	BMW	8th
9	Jackie Beeton	Eddie Bulgin	Norton	4th
10	Heinz Luthringshauser	Heiner Vester	BMW	2
	Charlie Freeman	Billie Nelson	Norton	2
	Henry Curchod	Roland Föll and Armand Beyeler	BMW	2
	Chris Vincent	John Thornton	BSA	2
14th	Jo Rogliardo	Marcel Godillot	BMW	1
	Loni Neussner	Fritz Reitmaier	BMW	1
16	Colin Seeley	Wally Rawlings	Matchless	1

(Points in brackets including deletion results )

Constructors' championship

1	BMW	32 (48)
2	Norton	6th
3	BSA	2
4th	Matchless	1

(Points in brackets including deletion results )

Web links

Commons : Motorbike World Championship 1961  - Collection of pictures, videos and audio files

• Official website of the motorcycle world championship
• Detailed statistics for the 1961 season at racingmemo.free.fr (French)