Ricardo Tormo

Ricardo Tormo

Ricardo Tormo Blaya (born September 7, 1952 in Ayacor , Valencia region , Spain , † December 27, 1998 in Valencia , Spain) was a Spanish motorcycle racer .

In 1978 and 1981 he won the world championship title in the 50 cm³ class of the motorcycle world championship .

Ricardo Tormo died of leukemia in 1998 . The race track in Cheste near Valencia in Circuit de la Comunitat Valenciana Ricardo Tormo , which opened in 1999, was named in his honor.

Career

Ricardo Tormo made his debut in 1973 at the Grand Prix of Spain on Derbi in the 50 cc class of the motorcycle world championship. His second Grand Prix, again at his home race, was not completed until 1976 , when he was able to take sixth place on Kreidler .

From 1977 Tormo started as a Bultaco factory driver permanently in the 50 cm³ class of the World Cup. He took part in six races, was able to take the podium five times and even celebrated his first Grand Prix victory at the last race of the season, the Swedish Grand Prix. In the world championship he finished third overall behind his compatriot Ángel Nieto and the Italian Eugenio Lazzarini .

In the 1978 season Ricardo Tormo dominated the 50 cc class on Bultaco. In seven races of the season he was able to bring in five wins and two second places. In the overall standings, with 99 points, he had 35 more points than his closest rival Eugenio Lazzarini. In 1979 the Spaniard only took part in a few World Championship races, and at the 125 Grand Prix of Finland he clinched his first victory in this class. Despite only contesting three races, he finished the season in seventh place in the World Championship. In the 1980 season , Ricardo Tormo again did not contest the entire season, in the 50 cm³ class he celebrated two victories on Kreidler - Van Veen and thus took fourth place in the overall World Cup.

The 1981 season brought Ricardo Tormo his second 50th title. He contested six of the eight world championship races on Motul - Bultaco and won all of them. In the overall standings, he ended up with a 25-point lead over his brand colleague, Theo Timmer from the Netherlands . He also won a race in the 125cc class with the Swedish Grand Prix. In 1982 and 1983 Tormo competed in both the 50 cm³ and the 125 cm³ class and occupied single-digit positions in the overall ranking. During the 1984 season, Ricardo Tormo sustained leg injuries so severe that he had to end his career when he fell during a test drive for Derbi in an industrial area near Barcelona .

In his career, Ricardo Tormo has contested a total of 62 Grand Prix races and achieved 19 victories, 36 podium positions, 23 pole positions and four fastest laps. He also won three 50cc and four 125cc titles in the Spanish Motorcycle Championship.

successes

• 1978 - 50 cm³ world champion on Bultaco
• 1981 - 50 cc world champion on Motul -Bultaco
• 19 Grand Prix victories
• Spanish 50cc champion : 1977, 1978, 1979, 1980
• Spanish 125cc champion : 1979, 1980, 1981, 1983

Web links

Commons : Ricardo Tormo  - Collection of pictures, videos and audio files

• Ricardo Tormo on the official website of the motorcycle world championship (English).
• Ricardo Tormo in the Find a Grave database . Retrieved September 14, 2017 (English).
• Ricardo Tormo - Tributo a un campeón (Spanish)
• Ricardo Tormo at motorsportmemorial.org (English)