Rodney Gould

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Gould (car number 33) at the 250cc race at Cadwell Park, Lincolnshire, England

Rodney "Rod" Gould (born March 10, 1943 in Banbury , England ) is a retired British motorcycle racer .

In 1970 Gould became world champion in the 250 cc class of the motorcycle world championship on a Yamaha .

Career

Rod Gould made his debut with a fifth place in the Grand Prix of the GDR in 1967 at the Sachsenring on a 500 cc Norton in the motorcycle world championship . In 1968 he started as a regular driver in the 250 cc class on a Yamaha and after three third places came fourth in the overall standings. In the 1969 season , Gould reached a total of six second places in the classes up to 250 and 350 cm³ and reached the World Cup ranks six and five respectively.

The 1970 season then became the most successful in Rodney Gould's career. He started in the 250cc class in nine Grands Prix, won six of them and landed on the podium in all races. At the end of the season he finally became the superior world champion ahead of his Yamaha brand colleague Kel Carruthers from Australia . In 1971 Rod Gould failed to defend his 250cc title. Despite two victories in the Netherlands and Sweden , he was just left behind in the overall standings against his compatriot and brand companion Phil Read .

In the 1972 season , Gould also got two more 250 cc victories, but in the world championship he had to give way to the Finn Jarno Saarinen and the Italian Renzo Pasolini . In the 500 cc class, in which he contested five races this year, Gould landed four times on the podium and was able to finish the world championship in fourth. After the 1972 season, Rodney Gould ended his career in the world championship after ten Grand Prix victories and a total of 34 podium finishes.

statistics

title

North West 200 Victories

year class machine Average speed
1968 250 cc Yamaha 103.08  mph (165.89  km / h )
1969 250 cc Yamaha 103.50 mph (166.57 km / h)
350 cc Yamaha 107.87 mph (173.6 km / h)

In the motorcycle world championship

season class Result machine Victories
1967 500 cc 19th Norton 0
1968 250 cc 4th Bultaco - Yamaha 0
500 cc 24. Norton 0
1969 250 cc 6th Yamaha 0
350 cc 5. Yamaha 0
1970 250 cc World Champion Yamaha 6th
350 cc 6th Yamaha 0
1971 125 cc 24. Yamaha 0
250 cc 2. Yamaha 2
350 cc 13. Yamaha 0
1972 250 cc 3. Yamaha 2
350 cc 25th Yamaha 0
500 cc 4th Yamaha 0

Web links