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1979 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season

Sports season

500cc – Kenny Roberts (Yamaha) 350cc - Kork Ballington (Kawasaki) 250cc – Kork Ballington (Kawasaki) 125cc – Ángel Nieto (Minarelli) 50cc – Eugenio Lazzarini (Kreidler)

The 1979 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season was the 31st F.I.M. Road Racing World Championship season.

Season summary

A season of changing fortunes in the 500cc class saw American, Kenny Roberts capture his second crown in the face of the Suzuki-mounted opposition. In the 50cc class, Eugenio Lazzarini won every race in which he finished to take the championship. Angel Nieto dominated on a Minarelli to take his seventh world championship. Kork Ballington would repeat as double world champion in the 250cc and 350cc classes for Kawasaki.

Defending champion Roberts was injured in a pre-season test but came back to win round two in impressive fashion. His rivals also suffered from bad luck. Hartog breaking his arm in practice, Cecotto badly breaking his kneecap in Austria and Sheene suffering from mechanical failures. The 1979 British Grand Prix would be remembered as one of the greatest races of the modern era with Roberts beating Sheene to the finish line by three-hundredths of a second.

After an eleven-year absence from world championship racing, Honda returned to competition with the exotic, four-stroke NR500 ridden by riders Mick Grant and Takazumi Katayama at the British Grand Prix. The motorcycle featured an engine with oval-shaped cylinders as well as a monocoque chassis. Both bikes retired from the race, Grant crashing out on the first turn after the bike spilled oil onto his rear tire. Katayama retired on the seventh lap due to ignition problems.

The top riders boycotted the Belgian Grand Prix over safety issues showing their increasing dissatisfaction with the way the FIM conducted races. After several safety issues, the top riders banded together near the end of the year to announce that they would create a competing championship called the World Series. Although the series never got off the ground, the riders had flexed their political muscles and it forced the FIM to change the way they dealt with races and the riders themselves. The FIM announced an increase in prize money for the following year. This would mark the beginning of an era of increased professionalism in the sport.

1979 Grand Prix season calendar

Round	Date	Race	Location	50cc winner	125cc winner	250cc winner	350cc winner	500cc winner	Report
1	March 18	Venezuela Venezuelan Grand Prix	San Carlos		Spain Angel Nieto	Italy Walter Villa	Venezuela Carlos Lavado	UK Barry Sheene	[Report](1979-venezuelan-motorcycle-grand-prix)
2	April 29	Austria Austrian Grand Prix	Salzburgring		Spain Angel Nieto		South Africa Kork Ballington	United States Kenny Roberts	[Report](1979-austrian-motorcycle-grand-prix)
3	May 6	Germany German Grand Prix	Hockenheimring	Germany Gerhard Waibel	Spain Angel Nieto	South Africa Kork Ballington	South Africa Jon Ekerold	Netherlands Wil Hartog	[Report](1979-german-motorcycle-grand-prix)
4	May 13	Italy Nations Grand Prix	Imola	Italy Eugenio Lazzarini	Spain Angel Nieto	South Africa Kork Ballington	Australia Gregg Hansford	United States Kenny Roberts	[Report](1979-italian-motorcycle-grand-prix)
5	May 20	Spain Spanish Grand Prix	Jarama	Italy Eugenio Lazzarini	Spain Angel Nieto	South Africa Kork Ballington	South Africa Kork Ballington	United States Kenny Roberts	[Report](1979-spanish-motorcycle-grand-prix)
6	June 10	Yugoslavia Yugoslavian Grand Prix	Rijeka	Italy Eugenio Lazzarini	Spain Angel Nieto	Italy Graziano Rossi	South Africa Kork Ballington	United States Kenny Roberts	[Report](1979-yugoslavian-motorcycle-grand-prix)
7	June 23	Netherlands Dutch TT	Assen	Italy Eugenio Lazzarini	Spain Angel Nieto	Italy Graziano Rossi	Australia Gregg Hansford	Italy Virginio Ferrari	[Report](1979-dutch-tt)
8	July 1	Belgium Belgian Grand Prix	Spa-Francorchamps	Netherlands Henk van Kessel	Australia Barry Smith	Austria Edi Stoellinger		New Zealand Dennis Ireland	[Report](1979-belgian-motorcycle-grand-prix)
9	July 22	Sweden Swedish Grand Prix	Karlskoga		Italy Pier Paolo Bianchi	Italy Graziano Rossi		UK Barry Sheene	[Report](1979-swedish-motorcycle-grand-prix)
10	July 29	Finland Finnish Grand Prix	Imatra		Spain Ricardo Tormo	South Africa Kork Ballington	Australia Gregg Hansford	Netherlands Boet van Dulmen	[Report](1979-finnish-motorcycle-grand-prix)
11	August 12	UK British Grand Prix	Silverstone		Spain Angel Nieto	South Africa Kork Ballington	South Africa Kork Ballington	United States Kenny Roberts	[Report](1979-british-motorcycle-grand-prix)
12	August 19	Czechoslovakia Czechoslovak Grand Prix	Brno		France Guy Bertin	South Africa Kork Ballington	South Africa Kork Ballington		[Report](1979-czechoslovak-motorcycle-grand-prix)
13	September 2	France French Grand Prix	Le Mans	Italy Eugenio Lazzarini	France Guy Bertin	South Africa Kork Ballington	France Patrick Fernandez	UK Barry Sheene	[Report](1979-french-motorcycle-grand-prix)

Final standings

500cc standings

Place	Rider	Team	Machine	Points	Wins
1	United States Kenny Roberts	Yamaha USA	YZR500	113	5
2	Italy Virginio Ferrari	Nava Gallina-Suzuki	RG500	89	1
3	UK Barry Sheene	Heron-Suzuki	RG500	87	3
4	Netherlands Wil Hartog	Riemersma Racing	RG500	66	1
5	Italy Franco Uncini	Zago-Suzuki	RG500	51	0
6	Netherlands Boet van Dulmen		RG500	50	1
7	Netherlands Jack Middelburg		RG500	42	0
8	United States Randy Mamola	Zago-Suzuki	RG500	29	0
9	Switzerland Philippe Coulon	Frankonia Suzuki	RG500	29	0
10	UK Tom Herron	Heron-Suzuki	RG500	28	0
11	FRA Christian Sarron	Sonauto Gauloises-Yamaha	YZR500	26
12	UK Steve Parrish	Heron-Suzuki	RG500	19
13	United States Mike Baldwin	Zago-Suzuki	RG500	17
14	New Zealand Dennis Ireland	Derry's Racing	RG500	17	1
15	FRA Michel Rougerie	Ecurie Ste Pernod	RG500	16
16	FRA Bernard Fau	Suzuki-France	RG500	13
17	AUS Kenny Blake		YZR500/RG500	12
18	Italy Marco Lucchinelli		RG500	11
19	UK Gary Lingham		RG500	10
20	VEN Johnny Cecotto	Venemotos-Yamaha	YZR500	10
21	FRG Gustav Reiner	Dieter Braun Team	RG500	8
22	JPN Hiroyuki Kawasaki	Heron-Suzuki	RG500	6
23	NED Henk De Vries	Team 77	RG500	6
24	FRG Gerhard Vogt	Bill Smith Racing	RG500	6
25	VEN Roberto Pietri		RG500	5
26	FRG Sepp Hage	Dieter Braun Team	RG500	5
27	BEL Jacky Matagne		RG500	4
28	AUT Max Wiener		RG500	4
29	JPN Ikujiro Takai	Yamaha International	YZR500	3
30	ITA Carlo Perugini		RG500	3
31	SUI Sergio Pellandini		RG500	2
32	BEL Guy Cooremans		RG500	2
33	ITA Graziano Rossi	Morbidelli		2
34	UK John Woodley		RG500	2
35	SWE Peter Sjostrom	Ava MC Stockholm	RG500	1
36	FIN Seppo Rossi	Kouv MK	RG500	1
37	BEL Dieter Heinen		RG500	1
38	UK Mick Grant	Honda-HRC	RG500/NR500	1
39	UK John Newbold	Team Appleby Glade	RG500	1
40	ITA Gianni Pelletier		RG500	1

350cc standings

Place	Rider	Number	Country	Machine	Points	Wins
1	South Africa Kork Ballington	1	South Africa	Kawasaki	99	5
2	France Patrick Fernandez		France	Yamaha	90	1
3	Australia Gregg Hansford	3	Australia	Kawasaki	77	3
4	West Germany Anton Mang	16	West Germany	Kawasaki	63	0
5	Switzerland Michel Frutschi		Switzerland	Yamaha	47	0
6	France Michel Rougerie	6	France	Yamaha	47	0
7	Switzerland Roland Freymond	27	Switzerland	Yamaha	40	0
8	South Africa Jon Ekerold	4	South Africa	Yamaha	34	1
9	Japan Sadao Asami		Japan	Yamaha	27	0
10	Australia Jeff Sayle		Australia	Yamaha	24	0
11	FIN Pekka Nurmi		usa		23
12	FIN Penti Korhonen		Usa		17
13	FRA Christian Estrosi		Usa		16
14	VEN Carlos Lavado		Spa		15
15	France Patrick Pons		Spa		12
16	France Eric Saul		Spa		10
17	France Michel Rougerie		Fra		10
18	BEL Richard Hubin		Fra		9
19	France Herve Guilleux		Fra		8
20	France Olivier Chevallier		ita		8
21	AUS Victor Soussan		Ita		8
22	Australia Graeme McGregor		Ita		5
23	Australia Murray Sayle		Irl		5
24	ITA Eddy Elias		Irl		4
25	SWE Bengt Elgh		Irl		4
26	ITA Paolo Pileri		Isl		4
27	AUT Edi Stoellinger		Isl		4
28	FRG Reinhold Roth		Isl		3
29	UK Tony Head		Can		3
30	NED Klaas Hernamdt		can		3
31	ESP Victor Palomo		can		3
32	FIN Eero Hyvärinen		Mex		3
33	South Africa Alan North		Mex		3
34	ITA Adelio Faccioli		Mex		2
35	UK Joey Dunlop		Jpn		2
36	JPN Yoshimi Matsumoto		jpn		2
37	ITA Gianfranco Bonera		Jpn		2
38	AUT Max Wiener		Kor		1

250cc standings

Place	Rider	Number	Country	Machine	Points	Wins
1	South Africa Kork Ballington	1	South Africa	Kawasaki	141	7
2	Australia Gregg Hansford	2	Australia	Kawasaki	81	0
3	Italy Graziano Rossi	46	Italy	Morbidelli	67	3
4	United States Randy Mamola		United States	Yamaha	64	0
5	France Patrick Fernandez	3	France	Yamaha	63	0
6	West Germany Anton Mang	5	West Germany	Kawasaki	56	0
7	Italy Walter Villa	16	Italy	Yamaha	39	1
8	France Jean-François Baldé	13	France	Kawasaki	29	0
9	Austria Edi Stoellinger		Austria	Kawasaki	28	1
10	Switzerland Roland Freymond	22	Switzerland	Yamaha	22	0
11	Olivier Chevallier		usa		22
12	Christian Estrosi		Usa		19
13	Chas Mortimer		Usa		14
14	Paolo Pileri		spa		14
15	Graeme McGregor		Spa		14
16	Barry Ditchburn		Spa		13
17	Victor Soussan		Spa		11
18	Eric Saul		fra		11
19	Jskalw		Fra		10
20	Fernando Gonzales de N.		Fra		9
21	Penti Korhonen		Ita		9
22	Jon Ekerold		Ita		8
23	Richard Hubin		Ita		7
24	Guy Bertin		Irl		6
25	Michel Simeon		Irl		5
26	Jeffrey Sayle		Irl		4
27	Hans Müller		Isl		4
28	Massimo Matteoni		Isl		3
29	Maurizio Massimiani		Isl		3
30	Pekka Nurmi		gbr		3
31	Nsms		Gbr		3
32	Ndme		Gbr		2
33	Dnsm		Isl		2
34	Eero Hyvärinen		Isl		1
35	Tony Head		Isl		1
36	Sadao Asami		Can		1
37	Thierry Espié		Can		1
38	Alan North		Can		1
39	Rinus Van Kasteren		Mex		1

125cc standings

Place	Rider	Number	Country	Machine	Points	Wins
1	Spain Angel Nieto	2	Spain	Minarelli	120	8
2	Italy Maurizio Massimiani	6	Italy	MBA	53	0
3	Switzerland Hans Müller	7	Switzerland	MBA	50	0
4	France Thierry Espié	5	France	Motobécane	48	0
5	West Germany Gert Bender		West Germany	GB Bender	47	0
6	France Guy Bertin		France	Motobécane	40	2
7	Spain Ricardo Tormo	8	Spain	Bultaco	39	1
8	Austria Harald Bartol	4	Austria	Morbidelli	36	0
9	Switzerland Bruno Kneubühler		Switzerland	MBA	36	0
10	Italy Pier Paolo Bianchi	3	Italy	Minarelli	35	1
11	CH Stefan Dörflinger		Spa		35
12	AUS Barry Smith		Spa
13	Walter Koschine		spa		25
14	August Auinger		fra		25
15	Eugenio Lazzarini		Fra		22
16	Jean Louis Guignabodet		Fra		20
17	Matti Kinnunen		Ita		19
18	Patrick Herouard		Ita		18
19	Marcelino Garcia		Ita		17
20	Thierry Noblesse		Irl		16
21	Per-Edward Carlson		irl		14
22	Jean Francois Lecureux		Irl		12
23	Patrick Plisson		Isl		12
24	Martin Van Soest		Isl		10
25	Gianpaolo Marchetti		Isl		10
26	Rolf Blatter		Gbr		8
27	Peter Looijesteijn		Gbr		8
28	Clive Horton		Gbr		7
29	Francois Granon		Can		7
30	Stefan Janssen		Can		7
31	Ivan Troisi		Can		5
32	Paul Bordes		mex		5
33	Pierluigi Conforti		Mex		4
34	Anton Straver		Mex		4
35	Peter Balaz		Nze		3
36	Jean Paul Magnoni		Nze		2
37	Alfred Waibel		Nze		2
38	Stefano Ferretti		Rus		2
39	Henk van Kessel		Rus		2
40	Jan Huberts		Rus		2
41	Marc Antoine Constantin		bra		2
42	Miguel Cortes		Bra		1
43	Fernando Gonzales de N.		Bra		1
44	Renè Renier		aus		1
45	Johnny Wickstroem		Jpn		1

50cc standings

Place	Rider	Number	Country	Machine	Points	Wins
1	Italy Eugenio Lazzarini	2	Italy	Kreidler	75	5
2	Switzerland Rolf Blatter	5	Switzerland	Kreidler	62	0
3	France Patrick Plisson	3	France	ABF	32	0
4	West Germany Gerhard Waibel		West Germany	Kreidler	31	1
5	Netherlands Peter Looijensteijn	8	Netherlands	Kreidler	30	0
6	West Germany Hagen Klein	17	West Germany	Kreidler	26	0
7	Netherlands Henk van Kessel	12	Netherlands	Sparta	23	1
8	France Jacques Hutteau		France	Kreidler	27	0
9	West Germany Ingo Emmerich		West Germany	Kreidler	8	0
10	Switzerland Stefan Dörflinger		Switzerland	Kreidler	6	0
11	Rainer Scheidhauer		Spa		17
12	Theo Timmer		Spa		16
13	Aldo Pero		Spa		16
14	Rudolf Kunz		Fra		13
15	Jsmsk		fra		10
16	Wolfgang Müller		Fra		9
17	Ricardo Tormo		ita		6
18	Enrico Cereda		ita		5
19	Joaquim Gali		Ita		5
20	Daniel Mateos		Irl		4
21	Jwjwk		Irl		4
22	Graham Singer		Irl		4
23	Jamak		Gbr		3
24	Theo Van Geffen		Gbr		3
25	Wjkw		Gbr		2
26	Claudio Granata		Isl		2
27	Hans Hummel		Isl		2
28	Cees Van Dongen		Isl		1
29	Jsnwm		Aus		1
30	Gerrit Strikker		Jpn		1

Notes

References

Büla, Maurice & Schertenleib, Jean-Claude (2001). Continental Circus 1949-2000. Chronosports S.A.

References

(1999). "Motocourse: 50 Years Of Moto Grand Prix". Hazleton Publishing Ltd.
(16 February 1979). "Roberts Ruptures Spleen In Crash". The Hour.
"Silverstone 1979 – a Roberts-Sheene classic". motogp.com.
"The NR500s: A Humiliating Debut". world.honda.com.
(2 July 1979). "Roberts Suspended For Boycott". Modesto Bee.
Top riders went on strike at the Belgian Grand Prix over track safety.

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