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1955 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Geoff Duke (pictured in 1951) won his last 500cc World Championship title in 1955.

The 1955 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season was the seventh F.I.M. Road Racing World Championship Grand Prix season. The season consisted of eight Grand Prix races in five classes: 500cc, 350cc, 250cc, 125cc and Sidecars 500cc. It began on 1 May, with Spanish Grand Prix and ended with Nations Grand Prix in Italy on 4 September.

1955 Grand Prix season calendar

[edit]
Round Date Grand Prix Circuit 125cc winner 250cc winner 350cc winner 500cc winner Sidecars 500cc winner Report
1 1 May Spain Spanish Grand Prix Montjuïc circuit Switzerland Luigi Taveri Republic of Ireland Reg Armstrong Germany Faust / Remmert Report
2 15 May France French Grand Prix Reims Italy Carlo Ubbiali Italy Duilio Agostini United Kingdom Geoff Duke Report
3 10 June Isle of Man Isle of Man TT Snaefell Mountain Italy Carlo Ubbiali United Kingdom Bill Lomas United Kingdom Bill Lomas United Kingdom Geoff Duke Germany Schneider / Strauß Report
4 26 June West Germany German Grand Prix Nürburgring Nordschleife Italy Carlo Ubbiali West Germany Hermann Paul Müller United Kingdom Bill Lomas United Kingdom Geoff Duke Germany Faust / Remmert Report
5 3 July Belgium Belgian Grand Prix Spa-Francorchamps United Kingdom Bill Lomas Italy Giuseppe Colnago Germany Noll / Cron Report
6 16 July Netherlands Dutch TT TT Circuit Assen Italy Carlo Ubbiali Switzerland Luigi Taveri Australia Ken Kavanagh United Kingdom Geoff Duke Germany Faust / Remmert Report
7 13 August Northern Ireland Ulster Grand Prix Dundrod Circuit United Kingdom John Surtees United Kingdom Bill Lomas United Kingdom Bill Lomas Report
8 4 September Italy Nations Grand Prix Monza Italy Carlo Ubbiali Italy Carlo Ubbiali United Kingdom Dickie Dale Italy Umberto Masetti Germany Noll / Cron Report

Standings

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Scoring system

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Points were awarded to the top six finishers in each race. Only the four best races counted in the Sidecars, 125cc and 250cc, while in the 350cc and 500cc championships, the five best results were counted.

Position  1st   2nd   3rd   4th   5th   6th 
Points 8 6 4 3 2 1

500cc final standings

[edit]
Pos Rider Machine ESP
Spain
FRA
France
MAN
United Kingdom
GER
Germany
BEL
Belgium
HOL
Netherlands
ULS
Ulster
NAC
Italy
Pts
1 United Kingdom Geoff Duke Gilera Ret 1 1 1 Ret 1 3 36
2 Republic of Ireland Reg Armstrong Gilera 1 3 2 Ret Ret 2 2 30
3 Italy Umberto Masetti MV Agusta 3 4 3 1 19
4 Italy Giuseppe Colnago Gilera 7 5 1 Ret 4 13
5 Italy Carlo Bandirola MV Agusta 2 11 3 Ret Ret 10
6 United Kingdom Bill Lomas Moto Guzzi 7 1 8
7 France Pierre Monneret Gilera 10 2 Ret 6
8 United Kingdom John Hartle Norton 13 2 6
9 Italy Libero Liberati Gilera 2 Ret 6
10 Germany Walter Zeller BMW 2 6
11 United Kingdom Bob McIntyre Norton 5 4 5
12 United Kingdom Dickie Dale Moto Guzzi Ret 3 4
= Australia Ken Kavanagh Moto Guzzi Ret 3 4
14 Belgium Léon Martin Gilera 3 4
15 Italy Tito Forconi MV Agusta 6 4 Ret Ret 4
16 Italy Duilio Agostini Moto Guzzi Ret 4 3
= United Kingdom Jack Brett Norton 4 Ret 3
18 Italy Orlando Valdinoci Gilera 4 3
= Netherlands Drikus Veer Gilera 4 3
20 Australia Bob Brown Matchless 16 11 5 2
21 Italy Alfredo Milani Gilera Ret 14 5 2
22 New Zealand Peter Murphy Matchless Ret Ret Ret 5 2
23 Belgium Auguste Goffin Norton Ret Ret 5 2
24 France Jacques Collot Norton 5 Ret 2
= Italy Nello Pagani MV Agusta 5 Ret 2
26 Australia Jack Ahearn Norton Ret 6 7 Ret Ret 1
27 South Africa Eddie Grant Matchless / Norton 14 16 6 1
28 United Kingdom John Clark Matchless Ret 6 1
= Germany Ernst Riedelbauch BMW Ret 6 1
= United Kingdom John Storr Norton Ret 6 1
31 Belgium Firmin Dauwe Norton 6 1
= Isle of Man Derek Ennett Matchless 6 1
33 Germany Hans-Günther Jäger Norton 7 8 0
= United Kingdom Eric Jones Norton 8 7 0
35 Switzerland Florian Camathias Norton 7 Ret 0
= Austria Gerold Klinger BMW Ret 7 0
37 Netherlands Piet Bakker Norton 7 0
38 New Zealand Len Aislabie Norton 20 Ret 8 Ret 0
39 Sweden Sven Andersson Norton Ret 8 Ret 0
40 United Kingdom William Hall Norton Ret 8 0
41 France Marcel Beauvais Norton 8 0
= Spain Alfredo Flores Norton 8 0
= Netherlands Priem Rozenberg BMW 8 0
44 Northern Ireland Bob Matthews Norton 11 9 Ret 11 0
45 New Zealand Bill Collett Matchless 23 Ret 9 0
46 United Kingdom Derek Powell Matchless 9 Ret 0
= United Kingdom Percy Tait Norton Ret 9 0
48 France Jean-Pierre Bayle Norton 9 0
= Italy Enrico Galante Norton 9 0
= Sweden Kuno Johansson Matchless 9 0
51 United Kingdom Phil Heath Norton 14 13 10 Ret 0
52 United Kingdom Peter Davey Norton 10 Ret 0
= Germany Ernst Hiller Matchless 10 Ret 0
= New Zealand Maurice Low Triumph / BSA Ret 10 0
55 Italy Artemio Cirelli Gilera 10 0
= Belgium Edouard Texidor Norton 10 0
56 United Kingdom Robin Fitton Norton Ret 11 Ret 0
= Netherlands Piet Knijnenburg Matchless 11 0
= South Africa Ray Travers Norton 11 0
59 Northern Ireland Malcolm Templeton Matchless 30 12 0
60 New Zealand John Hempleman Norton Ret 12 Ret 0
61 Northern Ireland Mike O'Rourke Norton 12 0
= Germany Hans-Joachim Scheel Norton 12 0
63 Guernsey Ken Tostevin Matchless Ret 13 0
64 Germany Heinz Schreiber Norton 13 0
= Netherlands Casper Swart Norton 13 0
66 United Kingdom Angus Martin Norton 40 14 0
67 United Kingdom Peter Davey Norton 14 0
68 United Kingdom Arthur Wheeler Matchless 17 15 Ret 0
69 United Kingdom Harry Pearce Matchless 15 0
= Germany Karl-Heinz Scheifel Norton 15 0
= Netherlands Gerrit Ten Kate Norton 15 0
= Northern Ireland Harry Turner Norton 15 0
73 United Kingdom Ralph Rensen Norton 33 16 0
74 New Zealand Frederick Cook Matchless 18 17 Ret Ret 0
75 Northern Ireland Ernie Oliver Norton 17 0
76 Northern Ireland Dick Knox Norton 18 0
77 United Kingdom Robert King Norton Ret 19 0
78 United Kingdom John Denton Norton 19 0
79 United Kingdom Ken Swallow Matchless 43 20 0
80 Isle of Man George Costain Norton 21 0
= Northern Ireland Jimmy Hayes AJS 21 0
82 United Kingdom Roy Evans Matchless 22 0
= Canada Ivor Lloyd Norton 22 0
84 United Kingdom Geoff Read Norton 24 0
85 United Kingdom Dave Chadwick Norton 25 Ret 0
86 Wales Frank Perris Matchless 26 Ret 0
87 United Kingdom Eric Pantilin Norton 27 0
88 United Kingdom Albert Moule BSA 28 0
89 United Kingdom John Surtees Norton 29 Ret Ret 0
90 United Kingdom Bob Rowbottom Norton 31 0
91 United Kingdom George Catlin Norton 32 0
92 United Kingdom Philip Palmer BSA 34 0
93 United Kingdom Ken Tully Norton 35 0
94 United Kingdom Terry Shepherd Norton 36 0
95 United Kingdom Jack Bailey Norton 37 0
96 United Kingdom Bill Beevers Norton 38 0
97 United Kingdom Bill Roberton Norton 39 0
98 United Kingdom Joe Glazebrook Norton 41 0
99 United Kingdom Ray Fay BSA 42 0
100 Dominion of Ceylon Ralph Wijesinghe BSA 44 0
101 United Kingdom Walter Hancock BSA 45 0
102 United Kingdom Willie Wilshere Norton 46 0
103 United Kingdom Frank Norris Norton 47 0
United Kingdom Tony McAlpine BMW Ret Ret Ret Ret 0
Australia Keith Campbell Norton Ret Ret Ret 0
New Zealand Chris Stormont BSA Ret Ret Ret 0
Morocco Francis Flahaut Norton Ret Ret 0
Sweden Ulf Gate Matchless Ret Ret 0
Switzerland Hans Haldemann Norton Ret Ret 0
Australia Dick Thomson Matchless Ret Ret 0
United Kingdom Fergus Anderson Moto Guzzi Ret 0
Spain Fernando Aranda Norton Ret 0
Germany Bruno Böhrer Horex Ret 0
Italy Paolo Campanelli Gilera Ret 0
United Kingdom Roly Capner BSA Ret 0
United Kingdom Louis Carr Norton Ret 0
Northern Ireland Louis Carter Norton Ret 0
Northern Ireland Phil Carter Matchless Ret 0
United Kingdom Eric Cheers Matchless Ret 0
Italy Franco Chinelli Gilera Ret 0
Spain Javier de Ortueta Norton Ret 0
Dominion of Ceylon Rally Dean Norton Ret 0
United Kingdom Stanley Dibben Norton Ret 0
Netherlands Anton Elbersen Norton Ret 0
Italy Lodovico Facchinelli Gilera Ret 0
Italy Luigi Folconi Moto Guzzi Ret 0
Northern Ireland Bob Ferguson AJS Ret 0
United Kingdom Jack Forrest BMW Ret 0
Isle of Man Frank Fox Norton Ret 0
Italy Martino Giani Gilera Ret 0
Spain Francisco González Norton Ret 0
Gibraltar John Grace Norton Ret 0
Italy Francesco Guglielminetti Norton Ret 0
Northern Ireland Wilf Herron Norton Ret 0
United Kingdom Eric Houseley Matchless Ret 0
United Kingdom Roy Ingram Norton Ret 0
United Kingdom Arnold Jones Matchless Ret 0
Finland Harald Karlsson Norton Ret 0
Germany Rudolf Knees Norton Ret 0
United Kingdom George Leigh Norton Ret 0
Northern Ireland Robert McCracken Triumph Ret 0
United Kingdom George Northwood BSA Ret 0
Belgium Pierre Nicholas Norton Ret 0
United Kingdom Tony Ovens Norton Ret 0
United Kingdom Harry Plews Norton Ret 0
Australia Maurice Quincey Norton Ret 0
Canada Gerald Robarts Norton Ret 0
Republic of Ireland Michael Roche Norton Ret 0
United Kingdom Charlie Salt BSA Ret 0
United Kingdom George Salt Matchless Ret 0
Republic of Ireland W. Stewart Norton Ret 0
Netherlands Martinus van Son Norton Ret 0
Republic of Ireland John Williamson Norton Ret 0
Isle of Man Jackie Wood Norton Ret 0
Germany Erich Wünsche Norton Ret 0
Germany Georg Braun Horex DNS 0
Australia Allen Burt Matchless DNS 0
Argentina Ricardo Galvagni Norton DNS 0
Finland Sakari Järvimaa Matchless DNS 0
Argentina Armando Poggi Norton DNS 0
Dominion of Ceylon R. Siriwardena Norton DNS 0
Northern Ireland W.H. Spence Norton DNS 0
United Kingdom Des Wright BSA DNS 0
Pos Rider Bike ESP
Spain
FRA
France
MAN
United Kingdom
GER
Germany
BEL
Belgium
HOL
Netherlands
ULS
Ulster
NAC
Italy
Pts
Colour Result
Gold Winner
Silver Second place
Bronze Third place
Green Points finish
Blue Non-points finish
Non-classified finish (NC)
Purple Retired (Ret)
Red Did not qualify (DNQ)
Did not pre-qualify (DNPQ)
Black Disqualified (DSQ)
White Did not start (DNS)
Withdrew (WD)
Race cancelled (C)
Blank Did not practice (DNP)
Did not arrive (DNA)
Excluded (EX)

Bold – Pole
Italics – Fastest Lap

350cc Standings

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Place Rider Number Country Machine Points Wins
1 United Kingdom Bill Lomas 72 United Kingdom Moto Guzzi 32 4
2 United Kingdom Dickie Dale United Kingdom Moto Guzzi 18 1
3 West Germany August Hobl Germany DKW 17 0
4 Australia Ken Kavanagh Australia Moto Guzzi 14 1
5 United Kingdom Cecil Sandford United Kingdom Moto Guzzi 13 0
6 United Kingdom John Surtees United Kingdom Norton 11 0
7 Italy Duilio Agostini Italy Moto Guzzi 8 1
8 United Kingdom Bob McIntyre United Kingdom Norton 8 0
9 United Kingdom John Hartle United Kingdom Norton 7 0
10 Italy Roberto Colombo Italy Moto Guzzi 7 0
11 Australia Keith Campbell Australia Norton 4 0
12 Italy Enrico Lorenzetti Italy Moto Guzzi 3 0
= Belgium Auguste Goffin Belgium Velocette 3 0
14 New Zealand Peter Murphy New Zealand AJS 3 0
= West Germany Karl Hofmann Germany DKW 3 0
16 Australia Maurice Quincey Australia Norton 2 0
17 Netherlands Hans Bartl Netherlands DKW 2 0
18 France Jacques Collot France Norton 1 0

250cc Standings

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Place Rider Number Country Machine Points Wins
1 West Germany Hermann Paul Müller Germany NSU 16 1
2 United Kingdom Cecil Sandford United Kingdom Moto Guzzi 14 0
3 United Kingdom Bill Lomas United Kingdom MV Agusta 13 1
4 Switzerland Luigi Taveri Switzerland MV Agusta 11 1
5 Italy Umberto Masetti Italy MV Agusta 11 0
6 United Kingdom Sammy Miller United Kingdom NSU 10 0
7 United Kingdom John Surtees United Kingdom NSU 8 1
= Italy Carlo Ubbiali Italy MV Agusta 8 1
9 West Germany Hans Baltisberger Germany NSU 6 0
= West Germany Wolfgang Brandt Germany NSU 6 0
11 United Kingdom Arthur Wheeler United Kingdom Moto Guzzi 6 0
12 Italy Enrico Lorenzetti Italy Moto Guzzi 3 0
13 United Kingdom Dave Chadwick United Kingdom RD Special 2 0
14 United Kingdom Bill Webster United Kingdom Velocette 1 0
= West Germany Helmut Hallmeier Germany NSU 1 0

125cc

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Riders' standings

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Pos. Rider Bike ESP
Spain
FRA
France
MAN
United Kingdom
GER
Germany
NED
Netherlands
NAT
Italy
Pts
1 Italy Carlo Ubbiali MV Agusta 3 1 1F 1F 1 1F 32 (44)
2 Switzerland Luigi Taveri MV Agusta 1 2 2 2 NCF 26
3 Italy Remo Venturi MV Agusta 3 2 2 16
4 Italy Giuseppe Lattanzi Mondial 4 3 3 11
5 Italy Angelo Copeta MV Agusta 5 5 3 8
6 Italy Romolo Ferri Mondial 2F 6F 7
7 United Kingdom Bill Webster MV Agusta 5 4 5
8 Austria Rudolf Grimas Mondial 3 4
9 Italy Tarquinio Provini Mondial 4 3
9 United Kingdom Bill Lomas MV Agusta 4 3
9 West Germany Karl Lottes MV Agusta 4 3
9 West Germany August Hobl DKW 4 3
13 East Germany Bernhard Petruschke IFA 5 2
13 West Germany Willi Scheidhauer MV Agusta 5 2
13 West Germany Sigfried Wünsche DKW 5 2
16 Spain Marcelo Cama Montesa 6 1
16 United Kingdom Ross Porter MV Agusta 6 1
16 East Germany Erhard Krumpholz IFA 6 1
16 West Germany Erich Wünsche MV Agusta 6 1
16 Italy Paolo Campanelli Mondial 6 1
Pos. Rider Bike ESP
Spain
FRA
France
MAN
United Kingdom
GER
Germany
NED
Netherlands
NAT
Italy
Pts
Race key
Colour Result
Gold Winner
Silver 2nd place
Bronze 3rd place
Green Points finish
Blue Non-points finish
Non-classified finish (NC)
Purple Retired (Ret)
Red Did not qualify (DNQ)
Did not pre-qualify (DNPQ)
Black Disqualified (DSQ)
White Did not start (DNS)
Withdrew (WD)
Race cancelled (C)
Blank Did not practice (DNP)
Did not arrive (DNA)
Excluded (EX)
Annotation Meaning
P Pole position
F Fastest lap
Rider key
Colour Meaning
Light blue Rookie rider

Constructors' standings

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Each constructor is awarded the same number of points as their best placed rider in each race.

Pos. Constructor ESP
Spain
FRA
France
MAN
United Kingdom
GER
Germany
NED
Netherlands
NAT
Italy
Pts
1 Italy MV Agusta 1 1 1 1 1 1 32 (48)
2 Italy Mondial 2 3 3 3 6 18 (19)
3 West Germany DKW 4 3
4 East Germany IFA 5 2
5 Spain Montesa 6 1
Pos. Constructor ESP
Spain
FRA
France
MAN
United Kingdom
GER
Germany
NED
Netherlands
NAT
Italy
Pts

References

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  • Haefliger, Werner. "Lightweight class". FIM MotoGP Results 1949–2023 Guide (2024 ed.). pp. 22–24. ISBN 978-2-9701086-8-9.
  • Büla, Maurice & Schertenleib, Jean-Claude (2001). Continental Circus 1949–2000. Chronosports S.A. ISBN 2-940125-32-5
  • "The Official MotoGP website". Retrieved 2010-07-06.