50 cc Grand Prix motorcycle racing: Difference between revisions

The relative low cost and increasing availability of 50 cc motorcycles in the post-war period, spawned a number of club [[Motorcycle sport#Tarmac|road racing]] events for this size of machine in the early 1950s. With the earliest events being held in Italy<ref name="Classic Racer100">{{cite journal | last =Dobson | first =Peter | author-link =Peter Dobson (journalist)|date=Spring 1987 | title =Moped Racer| journal =Classic Racer| volume =1 | issue =17 | pages = 51 }}</ref> and in the UK.<ref name="Classic Racer200">{{cite journal | last =Woolley | first =Brian | author-link =Brian Woolley|date=Summer 1986 | title =Early 50 cc racing| journal =Classic Racer| volume =1 | issue =14 | pages = 30–32 }}</ref> The potential of this class for providing entertaining but affordable racing was soon recognised with several national championships and in 1961 the FIM introduced The Coupe d' Europe, a series of international events for 50 cc machines, each with a minimum duration and run to established Grand Prix rules and regulations.<ref name="Motorcycle Enthusiast300">{{cite journal | last =Walker | first =Mick | author-link =Mick Walker (motorcycling)|date=March 1987 | title =Classic Archives - racing 25 years ago| journal =Motorcycle Enthusiast| pages = 36–37 }}</ref> The series attracted a variety of entries, but the dominating force were the works [[Kreidler]] team bikes. Based on a standard Kreidler Florett road bike, their single [[Cylinder (engine)|cylinder]] Kreidler Renn-Florett'sFloretts featured lightweight frames, a special [[cylinder head]] and barrel, twin 16&nbsp;mm Bing [[carburettor]]s feeding the engine through [[rotary valve]]s and improved suspension and brakes. By the end of the season, with the addition of rudimentary streamlining and the increase of carburettor size to 17&nbsp;mm, the {{convert|9|hp|abbr=on}} four-speed [[two-stroke]] bikes could top over 85&nbsp;mph.<ref name="Kreidler, Strassen-Rennmaschinen von 1959-65 100">{{cite web

After the withdrawal of Honda (and Bridgestone) after the 1966 season, Suzuki was the only Japanese firmsfirm fromentered in the 1967 50 cc category, atwinning each and every GP, often with a one-lap advantage on its closest competitors. At the end of [[19681967 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season|19681967]], cost-saving technological restrictions were introduced by the FIM, to be applied as from 1969. It led Suzuki to retire as well, leaving factory machines and parts to Hans-Georg Anscheidt and Stuart Graham for the [[1968 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season|1968]]. Spanish rider [[Angel Nieto]] came to the fore, and between [[1969 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season|1969]] and [[1976 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season|1976]], won the championship six times. His season long battle for the [[1972 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season|1972]] championship with Dutchman [[Jan de Vries (motorcyclist)|Jan de Vries]], being perhaps the closest fought championship in any form of [[Motorcycle sport|motor racing]]. By the end of the season both riders were tied with equal points, an equal number of wins and an equal number of second-place finishes and the championship winner was determined by adding together and comparing the times for the six races in which the pair had been placed. Nieto was calculated to have won the title by 21½ seconds from his rival.

|1972||[[Angel Nieto]]||{{ESP}}||Kreidler [[Derbi]] ||[[Jan de Vries (motorcyclist)|Jan de Vries]]||{{NED}}||[[Kreidler]]||[[Theo Timmer]]||{{NED}}||[[Jamathi]]