1978 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season
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This article recaps the 1978 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season.
Contents |
[edit] Season summary
There was an air of excitement at the start of the 1978 Grand Prix season. The popularity of defending champion, Barry Sheene had boosted the appeal of motorcycle racing into the realm of the mass marketing media. The arrival of Kenny Roberts from America added to the anticipation.
A young Spaniard, Ricardo Tormo took five of seven rounds to claim the 50cc title for Bultaco. Italy's Eugenio Lazzarini won the 125cc crown aboard an MBA.
South Africa's Kork Ballington pulled off an impressive double, winning the 250cc and 350cc titles for Kawasaki, matching the double championships of Walter Villa in 1976 and Mike Hailwood in 1967.
Sheene opened the season with a win in Venezuela but then fell ill to a virus that weakened him for the first part of the year. American Pat Hennen also started strongly, with a win in Spain and two second place finishes. Unfortunately, Hennen's promising career was cut short when he suffered head injuries while competing in the Isle of Man TT during a break in the Grand Prix season. The title fight went down to the final race of the season with Roberts taking his first title with a third place at the Nürburgring, just ahead of his main rival, Sheene. It would also mark the first time an American rider had won the 500cc World Championship.
[edit] 1978 500cc Season review
| Round | Race | Location | Winning rider | Winning team | Report |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Venezuelan Grand Prix |
San Carlos |  Barry Sheene |
Suzuki | Report |
| 2 |  Spanish Grand Prix |
Jarama |  Pat Hennen |
Suzuki | Report |
| 3 |  Austrian Grand Prix |
Salzburgring | Kenny Roberts |
Yamaha | Report |
| 4 |  French Grand Prix |
Nogaro | Kenny Roberts |
Yamaha | Report |
| 5 |  Nations Grand Prix |
Mugello Circuit | Kenny Roberts |
Yamaha | Report |
| 6 |  Dutch TT |
Assen | Johnny Cecotto |
Yamaha | Report |
| 7 |  Belgian Grand Prix |
Spa | Wil Hartog |
Suzuki | Report |
| 8 |  Swedish Grand Prix |
Karlskoga | Barry Sheene |
Suzuki | Report |
| 9 |  Finnish Grand Prix |
Imatra | Wil Hartog |
Suzuki | Report |
| 10 | British Grand Prix |
Silverstone | Kenny Roberts |
Yamaha | Report |
| 11 |  West German Grand Prix |
Nürburgring | Virginio Ferrari |
Suzuki | Report |
[edit] 1978 500cc Roadracing World Championship final standings
| Place | Rider | Number | Country | Machine | Points | Wins |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kenny Roberts |
80 | United States | Yamaha | 110 | 4 |
| 2 | Barry Sheene |
7 | Britain | Suzuki | 100 | 2 |
| 3 | Johnny Cecotto |
4 | Venezuela | Yamaha | 66 | 1 |
| 4 | Wil Hartog |
10 | Netherlands | Suzuki | 65 | 2 |
| 5 |  Takazumi Katayama |
8 | Japan | Yamaha | 53 | 0 |
| 6 | Pat Hennen |
3 | United States | Suzuki | 51 | 1 |
| 7 | Steve Baker |
2 | United States | Suzuki | 42 | 0 |
| 8 | Teuvo Länsivuori |
9 | Finland | Suzuki | 39 | 0 |
| 9 | Marco Lucchinelli |
11 | Italy | Suzuki | 30 | 0 |
| 10 | Michel Rougerie |
13 | France | Suzuki | 23 | 0 |
[edit] 1978 350cc Season review
| Round | Race | Location | Winning rider | Winning team | Report |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Venezuelan Grand Prix |
San Carlos | Takazumi Katayama |
Yamaha | Report |
| 2 | Austrian Grand Prix |
Salzburgring |  Kork Ballington |
Kawasaki | Report |
| 3 | French Grand Prix |
Nogaro |  Gregg Hansford |
Kawasaki | Report |
| 4 | Nations Grand Prix |
Mugello | Kork Ballington |
Kawasaki | Report |
| 5 | Dutch TT |
Assen | Kork Ballington |
Kawasaki | Report |
| 6 | Swedish Grand Prix |
Karlskoga | Gregg Hansford |
Kawasaki | Report |
| 7 | Finnish Grand Prix |
Imatra | Kork Ballington |
Kawasaki | Report |
| 8 | British Grand Prix |
Silverstone | Kork Ballington |
Kawasaki | Report |
| 9 | West German Grand Prix |
Nürburgring | Takazumi Katayama |
Yamaha | Report |
| 10 |  Czechoslovakian Grand Prix |
Brno | Kork Ballington |
Kawasaki | Report |
| 11 |  Yugoslavian Grand Prix |
Rijeka | Gregg Hansford |
Kawasaki | Report |
[edit] 1978 350cc Roadracing World Championship final standings
| Place | Rider | Number | Country | Machine | Points | Wins |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kork Ballington |
5 | South Africa | Kawasaki | 134 | 6 |
| 2 | Takazumi Katayama |
1 | Japan | Yamaha | 77 | 2 |
| 3 | Gregg Hansford |
Australia | Kawasaki | 76 | 3 | |
| 4 | Jon Ekerold |
3 | South Africa | Yamaha | 64 | 0 |
| 5 |  Tom Herron |
2 | N. Ireland | Yamaha | 50 | 0 |
| 6 | Michel Rougerie |
4 | France | Yamaha | 47 | 0 |
| 7 | Franco Bonera |
Italy | Yamaha | 37 | 0 | |
| 8 | Patrick Fernandez |
8 | France | Yamaha | 36 | 0 |
| 9 | Victor Soussan |
12 | France | Yamaha | 34 | 0 |
| 10 | Olivier Chevallier |
6 | France | Yamaha | 27 | 0 |
[edit] 1978 250cc Season review
| Round | Race | Location | Winning rider | Winning team | Report |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Venezuelan Grand Prix |
San Carlos | Kenny Roberts |
Yamaha | Report |
| 2 | Spanish Grand Prix |
Jarama | Gregg Hansford |
Kawasaki | Report |
| 3 | French Grand Prix |
Nogaro | Gregg Hansford |
Kawasaki | Report |
| 4 | Nations Grand Prix |
Mugello | Kork Ballington |
Kawasaki | Report |
| 5 | Dutch TT |
Assen | Kenny Roberts |
Yamaha | Report |
| 6 | Belgian Grand Prix |
Spa | Paolo Pileri |
Morbidelli | Report |
| 7 | Swedish Grand Prix |
Karlskoga | Gregg Hansford |
Kawasaki | Report |
| 8 | Finnish Grand Prix |
Imatra | Kork Ballington |
Kawasaki | Report |
| 9 | British Grand Prix |
Silverstone | Anton Mang |
Kawasaki | Report |
| 10 | West German Grand Prix |
Nürburgring | Kork Ballington |
Kawasaki | Report |
| 11 | Czechoslovakian Grand Prix |
Brno | Kork Ballington |
Kawasaki | Report |
| 12 | Yugoslavian Grand Prix |
Rijeka | Gregg Hansford |
Kawasaki | Report |
[edit] 1978 250cc Roadracing World Championship final standings
| Place | Rider | Number | Country | Machine | Points | Wins |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kork Ballington |
6 | South Africa | Kawasaki | 124 | 4 |
| 2 | Gregg Hansford |
Australia | Kawasaki | 118 | 4 | |
| 3 | Patrick Fernandez |
10 | France | Yamaha | 55 | 0 |
| 4 | Kenny Roberts |
80 | United States | Yamaha | 54 | 2 |
| 5 | Anton Mang |
Germany | Kawasaki | 52 | 1 | |
| 6 | Tom Herron |
5 | N. Ireland | Yamaha | 48 | 0 |
| 7 | Mario Lega |
Italy | Morbidelli | 44 | 0 | |
| 8 | Franco Uncini |
Italy | Yamaha | 42 | 0 | |
| 9 | Jon Ekerold |
9 | South Africa | Yamaha | 40 | 0 |
| 10 | Paolo Pileri |
31 | Italy | Morbidelli | 35 | 1 |
[edit] 1978 125cc Season review
| Round | Race | Location | Winning rider | Winning team | Report |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Venezuelan Grand Prix |
San Carlos | Pierpaolo Bianchi |
Minarelli | Report |
| 2 | Spanish Grand Prix |
Jarama | Eugenio Lazzarini |
MBA | Report |
| 3 | Austrian Grand Prix |
Salzburgring | Eugenio Lazzarini |
MBA | Report |
| 4 | French Grand Prix |
Nogaro | Pierpaolo Bianchi |
Minarelli | Report |
| 5 | Nations Grand Prix |
Mugello | Eugenio Lazzarini |
MBA | Report |
| 6 | Dutch TT |
Assen | Eugenio Lazzarini |
MBA | Report |
| 7 | Belgian Grand Prix |
Spa | Pierpaolo Bianchi |
Minarelli | Report |
| 8 | Swedish Grand Prix |
Karlskoga | Pierpaolo Bianchi |
Minarelli | Report |
| 9 | Finnish Grand Prix |
Imatra | Angel Nieto |
Minarelli | Report |
| 10 | British Grand Prix |
Silverstone | Angel Nieto |
Minarelli | Report |
| 11 | West German Grand Prix |
Nürburgring | Angel Nieto |
Minarelli | Report |
| 12 | Yugoslavian Grand Prix |
Rijeka | Angel Nieto |
Minarelli | Report |
[edit] 1978 125cc Roadracing World Championship final standings
| Place | Rider | Number | Country | Machine | Points | Wins |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Eugenio Lazzarini |
2 | Italy | MBA | 114 | 4 |
| 2 | Angel Nieto |
3 | Spain | Minarelli | 88 | 4 |
| 3 | Pierpaolo Bianchi |
1 | Italy | Minarelli | 70 | 4 |
| 4 | Harald Bartol |
7 | Austria | Morbidelli | 68 | 0 |
| 5 | Thierry Espié |
27 | France | Motobecane | 62 | 0 |
| 6 | Maurizio Massimiani |
11 | Italy | Morbidelli | 56 | 0 |
| 7 |  Hans Müller |
8 | Switzerland | Morbidelli | 48 | 0 |
| 8 | Per-Edward Carlson |
Sweden | Morbidelli | 46 | 0 | |
| 9 | Jean-Louis Guignabodet |
France | Morbidelli | 42 | 0 | |
| 10 | Clive Horton |
Britain | MBA | 25 | 0 |
[edit] 1978 50cc Season review
| Round | Race | Location | Winning rider | Winning team | Report |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Spanish Grand Prix |
Jarama | Eugenio Lazzarini |
Kreidler | Report |
| 2 | Nations Grand Prix |
Mugello | Ricardo Tormo |
Bultaco | Report |
| 3 | Dutch TT |
Assen | Eugenio Lazzarini |
Kreidler | Report |
| 4 | Belgian Grand Prix |
Spa | Ricardo Tormo |
Bultaco | Report |
| 5 | West German Grand Prix |
Nürburgring | Ricardo Tormo |
Bultaco | Report |
| 6 | Czechoslovakian Grand Prix |
Brno | Ricardo Tormo |
Bultaco | Report |
| 7 | Yugoslavian Grand Prix |
Rijeka | Ricardo Tormo |
Bultaco | Report |
[edit] 1978 50cc Roadracing World Championship final standings
| Place | Rider | Number | Country | Machine | Points | Wins |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ricardo Tormo |
3 | Spain | Bultaco | 99 | 5 |
| 2 | Eugenio Lazzarini |
2 | Italy | Kreidler | 64 | 2 |
| 3 | Patrick Plisson |
5 | France | ABF | 48 | 0 |
| 4 | Wolfgang Müller |
20 | West Germany | Kreidler | 28 | 0 |
| 5 | Rolf Blatter |
17 | Switzerland | Kreidler | 25 | 0 |
| 6 | Stefan Dörflinger |
6 | Switzerland | Kreidler | 24 | 0 |
| 7 | Claudio Lusuardi |
18 | Italy | Bultaco | 20 | 0 |
| 8 | Peter Looyestein |
27 | Netherlands | Kreidler | 14 | 0 |
| 9 | Ingo Emmerich |
23 | West Germany | Kreidler | 14 | 0 |
| 10 | Aldo Pero |
15 | Italy | Kreidler | 13 | 0 |
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