1951 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season

The 1951 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season was the third 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 8 April, with Spanish Grand Prix and ended with Nations Grand Prix on 9 September. As of 2024, this is the most recent season the premier class was won by a non-Japanese or non-Italian constructor.

1951 Grand Prix season calendar

Round Date Grand Prix Circuit 125cc winner 250cc winner 350cc winner 500cc winner Sidecars 500cc winner Report
1 8 April Spanish Grand Prix Montjuïc Guido Leoni Tommy Wood Umberto Masetti Oliver / Dobelli Report
2 27 May Swiss Grand Prix Bremgarten Dario Ambrosini Leslie Graham Fergus Anderson Frigerio / Ricotti Report
3 8 June Isle of Man TT Snaefell Mountain Cromie McCandless Tommy Wood Geoff Duke Geoff Duke Report
4 1 July Belgian Grand Prix Spa-Francorchamps Geoff Duke Geoff Duke Oliver / Dobelli Report
5 7 July Dutch TT Assen Gianni Leoni Bill Doran Geoff Duke Report
6 14 July French Grand Prix Albi Bruno Ruffo Geoff Duke Alfredo Milani Oliver / Dobelli Report
7 18 August Ulster Grand Prix Clady Cromie McCandless † Bruno Ruffo Geoff Duke Geoff Duke Report
8 9 September Nations Grand Prix Monza Carlo Ubbiali Enrico Lorenzetti Geoff Duke Alfredo Milani Milani / Pizzocri Report

† The race saw only four competitors and was not counted as a round of the World Championship.

Standings

Scoring system

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

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

500cc final standings

Pos Rider Machine ESP
 SUI
 MAN
 BEL
 HOL
 FRA
 ULS
 NAC
 Pts
1 Geoff Duke Norton Ret 1 1 1 5 1 4 35
2 Alfredo Milani Gilera Ret Ret 2 2 1 4 1 31
3 Umberto Masetti Gilera 1 9 Ret 4 3 2 21
4 Bill Doran AJS 2 Ret Ret 2 6 6 14
5 Nello Pagani Gilera Ret Ret 5 10 3 8 3 10
6 Reg Armstrong AJS 2 Ret 4 Ret Ret 9
7 Fergus Anderson Moto Guzzi Ret 1 Ret Ret 7 8
8 Enrico Lorenzetti Norton / Moto Guzzi Ret 3 8 3 9 Ret 8
9 Tommy Wood Norton 2 11 14 16 6
10 Ken Kavanagh Norton Ret 2 Ret 6
11 Johnny Lockett Norton Ret 6 4 10 5 11 6
12 Carlo Bandirola MV Agusta 5 4 Ret Ret 9 5
13 Sante Geminiani Moto Guzzi Ret Ret 3 Ret 13 4
14 Arciso Artesiani MV Agusta 3 Ret Ret Ret 4
= Cromie McCandless Norton 3 4
16 Tommy McEwans Norton 4 3
= Roger Montané Norton 4 3
18 Jack Brett Norton 7 5 6 Ret 8 3
19 Bruno Ruffo Moto Guzzi Ret 5 2
20 Manliff Barrington Norton 5 2
= Benoit Musy Moto Guzzi 5 2
22 Len Perry Norton 9 12 6 Ret 1
23 Willy Lips Norton 6 1
= Ashley Len Parry Norton 6 1
= Ernesto Vidal Gilera 6 1
26 Arthur Wheeler Norton Ret 7 14 11 Ret 0
27 Hans Baltisberger Norton 7 0
= Eric Briggs Norton 7 0
= Louis Carter Norton 7 0
= Libero Liberati Gilera 7 0
31 Albert Moule Norton 8 9 0
32 Bill Petch AJS/ Norton Ret Ret 8 Ret 15 0
33 Lous van Riswijk Triumph Ret 8 0
34 Massimo Forster Gilera 8 0
35 Väinö Hollming Norton / Moto Guzzi 9 Ret 0
36 Cees Fokke-Bosch Norton 9 0
37 Rod Coleman Norton / AJS Ret 10 11 Ret Ret 0
38 Sidney Mason Norton 10 Ret 0
39 Ken Armstrong Norton 10 0
= Phil Carter Norton 10 0
= Les Dear Norton 10 0
42 Ray Amm Norton 28 11 11 12 12 0
43 Guy Newman Norton 11 0
44 Jack Bailey Norton Ret 12 0
= Roy Evans Norton / AJS 12 Ret 0
46 Alexandre Mayer Norton 12 0
47 Harold Grindley Norton Ret 13 0
48 Dante Bianchi Moto Guzzi 13 0
= Dennis Lashmar Norton 13 0
50 Maurice Acheson AJS 14 0
= Giuseppe Colnago Gilera 14 0
= Auguste Goffin Norton 14 0
53 Bill Hall Velocette Ret 15 0
54 Jean Behra Moto Guzzi 15 0
= León Martin Gilera 15 0
= Roy Walker Velocette 15 0
57 Giulie Galbiati Moto Guzzi Ret 17 Ret 16 0
58 Felice Benasedo Moto Guzzi Ret 31 16 Ret Ret 0
59 Robert Ferguson AJS 16 0
= Sid Franklen AJS 16 0
61 Ernie Barrett AJS Ret 17 0
62 Syl Anderton Norton 17 0
= Lodovico Facchinelli Gilera 17 0
= Jack Harding AJS 17 0
65 Georges Houel Gilera Ret 18 0
66 Charlie Gray AJS 18 0
= George Brockerton Bitza 18 0
= Jaak Delsing Triumph 18 0
69 Leo Starr AJS 27 19 0
70 Ernie Thomas Velocette / Norton Ret 19 Ret 0
71 George Paterson AJS 19 0
72 Sven Sørensen Norton 20 0
= Albert Vertriest Triumph 20 0
74 Evert Carlsson Norton 21 0
= Ronald Pike BSA 21 0
76 Ray Petty Norton 22 0
77 Arnold Jones Norton 23 0
78 Achie Fenn Norton 24 0
79 Jim Kentish AJS 25 0
80 Humphrey Ranson AJS / Norton 26 Ret 0
81 Eddie Stidolph Norton 29 0
82 Max Klein AJS 30 0
83 Leslie Harris Norton 32 Ret 0
84 Ernie Braine Norton 33 0
85 John Fisher Velocette 34 0
86 Joe Chapman Rudge-Whitworth 35 0
87 Bill Maddrick Velocette 36 0
88 J. Gunn Norton 37 0
89 Bob McDonald AJS 38 0
90 Bill Beevers AJS / Norton Ret 39 0
– Leslie Graham MV Agusta / Norton Ret Ret Ret Ret Ret Ret Ret 0
– Bruno Bertacchini MV Agusta Ret Ret Ret Ret 0
– Bob Matthews Norton Ret Ret Ret Ret 0
– Eric Oliver Norton Ret Ret Ret Ret 0
– Mick Featherstone AJS Ret Ret 0
– Charlie Salt BSA / Velocette Ret Ret 0
– Edouard Texidor Norton Ret Ret 0
– Javier de Ortueta Norton DNS Ret 0
– Fernando Aranda Moto Guzzi Ret 0
– Raymond Becquevort AJS Ret 0
– Gaetano Biondelli Gilera Ret 0
– Charlie Brett Norton Ret 0
– Charlie Bruguiere AJS Ret 0
– Florian Camathias BMW Ret 0
– Bernard Carter Triumph Ret 0
– Phil Carter Norton Ret 0
– Jacques Collot Norton Ret 0
– Eugéne Cordang Triumph Ret 0
– Georges Cordey Norton Ret 0
– Firmin Dauwe Norton Ret 0
– Julien Deronne Norton Ret 0
– Jacques Drion Norton Ret 0
– Roger Ergé Norton Ret 0
– Lennart Fenning Norton Ret 0
– Tito Forconi Gilera Ret 0
– Frank Fry Norton Ret 0
– Werner Gerber Norton Ret 0
– Francesco Guglielminetti Gilera Ret 0
– Eric Hardy Norton Ret 0
– Philip Heath Vincent Ret 0
– Johnny Hodgkin Vincent Ret 0
– Chris Horn Norton Ret 0
– Sid Lawton AJS Ret 0
– George Leigh Norton Ret 0
– Guido Leoni Moto Guzzi Ret 0
– Harry Lindsay Norton Ret 0
– Maurice Lockwood AJS Ret 0
– Tony McAlpine Gilera Ret 0
– Reg McDonald Velocette Ret 0
– Stan Miller Norton Ret 0
– Georges Monneret Norton Ret 0
– George Morgan Velocette Ret 0
– Ken Mudford AJS Ret 0
– Alan Mullee Norton Ret 0
– Bill Mundy Norton Ret 0
– Arthur Pollitt Norton Ret 0
– Brian Purslow BSA Ret 0
– Jacques Raffeld AJS Ret 0
– Michael Roche Triumph Ret 0
– Elio Scopigno Moto Guzzi Ret 0
– Oliver Scott Norton Ret 0
– Ralf Seymour Velocette Ret 0
– Cyril Stevens Triumph Ret 0
– Heinrich Stamm Gilera Ret 0
– Jack Varlow AJS Ret 0
– Ernest Walker Norton Ret 0
– Leonard Williams Velocette Ret 0
Pos Rider Bike ESP
 SUI
 MAN
 BEL
 HOL
 FRA
 ULS
 NAC
 Pts
Colour Result
Gold Winner
Silver Second place
Bronze Third place
Green Points classification
Blue Non-points classification
Non-classified finish (NC)
Purple Retired, not classified (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

Constructors' 500cc World Championship

Pos Constructor Pts
1 Norton 38 (44)
2 Gilera 36 (40)
3 AJS 21 (23)
4 Moto Guzzi 18
5 MV Agusta 7
– BMW 0
– BSA 0
– Rudge-Whitworth 0
– Triumph 0
– Velocette 0
– Vincent 0

350cc Standings

Place Rider Number Country Machine Points Wins
1 Geoff Duke United Kingdom Norton 40 5
2 Bill Doran United Kingdom AJS 19 1
3 John Lockett United Kingdom Norton 19 0
4 Ken Kavanagh Australia Norton 16 0
5 Jack Brett United Kingdom Norton 15 0
6 Leslie Graham United Kingdom Velocette 14 1
7 Reg Armstrong Ireland AJS 11 0
8 Bill Petch United Kingdom AJS 10 0
9 Cecil Sandford United Kingdom Velocette 9 0
10 Tommy Wood United Kingdom Velocette 8 1
11 Bill Lomas United Kingdom Velocette 6 0
12 Rod Coleman New Zealand AJS 5 0
13 Mick Featherstone United Kingdom AJS 4 0
14 Fernando Aranda Spain Velocette 3 0
= Paul Fuhrer Switzerland Velocette 3 0
16 Sid Mason United Kingdom Velocette 2 0
= Jack Raffeld Belgium Velocette 2 0
= Simon Sandys-Winsch United Kingdom Velocette 2 0
19 Johnny Grace Gibraltar Norton 1 0
= Bob Matthews Ireland Velocette 1 0
= Bob Foster United Kingdom Velocette 1 0
= Leonhardt Faßl Austria AJS 1 0

250cc Standings

Place Rider Number Country Machine Points Wins
1 Bruno Ruffo Italy Moto Guzzi 22 2
2 Tommy Wood United Kingdom Moto Guzzi 18 1
3 Dario Ambrosini Italy Benelli 14 1
4 Enrico Lorenzetti Italy Moto Guzzi 12 1
5 Gianni Leoni Italy Moto Guzzi 10 0
6 Maurice Cann United Kingdom Moto Guzzi 6 0
= Arthur Wheeler United Kingdom Velocette 6 0
8 Fergus Anderson United Kingdom Moto Guzzi 3 0
= Wilf Hutt United Kingdom Moto Guzzi 3 0
= Alano Montanari Italy Moto Guzzi 3 0
= Benoit Musy Switzerland Moto Guzzi 3 0
12 Bill Lomas United Kingdom Velocette 2 0
= Cecil Sandford United Kingdom Velocette 2 0
= Douglas Beasley United Kingdom Velocette 2 0
= Bruno Francisci Italy Moto Guzzi 2 0
16 Fron Purslow United Kingdom Norton 1 0
= Norman Blemings Ireland Excelsior 1 0
= Werner Gerber Switzerland Moto Guzzi 1 0
= Nino Grieco Italy Parilla 1 0
= Guido Paciocca Italy Moto Guzzi 1 0

125cc

Riders' standings

Pos. Rider Bike ESP
 MAN
 NED
 NAT
 Pts
1 Carlo Ubbiali Mondial 2F 2 1F 20
2 Gianni Leoni Mondial 3 1F 12
3 Cromie McCandless Mondial 1F 4 11
4 Luigi Zinzani Morini 2 3 10
5 Guido Leoni Mondial 1 8
6 Vittorio Zanzi Morini 3 4 7
7 Romolo Ferri Mondial 2 6
8 Leslie Graham MV Agusta 3 4
9 Juan Bultó Montesa 5 5 4
10 Raffaele Alberti Mondial 4 3
10 Nello Pagani Mondial 4 3
12 Franco Bertoni MV Agusta 5 2
12 Otello Spadoni Mondial 5 2
14 José Antonio Elizalde Mondial 6 1
14 José Maria Llobet Montesa 6 1
14 Emilio Mendogni Morini 6 1
14 Giuseppe Matucci MV Agusta 6 1
Pos. Rider Bike ESP
 MAN
 NED
 NAT
 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

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

Pos. Constructor ESP
 MAN
 NED
 NAT
 Pts
1 Mondial 1 1 1 1 24 (32)
2 Morini 3 2 3 14
3 MV Agusta 3 6 5
4 Montesa 5 5 4
Pos. Constructor ESP
 MAN
 NED
 NAT
 Pts

References

  • Haefliger, Werner. FIM MotoGP Results 1949–2023 Guide (2024 ed.). pp. 9–10. 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". Archived from the original on 2021-06-20. Retrieved 2010-07-06.
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