Roger De Coster won his third consecutive 500cc world championship for Suzuki ahead of West German rider, Willy Bauer. The championship wasn't decided until the final race in the Netherlands, when Bauer suffered a mechanical breakdown, losing the championship to De Coster by two points.[1]Kawasaki joined the world championships with Brad Lackey in the 500cc class and Torleif Hansen in the 250cc class.
Suzuki's defense of the 500cc world championship was dealt a setback when, the FIM announced a new motorcycle minimum weight limit of 209 pounds just before the start of the season.[2] European motorcycle manufacturers competing in the championship complained to the FIM that Suzuki was spending millions of dollars to build lightweight motorcycles that the smaller European manufacturers found impossible to compete with.[2] Suzuki had already developed and built their race bikes so, there was no time to build new bikes. As a result, Suzuki resorted to adding ballast to the bikes.[2] Unfortunately, these alterations threw the bikes out of balance and caused them to lose traction.[2][3] To make matters worse, Maico and Yamaha had developed new rear suspensions with longer travel which helped transfer power to the rear wheel over rough terrain.[2][3] The Suzuki management felt they were being unjustly treated by the FIM and were slow to react to developments by the other manufacturers.[2][3][4]
Most of the Western European riders boycotted the Austrian 500cc round due to heavy snow on the track.[5] As the season got underway, Yamaha's new "monoshock" rear suspension began to make an impact with Christer Hammargren winning a moto and Jaak van Velthoven taking the overall win at the Finnish Grand Prix.[2] De Coster won both motos of the Italian Grand Prix but, Bauer came back with a hard fought victory in Czechoslovakia, relegating De Coster to second place in both motos and took the lead in the championship points tally.[2] Bauer then took control of the championship by winning 5 out of the next 6 motos.[5] Suzuki management's frustration at their perceived unfair treatment led to a lapse in support and, Suzuki team riders De Coster and Sylvain Geboers then took matters into their own hands by modifying their motorcycle's frames and developed new rear suspensions.[2][3]
Going into the final race of the season at Sint Anthonis, Holland, Bauer was still holding the points lead but, the Suzukis were showing improvement. The Sint Anthonis track was composed of deep sand which robbed engines of power and increased fuel consumption.[2] A Suzuki engineer calculated that their bike's gas tanks did not have sufficient capacity to finish the race.[2] De Coster then took one of their tanks and drove two and a half hours to have the tank modified to increase its volume.[2] He then drove back in time for the race. Despite having little sleep, De Coster scored two fourth-place finishes while Bauer suffered a mechanical failure handing De Coster his third consecutive 500cc world championship.[2]
250cc championshipEdit
Håkan Andersson won the 250cc world championship to give Yamaha its first motocross world championship. Yamaha's new and innovative rear suspension with a single shock absorber made its debut at the third round in Belgium and was proven to be successful when Andersson won the overall victory.[6] The new suspension design would go on to revolutionize the sport.[6]Jim Pomeroy riding a privateerBultaco, became the first American rider to win an overall victory in an FIM Motocross Grand Prix race when he won the season opening Spanish Grand Prix.[7] His victory also marked the first Grand Prix victory for the Bultaco factory.[8] Competitors from nine different manufacturers placed in the top ten of the 250cc championship final standings, reflecting the thriving vitality of the sport of motocross.
^ ab"1973 500cc motocross world championship final standings". memotocross.fr. Retrieved 24 January 2016.
^ abcdefghijklm. mxworksbike.com. Archived from the original on 9 June 2019. Retrieved 26 January 2016.
^ abcd. supercross.com. Archived from the original on 9 June 2019. Retrieved 28 January 2016.
^. motoretroillustrated.com. Archived from the original on 9 December 2015. Retrieved 26 January 2016.
^ abcd"1973 500cc motocross world championship". akejonsson.com. Retrieved 25 January 2016.
^ ab. mxworksbike.com. Archived from the original on 2016-03-05. Retrieved 2016-02-27.
^"Jim Pomeroy at the Motorcycle Hall of Fame". motorcyclemuseum.org. Retrieved 28 January 2016.
^"Jim Pomeroy, Motocross Legend". ultimatemotorcycling.com. 14 February 2011. Retrieved 14 February 2016.
^"1973 500cc motocross world championship race results". memotocross.fr. Retrieved 25 January 2016.
^"1973 250cc motocross world championship race results". memotocross.fr. Retrieved 25 January 2016.
^. jwvanessen.com. Archived from the original on 17 January 2016. Retrieved 25 January 2016.
^"1973 500cc motocross world championship final standings" (PDF). memotocross.fr. Retrieved 15 January 2023.
^"1973 250cc motocross world championship final standings" (PDF). memotocross.fr. Retrieved 16 January 2023.
^. jwvanessen.com. Archived from the original on 16 January 2016. Retrieved 25 January 2016.
External linksEdit
www.motocrossmx1.com
October 22, 2023
1973, motocross, world, championship, 1973, motocross, world, championship, previous, 1972, next, 1974, 17th, motocross, racing, world, championship, season, contents, summary, 500cc, championship, 250cc, championship, grands, prix, 500cc, 250cc, final, standi. 1973 Motocross World Championship Previous 1972 Next 1974 The 1973 FIM Motocross World Championship was the 17th F I M Motocross Racing World Championship season Contents 1 Summary 1 1 500cc championship 1 2 250cc championship 2 Grands Prix 2 1 500cc 2 2 250cc 3 Final standings 3 1 500cc 3 2 250cc 4 References 5 External linksSummary Edit500cc championship Edit Roger De Coster won his third consecutive 500cc world championship for Suzuki ahead of West German rider Willy Bauer The championship wasn t decided until the final race in the Netherlands when Bauer suffered a mechanical breakdown losing the championship to De Coster by two points 1 Kawasaki joined the world championships with Brad Lackey in the 500cc class and Torleif Hansen in the 250cc class Suzuki s defense of the 500cc world championship was dealt a setback when the FIM announced a new motorcycle minimum weight limit of 209 pounds just before the start of the season 2 European motorcycle manufacturers competing in the championship complained to the FIM that Suzuki was spending millions of dollars to build lightweight motorcycles that the smaller European manufacturers found impossible to compete with 2 Suzuki had already developed and built their race bikes so there was no time to build new bikes As a result Suzuki resorted to adding ballast to the bikes 2 Unfortunately these alterations threw the bikes out of balance and caused them to lose traction 2 3 To make matters worse Maico and Yamaha had developed new rear suspensions with longer travel which helped transfer power to the rear wheel over rough terrain 2 3 The Suzuki management felt they were being unjustly treated by the FIM and were slow to react to developments by the other manufacturers 2 3 4 Most of the Western European riders boycotted the Austrian 500cc round due to heavy snow on the track 5 As the season got underway Yamaha s new monoshock rear suspension began to make an impact with Christer Hammargren winning a moto and Jaak van Velthoven taking the overall win at the Finnish Grand Prix 2 De Coster won both motos of the Italian Grand Prix but Bauer came back with a hard fought victory in Czechoslovakia relegating De Coster to second place in both motos and took the lead in the championship points tally 2 Bauer then took control of the championship by winning 5 out of the next 6 motos 5 Suzuki management s frustration at their perceived unfair treatment led to a lapse in support and Suzuki team riders De Coster and Sylvain Geboers then took matters into their own hands by modifying their motorcycle s frames and developed new rear suspensions 2 3 Going into the final race of the season at Sint Anthonis Holland Bauer was still holding the points lead but the Suzukis were showing improvement The Sint Anthonis track was composed of deep sand which robbed engines of power and increased fuel consumption 2 A Suzuki engineer calculated that their bike s gas tanks did not have sufficient capacity to finish the race 2 De Coster then took one of their tanks and drove two and a half hours to have the tank modified to increase its volume 2 He then drove back in time for the race Despite having little sleep De Coster scored two fourth place finishes while Bauer suffered a mechanical failure handing De Coster his third consecutive 500cc world championship 2 250cc championship Edit Hakan Andersson won the 250cc world championship to give Yamaha its first motocross world championship Yamaha s new and innovative rear suspension with a single shock absorber made its debut at the third round in Belgium and was proven to be successful when Andersson won the overall victory 6 The new suspension design would go on to revolutionize the sport 6 Jim Pomeroy riding a privateer Bultaco became the first American rider to win an overall victory in an FIM Motocross Grand Prix race when he won the season opening Spanish Grand Prix 7 His victory also marked the first Grand Prix victory for the Bultaco factory 8 Competitors from nine different manufacturers placed in the top ten of the 250cc championship final standings reflecting the thriving vitality of the sport of motocross Grands Prix Edit500cc Edit Round Date Grand Prix Location Race 1 Winner Race 2 Winner Overall Winner Report1 April 1 nbsp French Grand Prix Tarare nbsp Christer Hammargren nbsp Roger De Coster nbsp Gerrit Wolsink Report2 April 15 nbsp Austrian Grand Prix Sittendorf nbsp Jiri Stodulka nbsp Jiri Stodulka nbsp Jiri Stodulka Report3 May 20 nbsp Finnish Grand Prix Ruskeasanta nbsp Christer Hammargren nbsp Roger De Coster nbsp Jaak van Velthoven Report4 May 27 nbsp Italian Grand Prix Pinerolo nbsp Roger De Coster nbsp Roger De Coster nbsp Roger De Coster Report5 June 3 nbsp Czechoslovakian Grand Prix Holice nbsp Willy Bauer nbsp Willy Bauer nbsp Willy Bauer Report6 June 24 nbsp United States Grand Prix Carlsbad nbsp Willy Bauer nbsp Willy Bauer nbsp Willy Bauer Report7 July 15 nbsp West German Grand Prix Bielstein nbsp Willy Bauer nbsp Roger De Coster nbsp Roger De Coster Report8 August 5 nbsp Belgian Grand Prix Namur nbsp Willy Bauer nbsp Willy Bauer nbsp Willy Bauer Report9 August 12 nbsp Luxembourg Grand Prix Ettelbruck nbsp Ake Jonsson nbsp Ake Jonsson nbsp Ake Jonsson Report10 August 12 nbsp Dutch Grand Prix Sint Anthonis nbsp Ake Jonsson nbsp Gerrit Wolsink nbsp Ake Jonsson Report 5 9 250cc Edit Round Date Grand Prix Location Race 1 Winner Race 2 Winner Overall Winner Report1 April 8 nbsp Spanish Grand Prix Sabadell nbsp Jim Pomeroy nbsp Adolf Weil nbsp Jim Pomeroy Report2 April 15 nbsp Italian Grand Prix Serramazzoni nbsp Heikki Mikkola nbsp Pavel Rulev nbsp Adolf Weil Report3 April 29 nbsp Belgian Grand Prix Wuustwezel nbsp Heikki Mikkola nbsp Hakan Andersson nbsp Hakan Andersson Report4 May 6 nbsp Swiss Grand Prix Payerne nbsp Hakan Andersson nbsp Hakan Andersson nbsp Hakan Andersson Report5 May 13 nbsp Polish Grand Prix Szczecin nbsp Hakan Andersson nbsp Hakan Andersson nbsp Hakan Andersson Report6 May 20 nbsp Yugoslavian Grand Prix Orehova vas nbsp Gennady Moiseyev nbsp Hakan Andersson nbsp Gennady Moiseyev Report7 June 17 nbsp French Grand Prix Cassel nbsp Adolf Weil nbsp Hakan Andersson nbsp Adolf Weil Report8 August 5 nbsp Finnish Grand Prix Hyvinkaa nbsp Hakan Andersson nbsp Hakan Andersson nbsp Hakan Andersson Report9 August 12 nbsp Russian Grand Prix Leningrad nbsp Adolf Weil nbsp Adolf Weil nbsp Adolf Weil Report10 August 19 nbsp Swedish Grand Prix Ulricehamn nbsp Hakan Andersson nbsp Hakan Andersson nbsp Hakan Andersson Report11 August 26 nbsp Austrian Grand Prix Launsdorf nbsp Adolf Weil nbsp Heikki Mikkola nbsp Adolf Weil Report 10 11 Final standings EditPoints are awarded to the top 10 classified finishers Position 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 7th 8th 9th 10th Points 15 12 10 8 6 5 4 3 2 1500cc Edit Pos Rider Machine FRA nbsp AUT nbsp FIN nbsp ITA nbsp CZE nbsp USA nbsp GER nbsp BEL nbsp LUX nbsp NED nbsp Points1 nbsp Roger De Coster Suzuki 1 1 1 1 2 2 2 2 1 2 3 4 4 1452 nbsp Willy Bauer Maico 4 4 5 3 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 1433 nbsp Jaak van Velthoven Yamaha 2 2 2 3 3 4 3 10 6 5 2 2 3 2 3 1224 nbsp Ake Jonsson Yamaha 3 7 8 7 7 3 2 4 1 1 1 2 1095 nbsp Gerrit Wolsink Maico 6 2 4 4 5 6 4 6 2 4 3 5 3 4 1 1056 nbsp Christer Hammargren Yamaha 1 1 3 5 8 5 4 3 7 3 877 nbsp Jiri Stodulka CZ 1 1 3 10 7 6 5 568 nbsp Werner Schutz Maico 5 6 6 7 6 5 6 6 4 6 9 569 nbsp Oldrich Hamrsmid CZ 3 5 2 5 6 9 7 4510 nbsp Otakar Toman CZ 9 9 3 4 5 8 7 8 5 10 4511 nbsp John Banks BSA 4 3 4 4 9 3612 nbsp Bengt Aberg Husqvarna 8 5 2 8 9 5 8 3513 nbsp Brad Lackey Kawasaki 8 9 8 8 7 10 6 6 2614 nbsp Frans Sigmans Yamaha 4 7 8 5 8 2415 nbsp Walter Leitgeb Puch 3 2 2216 nbsp Anatoly Botchkov CZ 3 10 8 6 2017 nbsp Bert Ove Wallner Husqvarna 7 7 8 6 1618 nbsp Friedrich Schiechtl Husqvarna 4 6 1319 nbsp Giuseppe Cavallero Maico 2 12 nbsp Vladimir Ovchinnikov CZ 5 5 12 nbsp Vic Eastwood Maico AJS 7 9 9 7 1222 nbsp Peter Willems Yamaha 9 9 5 1023 nbsp Fritz Graf Yamaha 4 10 924 nbsp Willy van Loon CZ 8 6 825 nbsp Paolo Piron Husqvarna Bultaco 10 6 10 726 nbsp Daniel Pean Maico 5 6 nbsp Pierre Karsmakers Yamaha 7 9 6 nbsp Yvan Van den Broeck Husqvarna Maico 9 7 629 nbsp Arne Lindfors Yamaha 6 5 nbsp John DeSoto CZ 9 8 531 nbsp Serge Bacou Bultaco 7 4 nbsp Tony Van Erp Maico 7 4 nbsp Raymond Heeren Maico 8 10 4 nbsp Julien de Roover CZ 8 10 4 nbsp Arne Kring Husqvarna 10 10 9 4 nbsp Siegfried Lerner KTM 7 4 nbsp Anatoly Mandritchenko CZ 9 10 10 438 nbsp Nikolai Efimov CZ 10 9 3 nbsp Alberto Angiolini Maico 8 3 nbsp Zdenek Strnad CZ 9 10 341 nbsp Viatcheslav Krasnotchekov CZ 10 1 nbsp Jimmy Weinert Kawasaki 10 1Sources 1 5 12 250cc Edit Pos Rider Machine ESP nbsp ITA nbsp BEL nbsp CH nbsp POL nbsp YUG nbsp FRA nbsp FIN nbsp USSR nbsp SWE nbsp AUT nbsp Points1 nbsp Hakan Andersson Yamaha 6 2 3 6 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 1 1 1 1 1 4 1772 nbsp Adolf Weil Maico 5 1 4 2 5 3 2 2 4 1 2 2 1 1 5 4 1 2 1573 nbsp Heikki Mikkola Husqvarna 3 1 1 2 3 3 2 4 3 3 4 3 2 2 3 5 1 1434 nbsp Torleif Hansen Kawasaki 4 4 6 5 6 3 4 3 3 2 2 2 3 1115 nbsp Gennady Moiseyev KTM 2 4 2 2 1 3 2 4 3 6 1046 nbsp Jaroslav Falta CZ 7 3 6 4 4 5 4 2 6 6 5 8 6 4 867 nbsp Jim Pomeroy Bultaco 1 4 5 5 7 6 5 5 3 10 8 10 718 nbsp Pavel Rulev KTM 9 6 1 8 4 7 7 7 7 49 nbsp Uno Palm Puch 8 6 8 10 8 5 5 9 7 3 5 4910 nbsp Kalevi Vehkonen Montesa 10 5 3 5 3 8 6 9 4311 nbsp Hans Maisch Maico 2 3 10 7 4 35 nbsp Leonid Shinkarenko CZ 8 7 5 5 7 6 5 10 3513 nbsp Evgeniy Rybalchenko CZ 9 7 9 7 9 6 10 7 6 8 3214 nbsp Harry Everts Puch 8 9 9 7 7 8 4 9 9 3015 nbsp Antonin Baborowsky CZ 8 3 10 9 9 8 5 27 nbsp Jean Claude Laquaye Yamaha 8 5 7 6 7 10 7 2717 nbsp Torao Suzuki Yamaha 7 4 4 10 8 2418 nbsp Joel Robert Suzuki 10 5 4 15 nbsp Jo Lammers Montesa 10 8 9 7 8 9 1520 nbsp Gaston Rahier Suzuki 10 10 10 10 9 6 11 nbsp Miroslav Halm CZ 8 8 7 10 1122 nbsp Sylvain Geboers Suzuki 6 6 1023 nbsp Andy Roberton Husqvarna 10 9 10 6 924 nbsp Herbert Schmitz Maico 7 8 725 nbsp Zdeneck Velky CZ 9 9 9 626 nbsp Alexej Kibirin CZ 6 527 nbsp Lars Ohberg Montesa 8 3 nbsp Jorma Jarvinen Montesa 8 329 nbsp Yuri Khudiakov CZ 9 2 nbsp Claude Jobe Montesa 9 2 nbsp Raymond Boven Montesa 9 232 nbsp Marcel Wiertz Bultaco 10 1 nbsp Stef Van der Sluis Yamaha 10 1 nbsp Olle Pettersson Kawasaki 10 1Sources 13 14 References Edit a b 1973 500cc motocross world championship final standings memotocross fr Retrieved 24 January 2016 a b c d e f g h i j k l m 1973 Suzuki RN 73 mxworksbike com Archived from the original on 9 June 2019 Retrieved 26 January 2016 a b c d Roger De Coster Interview supercross com Archived from the original on 9 June 2019 Retrieved 28 January 2016 The First US GP motoretroillustrated com Archived from the original on 9 December 2015 Retrieved 26 January 2016 a b c d 1973 500cc motocross world championship akejonsson com Retrieved 25 January 2016 a b Torsten Hallman 2005 mxworksbike com Archived from the original on 2016 03 05 Retrieved 2016 02 27 Jim Pomeroy at the Motorcycle Hall of Fame motorcyclemuseum org Retrieved 28 January 2016 Jim Pomeroy Motocross Legend ultimatemotorcycling com 14 February 2011 Retrieved 14 February 2016 1973 500cc motocross world championship race results memotocross fr Retrieved 25 January 2016 1973 250cc motocross world championship race results memotocross fr Retrieved 25 January 2016 1973 250cc motocross world championship race results jwvanessen com Archived from the original on 17 January 2016 Retrieved 25 January 2016 1973 500cc motocross world championship final standings PDF memotocross fr Retrieved 15 January 2023 1973 250cc motocross world championship final standings PDF memotocross fr Retrieved 16 January 2023 1973 250cc motocross world championship final standings jwvanessen com Archived from the original on 16 January 2016 Retrieved 25 January 2016 External links Editwww wbr motocrossmx1 wbr com Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title 1973 FIM Motocross World Championship amp oldid 1172540630, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
