1953 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season

Geoff Duke (pictured in 1951) won his second 500cc World Championship title in 1953.
Werner Haas, the 1953 125cc and 250cc World Champion.

The 1953 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season was the fifth F.I.M. Road Racing World Championship Grand Prix season. The season consisted of nine Grand Prix races in five classes: 500cc, 350cc, 250cc, 125cc and Sidecars 500cc. It began on 12 June, with Isle of Man TT and ended with Spanish Grand Prix on 4 October.

1953 Grand Prix season calendar

Round Date Grand Prix Circuit 125cc winner 250cc winner 350cc winner 500cc winner Sidecars 500cc winner Report
1 12 June Isle of Man Isle of Man TT Snaefell Mountain United Kingdom Leslie Graham United Kingdom Fergus Anderson Southern Rhodesia Ray Amm Southern Rhodesia Ray Amm Report
2 27 June Netherlands Dutch TT Assen West Germany Werner Haas West Germany Werner Haas Italy Enrico Lorenzetti United Kingdom Geoff Duke Report
3 5 July Belgium Belgian Grand Prix Spa-Francorchamps United Kingdom Fergus Anderson Italy Alfredo Milani United Kingdom Oliver / Dibben Report
4 19 July West Germany German Grand Prix Schottenring Italy Carlo Ubbiali West Germany Werner Haas Italy Carlo Bandirola West Germany Walter Zeller Report
5 2 August France French Grand Prix Rouen-Les-Essarts United Kingdom Fergus Anderson United Kingdom Geoff Duke United Kingdom Oliver / Dibben Report
6 15 August Northern Ireland Ulster Grand Prix Dundrod West Germany Werner Haas Republic of Ireland Reg Armstrong New Zealand Ken Mudford Australia Ken Kavanagh United Kingdom Smith / Nutt Report
7 23 August Switzerland Swiss Grand Prix Bremgarten Republic of Ireland Reg Armstrong United Kingdom Fergus Anderson United Kingdom Geoff Duke United Kingdom Oliver / Dibben Report
8 6 September Italy Nations Grand Prix Monza West Germany Werner Haas Italy Enrico Lorenzetti Italy Enrico Lorenzetti United Kingdom Geoff Duke United Kingdom Oliver / Dibben Report
9 4 October Spain Spanish Grand Prix Montjuïc Italy Angelo Copeta Italy Enrico Lorenzetti United Kingdom Fergus Anderson Report

† After pronouncing the track unsafe before practice had begun, all the factory teams withdrew from the 350cc and 500cc classes in the proposed German Grand Prix. The event continued, but with the agreement that these two classes were only counted as an ordinary international event.

Standings

Scoring system

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

Pos Rider Machine MAN
United Kingdom
HOL
Netherlands
BEL
Belgium
FRA
France
ULS
Ulster
SUI
Switzerland
NAC
Italy
ESP
Spain
Pts
1 United Kingdom Geoff Duke Gilera Ret 1 Ret 1 2 1 1 DNS 38
2 Republic of Ireland Reg Armstrong Gilera 3 2 3 2 4 3 4 Ret 24 (30)
3 Italy Alfredo Milani Gilera Ret Ret 1 3 Ret 2 18
4 Australia Ken Kavanagh Norton / Moto Guzzi Ret 3 4 4 1 Ret Ret 18
5 Southern Rhodesia Ray Amm Norton 1 Ret 2 DNS 14
6 United Kingdom Jack Brett Norton 2 5 8 6 3 Ret 13
7 United Kingdom Dickie Dale Gilera Ret Ret 6 8 7 2 3 11
8 Italy Giuseppe Colnago Gilera 4 Ret 5 4 4 11
9 United Kingdom Fergus Anderson Moto Guzzi Ret 7 Ret 1 8
10 New Zealand Rod Coleman AJS / Norton 4 Ret 5 7 7 5 Ret 7
11 Italy Carlo Bandirola MV Agusta Ret Ret 2 6
12 Italy Libero Liberati Gilera 3 Ret 4
13 United Kingdom Bill Doran AJS 5 6 11 3
14 United Kingdom Derek Farrant Matchless / AJS Ret 5 6 3
15 Italy Nello Pagani Gilera 9 7 5 2
16 United Kingdom Cecil Sandford MV Agusta 5 Ret 2
17 New Zealand Ken Mudford Norton Ret Ret 14 6 Ret 1
18 Isle of Wight Tommy Wood Norton Ret Ret 6 1
19 Germany Hermann Paul Müller Horex / MV Agusta Ret 6 1
20 United Kingdom Peter Davey Norton 6 1
21 Germany Walter Zeller BMW Ret 7 8 Ret 0
22 Spain Javier de Ortueta Norton 7 0
= United Kingdom Ted Frend Norton 7 0
24 United Kingdom Robin Sherry AJS 8 Ret Ret 0
25 Netherlands Piet Bakker Norton 8 0
= Northern Ireland Louis Carter Norton 8 0
= Spain Antonio Creus Norton 8 0
= Italy Bruno Francisi MV Agusta 8 DNS 0
29 Belgium Auguste Goffin Norton 10 Ret 9 0
= United Kingdom Harry Pearce Matchless 9 Ret 10 0
31 France Pierre Monneret AJS / Gilera 12 9 Ret 0
32 United Kingdom Charlie Salt BSA 16 9 0
33 France Pierre Cherrier Norton 9 0
= Belgium Léon Martin Gilera 9 0
35 United Kingdom John Storr Norton Ret Ret 10 0
36 Germany Hans Baltisberger BMW 10 Ret 0
= Gibraltar John Grace Norton 10 Ret 0
38 United Kingdom Robin Fitton Norton 10 0
= Spain Alfredo Flores Norton 10 0
= United Kingdom Geoff Read Norton 10 0
41 Australia Keith Bryen Norton Ret 11 18 0
42 Australia Laurie Boulter Norton 11 0
= United Kingdom Leslie Dear Norton 11 0
= Italy Enrico Galante Norton 11 0
= United Kingdom Sidney Mason Norton 11 0
= Netherlands Heer Meyer BMW 11 0
= Germany Heinz Thorn-Prikker Moto Guzzi 11 0
48 New Zealand Leo Simpson Matchless / AJS Ret Ret 12 Ret Ret 0
49 Switzerland Jost Albisser Norton Ret 12 Ret 0
50 Italy Felice Benasedo Moto Guzzi 12 0
= United Kingdom Ken Harwood AJS 12 0
= United Kingdom Frank Norris Norton 12 0
= Netherlands Priem Rozenberg Matchless 12 0
= Germany Siegfried Wünsche DKW 12 0
55 United Kingdom Arthur Wheeler Matchless Ret Ret 13 15 0
56 United Kingdom Jack Bailey Norton 20 13 0
57 United Kingdom Joe Glazebrook Norton 22 13 0
58 Netherlands Lodweijk Simons Matchless 13 Ret 0
59 Switzerland B. Botta Norton 13 0
= Italy Lodovico Facchinelli Gilera 13 0
= United Kingdom Eric Houseley Norton 13 0
62 New Zealand Ray Laurent Norton 15 9 14 0
63 Northern Ireland Malcolm Templeton Matchless 14 Ret 0
= United Kingdom Leonard Williams Norton Ret 14 0
65 Switzerland Florian Camathias BMW 14 DNS 0
66 Australia Keith Campbell Norton 15 DNS 0
= United Kingdom Arthur Feen Norton 15 0
= Italy Antonio Ronchei Gilera 15 0
69 Northern Ireland Charlie Gray AJS 27 16 0
70 Belgium Roger Laurent Norton 16 0
= Switzerland Henri Vidonne Norton 16 0
71 United Kingdom Sparky Campbell Norton Ret Ret 17 0
72 Belgium Charles Bruguiere Norton Ret 17 0
73 United Kingdom Eric Pantlin Norton 17 0
= East Germany Karl Rührschneck Norton 17 0
75 United States Nick Nicholson Norton 18 0
= United Kingdom Ernie Oliver Norton 18 0
77 United Kingdom Bill Beevers Norton 19 0
= United Kingdom Reg MacDonald AJS 19 0
= Belgium Andrè Wuyts Norton 19 0
80 United Kingdom Jimmy Hayes AJS 20 0
81 United Kingdom Ken Swallow AJS / Norton Ret 21 0
82 United Kingdom Les Dear Norton 21 0
83 Dominion of Ceylon Rally Dean Norton Ret Ret 22 0
84 Australia George Scott AJS 23 Ret 0
85 United Kingdom Robert Browne AJS 23 0
86 Dominion of Ceylon Zachary Dean Norton 35 Ret 24 0
87 Northern Ireland Peter Carter Matchless 24 0
88 South Africa Ray Travers Norton 25 0
= United Kingdom Stanley Williamson Norton 25 0
90 United Kingdom Fred Pusey Norton 26 0
= United Kingdom Roy Walker Norton 26 0
92 United Kingdom Jackie Joseph Wood Norton 27 0
93 United Kingdom Eric Hardy AJS 28 0
94 United Kingdom Kel Prince AJS 29 0
95 United Kingdom Sid Franklen AJS 30 0
96 United Kingdom Luis Gilbert AJS 31 0
97 United Kingdom Llewelyn Ranson AJS 32 0
98 United Kingdom John Fisher AJS 33 0
99 United Kingdom Bob McDonald AJS 34 0
100 United Kingdom Jack Harding Norton 36 0
Australia Tony McAlpine Norton Ret Ret Ret Ret 0
United Kingdom Harold Clark Matchless / Norton Ret Ret Ret 0
Italy Enrico Lorenzetti Moto Guzzi Ret Ret Ret 0
New Zealand Peter Murphy Matchless Ret Ret Ret 0
Australia Ernie Ring Matchless / AJS Ret Ret Ret 0
Germany Friedel Schön Horex Ret Ret Ret 0
New Zealand Barry Stormont Norton Ret Ret Ret 0
Germany Fritz Kläger Horex Ret Ret 0
France Georges Monneret Gilera / Matchless Ret Ret 0
United Kingdom Humphrey Ranson Norton Ret Ret 0
Switzerland Barde Norton Ret 0
United Kingdom Syd Barnett Norton Ret 0
United Kingdom Ernie Barrett Phoenix-JAP Ret 0
Belgium Francis Basso Norton Ret 0
Switzerland Carletto Bellotti Norton Ret 0
United Kingdom George Brown Norton Ret 0
France Georges Burgaff Norton Ret 0
United Kingdom John Clark AJS Ret 0
United Kingdom John Cooper Matchless Ret 0
United Kingdom Archie Fenn Norton Ret 0
Italy Giulio Galbiati Moto Guzzi Ret 0
Italy Martino Giani MV Agusta DNS Ret 0
United Kingdom Leslie Graham MV Agusta Ret 0
Italy Francesco Guglielminetti Norton Ret 0
United Kingdom William Hall Norton Ret 0
United Kingdom Phil Heath Matchless Ret 0
Canada Robert Herbert Triumph Ret 0
Germany August Hobl DKW Ret 0
Germany Karl Hoffman DKW Ret 0
Sweden Kuno Johansson Triumph Ret 0
United Kingdom Cyril Julian Norton Ret 0
Germany Rudolf Knees Norton Ret 0
United Kingdom Dick Knox Norton Ret 0
United Kingdom Gordon Laing Norton Ret 0
United Kingdom George Leigh Norton Ret 0
Italy Umberto Masetti Gilera Ret 0
Northern Ireland Bob Matthews Norton Ret 0
Austria Alexander Mayer Norton Ret DNS 0
United Kingdom Tommy McEwan Matchless Ret 0
United Kingdom Bob McIntyre Matchless Ret 0
United Kingdom John McKay Triumph Ret 0
United Kingdom George Morgan Norton Ret 0
Northern Ireland Mike O'Rourke Matchless Ret 0
United Kingdom Fred Passmore Norton Ret 0
Belgium Jacques Raffeld Norton Ret 0
United Kingdom Bob Rowbottom AJS Ret 0
United Kingdom Ron Rudge Norton Ret 0
United Kingdom Simon Sandys-Winsch Norton Ret 0
Germany Roland Schnell Horex Ret 0
Italy Emilio Soprani Gilera Ret 0
Denmark Sven Sørensen Norton Ret 0
United Kingdom Leo Starr Norton Ret 0
Netherlands Henk Steman Matchless Ret 0
Belgium Edouard Texidor Norton Ret 0
Northern Ireland Harry Turner Norton Ret 0
Australia Geoff Walker Norton Ret 0
Australia Sid Willis Norton Ret 0
United Kingdom Vic Willoughby Norton Ret 0
Italy Tito Forconi MV Agusta DNS 0
Spain Juan Leal Norton DNS 0
United Kingdom Albert Moule Norton DNS 0
United Kingdom Leonard Parry DKW DNS 0
United Kingdom Bill Petch Norton DNS 0
Pos Rider Bike MAN
United Kingdom
HOL
Netherlands
BEL
Belgium
FRA
France
ULS
Ulster
SUI
Switzerland
NAC
Italy
ESP
Spain
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

Place Rider Number Country Machine Points Wins
1 United Kingdom Fergus Anderson United Kingdom Moto Guzzi 34 3
2 Italy Enrico Lorenzetti Italy Moto Guzzi 26 2
3 Southern Rhodesia Ray Amm Southern Rhodesia Norton 18 1
4 Australia Ken Kavanagh Australia Norton 18 0
5 United Kingdom Jack Brett United Kingdom Norton 12 0
6 New Zealand Rod Coleman New Zealand AJS 9 0
7 New Zealand Ken Mudford New Zealand Norton 8 1
8 Scotland Bob McIntyre United Kingdom AJS 6 0
= France Pierre Monneret France AJS 6 0
10 Italy Duilio Agostini Italy Moto Guzzi 4 0
11 West Germany August Hobl Germany DKW 3 0
= Switzerland Josef Albisser Switzerland Norton 3 0
= United Kingdom Harry Pearce United Kingdom Velocette 3 0
14 United Kingdom Bill Doran United Kingdom AJS 3 0
= United Kingdom Derek Farrant United Kingdom AJS 3 0
16 United Kingdom Tommy Wood United Kingdom Norton 2 0
= Austria Ernie Ring Austria AJS 2 0
= New Zealand Leo Simpson New Zealand AJS 2 0
= United Kingdom Malcolm Templeton United Kingdom AJS 2 0
20 West Germany Karl Hoffman Germany DKW 1 0
= New Zealand Ray Laurent New Zealand Norton 1 0
= United Kingdom Ken Harwood United Kingdom AJS 1 0
= Australia Tony McAlpine Australia Norton 1 0

250cc Standings

Place Rider Number Country Machine Points Wins
1 West Germany Werner Haas Germany NSU 28 2
2 United Kingdom Reg Armstrong United Kingdom NSU 23 2
3 Italy Enrico Lorenzetti Italy Moto Guzzi 22 2
4 United Kingdom Fergus Anderson United Kingdom Moto Guzzi 22 1
5 Italy Alano Montanari Italy Moto Guzzi 19 0
6 Australia Ken Kavanagh Australia Moto Guzzi 6 0
7 West Germany Siegfried Wünsche Germany DKW 6 0
8 West Germany August Hobl Germany DKW 6 0
9 West Germany Otto Daiker Germany NSU 6 0
10 United Kingdom Arthur Wheeler United Kingdom Moto Guzzi 4 0
11 West Germany Walter Reichert Germany NSU 3 0
12 United Kingdom Tommy Wood United Kingdom Moto Guzzi 3 0
13 West Germany Wolfgang Brandt Germany NSU 2 0
= Australia Sid Willis Australia Velocette 2 0
15 Italy Umberto Masetti Italy NSU 1 0
= Austria Rupert Hollaus Austria Moto Guzzi 1 0

125cc Standings

Place Rider Number Country Machine Points Wins
1 West Germany Werner Haas Germany NSU 30 3
2 United Kingdom Cecil Sandford United Kingdom MV Agusta 20 0
3 Italy Carlo Ubbiali Italy MV Agusta 18 1
4 Italy Angelo Copeta Italy MV Agusta 17 1
5 United Kingdom Leslie Graham United Kingdom MV Agusta 8 1
6 West Germany Otto Daiker Germany NSU 7 0
7 Italy Emilio Mendogni Italy Morini 6 0
8 West Germany Wolfgang Brandt Germany NSU 5 0
9 United Kingdom Reg Armstrong United Kingdom NSU 4 0
= Austria Rupert Hollaus Austria NSU 4 0
11 Italy Luigi Zinzani Italy Morini 3 0
12 Spain Marcelo Cama Spain Montesa 2 0
= Italy Tito Forconi Italy MV Agusta 2 0
= United Kingdom Arnold Jones United Kingdom MV Agusta 2 0
= West Germany Walter Reichert Germany NSU 2 0
= Netherlands Drikus Veer Netherlands Morini 2 0
17 West Germany Georg Braun Germany Mondial 1 0
= Italy Paolo Campanelli Italy MV Agusta 1 0
= West Germany Karl Lottes Germany MV Agusta 1 0
= United Kingdom Fron Purslow United Kingdom MV Agusta 1 0
= Netherlands Lo Simons Netherlands Mondial 1 0
= United Kingdom Bill Webster United Kingdom MV Agusta 1 0

This page was last updated at 2023-07-01 21:53 UTC. Update now. View original page.

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