1953 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season explained

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 TT	Snaefell Mountain	Leslie Graham	Fergus Anderson	Ray Amm	Ray Amm		Report
2	27 June	Dutch TT	Assen	Werner Haas	Werner Haas	Enrico Lorenzetti	Geoff Duke		Report
3	5 July	Belgian Grand Prix	Spa-Francorchamps			Fergus Anderson	Alfredo Milani	Oliver / Dibben	Report
4	19 July	German Grand Prix	Schottenring	Carlo Ubbiali	Werner Haas	Carlo Bandirola †	Walter Zeller †		Report
5	2 August	French Grand Prix	Rouen-Les-Essarts			Fergus Anderson	Geoff Duke	Oliver / Dibben	Report
6	15 August	Ulster Grand Prix	Dundrod	Werner Haas	Reg Armstrong	Ken Mudford	Ken Kavanagh	Smith / Nutt	Report
7	23 August	Swiss Grand Prix	Bremgarten		Reg Armstrong	Fergus Anderson	Geoff Duke	Oliver / Dibben	Report
8	6 September	Nations Grand Prix	Monza	Werner Haas	Enrico Lorenzetti	Enrico Lorenzetti	Geoff Duke	Oliver / Dibben	Report
9	4 October	Spanish Grand Prix	Montjuïc	Angelo Copeta	Enrico Lorenzetti		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.^[1]

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.

500cc final standings

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

Bold – Pole Italics – Fastest Lap

350cc Standings

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

250cc Standings

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

125cc Standings

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

References

• Büla, Maurice & Schertenleib, Jean-Claude (2001). Continental Circus 1949–2000. Chronosports S.A.
• Web site: The Official MotoGP website . 2010-07-06 . 2012-03-02 . https://web.archive.org/web/20120302200556/http://www.motogp.com/en/Results+Statistics/1953/NAT/500cc/World+Standing . dead .

Notes and References

1. 23 July 1953. A Farcical German Grand Prix. The Motor Cycle. Ilffe & Sons Ltd. London. 91. 2624. 124.