1956 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season explained

The 1956 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season was the eighth F.I.M. Road Racing World Championship Grand Prix season. The season consisted of six Grand Prix races in five classes: 500cc, 350cc, 250cc, 125cc and Sidecars 500cc. It began on 8 June, with Isle of Man TT and ended with Nations Grand Prix in Italy on 9 September.

Reigning 500cc champion Geoff Duke had to serve a six months ban at the start of the season for supporting a strike by privateer riders over starting money at the 1955 Dutch TT.^[1] ^[2]

1956 Grand Prix season calendar

Round	Date	Grand Prix	Circuit	125cc winner	250cc winner	350cc winner	500cc winner	Sidecars 500cc winner	Report
1	8 June	Isle of Man TT	Snaefell Mountain	Carlo Ubbiali	Carlo Ubbiali	Ken Kavanagh	John Surtees	Hillebrand / Grunwald	Report
2	30 June	Dutch TT	TT Circuit Assen	Carlo Ubbiali	Carlo Ubbiali	Bill Lomas	John Surtees	Hillebrand / Grunwald	Report
3	8 July	Belgian Grand Prix	Spa-Francorchamps	Carlo Ubbiali	Carlo Ubbiali	John Surtees	John Surtees	Noll / Cron	Report
4	22 July	German Grand Prix	Solitude	Romolo Ferri	Carlo Ubbiali	Bill Lomas	Reg Armstrong	Noll / Cron	Report
5	11 August	Ulster Grand Prix	Dundrod Circuit	Carlo Ubbiali	Luigi Taveri	Bill Lomas	John Hartle	Noll / Cron	Report
6	9 September	Nations Grand Prix	Monza	Carlo Ubbiali	Carlo Ubbiali	Libero Liberati	Geoff Duke	Milani / Milani	Report

Standings

Scoring system

Points were awarded to the top six finishers in each race. Only the four best races were counted in all five classes: the Sidecars, 125cc, 250cc, 350cc and 500cc championships.

500cc final standings

Pos	Rider	Machine	MAN	HOL	BEL	GER	ULS	NAC	Pts
1	John Surtees	MV Agusta	1	1	1				24
2	Walter Zeller	BMW	4	2	2	Ret	Ret	6	16
3	John Hartle	Norton	2				1		14
4	Pierre Monneret	Gilera			3	3		3	12
5	Reg Armstrong	Gilera			Ret	1	Ret	4	11
6	Umberto Masetti	MV Agusta	DNS	Ret	4	2		Ret	9
7	Geoff Duke	Gilera			Ret	Ret	Ret	1	8
8	Bob Brown	Matchless			Ret		2		6
9	Libero Liberati	Gilera						2	6
10	Eddie Grant	Norton	37	3	11	5			6
11	Jack Brett	Norton	3				6		5
12	Peter Murphy	Matchless	Ret				3		4
13	Keith Bryen	Norton	Ret	4	10	6			4
14	Gerold Klinger	BMW				4		9	3
15	Geoffrey Tanner	Norton	Ret				4		3
16	Alfredo Milani	Gilera			5			8	2
17	Bill Lomas	Moto Guzzi	5	Ret	Ret	Ret	Ret		2
18	Paul Fahey	Matchless	Ret	5	Ret	Ret			2
19	Carlo Bandirola	MV Agusta						5	2
=	Wilf Herron	Norton					5		2
21	Ernst Hiller	BMW		6		8		10	1
22	Derek Ennett	Matchless	6						1
=	Auguste Goffin	Norton			6				1
24	Alan Trow	Norton	7				9		0
25	Gerald Robarts	Norton	15	7					0
26	Barry Hodgkinson	Norton	22	Ret	7	Ret			0
27	Alois Huber	BMW RS				7		Ret	0
28	Austin Carson	Norton					7		0
=	Roberto Colombo	MV Agusta						7	0
30	John Storr	Norton			8	Ret		12	0
31	Dave Chadwick	Norton	23				8		0
32	Piet Bakker	Norton		8					0
=	Gavin Dunlop	Matchless	8						0
34	Jackie Wood	Velocette / Norton	24		Ret	9		Ret	0
35	Bob Matthews	Norton			9	Ret			0
36	Priem Rozenberg	BMW		9					0
=	George Salt	Norton	9						0
38	Dennis Chapman	Norton	10				11		0
39	Frederick Cook	Matchless	18	10	13	17			0
40	Angus Martin	Matchless	Ret				10		0
41	Jacques Collot	Norton Manx				10		Ret	0
42	Ernst Riedelbauch	BMW			Ret	11		11	0
43	Ralph Rensen	Norton	11				13		0
44	Casper Swart	Norton		11					0
45	John Grace	Norton	Ret	Ret	12				0
=	Hans-Günther Jäger	Norton		Ret	Ret	12			0
47	Stephen Murray	Norton					12		0
=	Mike O'Rourke	Norton	12						0
49	Giuseppe Cantoni	MV Agusta						13	0
=	George Costain	Norton	13						0
=	Peter Knees	BMW				13			0
52	Frank Perris	Matchless	14				Ret		0
53	Michael Roche	Norton	DNS		14				0
=	Hans-Joachim Scheel	Norton				14			0
=	Harry Turner	Norton					14		0
56	Ulf Gate	Norton				15			0
=	Pierre Nicholas	Norton			15				0
=	Des Sloan	Norton			15				0
59	Frank Fox	Norton	16						0
=	Bill Roberton	Matchless					16		0
=	Berthold Sieler	Norton				16			0
62	Martin Brosnan	BSA					17		0
=	Harry Plews	Norton	17						0
64	Harry Lowe	BSA	41				18		0
=	Karl-Heinz Scheifel	Norton				18			0
66	Phil Carter	Norton	19						0
=	Stanley Williamson	Norton					19		0
68	Denis Christian	Matchless	20						0
69	Ken Tostevin	Matchless	21	Ret					0
70	Ken Tully	Norton	25						0
71	Bob Ferguson	Matchless	26						0
72	Louis Carr	Matchless	27						0
73	Brian Duffy	Norton	28				Ret		0
74	Albert Moule	Norton	29						0
75	Dick Thomson	Matchless	30			Ret			0
76	Llewelyn Ranson	Norton	31						0
77	Vic Preston	Norton	32						0
78	Bill Beevers	Norton	33						0
79	Ken Willis	Norton	34						0
80	James Edwards	Norton	35						0
81	George Begg	AJS	36				Ret		0
82	Joe Glazebrook	Norton	38						0
83	E. Barona	Norton	39						0
84	Walter Hancock	BSA	40						0
85	Stan Cameron	AJS	42						0
86	Ralph Wijesinghe	BSA	43						0
87	Roly Capner	BSA	44						0
88	John Denton	Norton	45						0
-	Keith Campbell	Norton / Moto Guzzi			Ret	Ret		Ret	0
-	Günther Borgesdiek	Norton			Ret	Ret			0
-	Robert Coleman	Norton				Ret	Ret		0
-	Francisco González	Norton	Ret	Ret					0
-	Ken Kavanagh	Moto Guzzi	DNS	Ret	Ret	DNS			0
-	Olle Nygren	Matchless	Ret					Ret	0
-	Leen Reehorst	Jawa		Ret	Ret				0
-	Martinus van Son	Matchless		Ret				Ret	0
-	Sven Andersson	Norton				Ret			0
-	Jean-Pierre Bayle	Norton						Ret	0
-	Raymond Bogaerdt	Norton			Ret				0
-	Buno Böhrer	Horex				Ret			0
-	Paolo Campanelli	Gilera						Ret	0
-	George Catlin	Norton	Ret						0
-	Artemio Cirelli	Gilera						Ret	0
-	John Clark	Matchless	Ret						0
-	Robert Cook	BSA	Ret						0
-	Ronald Cousins	Norton	Ret						0
-	Dickie Dale	Moto Guzzi	Ret						0
-	Firmin Dawue	Norton			Ret				0
-	Gerardo Düring	Matchless						Ret	0
-	Anton Elbersen	Matchless		Ret					0
-	Karl-Heinz Ewig	Norton				Ret			0
-	Ray Fay	BSA	Ret						0
-	Robin Fitton	Norton					Ret		0
-	Brian Freestone	Norton	Ret						0
-	Enrico Galante	Norton						Ret	0
-	Martino Giani	Gilera						Ret	0
-	Francesco Guglielminetti	Norton						Ret	0
-	William Hall	Norton						Ret	0
-	Gustav Havel	Jawa		Ret					0
-	Frantisek Helikar	Jawa		Ret					0
-	Eric Hinton	Norton	DNS			Ret			0
-	Jaap Iesberts	Matchless		Ret					0
-	Roy Ingram	BSA	Ret						0
-	Arnold Jones	Matchless	Ret						0
-	Kees Koster	Norton		Ret					0
-	George Leigh	Norton	Ret						0
=	Ivor Lloyd	Norton	Ret						0
=	Giuseppe Mantelli	Gilera						Ret	0
-	Robert McCracken	Norton					Ret		0
-	Bob McIntyre	Norton	Ret						0
-	Jules Nies	Norton			Ret				0
-	Frank Norris	Norton	Ret						0
-	Ernie Oliver	Norton					Ret		0
-	Sergio Pinza	Moto Guzzi						Ret	0
-	Maurice Pizzey	Norton	Ret						0
-	Derek Powell	Matchless	Ret						0
-	Charlie Salt	BSA	Ret						0
-	Brian Setchell	AJS	Ret						0
-	Terry Shepherd	Norton	Ret						0
-	Lodewijk Simons	Norton		Ret					0
-	František Šťastný	Jawa		Ret					0
-	Ken Swallow	Matchless					Ret		0
-	Gerrit Ten Kate	Norton		Ret					0
-	Gerry Turner	Pike-BSA	Ret						0
-	Drikus Veer	Jawa		Ret					0
-	John Waring	Norton	Ret						0
-	Arthur Wheeler	Moto Guzzi					Ret		0
-	Jack Wilks	BSA	Ret						0
-	Trevor Williams	Norton	Ret						0
-	Len Aislabie	Norton	DNS						0
-	Rod Coleman	Norton	DNS						0
-	Robert King	Norton	DNS						0
-	Derek Minter	BSA	DNS						0
-	E. Muñoz	Norton	DNS						0
-	M. Muñoz	Norton	DNS						0
-	George Northwood	BSA	DNS						0
-	Tony Ovens	Norton	DNS						0
-	H. Wieland	Norton	DNS						0
-	J. Woods	Norton	DNS						0
Pos	Rider	Bike	MAN	HOL	BEL	GER	ULS	NAC	Pts

Bold – Pole
Italics – Fastest Lap

350cc Standings

Place	Rider	Country	Machine	Points	Wins
1	Bill Lomas	United Kingdom	Moto Guzzi	24	3
2	Dickie Dale	United Kingdom	Moto Guzzi	17	0
=	August Hobl	Germany	DKW	17	0
4	John Surtees	United Kingdom	MV Agusta	14	1
5	Cecil Sandford	United Kingdom	DKW	13	0
6	Ken Kavanagh	Australia	Moto Guzzi	10	1
7	Libero Liberati	Italy	Gilera	8	1
8	John Hartle	United Kingdom	Norton	8	0
9	Derek Ennett	United Kingdom	AJS	6	0
10	Karl Hofmann	Germany	DKW	6	0
11	Roberto Colombo	Italy	MV Agusta	4	0
12	Jack Brett	United Kingdom	Norton	3	0
13	Hans Bartl	Netherlands	DKW	3	0
14	Umberto Masetti	Italy	MV Agusta	2	0
=	Peter Murphy	New Zealand	AJS	2	0
=	Eddie Grant	South Africa	Norton	2	0
17	Bob Brown	Australia	AJS	1	0
=	Bob Matthews	United Kingdom	Norton	1	0
=	Alan Trow	United Kingdom	Norton	1	0

250cc Standings

Place	Rider	Country	Machine	Points	Wins
1	Carlo Ubbiali	Italy	MV Agusta	32	5
2	Luigi Taveri	Switzerland	MV Agusta	26	1
3	Enrico Lorenzetti	Italy	Moto Guzzi	10	0
4	Roberto Colombo	Italy	MV Agusta	9	0
=	Horst Kassner	Germany	NSU	9	0
6	Remo Venturi	Italy	MV Agusta	8	0
7	Sammy Miller	United Kingdom	NSU	7	0
8	Hans Baltisberger	Germany	NSU	7	0
9	Arthur Wheeler	United Kingdom	Moto Guzzi	5	0
10	Bob Coleman	New Zealand	NSU	3	0
=	Kees Koster	Netherlands	NSU	3	0
12	František Bartoš	Czechoslovakia	ČZ	2	0
=	Bill Maddrick	United Kingdom	Moto Guzzi	2	0
=	Lo Simons	Netherlands	NSU	2	0
=	Alano Montanari	Italy	Moto Guzzi	2	0
=	Bob Brown	Australia	NSU	2	0
17	Jean-Pierre Bayle	France	NSU	1	0
=	Maurice Büla	Switzerland	NSU	1	0
=	Roland Heck	Germany	NSU	1	0
=	Jiří Koštíř	Czechoslovakia	ČZ	1	0

125cc Standings

Place	Rider	Country	Machine	Points	Wins
1	Carlo Ubbiali	Italy	MV Agusta	32	5
2	Romolo Ferri	Italy	Gilera	14	1
3	Luigi Taveri	Switzerland	MV Agusta	12	0
4	Tarquinio Provini	Italy	Mondial	10	0
5	Fortunato Libanori	Italy	MV Agusta	9	0
6	Marcelo Cama	Spain	Montesa	6	0
7	August Hobl	Germany	DKW	6	0
8	Karl Hofman	Germany	DKW	5	0
9	Pierre Monneret	France	Gilera	4	0
=	Francisco Gonzalez	Spain	Montesa	4	0
=	Renato Sartori	Italy	Mondial	4	0
=	Bill Webster	United Kingdom	MV Agusta	4	0
13	Cecil Sandford	United Kingdom	Mondial	4	0
14	Enrico Sirera	Spain	Montesa	3	0
=	Bill Maddrick	United Kingdom	MV Agusta	3	0
16	Sandro Artusi	Italy	Ducati	2	0
=	Dave Chadwick	United Kingdom	LEF	2	0
=	Frank Cope	United Kingdom	MV Agusta	2	0
=	František Bartoš	Czechoslovakia	ČZ	1	0
=	Johnny Grace	Gibraltar	Montesa	1	0
=	Vaclav Parus	Czechoslovakia	ČZ	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.

Notes and References

Web site: GEOFF DUKE: FIRST GENTLEMAN OF RACING . 2023-11-07 . Australian Motorcycle News . en-AU.
Web site: Geoff Duke would have been 100 years old today . 2023-11-07 . www.speedweek.com.