Belgium  1979 Belgian Grand Prix
Race details
Race 8 of 13 races in the
1979 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season
Date1 July 1979
Official nameG.P. Moto[1][2][3]
LocationCircuit de Spa-Francorchamps
Course
  • Permanent racing facility
  • 6.947 km (4.317 mi)
500 cc
Pole position
Rider Venezuela Johnny Cecotto
Time 2:50.900
Fastest lap
Rider Australia Kenny Blake
Time 2:49.250
Podium
First New Zealand Dennis Ireland
Second Australia Kenny Blake
Third United Kingdom Gary Lingham
350 cc
Pole position
Rider No 350cc race was held
Fastest lap
Rider No 350cc race was held
Podium
First No 350cc race was held
Second No 350cc race was held
Third No 350cc race was held
250 cc
Pole position
Rider United Kingdom Chas Mortimer
Time 2:58.300
Fastest lap
Rider Austria Edi Stöllinger
Time 2:50.080
Podium
First Austria Edi Stöllinger
Second United Kingdom Chas Mortimer
Third Australia Murray Sayle
125 cc
Pole position
Rider Spain Ángel Nieto
Time 3:02.300
Fastest lap
Rider France Jean-François Lecureux
Time 3:01.280
Podium
First Australia Barry Smith
Second Spain Marcelino Garcia
Third Netherlands Martin van Soest
50 cc
Pole position
Rider Italy Eugenio Lazzarini
Time 3:14.900
Fastest lap
Rider Switzerland Stefan Dörflinger
Podium
First Netherlands Henk van Kessel
Second Netherlands Theo Timmer
Third West Germany Rudolf Kunz

The 1979 Belgian motorcycle Grand Prix was the eighth round of the 1979 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season. It took place on the weekend of 29–1 July 1979 at the Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps.

Controversy

This race was notorious because the circuit of Spa had gotten a new layer of asphalt after the circuit's original length was reduced from 14.1 to 7 Kilometers. Because it was only finished two days before the start of the first free practices, there were a lot problems. The FIM had approved the new venue five weeks before the start of the grand prix, but when Kenny Roberts made a promotional visit to the track four weeks before the start of the race, he noted that the road surface did not have a top layer of asphalt and that no guard rails were placed yet.

During the free practices and qualifying, many riders fell off their bikes as a result. It turned out that a tar truck had spilled so much tar that even one of the steamrollers had slipped off the track that week, and that too much oil was also processed into the asphalt.[4] As a response, the Belgian Minister of Public Works Guy Mathot mobilised many people of the Belgian Civil defense to clean up the slippery surface with fire brigade, brush and sweeper trucks all through the night. This however, did not help and top riders such as Roberts, Sheene, Ferrari and Hartog negotiated with the organisation and the FIM whether they should or should not ride this grand prix. On Saturday evening, the drivers gave a press conference in which they announced that they had nothing against the organization or the FIM, but that the circuit was not safe enough because too much oil was processed in the asphalt.

Eventually, all Factory teams boycotted the event after the Saturday qualifying due to the dangerous track conditions, which promptly enraged the tens of thousands of fans who already bought a ticket to see the race on Sunday. Once they found out about the decision, unrest and riots broke out. Angry fans tipped over cars and set them on fire, as well as the hay bales (which were lined up on the circuit as safety barriers for the riders) all through the night. Various fans had to be transported to the local hospital after various fights with the Belgian police had broken out.[5]

Jack Middelburg and Boet van Dulmen originally were going to start the race because they believed that a track is also slippery when it's wet and because they didn't want to disappoint the many fans who came to see the race live, but when Dutch supporters of Wil Hartog, due to a lack of solidarity, threatened that they would throw beer bottles on the track when they would pass by, they also boycotted the race.[1] In the end, Dennis Ireland would go on to win his only Motorcycle Grand Prix due to all the top racers not starting the race.

Aftermath

After the race, the FIM initially suspended Kenny Roberts and Virginio Ferrari as the largest "rioters" and the Belgian Motorcyclist Association suspended four drivers, but the FIM Committee for Safety, Sports Coordination and Competitions converted the suspension into a conditional suspension and a fine and the BMB followed that example. After the training sessions of the next Grand Prix in Sweden, the drivers issued a communiqué in which it was first reported that the fine would not be paid. In addition, a number of requirements were set for the 1980 season:

  • Full travel and accommodation allowance for the races in the US, Canada, Venezuela, Sweden, Finland and Spain.
  • Additional safety measures at the Nürburgring, the Karlskoga Motorstadion, the Imatra Circuit and Spa-Francorchamps.
  • Under no circumstances a possible Grand Prix of Switzerland, even if it was organized in another country.
  • An increase of the minimum starting fee by 200%.
  • Adequate press accommodation on all circuits.
  • At the end of each season an election of three riders representatives in the CCR (Commission for Road Racing).
  • On every circuit a decent (habitable) riders' quarter.

A few weeks later, 40 professional drivers, led by Kenny Roberts, presented a new organization and a new racing series: the "World Series of Motorcycle Racing". From the 1980 season onward the riders would not participate in any race organized by the FIM but only start in eight races with two classes: Formula 1 (500 cc) and Formula 2 (250 cc). The prize money was determined by the drivers. The idea did not last long: within a few weeks, Yamaha announced that he would side the FIM and, if necessary, to let Freddie Spencer race as a substitute for Roberts, and Roberts himself began to get doubts after Giacomo Agostini talked to him. Hard words were spoken during a press conference by Barry Sheene, Kenny Roberts and manager Barry Coleman. Roberts would never drive in FIM-Grands Prix again and all drivers who had signed in Silverstone for the World Series would go to court if they would start in FIM races. Those drivers were in turn tied to factory contracts and could be forced by the brands to drive for the FIM. At the beginning of the 1980 season it was already clear that the World Series could only be found under the umbrella of the FIM passage, and of course the FIM did not give permission. In a meeting, Wil Hartog was considered a coward because he did not want to sign for the World Series, but in the end Kenny Roberts, who was the instigator of all the fuss, had to bow his head. In fact, he even started at the Nürburgring in 1980, one of the circuits that had been deemed unsafe by the riders.

Furthermore, the problems with the asphalt persisted and the outcry of the disastrous 1979 race, prompted the FIM to switch the venue and race at the Circuit Zolder for the 1980 season.[6] This however, was not a success and the chosen venue for the 1981 season was once again the Spa circuit.[4]

Classification

500 cc

Pos. Rider Team Manufacturer Time/Retired Points
1 New Zealand Dennis Ireland Derry's Racing Suzuki 57'09.670 15
2 Australia Kenny Blake Yamaha +5.250 12
3 United Kingdom Gary Lingham Suzuki +11.080 10
4 West Germany Gustav Reiner Dieter Braun Team Suzuki +38.930 8
5 Netherlands Henk de Vries Team 77 Suzuki +1'38.230 6
6 West Germany Josef Hage Dieter Braun Team Suzuki +1'38.400 5
7 Belgium Jacky Matagne Suzuki +2'46.860 4
8 West Germany Gerhard Vogt Bill Smith Racing Suzuki +2 laps 3
9 Belgium Guy Cooremans Suzuki +3 laps 2
10 West Germany Dieter Heinen Yamaha +4 laps 1
Ret Belgium Philippe Chaltin Suzuki Retired
Ret France Etienne Geeraerd Yamaha Retired
Ret United Kingdom Steve Manship Robinson Motorcycle Racing Suzuki Retired
Ret United Kingdom John Newbold Team Appleby Glade Suzuki Retired
Ret West Germany Klaus Nies Yamaha Retired
Ret Italy Carlo Perugini Yamaha Retired
Ret Finland Timo Pohjola Suzuki Retired
Ret West Germany Elmar Renner Moto Team Krawehl Suzuki Retired
Ret Sweden Peter Sjöström Ava MC Stockholm Suzuki Retired
Ret Spain Toni Garcia Suzuki Retired
Ret Belgium Roland Mullender Yamaha Retired
Ret Spain Carlos Delgado de San Antonio Suzuki Retired
Ret Denmark Børge Nielsen Suzuki Retired
DNS France Michel Rougerie Suzuki Did not start
DNS France Christian Sarron Team Sonauto Gauloises Yamaha Did not start
DNS Netherlands Boet van Dulmen Suzuki Did not start
DNS France Olivier Chevallier Yamaha Did not start
DNS Switzerland Philippe Coulon Yamaha Did not start
DNS United States Kenny Roberts Yamaha Motor Company Yamaha Did not start
DNS France Bernard Fau Suzuki France Suzuki Did not start
DNS United Kingdom Alex George Suzuki Did not start
DNS France Franck Gross Suzuki Did not start
DNS Venezuela Johnny Cecotto Yamaha Motor Company Yamaha Did not start
DNS Netherlands Jack Middelburg Suzuki Did not start
DNS Italy Sergio Pellandini Suzuki Did not start
DNS Italy Gianni Pelletier Suzuki Did not start
DNS Netherlands Wil Hartog Riemersma Racing Suzuki Did not start
DNS Italy Gianni Rolando Scuderia Naldoni Suzuki Did not start
DNS Italy Graziano Rossi Morbidelli Morbidelli Did not start
DNS Finland Seppo Rossi Kouv MK Suzuki Did not start
DNS Austria Max Wiener Suzuki Did not start
DNS United Kingdom Steve Parrish Texaco Heron Team Suzuki Suzuki Did not start
DNS United Kingdom Barry Sheene Texaco Heron Team Suzuki Suzuki Did not start
DNS Italy Virginio Ferrari Team Gallina Nava Olio Fiat Suzuki Did not start
DNS Italy Gianni Rolando Scuderia Naldoni Suzuki Did not start
DNS Italy Marco Lucchinelli Suzuki Did not start
DNS Netherlands Willem Zoet Stimorol Racing Yamaha Did not start
DNS United Kingdom Tony Head Yamaha Did not start
DNS Japan Sadao Asami Yamaha Did not start
DNS United States Randy Mamola Serge Zago Suzuki Did not start
DNS Belgium Olivier Liégeois Yamaha Did not start
DNS Japan Ikujiro Takai Yamaha Motor Company Yamaha Did not start
DNS Italy Franco Uncini Team Zago International Suzuki Did not start
Sources:[7][8]

References

  1. 1 2 "Alle Grand-Prix uitslagen en bijzonderheden, van 1973 (het jaar dat Jack begon met racen) tot heden". Archive.li. Archived from the original on 13 April 2013. Retrieved 1 November 2018.
  2. Mitchell, Malcolm. "1979 500cc Class (FIM Grand Prix World Championship) Programmes - The Motor Racing Programme Covers Project". Progcovers.com. Retrieved 1 November 2018.
  3. Mitchell, Malcolm. "Spa-Francorchamps - The Motor Racing Programme Covers Project". Progcovers.com. Retrieved 1 November 2018.
  4. 1 2 "Retro-Sport: De GP van België - 1". Demotorsite.be. 27 June 2017. Archived from the original on 22 March 2018. Retrieved 1 November 2018.
  5. "Leidse Courant - 2 juli 1979 - pagina 13". Historische Kranten, Erfgoed Leiden en Omstreken. Retrieved 1 November 2018.
  6. "MotoGP: Spa-Francorchamps in talks to resurrect Belgian Grand Prix - Fox Sports". Foxsports.com.au. 12 January 2017. Retrieved 1 November 2018.
  7. "1979 Belgian MotoGP - Motor Sport Magazine Database". Motorsportmagazine.com. 29 January 2018. Retrieved 1 November 2018.
  8. "BELGIUM GRAND PRIX · 500cc Race Classification 1979". Motogp.com. Retrieved 1 November 2018.
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