1959 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season

The 1959 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season was the 11th F.I.M. Road Racing World Championship Grand Prix season. The season consisted of seven Grand Prix races in five classes: 500cc, 350cc, 250cc, 125cc and Sidecars 500cc. It began on 17 May, with French Grand Prix and ended with Nations Grand Prix in Italy on 6 September.

1959 F.I.M. Grand Prix motorcycle racing season

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1958

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1960

John Surtees (pictured in 1958) won all races to retain his 350cc and 500cc World Championship title.

Carlo Ubbiali (pictured in 1956) successfully defended his 125cc World Championship title. He also became the 250cc World Champion in 1959.

1959 Grand Prix season calendar

Round	Date	Grand Prix	Circuit	125cc winner	250cc winner	350cc winner	500cc winner	Sidecars 500cc winner	Report
1	17 May	French Grand Prix	Charade Circuit			John Surtees	John Surtees	Scheidegger/Burkhardt	Report
2	6 June	Isle of Man TT	Snaefell Mountain	Tarquinio Provini	Tarquinio Provini	John Surtees	John Surtees	Schneider / Strauß	Report
3	14 June	German Grand Prix	Hockenheimring	Carlo Ubbiali	Carlo Ubbiali	John Surtees	John Surtees	Camathias / Cecco	Report
4	27 June	Dutch TT	TT Circuit Assen	Carlo Ubbiali	Tarquinio Provini	Bob Brown †	John Surtees	Camathias / Cecco	Report
5	5 July	Belgian Grand Prix	Spa-Francorchamps	Carlo Ubbiali	Gary Hocking †		John Surtees	Schneider / Strauß	Report
6	26 July	Swedish Grand Prix	Råbelövsbanan	Tarquinio Provini	Gary Hocking	John Surtees	Bob Brown †		Report
7	8 August	Ulster Grand Prix	Dundrod Circuit	Mike Hailwood	Gary Hocking	John Surtees	John Surtees		Report
8	6 September	Nations Grand Prix††	Monza	Ernst Degner	Carlo Ubbiali	John Surtees	John Surtees		Report

† Race did not count towards the World Championship.

†† The Nations Grand Prix also held a non-championship 175 cc race, won by the Italian, Francesco Villa.

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.

Position	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	5th	6th
Points	8	6	4	3	2	1

500cc final standings

Pos Rider Machine FRA MAN GER HOL BEL ULS NAC Pts 1 John Surtees MV Agusta 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 32 (56) 2 Remo Venturi MV Agusta 2 2 3 5 2 22 (24) 3 Bob Brown Norton 9 3 3 2 4 5 4 17 (22) 4 Geoff Duke Norton 9 3 3 3 12 5 Gary Hocking Norton 3 Ret Ret 2 Ret Ret 10 6 Bob McIntyre Norton 5 2 8 7 Alistair King Norton 2 6 7 8 Dickie Dale BMW 4 Ret Ret 4 8 7 Ret 6 9 Terry Shepherd Norton 5 Ret 4 5 10 John Hempleman Norton 17 5 Ret Ret 8 5 4 11 Derek Powell Matchless 4 14 3 12 Ken Kavanagh Norton DNS 4 Ret Ret 3 13 Paddy Driver Norton 6 6 Ret Ret Ret 6 3 14 Jim Redman Norton Ret Ret 5 9 Ret Ret 2 15 Bob Anderson Norton 8 Ret Ret 6 1 16 Ron Miles Norton 12 12 6 11 1 17 Alois Huber BMW 6 1 18 Tom Phillis Norton 7 16 Ret Ret 7 Ret 0 19 Hans-Günter Jäger BMW 11 10 7 16 8 0 20 Ernst Hiller BMW 8 Ret 7 0 21 Geoff Tanner Norton Ret 7 9 11 0 22 Alan Shepherd Matchless 7 9 0 23 George Catlin Matchless 8 0 = Anton Elbersen BMW 8 0 25 Ralph Rensen Norton 10 9 10 0 26 Karl Untersteggaber Norton 9 0 27 Derek Minter Norton Ret Ret 10 0 = Peter Pawson Norton 10 Ret Ret 0 29 Paolo Campanelli Norton 10 0 30 Jacques Insermini Norton Ret 11 0 = Brian Setchell Norton 11 0 = Evert Carlsson BMW 11 0 33 Raymond Bogaerdt Norton Ret 12 0 34 Jacques Collot Norton 12 0 = Vasco Loro Norton 12 0 = Stephen Murray Matchless 12 0 37 Mike Hailwood MV Agusta / Norton Ret 13 Ret 0 = Alfredo Milani Gilera Ret Ret 13 0 39 Guy Ligier Norton 13 0 = Rudolf Gläser Norton 13 0 = Robin Fitton Norton Ret 13 0 = Bill Smith Matchless 13 0 43 Yvon Callede Norton 14 0 = Ewan Haldane Norton 14 0 = Charly Maubert Norton 14 0 = Jules Nies Matchless 14 0 47 Don Chapman Norton Ret 15 0 48 Maurice de Polo Norton 15 0 = Raymond Hanset Norton 15 0 = Bob Rowbottom Norton 15 0 51 Tommy McLeod Norton 16 0 = Albert Montagne Norton 16 0 53 Jean-Pierre Bayle Norton Ret Ret 17 0 = Stan Cameron Matchless Ret 17 0 55 Joe Wright Norton 17 0 56 Harry Grant Norton / Matchless 18 22 0 = Jimmy Jones Norton 18 0 58 William McCosh Matchless 19 0 = Fred Stevens AJS 19 0 60 Martin Brosnan Norton 20 0 = Ed LaBelle BMW 20 0 62 George Northwood Norton 21 0 = Willie White Norton 21 0 64 Vernon Cottle Norton 22 0 66 Frank Gordon Norton 23 0 67 Ernie Oliver AJS 24 0 68 Jack Shannon BSA 25 0 69 John Brown Norton 26 0 - Eric Hinton Norton Ret Ret Ret 0 - Jimmy Buchan Jr Norton Ret Ret 0 - Jack Findlay Norton Ret Ret 0 - John Hartle MV Agusta Ret Ret 0 - Llewelyn Ranson Norton Ret Ret 0 - Ernesto Brambilla MV Agusta Ret 0 - Jack Brett Norton Ret 0 - Jack Bullock Matchless Ret 0 - Louis Carr Norton Ret 0 - Eric Cheers Norton Ret 0 - Artemio Cirelli Gilera Ret 0 - Barry Cortvriend Matchless Ret 0 - George Costain Norton Ret 0 - Adolfo Covi Norton Ret 0 - Dick Creith Norton Ret 0 - Davy Crawford Norton Ret 0 - Bruce Daniels Norton Ret 0 - Bertie Farlow Norton Ret 0 - Ray Fay Norton Ret 0 - Peter Ferbrache Matchless Ret 0 - Bob Ferguson Norton Ret 0 - Ralph Fox AJS Ret 0 - Joe Glazebrook Norton Ret 0 - Roger Graham Norton Ret 0 - Owen Greenwood Triumph Ret 0 - Francesco Guglielminetti Norton Ret 0 - Tom Hesketh Norton Ret 0 - Tommy Holmes BSA Ret 0 - Roy Ingram Norton Ret 0 - Len Ireland Norton Ret 0 - Den Jarman Norton Ret 0 - Lothar John BMW Ret 0 - Host Kassner Norton Ret 0 - Luigi Marcelli Norton Ret 0 - Angus Martin Norton Ret 0 - Giuseppe Mantelli Gilera Ret 0 - Emanuele Maugliani Gilera Ret 0 - Robert McCracken Norton Ret 0 - Fritz Messerli Ret 0 - Syd Mizen Norton Dunstall Ret 0 - Albert Moule Norton Ret 0 - Frank Perris Norton Ret 0 - Harry Plews AJS Ret 0 - Ladislaus Richter Norton Ret 0 - Bill Robertson Norton Ret 0 - Walter Scheimann Norton Ret 0 - Toni Schmitz Norton Ret 0 - Ray Spence Norton Ret 0 - Don Tickle Norton Ret 0 - Alan Trow Norton Ret 0 - Dino Valbonesi Gilera Ret 0 - Michel Valentin Ret 0 - Martinus van Son Norton Ret 0 - Roberto Vigorito Norton Ret 0 - Arthur Wheeler AJS Ret 0 - Lewis Young Norton Ret 0 - Benedetto Zambotti Gilera Ret 0 Pos Rider Bike FRA MAN GER HOL BEL ULS NAC Pts

Colour Result Gold Winner Silver Second place Bronze Third place Green Points classification Blue Non-points classification Non-classified finish (NC) Purple Retired, not classified (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	John Surtees		United Kingdom	MV Agusta	48	6
2	John Hartle		United Kingdom	MV Agusta	16	0
3	Bob Brown		Australia	Norton	14	0
4	Gary Hocking		Rhodesia	Norton	12	0
5	Geoff Duke		United Kingdom	Norton	10	0
6	Remo Venturi		Italy	MV Agusta	6	0
7	Dickie Dale		United Kingdom	AJS	6	0
8	John Hempleman		New Zealand	Norton	6	0
9	Bob Anderson		United Kingdom	Norton	5	0
10	Alistair King		United Kingdom	Norton	4	0
=	Ernesto Brambilla		Italy	MV Agusta	4	0
12	Paddy Driver		South Africa	Norton	4	0
13	Mike Hailwood		United Kingdom	AJS	2	0
=	Tom Phillis		Australia	Norton	2	0
15	Jim Redman		Rhodesia	Norton	2	0
16	Terry Shepherd		United Kingdom	Norton	1	0
=	Dave Chadwick		United Kingdom	Norton	1	0
=	Gilberto Milani		Italy	Norton	1	0

250cc Standings

Place	Rider	Number	Country	Machine	Points	Wins
1	Carlo Ubbiali		Italy	MV Agusta	28	2
2	Tarquinio Provini		Italy	MV Agusta	16	2
=	Gary Hocking		Rhodesia	MZ	16	2
4	Ernst Degner		East Germany	MZ	14	0
5	Mike Hailwood		United Kingdom	Mondial	13	0
6	Emilio Mendogni		Italy	Morini	10	0
7	Derek Minter		United Kingdom	Morini	7	0
8	Tommy Robb		United Kingdom	GMS-MZ	7	0
9	Horst Fügner		East Germany	MZ	6	0
10	Geoff Duke		United Kingdom	Benelli	5	0
11	Dave Chadwick		United Kingdom	MV Agusta	4	0
12	Libero Liberati		Italy	Morini	3	0
13	Horst Kassner		West Germany	NSU	2	0
=	Phil Carter		United Kingdom	NSU	2	0
=	Luigi Taveri		Switzerland	MZ	2	0
16	Rudi Thalhammer		Austria	NSU	1	0
=	Dickie Dale		United Kingdom	Benelli	1	0
18	Günter Beer		West Germany	Adler	1	0

125cc

Riders' standings

Pos. Rider Bike MAN GER NED BEL SWE ULS NAT Pts 1 Carlo Ubbiali MV Agusta 5 1F 1F 1 2F 2F 30 (38) 2 Tarquinio Provini MV Agusta 1 2 2F 1 5 28 (30) 3 Mike Hailwood Ducati 3 3 3 4 1F 20 (23) 4 Luigi Taveri MZ 2F 14 Ducati 3 3 5 Ernst Degner MZ 6 3 1 13 6 Bruno Spaggiari Ducati 5 2 8 7 Derek Minter MZ 5 4 4 8 8 Ken Kavanagh Ducati 6 5 5 4 8 9 Gary Hocking MZ 2 7 MV Agusta 6 10 Horst Fügner MZ 4 4 6 11 Werner Musiol MZ 3 4 12 Francesco Villa Ducati 4 3 13 Alberto Pagani Ducati 5 2 14 Naomi Taniguchi Honda 6 1 14 Karl Kronmüller Ducati 6 1 14 Ulf Svensson Ducati 6 1 14 Arthur Wheeler Ducati 6 1 Pos. Rider Bike MAN GER NED BEL SWE ULS NAT Pts

Race key Colour Result Gold Winner Silver 2nd place Bronze 3rd 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) Annotation Meaning P Pole position F Fastest lap Rider key Colour Meaning Light blue Rookie rider

Constructors' standings

Each constructor is awarded the same number of points as their best placed rider in each race.

Pos.	Constructor	MAN	GER	NED	BEL	SWE	ULS	NAT	Pts
1	MV Agusta	1	1	1	1	1		2	32 (46)
2	MZ	2	6	4	4	3	2	1	24 (31)
3	Ducati	3	3	2	3	4	1	3	22 (33)
4	Honda	6							1
Pos.	Constructor	MAN	GER	NED	BEL	SWE	ULS	NAT	Pts

References

• Haefliger, Werner. "Lightweight class". FIM MotoGP Results 1949–2023 Guide (2024 ed.). pp. 35–37. ISBN 978-2-9701086-8-9.
• Büla, Maurice & Schertenleib, Jean-Claude (2001). Continental Circus 1949-2000. Chronosports S.A. ISBN 2-940125-32-5
• "The Official MotoGP website". Archived from the original on 2012-03-02. Retrieved 2010-07-06.