Belgian motorcycle Grand Prix

The Belgian motorcycle Grand Prix was a motorcycling event that was part of the Grand Prix motorcycle racing season from 1949 to 1990.

Belgian Grand Prix

Grand Prix motorcycle racing
Venue	Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps (1949–1979, 1981–1986, 1988–1990) Circuit Zolder (1980)
First race	1949
Last race	1990
Most wins (rider)	Giacomo Agostini (8)
Most wins (manufacturer)	MV Agusta (26)

History

The first official Belgian Grand Prix was held in 1949, but non-championship races were held as far back as 1921.

Every Belgian GP was held at the Spa-Francorchamps circuit, with the exception of the 1980 season when the round moved to the Zolder circuit due to problems with the new asphalt at Spa-Francorchamps in 1979.^[1] After the problems were resolved, Spa-Francorchamps became the host again from 1981 onwards.

The last race was held in 1990, and was subject to controversy. At the time, the FIM–IRTA war was raging on, and the Belgian Grand Prix became a casualty of this. Bernie Ecclestone decided to double the ticket prices for the 1989 Belgian Grand Prix compared to the 1989 Dutch TT which was held a week earlier. This was much to the anger of the Belgian fans and as a result of this, many fans stayed at home for the 1990 Belgian Grand Prix. This drop in spectators, in combination with the race being held on a Saturday rather than a Sunday (which was similar to the Dutch TT at the time), caused the Belgian GP to be scrapped from the 1991 season onwards.^[2][3]

Future

Improvements to the circuit to make it suitable for motorcycle racing were made in autumn 2021 in time for the 2022 endurance season, and the Spa 24 Hours motorcycle race debuted at Spa in June 2022. It is unknown if Spa or another Belgian circuit will apply for MotoGP.^[4]

Official names and sponsors

• 1949–1975: Grand Prix de Belgique des Motos/Grote Prijs van Belgie voor Moto's (no official sponsor)^[5]
• 1976-1978: Grand Prix Belgique/Grote Prijs Belgie (no official sponsor)^[6]
• 1979: G.P. Moto (no official sponsor)^[7]
• 1980, 1982: Grand Prix of Belgium (no official sponsor)^[8]
• 1981: Grand Prix Moto (no official sponsor)^[9]
• 1983: GP Johnson of Belgium^[10]
• 1984–1985: Johnson GP of Belgium^[11]
• 1986: GP of Belgium (not mentioned in the name but the race was sponsored by Johnson)^[12]
• 1988: GP of Belgium Gauloises Blondes^[13]
• 1989: Belgium Motorcycle Grand Prix (no official sponsor)^[14]
• 1990: Belgian Motorcycle Grand Prix (no official sponsor)^[15]

Formerly used circuits

• 
  Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps, used in 1949–1979, 1981–1986, 1988–1990
• 
  Zolder, used in 1980

Winners of the Belgian motorcycle Grand Prix

Multiple winners (riders)

# Wins	Rider	Wins
		Category	Years won
8	Giacomo Agostini	500cc	1966, 1967, 1968, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1973
6	John Surtees	500cc	1956, 1958, 1959, 1960
		350cc	1956, 1958
	Ángel Nieto	125cc	1970, 1972, 1974, 1976, 1980
		50cc	1972
5	Mike Hailwood	500cc	1962, 1963, 1964, 1965
		350cc	1966
4	Geoff Duke	500cc	1951, 1954
		350cc	1951, 1952
	Carlo Ubbiali	250cc	1956, 1960
		125cc	1956, 1959
	Freddie Spencer	500cc	1982, 1984, 1985
		250cc	1985
3	Umberto Masetti	500cc	1950, 1952, 1953
	Ernst Degner	125cc	1960
		50cc	1962, 1965
	Phil Read	500cc	1974, 1975
		250cc	1968
	Ricardo Tormo	125cc	1982
		50cc	1978, 1981
	Anton Mang	250cc	1980, 1981, 1982
2	Luigi Taveri	125cc	1961, 1962
	Jim Redman	350cc	1961, 1965
	Hans-Georg Anscheidt	50cc	1967, 1968
	Jan de Vries	50cc	1971, 1973
	Barry Sheene	500cc	1977
		125cc	1971
	Walter Villa	250cc	1976, 1977
	Paolo Pileri	250cc	1978
		125cc	1975
	Pier Paolo Bianchi	125cc	1977, 1978
	Barry Smith	125cc	1979
		50cc	1969
	Eugenio Lazzarini	125cc	1983
		50cc	1977
	Stefan Dörflinger	80cc	1984
		50cc	1980
	Randy Mamola	500cc	1980, 1986
	Sito Pons	250cc	1986, 1988
	Hans Spaan	125cc	1989, 1990

Multiple winners (manufacturers)

# Wins	Manufacturer	Wins
		Category	Years won
26	MV Agusta	500cc	1956, 1958, 1959, 1960, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1965, 1966, 1967, 1968, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1975
		350cc	1956, 1958
		250cc	1956, 1957, 1960
		125cc	1956, 1959
17	Honda	500cc	1982, 1984, 1985, 1989
		250cc	1961, 1962, 1965, 1966, 1985, 1986, 1988, 1989
		125cc	1961, 1962, 1989, 1990
		50cc	1964
14	Suzuki	500cc	1976, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1981
		125cc	1963, 1971
		50cc	1962, 1963, 1965, 1967, 1968, 1971
	Yamaha	500cc	1983, 1986, 1988, 1990
		250cc	1963, 1964, 1967, 1968, 1970, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1990
6	Gilera	500cc	1950, 1952, 1953, 1954, 1955, 1957
	Kreidler	50cc	1973, 1974, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1980
	Derbi	125cc	1970, 1972, 1974, 1988
		50cc	1969, 1972
5	Kawasaki	250cc	1979, 1980, 1981, 1982
		125cc	1969
4	Moto Guzzi	350cc	1953, 1954, 1955, 1957
	Morbidelli	250cc	1978
		125cc	1975, 1977, 1979
3	Norton	500cc	1951
		350cc	1951, 1952
	Bultaco	125cc	1976
		50cc	1978, 1981
2	Velocette	350cc	1949, 1950
	MZ	250cc	1971
		125cc	1960
	Harley-Davidson	250cc	1976, 1977
	Minarelli	125cc	1978, 1980
	Garelli	125cc	1983, 1985

By year

A pink background indicates an event that was not part of the Grand Prix motorcycle racing championship.

Year	Track	125cc		250cc		500cc		Report
		Rider	Manufacturer	Rider	Manufacturer	Rider	Manufacturer
1990	Spa-Francorchamps	Hans Spaan	Honda	John Kocinski	Yamaha	Wayne Rainey	Yamaha	Report

Year	Track	80cc		125cc		250cc		500cc		Report
		Rider	Manufacturer	Rider	Manufacturer	Rider	Manufacturer	Rider	Manufacturer
1989	Spa-Francorchamps			Hans Spaan	Honda	Jacques Cornu	Honda	Eddie Lawson	Honda	Report
1988				Jorge Martínez	Derbi	Sito Pons	Honda	Wayne Gardner	Yamaha	Report
1986				Domenico Brigaglia	Ducados-MBA	Sito Pons	Honda	Randy Mamola	Yamaha	Report
1985				Fausto Gresini	Garelli	Freddie Spencer	Honda	Freddie Spencer	Honda	Report
1984		Stefan Dörflinger	Zündapp			Manfred Herweh	Real-Rotax	Freddie Spencer	Honda	Report
Year	Track	50cc		125cc		250cc		500cc		Report
		Rider	Manufacturer	Rider	Manufacturer	Rider	Manufacturer	Rider	Manufacturer
1983	Spa-Francorchamps			Eugenio Lazzarini	Garelli	Didier de Radiguès	Chevallier-Yamaha	Kenny Roberts	Yamaha	Report

Year	Track	50cc		125cc		250cc		350cc		500cc		Report
		Rider	Manufacturer	Rider	Manufacturer	Rider	Manufacturer	Rider	Manufacturer	Rider	Manufacturer
1982	Spa-Francorchamps			Ricardo Tormo	Sanvenero	Anton Mang	Kawasaki			Freddie Spencer	Honda	Report
1981		Ricardo Tormo	Bultaco			Anton Mang	Kawasaki			Marco Lucchinelli	Suzuki	Report
1980	Zolder	Stefan Dörflinger	Kreidler	Ángel Nieto	Minarelli	Anton Mang	Kawasaki			Randy Mamola	Suzuki	Report
1979	Spa-Francorchamps	Henk van Kessel	Sparta	Barry Smith	Morbidelli	Edi Stöllinger	Kawasaki			Dennis Ireland	Suzuki	Report
1978		Ricardo Tormo	Bultaco	Pier Paolo Bianchi	Minarelli	Paolo Pileri	Morbidelli			Wil Hartog	Suzuki	Report
1977		Eugenio Lazzarini	Kreidler	Pier Paolo Bianchi	Morbidelli	Walter Villa	Harley-Davidson			Barry Sheene	Suzuki	Report
1976		Herbert Rittberger	Kreidler	Ángel Nieto	Bultaco	Walter Villa	Harley-Davidson			John Williams	Suzuki	Report
1975		Julien van Zeebroeck	Kreidler	Paolo Pileri	Morbidelli	Johnny Cecotto	Yamaha			Phil Read	MV Agusta	Report
1974		Gerhard Thurow	Kreidler	Ángel Nieto	Derbi	Kent Andersson	Yamaha			Phil Read	MV Agusta	Report
1973		Jan de Vries	Kreidler	Jos Schurgers	Bridgestone	Teuvo Länsivuori	Yamaha			Giacomo Agostini	MV Agusta	Report
1972		Ángel Nieto	Derbi	Ángel Nieto	Derbi	Jarno Saarinen	Yamaha			Giacomo Agostini	MV Agusta	Report
1971		Jan de Vries	Suzuki	Barry Sheene	Suzuki	Silvio Grassetti	MZ			Giacomo Agostini	MV Agusta	Report
1970		Aalt Toersen	Jamathi	Ángel Nieto	Derbi	Rod Gould	Yamaha			Giacomo Agostini	MV Agusta	Report
1969		Barry Smith	Derbi	Dave Simmonds	Kawasaki	Santiago Herrero	Ossa			Giacomo Agostini	MV Agusta	Report
1968		Hans-Georg Anscheidt	Suzuki			Phil Read	Yamaha			Giacomo Agostini	MV Agusta	Report
1967		Hans-Georg Anscheidt	Suzuki			Bill Ivy	Yamaha			Giacomo Agostini	MV Agusta	Report
1966						Mike Hailwood	Honda			Giacomo Agostini	MV Agusta	Report
1965		Ernst Degner	Suzuki			Jim Redman	Honda			Mike Hailwood	MV Agusta	Report
1964		Ralph Bryans	Honda			Mike Duff	Yamaha			Mike Hailwood	MV Agusta	Report
1963		Isao Morishita	Suzuki	Bert Schneider	Suzuki	Fumio Ito	Yamaha			Mike Hailwood	MV Agusta	Report
1962		Ernst Degner	Suzuki	Luigi Taveri	Honda	Bob McIntyre	Honda			Mike Hailwood	MV Agusta	Report
Year	Track			125cc		250cc		350cc		500cc		Report
				Rider	Manufacturer	Rider	Manufacturer	Rider	Manufacturer	Rider	Manufacturer
1961	Spa-Francorchamps			Luigi Taveri	Honda	Jim Redman	Honda			Gary Hocking	MV Agusta	Report
1960				Ernst Degner	MZ	Carlo Ubbiali	MV Agusta			John Surtees	MV Agusta	Report
1959				Carlo Ubbiali	MV Agusta					John Surtees	MV Agusta	Report
1958				Alberto Gandossi	Ducati			John Surtees	MV Agusta	John Surtees	MV Agusta	Report
1957				Tarquinio Provini	FB-Mondial	John Hartle	MV Agusta	Keith Campbell	Moto Guzzi	Libero Liberati	Gilera	Report
1956				Carlo Ubbiali	MV Agusta	Carlo Ubbiali	MV Agusta	John Surtees	MV Agusta	John Surtees	MV Agusta	Report
1955								Bill Lomas	Moto Guzzi	Giuseppe Colnago	Gilera	Report
1954								Ken Kavanagh	Moto Guzzi	Geoff Duke	Gilera	Report
1953								Fergus Anderson	Moto Guzzi	Umberto Masetti	Gilera	Report
1952								Geoff Duke	Norton	Umberto Masetti	Gilera	Report
1951								Geoff Duke	Norton	Geoff Duke	Norton	Report
1950								Bob Foster	Velocette	Umberto Masetti	Gilera	Report
1949								Freddie Frith	Velocette	Bill Doran	AJS	Report
1948								Bob Foster	Velocette	Johnny Lockett	Norton	Report
1947						Bruno Francisci	Moto Guzzi	Ken Bills	Norton	Harold Daniell	Norton	Report

Year	Track	175cc		250cc		350cc		500cc		Report
		Rider	Manufacturer	Rider	Manufacturer	Rider	Manufacturer	Rider	Manufacturer
1939	Spa-Francorchamps			Ewald Kluge	DKW	Ted Mellors	Velocette	Georg Meier	BMW	Report
1938		Léon Neumann	DKW	Ewald Kluge	DKW	John White	Norton	Georg Meier	BMW	Report
1937		Bernhard Petruschke	DKW	Walfried Winkler	DKW	John White	Norton	Jimmie Guthrie	Norton	Report
1936	Floreffe	Jean Térigi	MM	Arthur Geiß	DKW	Ted Mellors	Velocette	Jimmie Guthrie	Norton	Report
1935	Spa-Francorchamps	Maurice van Geert	Rush-Python	Arthur Geiß	DKW	John White	Norton	Jimmie Guthrie	Norton	Report
1934		Yvan Goor	Benelli	Henry Tyrell-Smith	Rudge	Jimmie Simpson	Norton	Wal Handley	Norton	Report
1933		Yvan Goor	Benelli	Wal Handley	Moto Guzzi	Jimmie Guthrie	Norton	Tim Hunt	Norton	Report
1932		Eric Fernihough	Excelsior	Ted Mellors	New Imperial	Jimmie Simpson	Norton	Stanley Woods	Norton	Report
1931		Eric Fernihough	Excelsior	Ted Mellors	New Imperial	Jimmie Guthrie	Norton	Stanley Woods	Norton	Report
1930		Yvan Goor	DKW	Syd Crabtree	Excelsior	Ernie Nott	Rudge	Henry Tyrell-Smith	Rudge	Report
1929		Bert Kershaw	James	Jock Porter	New Gerrard	Wal Handley	Motosacoche	Charlie Dodson	Sunbeam	Report
1928		Arthur Geiß	DKW	Syd Crabtree	Excelsior	J. Treborg	La Mondiale-Blackburne	Charlie Dodson	Sunbeam	Report
1927		Arthur Geiß	DKW	Syd Crabtree	Crabtree-JAP	Jimmie Simpson	AJS	Stanley Woods	Norton	Report
1926		René Milhoux	Ready-Blackburne	Jock Porter	New Gerrard	Frank Longman	AJS	Jimmie Simpson	AJS	Report
1925		Norbert Vanneste	Ready-Blackburne	Jock Porter	New Gerrard	Wal Handley	Rex-Acme	Alec Bennett	Norton	Report
1924		Geoff Davison	Levis	Bert Taylor	PA-Blackburne	Paddy Johnston	PA-Blackburne	Alec Bennett	Norton	Report
1923	Dinant-Feschaux			Wal Handley	Rex-Acme	Jean Huynen	FN	Freddie Dixon	Indian	Report
1922	Spa-Francorchamps			Geoff Davison	Levis	E. Remington	Rush-Blackburne	Gaston Antoine	Triumph	Report
1921						René Kieken	Gillet	Hubert Hassall	Norton	Report