1958 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season

The 1958 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season was the tenth 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 6 June, with Isle of Man TT and ended with Nations Grand Prix in Italy on 14 September.

John Surtees, the 1958 350cc and 500cc World Champion.
Tarquinio Provini (pictured in 1959), the 1958 250cc World Champion.
Carlo Ubbiali (pictured in 1956), the 1958 125cc World Champion.

At the end of the 1957 season, Gilera, Mondial, Moto Guzzi and MV Agusta announced a multilateral withdrawal from GP racing, due to economic reasons and rising public pressure due to the large amount of fatal motorsport accidents occurring in Italy during the previous years.[1] MV Agusta reverted their decision several days later. This situation left reigning 500cc champion Libero Liberati and reigning 250cc champion Cecil Sandford without rides for 1958.[2][3]

A major technical change for 1958 was the ban of dustbin fairings - streamlined bodywork that covered front wheels - in all classes. They were used by most entrants by the end of 1957, including privateers. As of 2023, the rule is still in place in MotoGP.[4]

1958 Grand Prix season calendar

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Round Date Grand Prix Circuit 125cc winner 250cc winner 350cc winner 500cc winner Sidecars 500cc winner Report
1 6 June   Isle of Man TT Snaefell Mountain   Carlo Ubbiali   Tarquinio Provini   John Surtees   John Surtees   Schneider / Strauß Report
2 28 June   Dutch TT TT Circuit Assen   Carlo Ubbiali   Tarquinio Provini   John Surtees   John Surtees     Camathias / Cecco Report
3 6 July   Belgian Grand Prix Spa-Francorchamps   Alberto Gandossi   John Surtees   John Surtees   Schneider / Strauß Report
4 20 July   German Grand Prix Nürburgring Nordschleife   Carlo Ubbiali   Tarquinio Provini   John Surtees   John Surtees   Schneider / Strauß Report
5 27 July   Swedish Grand Prix Hedemora Circuit   Alberto Gandossi   Horst Fügner   Geoff Duke   Geoff Duke Report
6 9 August   Ulster Grand Prix Dundrod Circuit   Carlo Ubbiali   Tarquinio Provini   John Surtees   John Surtees Report
7 14 September   Nations Grand Prix Monza   Bruno Spaggiari   Emilio Mendogni   John Surtees   John Surtees Report

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

Standings

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Scoring system

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Points were awarded to the top six finishers in each race. Only the four best races counted in 125cc, 250cc, 350cc and 500cc championships, while in the Sidecars the three best results were counted.

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

500cc final standings

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Pos Rider Machine MAN
 
HOL
 
BEL
 
GER
 
SWE
 
ULS
 
NAC
 
Pts
1   John Surtees MV Agusta 1 1 1 1 1 1 32 (48)
2   John Hartle MV Agusta Ret 2 3 2 3 Ret 20
3   Geoff Duke BMW / Norton Ret Ret 4 Ret 1 5 7 13
4   Dickie Dale BMW 10 5 5 5 2 6 4 13 (16)
5   Derek Minter Norton 4 3 Ret 4 10
6   Gary Hocking Norton 6 3 4 8
7   Ernst Hiller BMW 4 Ret 4 5 Ret 10 8
8   Bob Anderson Norton 2 Ret 6 Ret Ret Ret Ret 7
9   Keith Campbell Norton Ret Ret 2 6
10   Bob McIntyre Norton Ret 2 6
11   Remo Venturi MV Agusta 2 6
12   Bob Brown Norton / BMW 3 10 16 6 6 7 Ret 6
13   Terry Shepherd Norton Ret Ret 3 Ret 4
14   Umberto Masetti MV Agusta 3 4
15   Dave Chadwick Norton 5 Ret Ret Ret 6 3
16   Carlo Bandirola MV Agusta 5 2
17   John Anderson Norton / Matchless 6 12 1
18   Noel McCutcheon Norton 16 7 10 0
19   Alois Huber BMW 7 11 0
20   George Catlin Norton 7 Ret 13 0
21   Alan Trow Norton Ret Ret 7 Ret Ret 0
22   Paddy Driver Norton Ret Ret 7 0
23   Tom Phillis Norton 18 9 8 0
24   Ewan Haldane Norton 8 9 0
25   John Hempleman Norton 15 8 11 Ret Ret 0
26   Jack Brett Norton Ret 12 8 Ret 0
27   Ralph Rensen Norton 12 8 0
28   Giuseppe Cantoni MV Agusta 8 0
=   Karl Peters Norton 8 0
30   Gerold Klinger BMW 9 9 0
31   Jim Redman Norton 19 Ret 9 0
32   Geoffrey Tanner Norton Ret Ret 9 Ret 0
33   Peter Pawson Norton 9 Ret 0
34   Jack Wood Matchless 22 10 0
35   Mike O'Rourke Norton Ret Ret 10 0
36   Hans-Günter Jäger BMW 10 0
37   Jack Ahearn Matchless 29 11 13 13 0
38   Don Chapman Norton Ret 11 0
=   Eric Hinton Norton 11 Ret 0
40   Rudolf Gläser Norton 11 0
=   Kurt Johannson Norton 11 0
42   Bob Ferguson Norton 31 12 0
43   Stig Andersson Norton 12 0
=   Adolfo Covi Norton 12 0
=   Jack Findlay Norton 12 0
46   Karl-Heinz Scheifel Matchless 13 27 0
47   Jacques Collot Norton 13 0
=   Mike Hailwood Norton 13 0
49   Raymond Bogaerdt Norton 14 0
=   Artemio Cirelli Gilera 14 0
=   Evert Carlsson BMW 14 0
=   Robin Fitton Norton 14 0
=   Ken Tostevin Norton 14 0
54   Eric Cheers BSA Ret 15 0
55   Jean-Pierre Bayle Norton 15 0
=   Gianvittorio Ziglioli Moto Guzzi 15 0
57   Stephen Murray AJS 16 0
58   Vernon Cottle Norton 33 17 0
59   Jimmy Buchan Norton 17 0
60   Davy Crawford Norton 18 0
61   Harry Grant Norton 19 0
62   Harry Plews Norton / AJS 30 20 0
63   Derek Powell Norton 20 0
64   Bertie Farlow Norton 21 0
=   Ray Fay Norton 21 0
66   William McCosh Matchless 22 0
67   Jimmy Jones Norton 23 0
=   Brian Purslow Norton 23 0
69   George Costain Norton 24 0
=   Ernie Oliver AJS 24 0
71   Alan Holmes Norton 25 0
=   Llewellyn Ranson AJS 25 0
73   Robert McCracken Norton 26 0
=   Brian Setchell Norton 26 0
75   Bob Rowbottom Norton 27 Ret 0
76   Martin Brosnan Norton 28 0
77   Syd Mizen Norton 28 0
78   Philip Palmer Norton 32 0
79   Harry Voice Norton 34 0
80   Arthur Wheeler AJS 35 0
81   Louis Carr Norton 36 0
82   Barry Cortvriend Matchless 37 0
83   Albert Moule Norton 38 0
84   Bill Robertson Norton 39 0
85   John Marcotte AJS 40 0
86   Allen Burt AJS 41 Ret 0
87   Ian McGuffie Norton 42 0
88   Walter Hancock Norton 43 0
89   Grenville Pennington Norton 44 0
90   Jim Tompsett AJS 45 Ret 0
91   Roly Capner BSA 46 0
92   George Northwood Norton 47 0
93   Clarrie Dunn AJS 48 Ret 0
-   Harry Hinton Jr. Norton Ret Ret 0
-   Dick Thompson Norton Ret Ret 0
-   Bob Webster Norton Ret Ret 0
-   Bill Beevers Norton Ret 0
-   Paolo Campanelli Norton Ret 0
-   Austin Carson Norton Ret 0
-   Borro Castellani Norton Ret 0
-   Fabio Ceredi Moto Guzzi Ret 0
-   Bob Coulter BSA Ret 0
-   Ken Draper Norton Ret 0
-   Gerardo Düring Matchless Ret 0
-   Jack Forrest BMW Ret 0
-   Laurie Flury AJS Ret 0
-   Francesco Guglielminetti Norton Ret 0
-   Roy Ingram Norton Ret 0
-   Jacques Insermini Norton Ret 0
-   Guy Ligier Norton Ret 0
-   Alistair King Norton Ret 0
-   Giuseppe Mantelli Gilera Ret 0
-   Luigi Marcelli Norton Ret 0
-   Emanuele Maugliani Gilera Ret 0
-   Bob Matthews Norton Ret 0
-   Tommy McLeod Norton Ret 0
-   Alfredo Milani Gilera Ret 0
-   Noel Orr Matchless Ret 0
-   Len Rutherford Matchless Ret 0
-   Bill Smith Norton Ret 0
-   Gerry Turner Norton Ret 0
-   Desmond Wolff Norton Ret 0
Pos Rider Bike MAN
 
HOL
 
BEL
 
GER
 
SWE
 
ULS
 
NAC
 
Pts
Colour Result
Gold Winner
Silver Second place
Bronze Third 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)

Bold – Pole
Italics – Fastest Lap

350cc Standings

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Place Rider Number Country Machine Points Wins
1   John Surtees United Kingdom MV Agusta 32 6
2   John Hartle United Kingdom MV Agusta 24 0
3   Geoff Duke United Kingdom Norton 17 1
4   Dave Chadwick United Kingdom Norton 13 0
5   Bob Anderson United Kingdom Norton 11 0
6   Mike Hailwood United Kingdom Norton 9 0
7   Keith Campbell Australia Norton 8 0
8   Derek Minter United Kingdom Norton 7 0
=   Terry Shepherd United Kingdom Norton 7 0
10   Geoffrey Tanner United Kingdom Norton 4 0
11   Alan Trow United Kingdom Norton 3 0
12   Bob McIntyre United Kingdom Norton 2 0
=   Geoff Monty United Kingdom Norton 2 0
=   George Catlin United Kingdom Norton 2 0
15   Bob Brown Australia AJS 1 0
=   Alistair King United Kingdom Norton 1 0
=   Dickie Dale United Kingdom Norton 1 0
=   Luigi Taveri Switzerland Norton 1 0
=   Mike O'Rourke United Kingdom Norton 1 0

250cc Standings

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Place Rider Number Country Machine Points Wins
1   Tarquinio Provini Italy MV Agusta 32 4
2   Horst Fügner East Germany MZ 16 1
3   Carlo Ubbiali Italy MV Agusta 16 0
4   Mike Hailwood United Kingdom NSU 13 0
5   Dieter Falk West Germany Adler 11 0
6   Emilio Mendogni Italy Morini 8 1
7   Tommy Robb United Kingdom NSU 7 0
=   Giampiero Zubani Italy Morini 6 0
9   Günter Beer West Germany Adler 6 0
10   Dave Chadwick United Kingdom MV Agusta 4 0
=   Geoff Monty United Kingdom GMS-NSU 4 0
12   Horst Kassner West Germany NSU 4 0
13   Josef Autengruber Austria NSU 4 0
14   Ernst Degner West Germany MZ 3 0
=   Bob Brown Australia NSU 3 0
16   Arthur Wheeler United Kingdom Mondial 2 0
=   Xaver Heiß West Germany NSU 2 0
18   Dickie Dale United Kingdom NSU 1 0
=   Sammy Miller United Kingdom ČZ 1 0
=   Walter Reichert West Germany NSU 1 0
=   Wilhelm Lecke West Germany DKW 1 0

125cc

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Riders' standings

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Pos. Rider Bike MAN
 
NED
 
BEL
 
GER
 
SWE
 
ULS
 
NAT
 
Pts
1   Carlo Ubbiali MV Agusta 1F 1 5 1F 3 1 32 (38)
2   Alberto Gandossi Ducati 4 1F 1 4F 2 25 (28)
3   Luigi Taveri Ducati 2F 6 2F 2 5 20 (21)
4   Tarquinio Provini MV Agusta 3 3 2 4 17
5   Dave Chadwick Ducati 3 5 4 3 4 14 (16)
6   Romolo Ferri Ducati 2 2 12
7   Ernst Degner MZ 5 6 3 5 9
8   Bruno Spaggiari Ducati 1F 8
9   Horst Fügner MZ 6 4 6 5 7
10   Francesco Villa Ducati 3 4
11   Sammy Miller Ducati 4 3
12   Walter Brehme MZ 5 2
13   Werner Musiol MZ 6 1
13   Arthur Wheeler Mondial 6 1
13   Enzo Vezzalini MV Agusta 6 1
Pos. Rider Bike MAN
 
NED
 
BEL
 
GER
 
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

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

Pos. Constructor MAN
 
NED
 
BEL
 
GER
 
SWE
 
ULS
 
NAT
 
Pts
1   MV Agusta 1 1 3 1 3 1 6 32 (41)
2   Ducati 2 2 1 1 2 1 30 (42)
3   MZ 5 6 3 5 5 10 (11)
4   Mondial 6 1
Pos. Constructor MAN
 
NED
 
BEL
 
GER
 
SWE
 
ULS
 
NAT
 
Pts

Inline citations

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  1. ^ Gustl, Kamikaze (2021-02-03). "Carlo Ubbiali story - part 6". MotoRacers. Retrieved 2023-12-05.
  2. ^ Oxley, Mat (2023-12-01). "Remembering Cecil Sandford, MV Agusta's history man". Motor Sport Magazine. Retrieved 2023-12-05.
  3. ^ "Motorsport Memorial -". www.motorsportmemorial.org. Retrieved 2023-12-05.
  4. ^ "About Those Dustbin Fairings of the 1950s". Cycle World. Retrieved 2023-12-05.

References

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