Luigi Taveri

Luigi Taveri (19 September 1929 – 1 March 2018) was a Swiss professional Grand Prix motorcycle road racer. He competed in the FIM motorcycle Grand Prix world championships from 1954 to 1966. Taveri is notable for being a three-time 125cc road racing world champion. Although he specialised in the smaller engined machines, Taveri is the only competitor to have scored points in six Grand Prix classes: 50cc, 125cc, 250cc, 350cc, 500cc and Sidecars. In 2016, he was named an FIM Legend for his motorcycling achievements.

Luigi Taveri
Luigi Taveri, c. 1957
Nationality	Swiss
Born	(1929-09-19)19 September 1929 Horgen, Zürich, Switzerland
Died	1 March 2018(2018-03-01) (aged 88)
Motorcycle racing career statistics Grand Prix motorcycle racing Active years 1954–1966 First race 1954 500cc French Grand Prix Last race 1966 125cc Nations Grand Prix First win 1955 125cc Spanish Grand Prix Last win 1966 125cc Nations Grand Prix Team(s) Honda Championships 125cc – 1962, 1964, 1966 Starts Wins Podiums Poles F. laps Points 143 30 89 N/A 28 541

Racing career

Taveri at the Salzburgring track in 2005

Taveri made his world championship debut in the 1954 season, racing in the 500 cc class on a Norton motorcycle. In 1955, he took his first win in the 125 cc race at the Spanish Grand Prix. He took one more win in 1955, in the 250 cc class at the Dutch TT.

Taveri (6) pursues Phil Read (8) during the 1966 125cc Dutch TT.

He participated in the Isle of Man TT on several occasions from 1955 to 1966 with three victories and several second places amongst his results.

During his career he rode for MV Agusta, and became a works rider for Ducati, MZ, Kreidler and in 1961 for Honda. His final Grand Prix victory at the 1966 125cc Italian Grand Prix came 11 years and 133 days after his first win, marking one of the longest winning careers in the Grand Prix motorcycle racing history. Over his racing career Taveri had 30 victories and 89 podiums in all classes, including three Isle of Man TT victories. After retiring from competition, he continued in the sport by demonstrating historic machines.

Taveri died on 1 March 2018 of complications from a stroke at the age of 88.

Motorcycle Grand Prix results

Position	1	2	3	4	5	6
Points	8	6	4	3	2	1

(key) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)

Year	Class	Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	Points	Rank	Wins
1954	250cc	Moto Guzzi	FRA -	IOM -	ULS -		NED -	GER -	SUI 4	NAT -						3	13th	0
	500cc	Norton	FRA 4	IOM -	ULS -	BEL -	NED 8	GER -	SUI -	NAT -	ESP -					3	17th	0
	Sidecar	Norton		IOM -	ULS -	BEL -		GER -	SUI 6	NAT -						1	10th	0
1955	125cc	MV Agusta	ESP 1	FRA 2	IOM 2	GER 2	NED -		NAT -							26	2nd	1
	250cc	MV Agusta			IOM -	GER 4	NED 1	ULS -	NAT -							11	4th	1
1956	125cc	MV Agusta	IOM -	NED 2	BEL 4	GER -	ULS -	NAT 4								12	3rd	0
	250cc	MV Agusta	IOM -	NED 2	BEL 2	GER 2	ULS 1	NAT 4								26	2nd	1
1957	125cc	MV Agusta	GER 5	IOM 3	NED 3	BEL 2	ULS 1	NAT 3								22	2nd	1
	250cc	MV Agusta	GER 5	IOM 2	NED -	BEL -	ULS -	NAT -								8	7th	0
1958	125cc	Ducati	IOM -	NED 2	BEL 6	GER -	SWE 2	ULS 2	NAT 5							20	3rd	0
	350cc	Norton	IOM -	NED 6	BEL -	GER -	SWE -	ULS -	NAT -							1	15th	0
1959	125cc	MZ	IOM 2													14	4th	0
		Ducati		GER -	NED -	BEL 3	SWE -	ULS -	NAT 3
	250cc	MZ	IOM -	GER -	NED -	BEL -	SWE -	ULS -	NAT 5							2	13th	0
1960	125cc	MV Agusta	IOM 3	NED -	BEL -		ULS 5	NAT -								6	6th	0
	250cc	MV Agusta	IOM 8	NED 3	BEL 3	GER 5	ULS 6	NAT -								11	3rd	0
1961	125cc	Honda	ESP -	GER 5	FRA 5	IOM 2	NED -	BEL 1	DDR NC	ULS 6	NAT 3	SWE 1	ARG -			30	3rd	2
	250cc	Honda	ESP -	GER -	FRA -	IOM -	NED -	BEL -	DDR -	ULS -	NAT -	SWE 2	ARG -			6	10th	0
1962	50cc	Honda	ESP 3	FRA 3	IOM 2	NED 9	BEL 3	GER 4		DDR 4	NAT 6	FIN 1	ARG -			29	3rd	1
	125cc	Honda	ESP 3	FRA 4	IOM 1	NED 1	BEL 1	GER 1	ULS 1	DDR 1	NAT 2	FIN 2	ARG -			48	1st	6
	250cc	Honda	ESP -	FRA -	IOM -	NED -	BEL 3	GER -	ULS 3	DDR -	NAT NC		ARG -			8	8th	0
1963	50cc	Honda	ESP -	GER -	FRA -	IOM -	NED -	BEL -			FIN -		ARG -	JPN 1		8	8th	1
	125cc	Honda	ESP 1	GER 4	FRA 3	IOM 4	NED 3	BEL 3	ULS 3	DDR 4	FIN 2	NAT 1	ARG NC	JPN NC		38	2nd	2
	250cc	Honda	ESP 5	GER NC		IOM NC	NED NC	BEL 4	ULS NC	DDR 5		NAT 3	ARG -	JPN 5		13	5th	0
	350cc	Honda		GER -		IOM -	NED 3		ULS 3	DDR 2	FIN 5	NAT NC				16	3rd	0
1964	50cc	Honda	USA -	ESP 6	FRA -	IOM -	NED -	BEL -	GER -			FIN 3		JPN -		5	7th	0
	125cc	Honda	USA -	ESP 1	FRA 1	IOM 1	NED -		GER 2	DDR 2	ULS 2	FIN 1	NAT 1	JPN 2		46	1st	5
	250cc	Honda	USA -	ESP NC	FRA 2	IOM NC	NED -	BEL -	GER 6	DDR -	ULS NC		NAT 6	JPN 4		11	6th	0
1965	50cc	Honda	USA -	GER 2	ESP 4	FRA 2	IOM 1	NED 3	BEL 3						JPN 1	32	2nd	2
	125cc	Honda	USA -	GER NC	ESP NC	FRA NC	IOM 2	NED 5		DDR -	CZE -	ULS -	FIN -	NAT -	JPN 2	14	5th	0
1966	50cc	Honda	ESP 1	GER 4	NED 1					IOM 2	NAT 3	JPN -				26	3rd	2
	125cc	Honda	ESP 2	GER 1	NED 2	DDR 1	CZE 1	FIN 2	ULS 1	IOM 8	NAT 1	JPN -				46	1st	5