1957 Motocross World Championship

The 1957 Motocross World Championship was the 1st edition of the Motocross World Championship organized by the FIM and reserved for 500cc motorcycles.[1]

1957 Motocross World Championship
Les Archer Jr. during the 500cc Netherlands GP, held in Lichtenvoorde on 28 July 1957.
OrganizerFIM
DurationFrom 5 May to 25 August
Number of races9
Number of manufacturers7
Champions
500ccSweden Bill Nilsson
250cc[a]Germany Fritz Betzelbacher
Motocross World Championship seasons

Summary edit

After five editions of the European Championship, from 1952 to 1956, the championship from 1957 took the name of the World Championship, at least for the 500cc class. The 250cc class, introduced this season, will also dispute five running-in seasons, from 1957 to 1961, a period in which it will take on the name of the European Cup, to become World Championship as well starting from the 1962 season.[1]

From May 5 to August 25 the 500cc class held 9 grands prix which awarded points to the first six classified competitors, respectively: 8, 6, 4, 3, 2, 1. The score in the final classification of each competitor was calculated on the best four results.[2]

Grands Prix edit

500cc edit

Round Date Grand Prix Location Winner Team Report
1 May 5   Swiss Grand Prix Geneva   Nic Jansen Matchless Report
2 May 19   French Grand Prix Montreuil   Les Archer Jr. Norton Report
3 June 2   Swedish Grand Prix Saxtorp   Bill Nilsson Crescent-AJS Report
4 June 9   Italian Grand Prix Imola   Bill Nilsson Crescent-AJS Report
5 July 7   British Grand Prix Hawkstone Park   Jeff Smith BSA Report
6 July 28   Dutch Grand Prix Lichtenvoorde   Bill Nilsson Crescent-AJS Report
7 August 4   Belgian Grand Prix Namur   Sten Lundin Monark Report
8 August 11   Luxembourg Grand Prix Ettelbruck   Sten Lundin Monark Report
9 August 25   Danish Grand Prix Næstved   René Baeten FN Report
Sources:[3][4]

250cc edit

Round Date Grand Prix Location Winner Team Report
1 May 5   Swiss Grand Prix Geneva   Jaromír Čížek Jawa Report
2 May 19   French Grand Prix Montreuil   Alex Colin NSU Report
3 May 30   German Grand Prix Brühl   Marcel Verhaegen BSA Report
4 June 15   German Grand Prix Reutlingen   Fritz Betzelbacher Maico Report
5 August 4   Belgian Grand Prix Namur   Willi Oesterle Maico Report
6 August 11   Luxembourg Grand Prix Ettelbruck   Fritz Betzelbacher Maico Report
7 August 18   Belgian Grand Prix Genk   Willi Oesterle Maico Report
8 September 22   Austrian Grand Prix Sittendorf   Fritz Betzelbacher Maico Report
Sources:[5][6]

Final standings edit

Points are awarded to the top 6 classified finishers.[1]

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

500cc edit

Pos Rider Machine CH
 
FRA
 
SWE
 
ITA
 
GBR
 
NED
 
BEL
 
LUX
 
DEN
 
Pts
1   Bill Nilsson Crescent-AJS 2 1 1 5 1 3 3 34
2   René Baeten FN 3 2 4 2 2 1 30
3   Sten Lundin Monark 4 4 6 1 1 2 28
4   Jeff Smith BSA 3 2 1 5 4 23
5   Les Archer Jr. Norton 5 1 2 3 20
6   Auguste Mingels Saroléa 2 3 5 6 3 17
7   Nic Jansen Matchless 1 4 6 5 5 16
8   John Draper BSA 6 5 3 4 10
9   Hubert Scaillet FN 6 2 7
10   Broer Dirkx BSA 3 4
11   Gunnar Johansson BSA 4 6 4
12   Rolf Tibblin BSA 4 3
13   Lars Gustavsson BSA 4 3
14   René Klym BSA 5 2
15   Mogens Rasmussen Matchless 5 2
16   Geoff Ward Norton 6 1
17   Sten Hammerstedt Matchless 6 1
18   Herman De Soete Matchless 6 1
Source:[4]

250cc edit

Pos Rider Machine CH
 
FRA
 
GER
 
GER
 
BEL
 
LUX
 
BEL
 
AUT
 
Pts
1   Fritz Betzelbacher Maico 5 1 2 1 2 1 36
2   Willi Oesterle Maico 3 2 1 5 1 4 29
3   Jaromír Čížek[b] Jawa 1 2 5 4 3 3 25
4   Alex Colin NSU 3 1 6 3 6 18
5   Marcel Verhaegen BSA 1 4 4 5 16
6   Rolf Müller Maico 4 2 2 15
7   Brian Stonebridge Greeves 2 6
8   Albert Voreux NSU 2 6
9   Maurice Bloquet NSU 3 4
10   Otto Walz Maico 3 4
11   Herbert Hubert Maico 3 4
12   Klaus Kamper Maico 4 3
  Marcel Scharbano Monet Goyon 4 3
14   Jaroslav Kmoch Jawa 4 3
15   Mobi Vierdag Maico 5 2
  Maurice Houssonloge Maico 5 2
17   Michel Heuqueville Gnome Rhone 5 2
18   John Avery Greeves 5 2
  Alfred Jegge Motosacoche 6 6 2
20   Georges Romailler Zündapp 6 1
  Oldrich Hamrsmid ČZ 6 1
  Norbert René Monet Goyon 6 1
  Daniel Brixner Maico 6 1
Source:[6]

Notes edit

  1. ^ In this season still called the European Cup.
  2. ^ Other sources write the surname as Cisek.

References edit

  1. ^ a b c "2015 MXGP Guide" (PDF). mxgp.com. Archived from the original (PDF) on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 19 August 2021.
  2. ^ "Championnat du monde 500cc - 1957" (PDF). memotocross.fr. Retrieved 19 August 2021.
  3. ^ "1957 500cc Motocross World Championship race results". memotocross.fr. Retrieved 22 December 2022.
  4. ^ a b "1957 500cc motocross world championship results" (PDF). memotocross.fr. Retrieved 22 December 2022.
  5. ^ "1957 250cc European Motocross Championship race results". memotocross.fr. Retrieved 22 December 2022.
  6. ^ a b "1957 250cc European Cup motocross championship results" (PDF). memotocross.fr. Retrieved 14 January 2023.