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1953 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season

The 1953 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season was the fifth F.I.M. Road Racing World Championship Grand Prix season. The season consisted of nine Grand Prix races in five classes: 500cc, 350cc, 250cc, 125cc and Sidecars 500cc. It began on 12 June, with Isle of Man TT and ended with Spanish Grand Prix on 4 October.

Geoff Duke (pictured in 1951) won his second 500cc World Championship title in 1953.
Werner Haas, the 1953 125cc and 250cc World Champion.

1953 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 12 June Isle of Man  Isle of Man TT Snaefell Mountain United Kingdom  Leslie Graham United Kingdom  Fergus Anderson Southern Rhodesia  Ray Amm Southern Rhodesia  Ray Amm Report
2 27 June Netherlands  Dutch TT Assen West Germany  Werner Haas West Germany  Werner Haas Italy  Enrico Lorenzetti United Kingdom  Geoff Duke Report
3 5 July Belgium  Belgian Grand Prix Spa-Francorchamps United Kingdom  Fergus Anderson Italy  Alfredo Milani United Kingdom  Oliver / Dibben Report
4 19 July West Germany  German Grand Prix Schottenring Italy  Carlo Ubbiali West Germany  Werner Haas Italy  Carlo Bandirola West Germany  Walter Zeller Report
5 2 August France  French Grand Prix Rouen-Les-Essarts United Kingdom  Fergus Anderson United Kingdom  Geoff Duke United Kingdom  Oliver / Dibben Report
6 15 August Northern Ireland  Ulster Grand Prix Dundrod West Germany  Werner Haas Republic of Ireland  Reg Armstrong New Zealand  Ken Mudford Australia  Ken Kavanagh United Kingdom  Smith / Nutt Report
7 23 August Switzerland  Swiss Grand Prix Bremgarten Republic of Ireland  Reg Armstrong United Kingdom  Fergus Anderson United Kingdom  Geoff Duke United Kingdom  Oliver / Dibben Report
8 6 September Italy  Nations Grand Prix Monza West Germany  Werner Haas Italy  Enrico Lorenzetti Italy  Enrico Lorenzetti United Kingdom  Geoff Duke United Kingdom  Oliver / Dibben Report
9 4 October Spain  Spanish Grand Prix Montjuïc Italy  Angelo Copeta Italy  Enrico Lorenzetti United Kingdom  Fergus Anderson Report

† After pronouncing the track unsafe before practice had begun, all the factory teams withdrew from the 350cc and 500cc classes in the proposed German Grand Prix. The event continued, but with the agreement that these two classes were only counted as an ordinary international event.[1]

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 the Sidecars, 125cc and 250cc, while in the 350cc and 500cc championships, the five 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
United Kingdom 
HOL
Netherlands 
BEL
Belgium 
FRA
France 
ULS
Ulster 
SUI
Switzerland 
NAC
Italy 
ESP
Spain 
Pts
1 United Kingdom  Geoff Duke Gilera Ret 1 Ret 1 2 1 1 DNS 38
2 Republic of Ireland  Reg Armstrong Gilera 3 2 3 2 4 3 4 Ret 24 (30)
3 Italy  Alfredo Milani Gilera Ret Ret 1 3 Ret 2 18
4 Australia  Ken Kavanagh Norton / Moto Guzzi Ret 3 4 4 1 Ret Ret 18
5 Southern Rhodesia  Ray Amm Norton 1 Ret 2 DNS 14
6 United Kingdom  Jack Brett Norton 2 5 8 6 3 Ret 13
7 United Kingdom  Dickie Dale Gilera Ret Ret 6 8 7 2 3 11
8 Italy  Giuseppe Colnago Gilera 4 Ret 5 4 4 11
9 United Kingdom  Fergus Anderson Moto Guzzi Ret 7 Ret 1 8
10 New Zealand  Rod Coleman AJS / Norton 4 Ret 5 7 7 5 Ret 7
11 Italy  Carlo Bandirola MV Agusta Ret Ret 2 6
12 Italy  Libero Liberati Gilera 3 Ret 4
13 United Kingdom  Bill Doran AJS 5 6 11 3
14 United Kingdom  Derek Farrant Matchless / AJS Ret 5 6 3
15 Italy  Nello Pagani Gilera 9 7 5 2
16 United Kingdom  Cecil Sandford MV Agusta 5 Ret 2
17 New Zealand  Ken Mudford Norton Ret Ret 14 6 Ret 1
18 United Kingdom  Tommy Wood Norton Ret Ret 6 1
19 Germany  Hermann Paul Müller Horex / MV Agusta Ret 6 1
20 United Kingdom  Peter Davey Norton 6 1
21 Germany  Walter Zeller BMW Ret 7 8 Ret 0
22 Spain  Javier de Ortueta Norton 7 0
= United Kingdom  Ted Frend Norton 7 0
24 United Kingdom  Robin Sherry AJS 8 Ret Ret 0
25 Netherlands  Piet Bakker Norton 8 0
= Northern Ireland  Louis Carter Norton 8 0
= Spain  Antonio Creus Norton 8 0
= Italy  Bruno Francisi MV Agusta 8 DNS 0
29 Belgium  Auguste Goffin Norton 10 Ret 9 0
= United Kingdom  Harry Pearce Matchless 9 Ret 10 0
31 France  Pierre Monneret AJS / Gilera 12 9 Ret 0
32 United Kingdom  Charlie Salt BSA 16 9 0
33 France  Pierre Cherrier Norton 9 0
= Belgium  Léon Martin Gilera 9 0
35 United Kingdom  John Storr Norton Ret Ret 10 0
36 Germany  Hans Baltisberger BMW 10 Ret 0
= Gibraltar  John Grace Norton 10 Ret 0
38 United Kingdom  Robin Fitton Norton 10 0
= Spain  Alfredo Flores Norton 10 0
= United Kingdom  Geoff Read Norton 10 0
41 Australia  Keith Bryen Norton Ret 11 18 0
42 Australia  Laurie Boulter Norton 11 0
= United Kingdom  Leslie Dear Norton 11 0
= Italy  Enrico Galante Norton 11 0
= United Kingdom  Sidney Mason Norton 11 0
= Netherlands  Heer Meyer BMW 11 0
= Germany  Heinz Thorn-Prikker Moto Guzzi 11 0
48 New Zealand  Leo Simpson Matchless / AJS Ret Ret 12 Ret Ret 0
49 Switzerland  Jost Albisser Norton Ret 12 Ret 0
50 Italy  Felice Benasedo Moto Guzzi 12 0
= United Kingdom  Ken Harwood AJS 12 0
= United Kingdom  Frank Norris Norton 12 0
= Netherlands  Priem Rozenberg Matchless 12 0
= Germany  Siegfried Wünsche DKW 12 0
55 United Kingdom  Arthur Wheeler Matchless Ret Ret 13 15 0
56 United Kingdom  Jack Bailey Norton 20 13 0
57 United Kingdom  Joe Glazebrook Norton 22 13 0
58 Netherlands  Lodweijk Simons Matchless 13 Ret 0
59 Switzerland  B. Botta Norton 13 0
= Italy  Lodovico Facchinelli Gilera 13 0
= United Kingdom  Eric Houseley Norton 13 0
62 New Zealand  Ray Laurent Norton 15 9 14 0
63 Northern Ireland  Malcolm Templeton Matchless 14 Ret 0
= United Kingdom  Leonard Williams Norton Ret 14 0
65 Switzerland  Florian Camathias BMW 14 DNS 0
66 Australia  Keith Campbell Norton 15 DNS 0
= United Kingdom  Arthur Feen Norton 15 0
= Italy  Antonio Ronchei Gilera 15 0
69 Northern Ireland  Charlie Gray AJS 27 16 0
70 Belgium  Roger Laurent Norton 16 0
= Switzerland  Henri Vidonne Norton 16 0
71 United Kingdom  Sparky Campbell Norton Ret Ret 17 0
72 Belgium  Charles Bruguiere Norton Ret 17 0
73 United Kingdom  Eric Pantlin Norton 17 0
= East Germany  Karl Rührschneck Norton 17 0
75 United States  Nick Nicholson Norton 18 0
= United Kingdom  Ernie Oliver Norton 18 0
77 United Kingdom  Bill Beevers Norton 19 0
= United Kingdom  Reg MacDonald AJS 19 0
= Belgium  Andrè Wuyts Norton 19 0
80 United Kingdom  Jimmy Hayes AJS 20 0
81 United Kingdom  Ken Swallow AJS / Norton Ret 21 0
82 United Kingdom  Les Dear Norton 21 0
83 Dominion of Ceylon  Rally Dean Norton Ret Ret 22 0
84 Australia  George Scott AJS 23 Ret 0
85 United Kingdom  Robert Browne AJS 23 0
86 Dominion of Ceylon  Zachary Dean Norton 35 Ret 24 0
87 Northern Ireland  Peter Carter Matchless 24 0
88 South Africa  Ray Travers Norton 25 0
= United Kingdom  Stanley Williamson Norton 25 0
90 United Kingdom  Fred Pusey Norton 26 0
= United Kingdom  Roy Walker Norton 26 0
92 United Kingdom  Jackie Joseph Wood Norton 27 0
93 United Kingdom  Eric Hardy AJS 28 0
94 United Kingdom  Kel Prince AJS 29 0
95 United Kingdom  Sid Franklen AJS 30 0
96 United Kingdom  Luis Gilbert AJS 31 0
97 United Kingdom  Llewelyn Ranson AJS 32 0
98 United Kingdom  John Fisher AJS 33 0
99 United Kingdom  Bob McDonald AJS 34 0
100 United Kingdom  Jack Harding Norton 36 0
Australia  Tony McAlpine Norton Ret Ret Ret Ret 0
United Kingdom  Harold Clark Matchless / Norton Ret Ret Ret 0
Italy  Enrico Lorenzetti Moto Guzzi Ret Ret Ret 0
New Zealand  Peter Murphy Matchless Ret Ret Ret 0
Australia  Ernie Ring Matchless / AJS Ret Ret Ret 0
Germany  Friedel Schön Horex Ret Ret Ret 0
New Zealand  Barry Stormont Norton Ret Ret Ret 0
Germany  Fritz Kläger Horex Ret Ret 0
France  Georges Monneret Gilera / Matchless Ret Ret 0
United Kingdom  Humphrey Ranson Norton Ret Ret 0
Switzerland  Barde Norton Ret 0
United Kingdom  Syd Barnett Norton Ret 0
United Kingdom  Ernie Barrett Phoenix-JAP Ret 0
Belgium  Francis Basso Norton Ret 0
Switzerland  Carletto Bellotti Norton Ret 0
United Kingdom  George Brown Norton Ret 0
France  Georges Burgaff Norton Ret 0
United Kingdom  John Clark AJS Ret 0
United Kingdom  John Cooper Matchless Ret 0
United Kingdom  Archie Fenn Norton Ret 0
Italy  Giulio Galbiati Moto Guzzi Ret 0
Italy  Martino Giani MV Agusta DNS Ret 0
United Kingdom  Leslie Graham MV Agusta Ret 0
Italy  Francesco Guglielminetti Norton Ret 0
United Kingdom  William Hall Norton Ret 0
United Kingdom  Phil Heath Matchless Ret 0
Canada  Robert Herbert Triumph Ret 0
Germany  August Hobl DKW Ret 0
Germany  Karl Hoffman DKW Ret 0
Sweden  Kuno Johansson Triumph Ret 0
United Kingdom  Cyril Julian Norton Ret 0
Germany  Rudolf Knees Norton Ret 0
United Kingdom  Dick Knox Norton Ret 0
United Kingdom  Gordon Laing Norton Ret 0
United Kingdom  George Leigh Norton Ret 0
Italy  Umberto Masetti Gilera Ret 0
Northern Ireland  Bob Matthews Norton Ret 0
Austria  Alexander Mayer Norton Ret DNS 0
United Kingdom  Tommy McEwan Matchless Ret 0
United Kingdom  Bob McIntyre Matchless Ret 0
United Kingdom  John McKay Triumph Ret 0
United Kingdom  George Morgan Norton Ret 0
Northern Ireland  Mike O'Rourke Matchless Ret 0
United Kingdom  Fred Passmore Norton Ret 0
Belgium  Jacques Raffeld Norton Ret 0
United Kingdom  Bob Rowbottom AJS Ret 0
United Kingdom  Ron Rudge Norton Ret 0
United Kingdom  Simon Sandys-Winsch Norton Ret 0
Germany  Roland Schnell Horex Ret 0
Italy  Emilio Soprani Gilera Ret 0
Denmark  Sven Sørensen Norton Ret 0
United Kingdom  Leo Starr Norton Ret 0
Netherlands  Henk Steman Matchless Ret 0
Belgium  Edouard Texidor Norton Ret 0
Northern Ireland  Harry Turner Norton Ret 0
Australia  Geoff Walker Norton Ret 0
Australia  Sid Willis Norton Ret 0
United Kingdom  Vic Willoughby Norton Ret 0
Italy  Tito Forconi MV Agusta DNS 0
Spain  Juan Leal Norton DNS 0
United Kingdom  Albert Moule Norton DNS 0
United Kingdom  Leonard Parry DKW DNS 0
United Kingdom  Bill Petch Norton DNS 0
Pos Rider Bike MAN
United Kingdom 
HOL
Netherlands 
BEL
Belgium 
FRA
France 
ULS
Ulster 
SUI
Switzerland 
NAC
Italy 
ESP
Spain 
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 United Kingdom  Fergus Anderson United Kingdom Moto Guzzi 34 3
2 Italy  Enrico Lorenzetti Italy Moto Guzzi 26 2
3 Southern Rhodesia  Ray Amm Southern Rhodesia Norton 18 1
4 Australia  Ken Kavanagh Australia Norton 18 0
5 United Kingdom  Jack Brett United Kingdom Norton 12 0
6 New Zealand  Rod Coleman New Zealand AJS 9 0
7 New Zealand  Ken Mudford New Zealand Norton 8 1
8 Scotland  Bob McIntyre United Kingdom AJS 6 0
= France  Pierre Monneret France AJS 6 0
10 Italy  Duilio Agostini Italy Moto Guzzi 4 0
11 West Germany  August Hobl Germany DKW 3 0
= Switzerland  Josef Albisser Switzerland Norton 3 0
= United Kingdom  Harry Pearce United Kingdom Velocette 3 0
14 United Kingdom  Bill Doran United Kingdom AJS 3 0
= United Kingdom  Derek Farrant United Kingdom AJS 3 0
16 United Kingdom  Tommy Wood United Kingdom Norton 2 0
= Austria  Ernie Ring Austria AJS 2 0
= New Zealand  Leo Simpson New Zealand AJS 2 0
= United Kingdom  Malcolm Templeton United Kingdom AJS 2 0
20 West Germany  Karl Hoffman Germany DKW 1 0
= New Zealand  Ray Laurent New Zealand Norton 1 0
= United Kingdom  Ken Harwood United Kingdom AJS 1 0
= Australia  Tony McAlpine Australia Norton 1 0

250cc Standings

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Place Rider Number Country Machine Points Wins
1 West Germany  Werner Haas Germany NSU 28 2
2 United Kingdom  Reg Armstrong United Kingdom NSU 23 2
3 Italy  Enrico Lorenzetti Italy Moto Guzzi 22 2
4 United Kingdom  Fergus Anderson United Kingdom Moto Guzzi 22 1
5 Italy  Alano Montanari Italy Moto Guzzi 19 0
6 Australia  Ken Kavanagh Australia Moto Guzzi 6 0
7 West Germany  Siegfried Wünsche Germany DKW 6 0
8 West Germany  August Hobl Germany DKW 6 0
9 West Germany  Otto Daiker Germany NSU 6 0
10 United Kingdom  Arthur Wheeler United Kingdom Moto Guzzi 4 0
11 West Germany  Walter Reichert Germany NSU 3 0
12 United Kingdom  Tommy Wood United Kingdom Moto Guzzi 3 0
13 West Germany  Wolfgang Brandt Germany NSU 2 0
= Australia  Sid Willis Australia Velocette 2 0
15 Italy  Umberto Masetti Italy NSU 1 0
= Austria  Rupert Hollaus Austria Moto Guzzi 1 0

125cc

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Riders' standings

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Pos. Rider Bike MAN
United Kingdom 
NED
Netherlands 
GER
Germany 
ULS
Ulster 
NAT
Italy 
ESP
Spain 
Pts
1 West Germany  Werner Haas NSU 2 1F 2F 1F 1F 30 (36)
2 United Kingdom  Cecil Sandford MV Agusta 3 3 2 2 20
3 Italy  Carlo Ubbiali MV Agusta 2 1 3 NCF 18
4 Italy  Angelo Copeta MV Agusta 4 4 4 1 17
5 United Kingdom  Leslie Graham MV Agusta 1F 8
6 West Germany  Otto Daiker NSU 3 4 7
7 Italy  Emilio Mendogni Morini 2 6
8 West Germany  Wolfgang Brandt NSU 5 4 5
9 United Kingdom  Reg Armstrong NSU 3 4
9 Austria  Rupert Hollaus NSU 3 4
11 Italy  Luigi Zinzani Morini 4 3
12 United Kingdom  Arnold Jones MV Agusta 5 2
12 Netherlands  Drikus Veer Morini 5 2
12 West Germany  Walter Reichert NSU 5 2
12 Italy  Tito Forconi MV Agusta 5 2
12 Spain  Marcelo Cama Montesa 5 2
17 United Kingdom  Bill Webster MV Agusta 6 1
17 Netherlands  Lo Simons MV Agusta 6 1
17 West Germany  Karl Lottes MV Agusta 6 1
17 United Kingdom  Fron Purslow MV Agusta 6 1
17 Italy  Paolo Campanelli MV Agusta 6 1
17 West Germany  Georg Braun Mondial 6 1
Pos. Rider Bike MAN
United Kingdom 
NED
Netherlands 
GER
Germany 
ULS
Ulster 
NAT
Italy 
ESP
Spain 
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.

As MV Agusta and NSU had equal number of points, identical ranks obtained in all races, and equal number of races in which they classified, their finishing time in each of the six races was added up. MV Agusta's total time is 36.1 seconds quicker than NSU's total time, and was declared the constructors' champion.

Pos. Constructor MAN
United Kingdom 
NED
Netherlands 
GER
Germany 
ULS
Ulster 
NAT
Italy 
ESP
Spain 
Pts
1 Italy  MV Agusta 1 2 1 2 3 1 30 (40)
4 West Germany  NSU 2 1 2 1 1 3 30 (40)
3 Italy  Morini 4 2 9
4 Spain  Montesa 5 2
5 Italy  Mondial 6 6 2
Pos. Constructor MAN
United Kingdom 
NED
Netherlands 
GER
Germany 
ULS
Ulster 
NAT
Italy 
ESP
Spain 
Pts

References

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  1. ^ "A Farcical German Grand Prix". The Motor Cycle. 91 (2624). London: Ilffe & Sons Ltd: 124. 23 July 1953.