The 1965 Motocross World Championship was the 9th edition of the Motocross World Championship organized by the FIM and reserved for 500cc and 250cc motorcycles.
Summary Jeff Smith won his second consecutive 500cc motocross world championship for the BSA factory racing team with six Grand Prix victories. Paul Friedrichs took three victories to claim second place for the ČZ factory, ahead of former world champion Rolf Tibblin.
Before the 500cc championship opening round even began, former World Champions Rolf Tibblin and Bill Nilsson were involved in a serious accident while preparing for the race. Tibblin and Nilsson were test-riding motorcycles in their hotel parking lot when they collided in a blind corner. Neither rider was wearing their protective riding apparel, and Nilsson suffered a broken arm, an amputated toe, and a concussion, while Tibblin lost the end of his little finger and also received a concussion, which forced him to sit out the start of the season.
Smith's win riding a BSA Victor marked the last time that a four-stroke engine powered motorcycle would win the 500cc motocross world championship for the next several decades, as two-stroke engine technology began to dominate off-road motorcycle racing until 2003, when mounting government environmental regulations caused the FIM to implement new rules favoring environmentally friendlier four-stroke engines. Defending 250cc World Champion Joël Robert was invited by the ČZ factory to compete in the 500cc Czechoslovak Grand Prix during a break in the 250cc World Championship schedule. Robert was leading the first heat race when his motorcycle experienced a mechanical failure, before rebounding to win the second heat race in a rare 500cc class appearance.
In the 250cc division, Russian ČZ rider Victor Arbekov claimed the world championship ahead of the defending champion, Joël Robert. Robert was considered the fastest motocross racer in the world at the time but his lackadaisical attitude towards physical fitness training and voracious appetite for the good life meant that he didn't always live up to expectations. Although Robert won three Grand Prix races in 1965, his World Championship title defense was marred by crashes, mechanical failures and minor injuries. Torsten Hallman was completing his senior year in college in 1965 and the heavy workload meant he had to reduce his racing schedule. Arbekov filled the void left by his two main rivals by winning five Grand Prix races, securing the 1965 World Championship ahead of his nearest challenger, Robert, at the penultimate round in Sweden. Future five-time World Champion Roger De Coster made his first World Championship appearance at the 250cc French Grand Prix. The Suzuki factory became the first Japanese manufacturer to compete in a motocross world championship event, with riders Kazuo Kubo and Matsuhisa Kojima entering the 250cc Swedish Grand Prix on 25 July.
Grands Prix 500cc RoundDateGrand PrixLocationRace 1 WinnerRace 2 WinnerOverall WinnerReport 1 April 4 Austrian Grand Prix Sittendorf Arthur Lampkin Broer Dirks Sten Lundin Report 2 April 11 Swiss Grand Prix Wohlen Jeff Smith Sten Lundin Jeff Smith Report 3 April 25 French Grand Prix Tarare Jeff Smith Jeff Smith Jeff Smith Report 4 May 9 Finnish Grand Prix Tikkurila Jeff Smith Jeff Smith Jeff Smith Report 5 May 30 Swedish Grand Prix Knutstorp Jeff Smith Jeff Smith Jeff Smith Report 6 June 6 East German Grand Prix Gumpelstadt Paul Friedrichs Paul Friedrichs Paul Friedrichs Report 7 June 20 Czechoslovak Grand Prix Sedlčany Paul Friedrichs Joël Robert Paul Friedrichs Report 8 June 27 Russian Grand Prix Kyiv Igor Grigoriev Igor Grigoriev Igor Grigoriev Report 9 July 4 British Grand Prix Hawkstone Park Jeff Smith Rolf Tibblin Jeff Smith Report 10 July 11 Italian Grand Prix Imola Sten Lundin Rolf Tibblin Rolf Tibblin Report 11 July 18 West German Grand Prix Bielstein Rolf Tibblin Rolf Tibblin Rolf Tibblin Report 12 July 25 Dutch Grand Prix Bergharen Jeff Smith Jef Teuwissen Jeff Smith Report 13 August 8 Luxembourg Grand Prix Ettelbruck Rolf Tibblin Paul Friedrichs Paul Friedrichs ReportSources:
250cc RoundDateGrand PrixLocationRace 1 WinnerRace 2 WinnerOverall WinnerReport 1 March 28 Spanish Grand Prix Sabadell Torsten Hallman Åke Jonsson Dave Bickers Report 2 April 4 Italian Grand Prix Masserano Victor Arbekov Joël Robert Victor Arbekov Report 3 April 11 French Grand Prix Saint-Quentin Joël Robert Victor Arbekov Victor Arbekov Report 4 April 25 Belgian Grand Prix Hechtel-Eksel Dave Bickers Dave Bickers Dave Bickers Report 5 May 9 Czechoslovak Grand Prix Holice Joël Robert Vlastimil Válek Vlastimil Válek Report 6 May 16 West German Grand Prix Beuren Victor Arbekov Victor Arbekov Victor Arbekov Report 7 May 23 Dutch Grand Prix Makkinga Victor Arbekov Victor Arbekov Victor Arbekov Report 8 May 30 Luxembourg Grand Prix Schifflange Joël Robert Joël Robert Joël Robert Report 9 June 27 Polish Grand Prix Kielce Victor Arbekov Joël Robert Victor Arbekov Report 10 July 4 Russian Grand Prix Moscow Victor Arbekov Joël Robert Joël Robert Report 11 July 11 East German Grand Prix Apolda Joël Robert Paul Friedrichs Paul Friedrichs Report 12 July 18 British Grand Prix Glastonbury Dave Bickers Joël Robert Dave Bickers Report 13 July 25 Swedish Grand Prix Hedemora Victor Arbekov Torsten Hallman Torsten Hallman Report 14 August 1 Finnish Grand Prix Hyvinkää Torsten Hallman Torsten Hallman Torsten Hallman Report 15 October 3 Austrian Grand Prix Launsdorf Joël Robert Joël Robert Joël Robert ReportSources:
Final standings
Points are awarded to the top 6 classified finishers. For the 500cc final championship standings, the 7 best of 14 results are retained. For the 250cc final championship standings, the 7 best of 15 results are retained.
Position 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th Points 8 6 4 3 2 1
500cc (Results in italics indicate overall winner) Pos Rider Machine AUT CH FRA FIN SWE DDR TCH USSR UK ITA GER NED LUX Points R1 R2 R1 R2 R1 R2 R1 R2 R1 R2 R1 R2 R1 R2 R1 R2 R1 R2 R1 R2 R1 R2 R1 R2 R1 R2 1 Jeff Smith BSA - - 1 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 4 4 - - 2 2 1 2 - - 3 - 1 3 3 - 54 2 Paul Friedrichs ČZ - - - - - - 2 2 5 6 1 1 1 2 - 4 7 9 - - - - 2 4 4 1 36 3 Rolf Tibblin Hedlund - - 12 5 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 32 ČZ - - - - - - - - 9 8 3 - - 7 4 3 3 1 2 1 1 1 3 2 1 - Vic Eastwood BSA 3 - 9 3 4 4 4 3 2 4 2 2 - - - - 2 3 6 2 4 - 4 5 5 3 32 5 Sten Lundin Matchless-Métisse 2 3 2 1 - - - - 6 2 5 3 - - - - - - 1 3 - - - - 2 - 27 6 Per Olaf Persson Hedlund - - 5 4 5 2 - - 4 3 6 - - - - - 12 12 4 11 5 - - - - - 13 7 Arthur Lampkin BSA 1 - - - 3 5 - - - - - - - 5 - 5 4 5 NC 4 - - - - 10 2 11 8 Jerry Scott Cheney-BSA - - 3 7 2 3 8 - - - - - - - - - 6 7 NC NC - - - - - - 10 Gunnar Johansson AMC-Métisse 4 4 15 6 - - 7 6 - - - - - - - - - - 5 NC 11 4 - - 13 6 10 10 Chris Horsfield Matchless 10 2 4 - - - - - 7 5 - - - - - - 9 11 NC - - - - - 6 4 8 Josef Hřebeček ČZ 5 7 6 8 - - - - 10 - - - 2 6 6 - 10 10 NC NC - - - - - - 8 Igor Grigoriev ČZ/ESO - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 1 1 - - - - - - - - - - 8 Ove Lundell Hedlund/Husqvarna - - - - - - 11 - - 12 - - - - - - - - - - 2 2 6 8 9 7 8 14 Antonin Klavinsh ESO 7 6 7 15 - - 6 5 11 7 - - - - 3 - - - - - - - - - - - 6 Herman De Soete Matchless - 5 8 - 7 6 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 6 3 - - 12 5 6 Jan Johansson Lindstrom - - - - - - 3 4 - - - - 6 4 - - - - - - - - - - - - 6 Karel Pilař ČZ - - - - - - - - - - - - 4 3 - - - - - - - - - - - - 6 18 Broer Dirkx Lito 8 1 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 13 - - - - - - 4 Ervín Krajčovič ESO - - - - - - - - - - 8 6 3 8 - - - - 8 7 - - - - - - 4 Jef Teuwissen Triumph-Métisse - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 8 10 5 - - 5 1 - - 4 21 Pierre-André Rapin Monark - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 7 6 - - - - - - 4 22 Vladimír Dubšík ČZ - - - - - - - - - - 7 5 10 13 - - - - - - - - - - - - 2 Joachim Helmhold ČZ - - - - - - 5 - - - - - 5 - - - - - - - - - 8 6 - - 2 John Giles Triumph - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 5 6 - - - - - - - - 2 Erwin Schmider Maico - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 8 9 19 11 - - 2 26 Jan Němeček ESO - - - - - - - - - - - - 14 10 - - - - 14 NC - 5 - - - - 1 - Sylvain Geboers Matchless 6 - - - 6 - - - 12 15 - - - - - - 8 - - - - - - - - - 0 Joël Robert ČZ - - - - - - - - - - - - - 1 - - - - - - - - - - - - 0 Bill Nilsson ESO - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 5 - - - 3 - - - - - - - 0 Derek Rickman Metisse - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 4 - - - - - - - - 0 Hasse Hansson Lindstrom - - - - - - - - 3 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 0Sources:
250cc (Results in italics indicate overall winner) Pos Rider Machine ESP ITA FRA BEL TCH GER NED LUX POL USSR GDR UK SWE FIN AUT Pts R1 R2 R1 R2 R1 R2 R1 R2 R1 R2 R1 R2 R1 R2 R1 R2 R1 R2 R1 R2 R1 R2 R1 R2 R1 R2 R1 R2 R1 R2 1 Victor Arbekov ČZ 2 9 1 2 2 1 - - - - 1 1 1 1 2 2 1 2 1 18 - - - - 1 2 - - - - 52 2 Joël Robert ČZ 4 - 2 1 1 2 - - 1 - 2 2 2 - 1 1 - 1 3 1 1 3 - 1 - - - - 1 1 48 3 Dave Bickers Greeves 6 2 3 3 - - 1 1 5 2 5 5 - - 3 3 - - - - - - 1 2 4 3 3 3 3 2 42 4 Torsten Hallman Husqvarna 1 8 - - 5 6 4 2 3 3 - - - - 9 7 - - - - - - - - 2 1 1 1 - - 35 5 Åke Jonsson Husqvarna 7 1 - - 6 11 6 3 4 6 4 3 - - 10 4 4 6 6 2 4 2 4 4 5 4 14 7 - - 30 6 Vlastimil Válek Jawa/ČZ - - 6 4 - - 3 6 2 1 - - 4 4 6 5 6 5 4 - 2 10 3 5 3 - - 5 - - 28 7 Gunnar Draougs ČZ 3 - 4 - 4 3 - - 7 - 3 6 6 2 5 6 2 3 2 - 5 4 - - - - - - - - 25 8 Karel Pilař ČZ - - 7 5 7 4 7 5 - - - - 11 7 8 8 5 - - 4 6 6 5 6 7 7 - - 4 5 15 9 Don Rickman Bultaco 5 6 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 2 3 - - - - - - 8 Igor Grigoriev ČZ - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 5 3 - - - - - - - - 2 3 8 Paul Friedrichs ČZ - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 3 1 - - - - - - 5 - 8 12 Fritz Selling Greeves - - - - - - - - - - - - 3 3 11 11 - - - - 12 - 7 8 - - - - - - 7 13 Jorma Jarvinen Husqvarna - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 2 2 - - 6 14 Fred Willamowski ČZ - - - - - - - - 10 8 - - 15 - - - 3 4 - - 7 8 - - 10 5 4 - 6 - 5 15 Juri Ageyev ČZ - - - - - - - - - - 8 4 - 5 - - - - - - 9 9 - - - - - - - - 4 16 Kalevi Vehkonen Husqvarna - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 5 4 - - 3 17 Jan Blomqvist Husqvarna - 4 - - 9 5 11 4 9 - - - 7 - 7 9 - - - - - - - - 8 8 - - - - 2 Olle Pettersson Bultaco-Métisse - - - - - - - - 8 5 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 6 - - - 2 Alex Yakolev ČZ - - - - 15 7 - - - - - - - - - - - - 8 7 - - - - - - - - - - 2 Bryan Goss Husqvarna - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 21 - - - - - - 4 2 John Griffith Greeves - - 5 6 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 2 Antonín Hrach Jawa/ČZ - - - - - - 10 13 13 4 - - - - 14 12 - - - - - - - - - - - - - 6 2 23 Ton van Heugten Husqvarna - - - - - - - - - - - - 10 6 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 1 Ivan Poláš Jawa/ČZ - - - - - - - - 17 10 - - - - - - - - - 6 8 5 15 9 9 10 - - - - 1 Cenneth Loof Husqvarna - - - - - - - - - - 7 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 6 - - 1 Andrei Dezhinov ČZ 10 3 - - - 10 - - 6 - 9 - - - 12 - - - - - - - - - - 9 - - - - 1 - Marcel Wiertz ČZ 9 5 15 - 14 23 5 22 - - - - 9 12 18 13 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 0 Alan Clough Greeves - - - - 3 - 2 - - - - - - - 4 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 0 Roger De Coster ČZ - - - - 17 26 - 11 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 0Sources:
Notes
References