# 1971 FIM Motocross World Championship

The 1971 Motocross World Championship was the 15th edition of the Motocross World Championship organized by the FIM and reserved for 500cc and 250cc motorcycles.

## Summary

The Suzuki factory won the premier 500cc class in their first attempt with rider Roger De Coster winning five of the 12 Grand Prix events to become the first Japanese manufacturer to win the 500cc World Championship. De Coster faced strong opposition from Maico factory team rider Åke Jonsson who won three rounds and was leading the championship going into the final event of the season in Holland.
At the season ending Dutch Grand Prix, Jonsson had built a sizeable lead over De Coster when his motorcycle’s spark plug came loose, allowing De Coster to take the lead and go to win the 1971 500 World Championship. For the second consecutive year, Jonsson had the World Championship slip from his grasp in the final round of the championship. De Coster became the first Belgian to claim the 500 division since Rene Baeten won in 1958.
In the middle of the 1971 season, the BSA factory announced that they were ceasing operations, leaving their team rider John Banks without a motorcycle. Banks would finish the season riding a privateer Husqvarna motorcycle. The BSA team remained competitive up to the end with Banks placing third at the British Grand Prix.
Suzuki also claimed the 250cc World Championship where Joël Robert dominated the smaller class, winning eight of the twelve Grand Prix events to clinch the title ahead of Husqvarna factory rider, Håkan Andersson. It would be Robert's fourth consecutive 250cc title, and second since joining the Suzuki factory racing team. It was his fifth 250cc world championship overall in his career. Four-time World Champion, Torsten Hallman, scored the Yamaha factory's first motocross world championship points with a 7th place at the 1971 250cc Dutch Grand Prix. Hallman retired at the end of the season. Siegfried Lerner scored the first motocross world championship points for the KTM factory with a 10th place at the 1971 250cc East German Grand Prix.

## Grands Prix
### 500cc

| Round | Date | Grand Prix | Location | Race 1 Winner | Race 2 Winner | Overall Winner | Report |
| 1 | April 18 | Italian Grand Prix | Macerata | Roger De Coster | Roger De Coster | Roger De Coster | Report |
| 2 | May 2 | Austrian Grand Prix | Sittendorf | Paul Friedrichs | Paul Friedrichs | Paul Friedrichs | Report |
| 3 | May 16 | Swedish Grand Prix | Huskvarna | Roger De Coster | Christer Hammargren | Roger De Coster | Report |
| 4 | May 23 | Finnish Grand Prix | Ruskeasanta | Paul Friedrichs | Åke Jonsson | Paul Friedrichs | Report |
| 5 | June 13 | Czechoslovakian Grand Prix | Stribro | Roger De Coster | Adolf Weil | Roger De Coster | Report |
| 6 | June 20 | Russian Grand Prix | Chișinău | Bengt Åberg | Åke Jonsson | Åke Jonsson | Report |
| 7 | June 27 | East German Grand Prix | Schwerin | Bengt Åberg | Åke Jonsson | Bengt Åberg | Report |
| 8 | July 11 | British Grand Prix | Farleigh Castle | Åke Jonsson | Paul Friedrichs | Åke Jonsson | Report |
| 9 | July 18 | West German Grand Prix | Bielstein | Adolf Weil | Åke Jonsson | Adolf Weil | Report |
| 10 | August 1 | Belgian Grand Prix | Namur | Roger De Coster | Roger De Coster | Roger De Coster | Report |
| 11 | August 8 | Luxembourg Grand Prix | Ettelbruck | Roger De Coster | Åke Jonsson | Åke Jonsson | Report |
| 12 | August 22 | Dutch Grand Prix | Sint Anthonis | Roger De Coster | Åke Jonsson | Roger De Coster | Report |
| Sources: ||||||||

### 250cc

| Round | Date | Grand Prix | Location | Race 1 Winner | Race 2 Winner | Overall Winner | Report |
| 1 | April 18 | Spanish Grand Prix | Sabadell | Joël Robert | Joël Robert | Joël Robert | Report |
| 2 | April 25 | Swiss Grand Prix | Payerne | Joël Robert | Joël Robert | Joël Robert | Report |
| 3 | May 2 | Polish Grand Prix | Szczecin | Heikki Mikkola | Kalevi Vehkonen | Kalevi Vehkonen | Report |
| 4 | May 9 | West German Grand Prix | Beuren | Joël Robert | Torleif Hansen | Heikki Mikkola | Report |
| 5 | May 16 | Yugoslavian Grand Prix | Karlovac | Joël Robert | Joël Robert | Joël Robert | Report |
| 6 | May 23 | Italian Grand Prix | Busca | Joël Robert | Joël Robert | Joël Robert | Report |
| 7 | June 20 | Dutch Grand Prix | Bergharen | Joël Robert | Sylvain Geboers | Sylvain Geboers | Report |
| 8 | July 4 | East German Grand Prix | Teutschenthal | Joël Robert | Joël Robert | Joël Robert | Report |
| 9 | August 8 | Finnish Grand Prix | Hyvinkää | Sylvain Geboers | Sylvain Geboers | Sylvain Geboers | Report |
| 10 | August 15 | Swedish Grand Prix | Ulricehamn | Joël Robert | Joël Robert | Joël Robert | Report |
| 11 | August 22 | British Grand Prix | Bristol | Joël Robert | Joël Robert | Joël Robert | Report |
| 12 | October 3 | Austrian Grand Prix | Launsdorf | Håkan Andersson | Heikki Mikkola | Joël Robert | Report |
| Sources: ||||||||

## Final standings

Points are awarded to the top 10 classified finishers. For the 250cc and 500cc final championship standings, the 7 best of 12 results are retained.
| Position | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 |
| Points | 15 | 12 | 10 | 8 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 |

### 500cc

(Results in italics indicate overall winner)
| Pos | Rider | Machine | ITA | ITA | AUT | AUT | SWE | SWE | FIN | FIN | CZE | CZE | USSR | USSR | GDR | GDR | UK | UK | GER | GER | BEL | BEL | LUX | LUX | NED | NED | Points |
| Pos | Rider | Machine | 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 | Roger De Coster | Suzuki | 1 | 1 | 2 | - | 1 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 3 | - | - | 2 | 4 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 97 |
| 2 | Åke Jonsson | Maico | - | 3 | 5 | 28 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 10 | 1 | 93 |
| 3 | Adolf Weil | Maico | 2 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 5 | - | - | - | 1 | 2 | 4 | - | 3 | 18 | 2 | 6 | 81 |
| 4 | Paul Friedrichs | ČZ | 4 | - | 1 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 2 | - | - | - | - | 6 | 6 | 4 | 1 | - | - | - | - | 6 | 3 | - | - | 70 |
| 5 | Bengt Åberg | Husqvarna | - | - | 7 | 24 | - | - | - | - | 2 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 3 | - | - | - | 3 | 3 | 8 | 4 | - | - | 52 |
| 6 | Christer Hammargren | Husqvarna | - | - | 8 | 6 | 4 | 1 | 5 | 8 | 9 | 8 | - | - | 4 | 4 | - | - | - | - | 10 | 8 | 4 | 5 | - | - | 45 |
| 7 | John Banks | BSA | 11 | 10 | 12 | 3 | - | - | 8 | - | 8 | - | 5 | - | 3 | 3 | 9 | 3 | 10 | 8 | - | - | - | - | - | - | 37 |
| 7 | Husqvarna | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 6 | 4 | 9 | 9 | - | - | | 37 |
| 8 | Willy Bauer | Maico | - | - | 6 | 4 | 12 | 8 | 9 | - | 7 | 6 | 6 | 5 | - | 7 | 7 | 9 | 4 | - | 7 | 9 | 7 | 8 | 7 | 8 | 36 |
| 9 | Jaak van Velthoven | Husqvarna | 7 | - | 4 | 27 | 16 | 6 | 22 | 5 | 6 | 3 | - | - | 9 | 5 | 6 | 5 | 9 | 7 | - | 5 | - | - | 4 | 4 | 32 |
| 10 | Jiri Stodulka | ČZ | 5 | 4 | 21 | 11 | 15 | 12 | - | - | 5 | - | - | - | - | - | 10 | 6 | 6 | - | 5 | 7 | 5 | 6 | 14 | 10 | 27 |
| 11 | Jan Johansson | Husqvarna | 9 | 6 | 9 | 5 | 7 | 11 | - | - | - | - | - | - | 8 | 8 | - | - | 8 | 6 | - | - | - | - | 6 | 11 | 27 |
| 12 | Gerrit Wolsink | Husqvarna | 6 | 8 | - | - | 9 | - | - | 4 | 10 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 8 | 6 | 10 | - | 3 | 3 | 21 |
| 13 | Willy van Loon | Husqvarna | 10 | 5 | 13 | 8 | 20 | 15 | - | - | 15 | - | - | - | - | - | 14 | 11 | - | - | - | - | 14 | 10 | 5 | 5 | 16 |
| 14 | Arne Kring | Husqvarna | 8 | 7 | 10 | 7 | 6 | 7 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 14 |
| 15 | Karel Konecny | ČZ | 3 | - | 14 | 9 | - | 19 | - | - | 11 | 7 | - | - | - | - | - | 7 | - | - | 12 | 10 | 11 | 7 | 17 | - | 12 |
| 16 | Jaroslav Homola | ČZ | 17 | - | - | 15 | 8 | 13 | 6 | 10 | 12 | 9 | - | - | - | - | 8 | 10 | - | - | 11 | - | 12 | - | 18 | - | 10 |
| 17 | Bert-Ove Wallner | Husqvarna | - | - | - | - | - | - | 7 | 7 | - | - | - | 10 | - | - | - | - | - | 10 | - | - | - | - | - | - | 9 |
| 18 | Hans Maisch | Maico | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 5 | 5 | - | - | - | - | - | - | 8 |
| 19 | Herbert Schmitz | Maico | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 7 | 4 | - | - | - | - | - | - | 6 |
| 20 | Heinz Hoppe | ČZ | 12 | 18 | 16 | 12 | 13 | 10 | - | - | 19 | 10 | 7 | 6 | - | - | 12 | 15 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 5 |
| 21 | Jan Erik Sallqvist | Husqvarna | - | - | - | - | 10 | 9 | 14 | 9 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 5 |
| 21 | Mikhail Rastvortsev | ČZ | - | - | - | - | 18 | 16 | - | - | - | - | 9 | - | 7 | 13 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 5 |
| 23 | Viatcheslav Krasnotchekov | ČZ | - | - | - | - | 21 | - | - | - | 14 | 14 | 8 | 7 | 10 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 4 |
| 23 | Peter Willems | Husqvarna | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 8 | 7 | 4 |
| 25 | Giuseppe Cavallero | ČZ | 14 | 9 | 19 | 19 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 2 |
| 25 | Jim Aird | Husqvarna | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 11 | 12 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 2 |
| 25 | Riik Van Hoof | Husqvarna | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 9 | 11 | - | 11 | - | - | 2 |
| 28 | Manfred Stein | ČZ | 13 | 13 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 16 | 17 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1 |
| 28 | Siegfried Lerner | KTM | - | - | 11 | 13 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1 |
| 28 | Vlastimil Valek | ČZ | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 13 | 11 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1 |
| 28 | Anatoly Botchkov | ČZ | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 10 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1 |
| 28 | Vladimir Ovchinnikov | ČZ | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 8 | 11 | 10 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1 |
| 28 | Walter Kalberer | Husqvarna | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 9 | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1 |
| 28 | Jo Keizer | Husqvarna | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 13 | 12 | - | - | 9 | 9 | 1 |
| - | Pauli Pippola | Husqvarna | - | - | 15 | 10 | 11 | - | 10 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 11 | 12 | 0 |
| - | Andy Roberton | BSA | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 5 | 8 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 0 |
| Sources: ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||

### 250cc

(Results in italics indicate overall winner)
| Pos | Rider | Machine | ESP | ESP | CH | CH | POL | POL | GER | GER | YUG | YUG | ITA | ITA | NED | NED | GDR | GDR | FIN | FIN | SWE | SWE | UK | UK | AUT | AUT | Pts |
| Pos | Rider | Machine | 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 | Joël Robert | Suzuki | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4 | - | 1 | - | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 105 |
| 2 | Håkan Andersson | Husqvarna | 5 | 3 | 9 | 8 | 5 | 2 | 6 | 3 | - | - | 5 | 9 | - | - | 2 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 4 | 1 | - | 72 |
| 3 | Sylvain Geboers | Suzuki | - | - | - | - | 12 | 8 | - | - | 2 | 2 | - | - | 2 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | - | - | 2 | 2 | - | - | 66 |
| 4 | Heikki Mikkola | Husqvarna | - | - | 2 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 2 | - | - | 2 | 3 | - | - | - | - | - | - | 2 | - | - | - | 3 | 1 | 63 |
| 5 | Olle Pettersson | Suzuki | 4 | 2 | 7 | 5 | 6 | 6 | 7 | 11 | - | 4 | - | 7 | 3 | 3 | 7 | 5 | 4 | 6 | - | - | 3 | 3 | - | - | 59 |
| 6 | Uno Palm | Husqvarna | 14 | - | 5 | 4 | 7 | 4 | - | - | 5 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 5 | - | - | 9 | 4 | - | - | 10 | 7 | 5 | 9 | 53 |
| 7 | Miroslav Halm | ČZ | - | - | 4 | 6 | 11 | 9 | 8 | 4 | 7 | 5 | 8 | 2 | - | 8 | 4 | 10 | 5 | - | - | 5 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 46 |
| 8 | Vladimir Kavinov | ČZ | 8 | 4 | 6 | 2 | 8 | 5 | 5 | 8 | - | - | - | 4 | 6 | - | 6 | 6 | 6 | 7 | - | - | 8 | 6 | 6 | - | 41 |
| 9 | Jaroslav Falta | ČZ | - | - | 8 | 10 | - | - | 3 | 7 | 3 | 7 | 6 | 6 | 9 | - | 9 | 7 | - | 10 | - | - | 13 | - | 7 | 3 | 36 |
| 10 | Kalevi Vehkonen | Husqvarna | 6 | - | 12 | 7 | 2 | 1 | - | - | - | - | - | - | 4 | 4 | - | - | 7 | 5 | 4 | - | 11 | 10 | 8 | - | 33 |
| 11 | Gaston Rahier | ČZ | 3 | 6 | 11 | 9 | - | - | 18 | 6 | - | - | 3 | 10 | - | - | - | - | - | - | 8 | 7 | - | - | - | - | 20 |
| 12 | Torleif Hansen | Husqvarna | 7 | - | - | - | - | - | 4 | 1 | 8 | 6 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 17 |
| 13 | Pavel Rulev | ČZ | 22 | 11 | - | - | - | - | 11 | 9 | 6 | 9 | - | - | 7 | 6 | - | - | - | 8 | - | - | 12 | 13 | - | 7 | 16 |
| 14 | Marcel Wiertz | Bultaco | 9 | 7 | - | 14 | - | - | - | - | 10 | 10 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 9 | 6 | 13 |
| 15 | Gennady Moiseyev | ČZ | 2 | - | 3 | - | 3 | - | 9 | 5 | 9 | - | 7 | 8 | - | - | 10 | 4 | 8 | - | - | - | 6 | - | - | - | 12 |
| 16 | Bengt Arne Bonn | Husqvarna | 11 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 6 | 3 | 16 | - | - | - | 10 |
| 17 | Alexej Kibirine | ČZ | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 9 | 6 | 17 | - | 10 | 8 | 10 |
| 18 | Gunnar Nilsson | Husqvarna | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 5 | 4 | - | - | - | - | 8 |
| 19 | Bryan Wade | Husqvarna | 12 | 5 | - | - | 9 | 7 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 7 | - | - | - | 8 |
| 20 | Otakar Toman | ČZ | - | - | 10 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 5 | 9 | - | - | - | 9 | - | - | - | 5 | 7 |
| 21 | Siegfried Lerner | KTM | - | - | 13 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 10 | 12 | 8 | 8 | - | - | - | 10 | - | - | - | - | 5 |
| 22 | Torsten Hallman | Yamaha | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 8 | 10 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 4 |
| 23 | François Minne | Ossa | 13 | 8 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 3 |
| 23 | Jyrki Storm | Husqvarna | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 9 | - | 11 | 9 | - | - | - | - | - | - | 20 | - | - | - | 3 |
| 23 | Stig Pettersson | Husqvarna | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 10 | 9 | 7 | - | - | - | - | - | 3 |
| 23 | Andy Roberton | Husqvarna | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 9 | 9 | - | - | 3 |
| 27 | Helmut Schadenberg | ČZ | - | - | - | 13 | - | 10 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 12 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 3 |
| 28 | George Houssonlonge | Montesa | 17 | 10 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 2 |
| 28 | Friedrich Schiechtl | Husqvarna | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 10 | 2 |
| 30 | Lars Forsberg | Montesa | 15 | 13 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1 |
| 30 | Malcolm Davis | Bultaco | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 15 | 8 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1 |
| 30 | Oldrich Hamrsmid | ČZ | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 10 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1 |
| 30 | Erling Rasmussen | Husqvarna | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 10 | - | 22 | 15 | - | - | 1 |
| 30 | Jiri Churavy | ČZ | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 8 | - | - | 1 |
| 30 | Harry Everts | Puch | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 11 | 1 |
| - | Taichi Yoshimura | Suzuki | 10 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 0 |
| Sources: ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||