# 1961 Motocross World Championship

The 1961 Motocross World Championship was the 5th edition of the Motocross World Championship organized by the FIM and reserved for 500cc and 250cc motorcycles.

## Summary

Sten Lundin, riding a Monark motorcycle rebadged as a Lito, took an early championship lead by winning the first three Grand Prix races of the year then, held off a challenge from Husqvarna's Bill Nilsson to claim his second 500cc Motocross World Championship. Dave Curtis swept both races of the 500cc British Grand Prix while Broer Dirkx repeated his 1959 success in the 500cc Dutch Grand Prix.
Dave Bickers riding for the Greeves factory racing team claimed his second consecutive 250cc European Motocross Championship over his countrymen, BSA teammates Arthur Lampkin and Jeff Smith. Bickers dominates the season winning 6 out of 13 Grand Prix races and sets a season record with 14 individual race victories. Lampkin actually scored more points overall than did Bickers, but fell victim to FIM scoring rules which only recognize the top seven of thirteen results. The rules would be changed in 1977. Future four-time 250cc world champion, Torsten Hallman, wins the first world championship race of his career at the 1961 250cc Finnish Grand Prix.
Future three-time World Champion Paul Friedrichs makes his first World Championship appearance at the 250cc East German Grand Prix. Due to the Berlin Crisis of 1961 at the height of the Cold War, few western European riders attend the season ending East German Grand Prix in Apolda.

## Grands Prix
### 500cc

| Round | Date | Grand Prix | Location | Race 1 Winner | Race 2 Winner | Overall Winner | Report |
| 1 | April 9 | Swiss Grand Prix | Payerne | Sten Lundin | Bill Nilsson | Sten Lundin | Report |
| 2 | April 30 | Austrian Grand Prix | Sittendorf | Sten Lundin | Sten Lundin | Sten Lundin | Report |
| 3 | May 28 | French Grand Prix | Jonzac | Sten Lundin | Sten Lundin | Sten Lundin | Report |
| 4 | June 4 | Czechoslovakian Grand Prix | Přerov | Bill Nilsson | Bill Nilsson | Bill Nilsson | Report |
| 5 | June 11 | Italian Grand Prix | Imola | Bill Nilsson | Bill Nilsson | Bill Nilsson | Report |
| 6 | July 2 | British Grand Prix | Hawkstone Park | Dave Curtis | Dave Curtis | Dave Curtis | Report |
| 7 | July 24 | Dutch Grand Prix | Dreumel | Broer Dirkx | Bill Nilsson | Broer Dirkx | Report |
| 8 | August 5 | Belgian Grand Prix* | Namur | - | - | Sten Lundin | Report |
| 9 | August 13 | Luxembourg Grand Prix | Ettelbruck | Sten Lundin | Sten Lundin | Sten Lundin | Report |
| 10 | August 20 | Swedish Grand Prix | Uddevalla | Bill Nilsson | Bill Nilsson | Bill Nilsson | Report |
| 11 | September 3 | West German Grand Prix | Immenstadt | Bill Nilsson | Sten Lundin | Sten Lundin | Report |
| *Organizers of the Belgian Grand Prix hold qualifying heat races for a single final round. Sources: ||||||||

### 250cc

| Round | Date | Grand Prix | Location | Race 1 Winner | Race 2 Winner | Overall Winner | Report |
| 1 | April 23 | Belgian Grand Prix | Aywaille | Dave Bickers | Dave Bickers | Dave Bickers | Report |
| 2 | May 7 | French Grand Prix | Thomer-la-Sôgne | Dave Bickers | Dave Bickers | Dave Bickers | Report |
| 3 | May 11 | Dutch Grand Prix | Markelo | Jeff Smith | Jeff Smith | Jeff Smith | Report |
| 4 | May 21 | Czechoslovakian Grand Prix | Divoká Šárka | Dave Bickers | Jeff Smith | Jeff Smith | Report |
| 5 | May 28 | Polish Grand Prix | Katowice-Zabrze | Dave Bickers | Dave Bickers | Dave Bickers | Report |
| 6 | June 4 | Luxembourg Grand Prix | Schifflange | Jeff Smith | Dave Bickers | Dave Bickers | Report |
| 7 | June 18 | Finnish Grand Prix | Tikkurila | Dave Bickers | Arthur Lampkin | Torsten Hallman | Report |
| 8 | June 25 | Italian Grand Prix | Settimo | Jeff Smith | Lanfranco Angelini | Arthur Lampkin | Report |
| 9 | July 2 | West German Grand Prix | Ühlingen | Arthur Lampkin | Torsten Hallman | Arthur Lampkin | Report |
| 10 | July 15 | British Grand Prix | Shrubland Park | Dave Bickers | Dave Bickers | Dave Bickers | Report |
| 11 | August 13 | Swiss Grand Prix | Wohlen | Arthur Lampkin | Dave Bickers | Arthur Lampkin | Report |
| 12 | September 3 | Swedish Grand Prix | Knutstorp | Dave Bickers | Dave Bickers | Dave Bickers | Report |
| 13 | September 10 | East German Grand Prix | Apolda | Jaromír Čížek | Jaromír Čížek | Jaromír Čížek | Report |
| Sources: ||||||||

## Final standings

Points are awarded to the top 6 classified finishers. For the final championship standings, half of the competitors' results + 1 are retained. Thus with 11 500cc Grands Prix, the 6 best results are retained. With 13 250cc Grands Prix, the 7 best 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 | CH | CH | AUT | AUT | FRA | FRA | CZE | CZE | ITA | ITA | UK | UK | NED | NED | BEL | LUX | LUX | SWE | SWE | GER | GER | Pts |
| Pos | Rider | Machine | R1 | R2 | R1 | R2 | R1 | R2 | R1 | R2 | R1 | R2 | R1 | R2 | R1 | R2 | R1 | R1 | R2 | R1 | R2 | R1 | R2 | Pts |
| 1 | Sten Lundin | Lito | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 2 | - | - | 2 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 48 |
| 2 | Bill Nilsson | Husqvarna | 2 | 1 | 3 | - | 2 | - | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | - | - | 5 | 1 | - | - | - | 1 | 1 | 1 | 10 | 36 |
| 3 | Gunnar Johansson | Lito | 3 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 21 | - | - | - | 3 | 3 | 4 | 2 | 4 | 11 | 2 | 4 | - | 2 | 3 | 5 | 7 | 25 |
| 4 | Miloslav Soucek | ESO | 5 | 6 | 5 | 3 | - | - | 2 | 2 | 9 | 9 | - | - | 18 | 15 | 12 | 5 | 3 | - | - | 10 | 13 | 19 |
| 5 | Rolf Tibblin | Husqvarna | - | - | - | - | - | - | 5 | 4 | 5 | 4 | - | 6 | - | - | - | 2 | 10 | 6 | 7 | 3 | 2 | 15 |
| 6 | John Burton | BSA | - | - | 2 | 2 | - | - | - | - | 7 | - | 6 | 4 | 8 | - | 10 | 7 | 2 | 8 | 5 | - | - | 13 |
| 7 | Broer Dirk | BSA | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 5 | - | 1 | 2 | - | - | - | - | - | 4 | 5 | 12 |
| 8 | David Curtis | Matchless | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1 | 1 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 8 |
| 9 | Ove Lundell | Monark | - | - | - | - | 8 | 2 | 6 | 5 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 5 | - | - | - | 7 |
| 10 | Ervín Krajčovič | ESO | 4 | 12 | 6 | 4 | - | - | 3 | 6 | - | - | - | - | - | - | 5 | - | - | - | - | 7 | 8 | 7 |
| 11 | Lars Gustavsson | Lito | - | - | - | - | 4 | - | - | - | - | - | 2 | 3 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 6 |
| 12 | Jeff Smith | BSA | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 4 | 5 | - | - | 3 | - | 3 | - | - | - | - | - | - | 6 |
| 13 | Herman De Soete | Matchless | - | - | - | - | 10 | 3 | - | - | 6 | 7 | 8 | 12 | - | - | 4 | 3 | - | - | - | - | - | 6 |
| 14 | Derek Rickman | Triumph-Métisse | - | - | - | - | 5 | 5 | - | - | - | - | 9 | 15 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 4 |
| 15 | Guy Bertrand | BSA | - | - | - | - | 7 | 4 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 3 |
| 16 | Jan Clijnk | BSA | - | - | - | - | 12 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 6 | 4 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 3 |
| 17 | Per Olaf Persson | Monark | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 4 | 6 | - | - | 3 |
| 18 | Gordon Blakeway | Triumph | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 11 | 13 | - | - | - | - | - | - | 6 | 4 | 3 |
| 19 | Tim Gibbes | AJS | 15 | - | - | - | 15 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 13 | 11 | 2 |
| 20 | John Harris | BSA | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 7 | 7 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 2 |
| 21 | Frans Slechten | BSA | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 7 | 6 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 2 |
| 22 | Hubert Scaillet | Triumph | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 6 | 9 | - | - | - | - | 2 |
| 23 | Roine Lööf | BSA | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 7 | 4 | - | - | 2 |
| 24 | Georges Delpeyrat | Triumph | 15 | 9 | - | - | 6 | 8 | - | - | - | - | 12 | 17 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1 |
| 25 | Josef Hrebecek | ESO | - | - | - | 6 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 19 | 17 | 7 | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1 |
| 26 | Florian Thevenaz | Triumph | 10 | 5 | - | - | 22 | 17 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1 |
| 27 | Roger Vanderbecken | Triumph | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 16 | 8 | 11 | 8 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1 |
| 28 | Jef Teuwissen | BSA | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 6 | - | - | - | - | 12 | 12 | 1 |
| 29 | Jacques Langel | BSA | - | - | - | - | 27 | - | - | - | - | - | - | 14 | - | 16 | 16 | 10 | 4 | - | - | - | - | 1 |
| - | Donald Rickman | Triumph-Métisse | - | - | - | - | 3 | - | - | - | - | - | 3 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 0 |
| - | Les Archer Jr. | Norton | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 5 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 3 | 0 |
| - | Pierre André Rapin | Monark | - | 3 | - | - | 16 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 0 |
| - | Arthur Lampkin | BSA | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 10 | 6 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 0 |
| *Organizers of the Belgian Grand Prix hold qualifying heat races for a single final round. Sources: ||||||||||||||||||||||||

### 250cc

(Results in italics indicate overall winner)
| Pos | Rider | Machine | BEL | BEL | FRA | FRA | NED | NED | CZE | CZE | POL | POL | LUX | LUX | FIN | FIN | ITA | ITA | GER | GER | UK | UK | CH | CH | SWE | SWE | GDR | GDR | 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 | R1 | R2 | Pts |
| 1 | Dave Bickers | Greeves | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 2 | 1 | - | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | - | - | - | 2 | - | 1 | 1 | - | 1 | 1 | 1 | - | - | 51 |
| 2 | Arthur Lampkin | BSA | 2 | - | - | - | 2 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | - | - | 48 |
| 3 | Jeff Smith | BSA | - | - | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 6 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 3 | - | - | 3 | 3 | 11 | - | - | - | 40 |
| 4 | Torsten Hallman | Husqvarna | 6 | 4 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 3 | - | 4 | - | - | 4 | 2 | 2 | 3 | - | - | 5 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 2 | 6 | 3 | - | - | - | 33 |
| 5 | Jaromír Čížek | Jawa | 4 | 5 | 6 | 15 | - | - | 2 | 5 | - | - | 8 | 5 | - | - | - | - | - | - | 6 | 6 | - | - | - | 5 | 1 | 1 | 19 |
| 6 | Aarno Erola | Husqvarna | - | - | 14 | 11 | 4 | 5 | - | - | 4 | - | - | - | 4 | 2 | - | - | - | - | 5 | 3 | - | - | 4 | 3 | - | - | 17 |
| 7 | Vlastimil Valek | ČZ/Greeves | 9 | 7 | 24 | - | - | - | - | 7 | 5 | 3 | 7 | 7 | 6 | 5 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 6 | 7 | 2 | 2 | 14 |
| 8 | Lennart Dahlén | Jawa | 5 | 3 | 10 | 8 | - | - | - | 6 | - | - | 9 | 9 | - | - | - | - | - | 6 | - | 9 | - | - | 8 | 4 | - | - | 10 |
| 9 | Fritz Selling | Greeves | - | 11 | 16 | 7 | 6 | 6 | - | - | - | - | 15 | 12 | - | - | 3 | 5 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 3 | 3 | 9 |
| 10 | Fritz Betzelbacher | Maico | 7 | 6 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 8 | - | - | - | - | 5 | 6 | - | - | - | 4 | - | - | - | - | 4 | 4 | - | - | - | - | 7 |
| 11 | Sivert Eriksson | Husqvarna | 10 | 8 | 13 | 12 | - | 10 | - | - | - | - | - | - | 7 | 8 | - | - | 7 | 4 | 9 | - | 7 | 7 | 9 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 7 |
| 12 | John Draper | Cotton | 3 | 10 | 4 | 4 | 7 | 13 | - | - | - | - | 6 | 8 | - | - | - | - | 3 | - | 7 | 7 | - | - | - | - | - | - | 6 |
| 13 | Nic Jansen | Greeves | 11 | - | 5 | 5 | 10 | 7 | - | - | - | - | 12 | 10 | - | - | 4 | 6 | - | - | 14 | 10 | - | - | - | - | - | - | 5 |
| 14 | Miloslav Soucek | ESO | 12 | 13 | - | - | - | - | 5 | 3 | 6 | 5 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 3 |
| 14 | Fred Willamowski | MZ | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 4 | 5 | 3 |
| 16 | Josef Chara | Jawa | - | 9 | 9 | 10 | - | - | 6 | - | - | 4 | 10 | 11 | 8 | 9 | - | - | - | 5 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 4 |
| 17 | Luciano Conti | Aermacchi | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 5 | 7 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 2 |
| 17 | Gerhard Stauch | Maico | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 6 | 8 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 2 |
| 17 | Otto Walz | Maico | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 8 | 5 | - | - | - | - | 2 |
| 20 | Vincenzo Soletti | Parilla | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 6 | 8 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1 |
| 20 | Bryan Sharp | Greeves | - | - | 7 | 6 | - | - | - | - | 7 | - | 11 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 8 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1 |
| 20 | Jan Johansson | Husqvarna | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 5 | 8 | - | - | 1 |
| 20 | Paul Friedrichs | ESO | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 6 | 6 | 1 |
| - | Stig Rickardsson | Greeves | - | 2 | 28 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 10 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 10 | - | - | - | - |
| - | Lanfranco Angelini | Aermacchi | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| - | Don Rickman | Greeves | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 4 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Sources: ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||