# 1965 FIM Motocross World Championship

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 were wearing their riding gear 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 would mark 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 implemented 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 Czechoslovakian Grand Prix during a break in the 250cc World Championship schedule. Robert was leading the first moto when his motorcycle experienced a mechanical failure before he rebounded to win the second moto in a rare 500cc class appearance.
In the 250cc division, Russian ČZ rider Victor Arbekov won five Grand Prix races to claim the world championship ahead of the defending champion, Robert. Future five-time World Champion Roger De Coster makes his first World Championship appearance at the 250cc French Grand Prix. The Suzuki factory becomes 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

| Round | Date | Grand Prix | Location | Race 1 Winner | Race 2 Winner | Overall Winner | Report |
| 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 | Czechoslovakian 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 | Report |
| Sources: ||||||||

### 250cc

| Round | Date | Grand Prix | Location | Race 1 Winner | Race 2 Winner | Overall Winner | Report |
| 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 | Czechoslovakian Grand Prix | Holice | Joël Robert | Vlastimil Valek | Vlastimil Valek | 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 | Report |
| Sources: ||||||||

## 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 | AUT | CH | CH | FRA | FRA | FIN | FIN | SWE | SWE | DDR | DDR | CZE | CZE | USSR | USSR | UK | UK | ITA | ITA | GER | GER | NED | NED | LUX | LUX | 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 | 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 |
| 3 | ČZ | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 9 | 8 | 3 | - | - | 7 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 1 | - | | 32 |
| 3 | 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 |
| 8 | 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 |
| 10 | Josef Hrebecek | ČZ | 5 | 7 | 6 | 8 | - | - | - | - | 10 | - | - | - | 2 | 6 | 6 | - | 10 | 10 | NC | NC | - | - | - | - | - | - | 8 |
| 10 | Igor Grigoriev | ČZ/ESO | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1 | 1 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 8 |
| 10 | 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 |
| 14 | Herman De Soete | Matchless | - | 5 | 8 | - | 7 | 6 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 6 | 3 | - | - | 12 | 5 | 6 |
| 14 | Jan Johansson | Lindstrom | - | - | - | - | - | - | 3 | 4 | - | - | - | - | 6 | 4 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 6 |
| 14 | Karel Pilar | ČZ | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 4 | 3 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 6 |
| 18 | Broer Dirkx | Lito | 8 | 1 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 13 | - | - | - | - | - | - | 4 |
| 18 | Ervín Krajčovič | ESO | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 8 | 6 | 3 | 8 | - | - | - | - | 8 | 7 | - | - | - | - | - | - | 4 |
| 18 | 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 |
| 22 | Joachim Helmhold | ČZ | - | - | - | - | - | - | 5 | - | - | - | - | - | 5 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 8 | 6 | - | - | 2 |
| 22 | John Giles | Triumph | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 5 | 6 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 2 |
| 22 | 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 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 0 |
| Sources: ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||

### 250cc

(Results in italics indicate overall winner)
| Pos | Rider | Machine | ESP | ESP | ITA | ITA | FRA | FRA | BEL | BEL | CZE | CZE | GER | GER | NED | NED | LUX | LUX | POL | POL | USSR | USSR | GDR | GDR | UK | UK | SWE | SWE | FIN | FIN | 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 | 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 Valek | 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 Pilar | 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 |
| 9 | Igor Grigoriev | ČZ | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 5 | 3 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 2 | 3 | 8 |
| 9 | 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 |
| 17 | Olle Pettersson | Bultaco-Métisse | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 8 | 5 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 6 | - | - | - | 2 |
| 17 | Alex Yakolev | ČZ | - | - | - | - | 15 | 7 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 8 | 7 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 2 |
| 17 | Bryan Goss | Husqvarna | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 21 | - | - | - | - | - | - | 4 | 2 |
| 17 | John Griffith | Greeves | - | - | 5 | 6 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 2 |
| 17 | Antonin Hrach | Jawa/ČZ | - | - | - | - | - | - | 10 | 13 | 13 | 4 | - | - | - | - | 14 | 12 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 6 | 2 |
| 23 | Ton van Heugten | Husqvarna | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 10 | 6 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1 |
| 23 | Ivan Polas | Jawa/ČZ | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 17 | 10 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 6 | 8 | 5 | 15 | 9 | 9 | 10 | - | - | - | - | 1 |
| 23 | Cenneth Loof | Husqvarna | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 7 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 6 | - | - | 1 |
| 23 | 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 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 0 |
| Sources: ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||