# 1970 FIM Motocross World Championship

The 1970 Motocross World Championship was the 14th edition of the Motocross World Championship organized by the FIM and reserved for 500cc and 250cc motorcycles.

## Summary

Husqvarna factory supported rider Arne Kring led the 500cc world championship points standings after the first nine rounds however, he broke his back while competing in a non-championship race, forcing him to withdraw from the remaining races. Maico factory team rider Åke Jonsson posted consistent results and took the championship points lead going into the final round, but he failed to score any points, allowing Bengt Åberg to overtake him and claim his second consecutive 500cc world championship for the Husqvarna factory racing team.
The Suzuki team hired the two top finishers in last years' 250cc World Championship, Joël Robert and Sylvain Geboers. The two Suzuki teammates dominated the 1970 championship with each rider claiming four Grand Prix victories apiece. As with the previous year, the championship wasn't decided until the final round in Austria where Robert prevailed over his teammate by a slim two point margin. In just the third Grand Prix race of his career 21-year-old Husqvarna rider Torleif Hansen scores a surprising victory at the 250cc French Grand Prix. Heikki Mikkola, another Husqvarna rider, surged in the second half of the season to claim three of the final four Grands Prix to finish just one point behind third-placed Roger De Coster riding for the ČZ factory racing team. Robert's victory marked the first motocross World Championship for a Japanese manufacturer.

## Grands Prix
### 500cc

| Round | Date | Grand Prix | Location | Race 1 Winner | Race 2 Winner | Overall Winner | Report |
| 1 | April 12 | Swiss Grand Prix | Payerne | Bengt Åberg | Paul Friedrichs | Bengt Åberg | Report |
| 2 | April 19 | Austrian Grand Prix | Sittendorf | Bengt Åberg | Paul Friedrichs | Bengt Åberg | Report |
| 3 | May 3 | Dutch Grand Prix | Lichtenvoorde | Arne Kring | Christer Hammargren | Arne Kring | Report |
| 4 | May 10 | French Grand Prix | Vesoul | Arne Kring | Arne Kring | Arne Kring | Report |
| 5 | May 24 | Finnish Grand Prix | Ruskeasanta | Arne Kring | Arne Kring | Arne Kring | Report |
| 6 | May 31 | Swedish Grand Prix | Västerås | Christer Hammargren | Jan Johansson | Christer Hammargren | Report |
| 7 | June 14 | Czechoslovakian Grand Prix | Holice | Bengt Åberg | Arne Kring | Arne Kring | Report |
| 8 | June 21 | Russian Grand Prix | Kharkov | Paul Friedrichs | Paul Friedrichs | Paul Friedrichs | Report |
| 9 | July 12 | West German Grand Prix | Beuern | Bengt Åberg | Adolf Weil | Bengt Åberg | Report |
| 10 | July 26 | East German Grand Prix | Apolda | Bengt Åberg | Paul Friedrichs | Åke Jonsson | Report |
| 11 | August 2 | Belgian Grand Prix | Namur | Roger De Coster | Åke Jonsson | Roger De Coster | Report |
| 12 | August 9 | Luxembourg Grand Prix | Ettelbruck | Adolf Weil | Paul Friedrichs | Bengt Åberg | Report |
| Sources: ||||||||

### 250cc

| Round | Date | Grand Prix | Location | Race 1 Winner | Race 2 Winner | Overall Winner | Report |
| 1 | April 12 | Spanish Grand Prix | Sabadell | Joël Robert | Joël Robert | Joël Robert | Report |
| 2 | April 19 | French Grand Prix | Pernes-les-Fontaines | Miroslav Halm | Torleif Hansen | Torleif Hansen | Report |
| 3 | April 26 | Belgian Grand Prix | Paal | Joël Robert | Sylvain Geboers | Sylvain Geboers | Report |
| 4 | May 10 | Yugoslavian Grand Prix | Orehova vas | Joël Robert | Joël Robert | Joël Robert | Report |
| 5 | May 24 | Italian Grand Prix | San Severino | Joël Robert | Sylvain Geboers | Joël Robert | Report |
| 6 | May 31 | Russian Grand Prix | Lvov | Sylvain Geboers | Sylvain Geboers | Sylvain Geboers | Report |
| 7 | June 7 | Polish Grand Prix | Szczecin | Sylvain Geboers | Sylvain Geboers | Sylvain Geboers | Report |
| 8 | June 28 | British Grand Prix | Bristol | Joël Robert | Joël Robert | Joël Robert | Report |
| 9 | August 9 | Finnish Grand Prix | Hyvinkää | Heikki Mikkola | Joël Robert | Heikki Mikkola | Report |
| 10 | August 23 | East German Grand Prix | Gumpelstadt | Sylvain Geboers | Sylvain Geboers | Sylvain Geboers | Report |
| 11 | August 30 | Swiss Grand Prix | Wohlen | Joël Robert | Heikki Mikkola | Heikki Mikkola | Report |
| 12 | September 27 | Austrian Grand Prix | Launsdorf | Heikki Mikkola | Heikki Mikkola | Heikki Mikkola | 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 | CH | CH | AUT | AUT | NED | NED | FRA | FRA | FIN | FIN | SWE | SWE | CZE | CZE | USSR | USSR | GER | GER | GDR | GDR | BEL | BEL | 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 |
| 1 | Bengt Åberg | Husqvarna | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 29 | 4 | 15 | 5 | 2 | - | - | 1 | 2 | - | - | 1 | 2 | 1 | - | 8 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 88 |
| 2 | Arne Kring | Husqvarna | 3 | - | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | - | 2 | 2 | 1 | - | - | 5 | 3 | - | - | - | - | - | - | 80 |
| 3 | Åke Jonsson | Maico | 8 | 5 | 2 | 6 | 6 | 3 | - | - | 2 | 3 | - | - | 5 | 3 | - | - | 2 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 1 | - | - | 77 |
| 4 | Paul Friedrichs | ČZ | 9 | 1 | 6 | 1 | - | 28 | - | - | - | - | 3 | 3 | 3 | - | 1 | 1 | 6 | 6 | 8 | 1 | - | - | - | 1 | 60 |
| 5 | Christer Hammargren | Husqvarna | 6 | 6 | 4 | 9 | 1 | 9 | 3 | 23 | 3 | 6 | 1 | 4 | 7 | 5 | - | - | 9 | 5 | 7 | - | 10 | - | 3 | 4 | 59 |
| 6 | Adolf Weil | Maico | - | - | 8 | 10 | 5 | 30 | 2 | 3 | - | - | - | - | 6 | 4 | - | - | 3 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 1 | - | 55 |
| 7 | Jeff Teuwissen | Husqvarna | 4 | 3 | 10 | 8 | 4 | 2 | 5 | 2 | - | 5 | 2 | 5 | 4 | 22 | - | - | 4 | 7 | - | - | 6 | - | - | - | 50 |
| 8 | Otakar Toman | ČZ | - | - | 5 | 7 | 10 | 20 | 7 | 4 | - | - | 8 | 7 | 21 | 10 | 3 | 2 | 7 | 10 | 6 | 5 | - | 6 | - | - | 40 |
| 9 | Jaak van Velthoven | Husqvarna | 11 | 4 | 14 | 11 | 8 | 4 | 10 | 20 | 13 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 13 | 6 | - | - | 10 | 8 | 12 | 8 | 4 | 5 | 8 | 5 | 35 |
| 10 | Gerrit Wolsink | Husqvarna | 7 | 7 | - | - | 9 | 5 | - | - | 4 | 7 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 9 | 5 | 7 | 13 | - | 6 | 3 | 28 |
| 11 | Heinz Hoppe | ČZ | - | - | 12 | 14 | 21 | 15 | 9 | 6 | 7 | 4 | - | - | 14 | 23 | 9 | 8 | 14 | 15 | 13 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 13 | 8 | 21 |
| 12 | Vic Allan | Greeves | 12 | - | 9 | 4 | 16 | - | - | - | - | - | 6 | - | 8 | 7 | - | - | 8 | - | 9 | 4 | - | - | 9 | 6 | 18 |
| 13 | Roger De Coster | ČZ | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1 | 2 | - | - | 15 |
| 14 | Willy Bauer | Maico | - | - | 13 | 13 | - | - | 13 | 9 | - | - | - | - | 15 | 16 | - | - | 13 | 12 | 4 | 6 | 7 | 10 | 5 | - | 13 |
| 15 | Keith Hickman | BSA | 10 | 9 | 7 | 5 | - | - | 8 | 8 | - | - | - | 6 | 16 | - | - | - | 12 | - | - | - | - | - | 4 | - | 12 |
| 16 | Oldrich Hamrsmid | ČZ | - | - | - | - | 24 | 21 | 6 | 10 | 8 | 14 | - | - | - | - | - | - | 16 | 11 | - | - | - | - | 11 | 7 | 11 |
| 17 | Vladimir Ovchinikov | ČZ | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 2 | 6 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 10 |
| 17 | Andy Roberton | AJS | 2 | 8 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 20 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 10 |
| 17 | Jan Johansson | Husqvarna | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 5 | 1 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 10 |
| 20 | Jan Erik Sallqvist | Husqvarna | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 6 | 8 | 4 | - | 24 | 9 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 10 |
| 21 | Arnis Angers | ČZ | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 19 | 17 | 4 | 4 | - | - | 26 | 11 | - | - | - | - | 8 |
| 22 | Viatcheslav Krasnotchekov | ČZ | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 23 | 13 | 6 | 3 | - | - | 11 | 10 | - | - | - | - | 8 |
| 23 | Willy van Loon | ČZ | - | - | - | 15 | 15 | 10 | 12 | 22 | - | - | - | 9 | 22 | 19 | - | - | - | - | - | - | 12 | 8 | 7 | 12 | 7 |
| 24 | Frans Sigmans | Greeves | - | - | - | - | 7 | 6 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 5 |
| 24 | Mikhail Rastvortsev | ČZ | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 5 | 5 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 5 |
| 24 | Gaston Rahier | ČZ | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 5 | 7 | - | - | 5 |
| 27 | Walter Van Den Broeck | Maico | - | - | - | - | - | - | 16 | 5 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 11 | 11 | 12 | 9 | 5 |
| 28 | Vlastimil Valek | Jawa | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 9 | 8 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 4 |
| 28 | Antonin Klavinsh | ČZ | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 18 | - | 7 | 7 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 4 |
| 30 | Zdenek Strnad | ČZ | - | - | 11 | 12 | 19 | 12 | - | - | 9 | 11 | - | - | 11 | 12 | - | - | 11 | - | 10 | - | - | - | - | - | 4 |
| 31 | Manfred Stein | ČZ | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 8 | 9 | - | - | 17 | 14 | - | - | - | - | 3 |
| 31 | Jo Keizer | ČZ | - | - | 15 | - | 11 | 8 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 26 | 25 | 15 | 13 | - | - | - | - | 3 |
| 31 | Hasse Hansson | Husqvarna | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 7 | 10 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 3 |
| 34 | Pierre Karsmakers | ČZ | - | 10 | - | - | 12 | 7 | 15 | - | - | - | - | - | 12 | 14 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 2 |
| 34 | Hans Henriksson | Husqvarna | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 10 | - | 10 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 2 |
| 34 | Miroslav Halm | ČZ | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 10 | 11 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 2 |
| 37 | Josef Loetscher | Montesa | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 14 | 10 | 1 |
| 37 | Joël Queirel | Husqvarna | 15 | 11 | - | - | - | - | 24 | 7 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1 |
| 37 | Lars Nord | Husqvarna | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 11 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1 |
| 37 | Helmut Schadenberg | ČZ | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 20 | 10 | 10 | - | - | 20 | 17 | - | - | - | - | 1 |
| - | John Banks | BSA | 5 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 0 |
| Sources: ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||

### 250cc

(Results in italics indicate overall winner)
| Pos | Rider | Machine | ESP | ESP | FRA | FRA | BEL | BEL | YUG | YUG | ITA | ITA | USSR | USSR | POL | POL | UK | UK | FIN | FIN | GDR | GDR | CH | CH | 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 | 4 | - | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | - | - | - | - | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 5 | 2 | 3 | 96 |
| 2 | Sylvain Geboers | Suzuki | 2 | 3 | 12 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | - | - | 4 | 1 | 1 | - | 2 | 3 | - | 94 |
| 3 | Roger De Coster | ČZ | 8 | 4 | 2 | 4 | 3 | 3 | - | 7 | 2 | - | - | - | 2 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 7 | 2 | 74 |
| 4 | Heikki Mikkola | Husqvarna | 10 | 12 | - | - | - | - | 4 | 3 | 5 | 6 | 2 | 9 | - | - | 5 | 6 | 1 | 2 | - | - | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 73 |
| 5 | Miroslav Halm | ČZ | 28 | 18 | 1 | 3 | 5 | 6 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 9 | 2 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 7 | 17 | 7 | - | 6 | 5 | 4 | 70 |
| 6 | Uno Palm | Husqvarna | 13 | 11 | 6 | 9 | - | - | 7 | 5 | 6 | 5 | 3 | - | 3 | 3 | 13 | - | 6 | 9 | 7 | - | 5 | 3 | 9 | - | 43 |
| 7 | Olle Pettersson | Suzuki | 5 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 10 | 4 | 9 | 6 | 12 | 8 | 4 | 8 | - | - | 6 | - | 12 | 6 | 8 | 4 | 6 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 42 |
| 8 | Torleif Hansen | Husqvarna | - | - | 3 | 1 | 4 | 14 | 11 | - | - | 3 | 5 | - | 5 | - | 7 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 9 | - | 4 | - | - | - | 35 |
| 9 | Jiri Stodulka | ČZ | 7 | 7 | 13 | - | 8 | 9 | 12 | 8 | 8 | 10 | 17 | 4 | 6 | 6 | - | 15 | - | - | 5 | 10 | 8 | 8 | 10 | - | 31 |
| 10 | Vladimir Kavinov | ČZ | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 7 | 3 | - | 7 | - | - | 11 | 10 | 3 | 5 | - | - | - | - | 26 |
| 11 | Torsten Hallman | Husqvarna | 6 | 2 | 5 | - | - | - | 10 | - | - | 9 | - | - | - | - | 9 | 5 | - | - | - | - | 7 | - | - | - | 17 |
| 12 | Malcolm Davis | AJS | 4 | 5 | 11 | 7 | 21 | - | - | - | 10 | 7 | - | - | - | - | 10 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 13 |
| 13 | Håkan Andersson | Husqvarna | - | - | 9 | 8 | - | - | 6 | 13 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 9 | 8 | - | - | - | - | 17 | 7 | 12 |
| 14 | Bryan Wade | Greeves | 3 | 6 | - | - | - | - | 8 | - | 11 | - | 6 | 15 | 8 | - | - | 11 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 10 |
| 15 | Gennady Moiseyev | ČZ | - | - | - | - | - | - | 3 | 9 | - | - | - | 6 | 9 | 4 | - | - | 8 | - | 6 | 16 | - | - | - | - | 10 |
| 16 | Gaston Rahier | ČZ | 11 | 9 | 10 | 5 | 11 | 12 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 7 |
| 17 | Karel Konecny | ČZ | 17 | 15 | 14 | 10 | - | 16 | - | - | 9 | 11 | - | - | - | - | 8 | 7 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 7 |
| 18 | Marcel Wiertz | Bultaco | 27 | 10 | 8 | 12 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 8 | 8 | 6 |
| 19 | Jeff Teuwissen | Husqvarna | - | - | - | - | 9 | 5 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 5 |
| 19 | Viatcheslav Krasnotchekov | ČZ | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 11 | 7 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 5 |
| 21 | Helmut Schumann | ČZ | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 9 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 12 | 9 | 5 |
| 22 | Adolf Weil | Maico | - | - | - | - | 7 | 7 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 4 |
| 22 | Mikhail Rastvortsev | ČZ | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 15 | 5 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 4 |
| 22 | Helmut Schadenberg | ČZ | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 14 | 6 | - | - | - | - | 4 |
| 25 | Erling Rasmussen | Husqvarna | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 11 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 3 |
| 25 | Kalevi Vehkonen | Husqvarna | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 10 | - | - | 8 | 12 | 9 | - | - | - | - | 10 | - | - | - | 3 |
| 25 | Heinz Hoppe | ČZ | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 12 | 8 | - | - | - | - | 3 |
| 25 | Willy Bauer | Maico | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 9 | 9 | - | - | 3 |
| 29 | Eugeniusz Straczek | ČZ | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 12 | 10 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 2 |
| 29 | Soren Lodal | ČZ | 29 | 30 | 27 | 17 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 16 | 10 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 2 |
| 29 | Jean-Claude Nowack | Husqvarna | 20 | 25 | - | 13 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 20 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 13 | 11 | 2 |
| 32 | Pavel Rulev | ČZ | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 10 | - | - | - | - | 10 | - | - | - | 10 | 11 | - | - | - | - | - | - | 2 |
| 32 | Jyrki Storm | Husqvarna | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 12 | - | - | - | - | - | 10 | 15 | 10 | 2 |
| 34 | Anatoly Mandritchenko | ČZ | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 13 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1 |
| 34 | Michel Combes | AJS | 21 | 22 | 17 | 26 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 21 | 17 | - | - | - | - | 1 |
| 34 | Dick Clayton | Greeves | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 11 | 16 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1 |
| 34 | Vlastimil Hlous | ČZ | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 13 | 9 | - | - | - | - | 1 |
| 34 | Bengt Arne Bonn | AJS | 9 | - | 15 | 32 | 12 | 11 | - | - | 7 | - | 8 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1 |
| - | Paul Friedrichs | ČZ | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 4 | - | 0 |
| - | Jaak van Velthoven | Husqvarna | - | - | - | - | 6 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 0 |
| - | Andy Roberton | AJS | - | - | 16 | 11 | - | 8 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 0 |
| Sources: ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||