# 1966 FIM Motocross World Championship

The 1966 Motocross World Championship was the 10th edition of the Motocross World Championship organized by the FIM and reserved for 500cc and 250cc motorcycles.

## Summary

ČZ factory supported rider Paul Friedrichs dominated the 500cc displacement class by winning seven out of fourteen Grand Prix events, defeating former World Champion Rolf Tibblin and the defending World Champion Jeff Smith. Friedrichs' victory marked the first time a motorcycle powered by a two-stroke engine had won the premier 500cc division since the inception of the Motocross World Championships in 1957. Former two-time World Champion Sten Lundin makes his final World Championship appearance with a third place at the 1966 500cc Luxembourg Grand Prix.
In an effort to keep pace with the rapid pace of development in two-stroke engine technology, the BSA factory racing team constructed a new BSA Victor motorcycle for Smith which utilized a four-stroke engine cradled in an ultra-lightweight, titanium motorcycle frame. Unfortunately, the titanium frame was too brittle and broke regularly during competitions. Smith won the Finnish Grand Prix, but the 1966 season marked the end of the first four-stroke era in motocross competition. Two-stroke engines would dominate off-road motorcycle racing until 2003 when, mounting government environmental regulations caused the FIM implemented new rules favoring environmentally friendlier four-stroke engines.
In the 250cc division, defending champion Victor Arbekov started the season with three consecutive victories, but was injured at the second round in France and didn't recover until later in the season. Torsten Hallman and Joël Robert traded wins back and forth in a season-long battle for the championship that wasn't decided until the final race when Hallman finally prevailed over Robert to clinch his third 250cc World Championship. Åke Jonsson wins 250cc Luxembourg Grand Prix for the first overall victory of his career.

## Grands Prix
### 500cc

| Round | Date | Grand Prix | Location | Race 1 Winner | Race 2 Winner | Overall Winner | Report |
| 1 | April 17 | Swiss Grand Prix | Payerne | Paul Friedrichs | Paul Friedrichs | Paul Friedrichs | Report |
| 2 | April 24 | Austrian Grand Prix | Sittendorf | Rolf Tibblin | Paul Friedrichs | Paul Friedrichs | Report |
| 3 | May 1 | Italian Grand Prix | Maggiora | Paul Friedrichs | Paul Friedrichs | Paul Friedrichs | Report |
| 4 | May 8 | Danish Grand Prix | Randers | Rolf Tibblin | Jeff Smith | Rolf Tibblin | Report |
| 5 | May 15 | Swedish Grand Prix | Hedemora | Bengt Aberg | Jeff Smith | Jan Johansson | Report |
| 6 | May 22 | Finnish Grand Prix | Ruskeasanta | Gunnar Johansson | Jeff Smith | Jeff Smith | Report |
| 7 | June 12 | East German Grand Prix | Gumpelstadt | Paul Friedrichs | Paul Friedrichs | Paul Friedrichs | Report |
| 8 | June 19 | Czechoslovakian Grand Prix | Přerov | Paul Friedrichs | Paul Friedrichs | Paul Friedrichs | Report |
| 9 | June 26 | Russian Grand Prix | Chișinău | Paul Friedrichs | Paul Friedrichs | Paul Friedrichs | Report |
| 10 | July 3 | British Grand Prix | Farleigh Castle | Don Rickman | Jeff Smith | Don Rickman | Report |
| 11 | July 24 | Dutch Grand Prix | Lichtenvoorde | Rolf Tibblin | Rolf Tibblin | Rolf Tibblin | Report |
| 12 | August 7 | Belgian Grand Prix | Namur | Vic Eastwood | Roger De Coster | Arthur Lampkin | Report |
| 13 | August 14 | Luxembourg Grand Prix | Ettelbruck | Paul Friedrichs | Jan Johansson | Paul Friedrichs | Report |
| 14 | August 21 | West German Grand Prix | Beuren | Vlastimil Valek | Dave Bickers | Victor Arbekov | Report |
| Sources: ||||||||

### 250cc

| Round | Date | Grand Prix | Location | Race 1 Winner | Race 2 Winner | Overall Winner | Report |
| 1 | March 27 | Spanish Grand Prix | Sabadell | Victor Arbekov | Victor Arbekov | Victor Arbekov | Report |
| 2 | April 10 | French Grand Prix | Pernes-les-Fontaines | Victor Arbekov | Torsten Hallman | Torsten Hallman | Report |
| 3 | April 24 | Belgian Grand Prix | Mont Kemmel | Torsten Hallman | Joël Robert | Torsten Hallman | Report |
| 4 | May 1 | Swiss Grand Prix | Broc | Petr Dobry | Joël Robert | Joël Robert | Report |
| 5 | May 8 | Czechoslovakian Grand Prix | Holice | Petr Dobry | Joël Robert | Torsten Hallman | Report |
| 6 | May 15 | West German Grand Prix | Bielstein | Joël Robert | Torsten Hallman | Joël Robert | Report |
| 7 | May 22 | Dutch Grand Prix | Markelo | Torsten Hallman | Ake Tornblom | Joël Robert | Report |
| 8 | June 5 | Luxembourg Grand Prix | Schifflange | Victor Arbekov | Åke Jonsson | Åke Jonsson | Report |
| 9 | June 12 | Italian Grand Prix | Cingoli | Torsten Hallman | Torsten Hallman | Torsten Hallman | Report |
| 10 | June 19 | Polish Grand Prix | Szczecin | Joël Robert | Joël Robert | Joël Robert | Report |
| 11 | July 3 | East German Grand Prix | Apolda | Joël Robert | Petr Dobry | Petr Dobry | Report |
| 12 | July 24 | Swedish Grand Prix | Motala | Jan Blomqvist | Åke Jonsson | Torsten Hallman | Report |
| 13 | July 31 | Finnish Grand Prix | Hyvinkää | Olle Pettersson | Olle Pettersson | Olle Pettersson | Report |
| 14 | August 7 | Russian Grand Prix | Leningrad | Victor Arbekov | Victor Arbekov | Victor Arbekov | Report |
| 15 | October 2 | Austrian Grand Prix | Murau | Petr Dobry | Victor Arbekov | Petr Dobry | Report |
| Sources: ||||||||

## Final standings

Points are awarded to the top 6 classified finishers. For the 500cc final championship standings, the 8 best of 14 results are retained. For the 250cc final championship standings, the 8 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 | CH | CH | AUT | AUT | ITA | ITA | DEN | DEN | SWE | SWE | FIN | FIN | DDR | DDR | CZE | CZE | USSR | USSR | UK | UK | NED | NED | BEL | BEL | LUX | LUX | GER | GER | 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 | R1 | R2 |
| 1 | Paul Friedrichs | ČZ | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 5 | - | 3 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | - | - | - | - | 11 | 3 | 1 | 2 | - | - | 62 |
| 2 | Rolf Tibblin | ČZ | 2 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 5 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 4 | - | 5 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 2 | 6 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 8 | 7 | - | - | 40 |
| 3 | Jeff Smith | BSA | - | 8 | 5 | 7 | 2 | 2 | - | 1 | 18 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 5 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 37 |
| 4 | Vlastimil Valek | ČZ | 3 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | - | - | 6 | 4 | 6 | 6 | 4 | 6 | 2 | 6 | 2 | 3 | 3 | - | 4 | 4 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 1 | 3 | 34 |
| 5 | Dave Bickers | ČZ | 32 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | NC | 4 | 5 | 3 | - | 4 | 4 | 10 | 9 | 3 | 3 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 2 | 2 | - | - | 4 | 8 | 3 | 1 | 32 |
| 6 | Jan Johansson | Lindstrom | - | - | - | 6 | - | - | - | - | 2 | 2 | 10 | 7 | 6 | 11 | - | - | - | - | 6 | 6 | 10 | 3 | - | - | 6 | 1 | - | - | 18 |
| 7 | Igor Grigoriev | ČZ | 9 | 9 | 11 | 5 | 8 | 7 | 7 | - | 7 | 9 | 7 | 9 | 8 | 3 | - | - | - | - | - | - | 15 | 8 | 12 | 13 | - | - | - | - | 9 |
| 8 | Don Rickman | Triumph-Métisse | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1 | 2 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 8 |
| 8 | Arthur Lampkin | BSA | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 11 | 11 | - | - | 2 | 2 | - | - | - | - | 8 |
| 8 | Victor Arbekov | ČZ | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 2 | 2 | 8 |
| 8 | Chris Horsfield | ČZ | 11 | 5 | 10 | - | 11 | 12 | 5 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 4 | 4 | 6 | 6 | - | - | - | - | - | - | 8 |
| 12 | Bengt Åberg | Triumph-Métisse | - | 11 | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1 | 3 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 19 | - | - | - | - | - | 6 |
| 12 | Gunnar Johansson | ČZ | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 12 | - | 1 | 2 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 3 | - | 13 | - | 9 | - | - | - | 6 |
| 12 | Roger De Coster | ČZ | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 5 | 1 | - | - | - | - | 6 |
| 12 | Vic Eastwood | BSA | 4 | - | - | - | NC | 8 | - | - | - | 7 | 17 | - | - | 2 | - | - | 4 | - | 7 | 3 | 9 | - | 1 | 5 | 10 | - | - | 5 | 6 |
| 16 | Bill Nilsson | Husqvarna | - | - | 18 | 12 | - | - | - | - | - | 5 | 14 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 7 | 3 | 4 | 7 | 5 |
| 17 | Sylvain Geboers | Lindstrom | 10 | 15 | 13 | 11 | NC | - | 3 | 3 | - | 6 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 16 | - | 7 | - | 8 | - | - | - | - | - | 4 |
| 17 | Sten Lundin | Lito | 16 | 12 | 9 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 3 | 6 | - | - | 4 |
| 19 | Joachim Helmhold | ČZ | 5 | 6 | - | - | - | - | - | - | 9 | - | 11 | 10 | 7 | 12 | 6 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 16 | 11 | 13 | 10 | - | - | 3 |
| 19 | Adolf Weil | Maico | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 5 | 4 | 3 |
| 19 | Josef Hrebecek | ČZ | 8 | 7 | 16 | 10 | 10 | NC | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 10 | - | 13 | 9 | - | - | - | - | 14 | 14 | 2 | 9 | - | - | 3 |
| 19 | Yuri Matveev | ČZ | 6 | - | 7 | - | 6 | 6 | - | - | - | - | 9 | 8 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 9 | - | - | - | - | 6 | - | 3 |
| 19 | Sigurd Kalkis | ČZ | 12 | 10 | 12 | 8 | 14 | 5 | - | 6 | - | - | 8 | - | - | - | - | - | 7 | 5 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 3 |
| 24 | Erik Malmgren | Hedlund | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 8 | 8 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 2 |
| 24 | Vladimir Pogrebniak | ČZ | 13 | 20 | 6 | 13 | 12 | NC | - | - | - | - | 12 | 15 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 13 | 10 | 4 | 7 | - | - | - | - | 2 |
| 26 | Zdenek Polanka | ČZ | 7 | 14 | 8 | 9 | 7 | 9 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 7 | 9 | 11 | 11 | - | - | - | - | 9 | 10 | - | 4 | 8 | - | 1 |
| 26 | Mogens Rasmussen | Métisse-Matchless | - | - | - | - | - | - | 6 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 9 | 7 | 11 | 5 | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1 |
| - | Jan Brabec | ČZ | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 5 | 15 | - | - | 9 | 6 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 9 | - | 0 |
| - | Fritz Betzelbacher | Montesa | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 6 | 0 |
| Sources: ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||

### 250cc

| Pos | Rider | Machine | ESP | ESP | FRA | FRA | BEL | BEL | CH | CH | CZE | CZE | GER | GER | NED | NED | LUX | LUX | ITA | ITA | POL | POL | GDR | GDR | SWE | SWE | FIN | FIN | USSR | USSR | 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 | Torsten Hallman | Husqvarna | 3 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 1 | - | - | - | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 4 | - | 2 | 2 | 3 | 3 | - | - | 2 | 4 | 58 |
| 2 | Joël Robert | ČZ | - | - | 3 | 2 | 10 | 1 | 2 | 1 | - | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | - | 7 | 3 | - | 1 | 1 | 1 | - | - | - | 11 | - | 3 | 2 | 5 | 2 | 49 |
| 3 | Petr Dobry | ČZ | - | - | 4 | 3 | 21 | - | 1 | 2 | 1 | 3 | - | - | - | - | 4 | 2 | 2 | - | - | - | 2 | 1 | 15 | 7 | 5 | - | 2 | - | 1 | 3 | 40 |
| 4 | Victor Arbekov | ČZ | 1 | 1 | 1 | NC | 11 | - | - | - | 3 | 7 | 2 | 3 | - | - | 1 | - | - | - | 4 | - | 3 | 2 | 9 | - | 14 | 10 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 36 |
| 5 | Olle Pettersson | Husqvarna | - | 3 | 5 | 5 | 3 | 2 | - | - | 5 | 6 | 6 | - | 10 | 3 | - | - | 5 | 3 | - | 5 | 6 | 4 | 8 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 4 | - | 4 | 7 | 29 |
| 6 | Åke Jonsson | Husqvarna | - | - | - | - | - | - | 4 | 5 | - | - | 4 | 4 | - | - | 3 | 1 | - | - | 3 | 3 | - | - | 4 | 1 | 6 | 2 | - | - | - | - | 28 |
| 7 | Roger De Coster | ČZ | - | - | 7 | 4 | 2 | 6 | 6 | 7 | 8 | - | 5 | 5 | - | 13 | 2 | 6 | 6 | 2 | 5 | 4 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 23 |
| 8 | Gunnar Draougs | ČZ | 21 | - | NC | NC | 11 | 10 | 5 | 10 | - | 4 | 7 | 9 | 4 | 4 | - | - | - | - | - | - | 5 | 5 | - | - | 9 | 7 | - | - | - | - | 10 |
| 9 | Åke Tornblom | ČZ | 11 | - | 9 | 12 | - | - | - | - | - | 5 | - | - | 3 | 1 | 8 | - | - | - | - | 6 | - | - | 7 | - | 12 | - | - | - | - | - | 8 |
| 10 | Ivan Polas | ČZ | - | - | 8 | NC | - | - | 12 | 4 | - | - | 13 | 6 | - | 8 | 11 | 8 | - | 6 | - | - | 7 | 3 | 21 | 8 | 15 | 6 | 6 | 3 | 6 | 5 | 8 |
| 11 | Fritz Betzelbacher | Montesa | 5 | 6 | - | - | - | - | 11 | 6 | - | - | - | - | 9 | 7 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 5 |
| 12 | Don Rickman | Bultaco | 2 | 4 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 4 |
| 12 | Lanfranco Angelini | ČZ | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 4 | 4 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 4 |
| 12 | Jan Blomqvist | Husqvarna | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1 | 4 | - | - | - | - | - | - | 4 |
| 12 | Jyrki Storm | Husqvarna | - | - | 23 | 11 | 16 | 7 | - | - | 7 | 10 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 6 | - | - | - | - | - | 2 | - | - | 4 | - | - | 4 |
| 12 | Marcel Wiertz | Bultaco | 26 | 16 | 10 | NC | 6 | 5 | - | - | - | - | 8 | - | 16 | - | 7 | 3 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 4 |
| 12 | Fred Willamowski | ČZ | - | - | NC | 17 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 6 | 6 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 6 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 4 |
| 18 | Håkan Jerling | Husqvarna | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 5 | 5 | - | - | - | - | - | - | 3 |
| 18 | Kalevi Vehkonen | Husqvarna | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 4 | 8 | - | - | - | - | 3 |
| 18 | Jo Lammers | Husqvarna | - | - | - | - | 5 | 4 | - | - | - | - | - | 7 | 7 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 3 |
| 18 | Jacky Porte | Montesa | - | - | 6 | 6 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 13 | 11 | 6 | 5 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 3 |
| 18 | Zdenek Strnad | ČZ | - | - | - | - | 4 | - | - | - | 9 | 8 | - | - | 8 | - | 5 | 9 | - | 5 | - | - | 8 | 15 | - | - | - | - | - | - | 7 | 6 | 3 |
| 23 | Oriol Puig Bulto | Bultaco | 6 | 5 | 16 | 14 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 2 |
| 23 | Jaakko Lehmuskoski | Husqvarna | - | - | 14 | 10 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 7 | 5 | - | - | - | - | 2 |
| 23 | Andrei Dezhinov | ČZ | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 15 | 12 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 5 | - | - | - | 2 |
| 26 | Pedro Pi Parera | Montesa | 7 | 10 | 12 | 16 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1 |
| 26 | Malcolm Davis | Bultaco | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 9 | 4 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1 |
| 26 | Bengt Arne Bonn | Husqvarna | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 6 | 10 | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1 |
| 26 | Jorma Jarvinen | Husqvarna | 22 | 9 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 8 | 4 | - | - | - | - | 1 |
| 26 | Tore Lundby | Husqvarna | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 23 | - | - | 6 | - | - | 1 |
| - | Alan Clough | Greeves | - | - | NC | NC | - | - | - | - | 4 | - | - | - | - | 24 | - | 13 | 10 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 0 |
| - | Håkan Andersson | Husqvarna | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 3 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 0 |
| - | Pierre Karsmakers | ČZ | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 5 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 0 |
| - | Adolf Weil | Montesa | - | 15 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 11 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 0 |
| - | Heikki Mikkola | Husqvarna | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 13 | - | - | - | - | - | 0 |
| Sources: ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||