Grand Prix of Holland
GRAND PRIX OF HOLLAND
BRIAN McLOUGHLIN
A huge, excited crowd of spectators lining the Dutch TT circuit saw Jim Redman achieve the first-ever 350 classic win for a Honda. In doing so he forced Mike Hailwood (MV) into second place, the first defeat suffered by this marque for some time. Third was Silvio Grassetti. The 350 race provided early drama, for the oil reservoir on Bob McIntyre’s 285cc Honda four split and after only two laps a very oily Scotsman retired into the pits.
Redman led easily, in front of one of the widest selections of “works” bikes seen in an International 350 race for some time. The race opened the programme in cold blustery weather, but fortunately for the 130,000 spectators and the riders there was no rain.
Mike Hailwood found that his MV was just not fast enough to get the pale green helmet of Redman behind his megaphones; the Czechoslovakian rider Frantisek Stastny was also with the MV in the opening stages, as was Silvio Grassetti (Bianchi).
Hailwood found himself with a handful of troubles as he fought off Stastny’s repeated challenges all around the 4.8 mile curves of the Van Drenthe circuit and tried to catch Grassetti at the same time.
With the MV sounding rough and flat at times, Mike had to use all his skill to pass Grassetti three laps from home, but Redman was well up at the end of the 20 lap race and there was never any hope of catching him. Grassetti had been trying hard when Hailwood was at his shoulder and the timekeepers recorded him with a record lap of 3 minutes, 16 seconds and 148.62 kph (approx. 93 mph) for his efforts.
The 14 lap 125cc race started mildly enough with Ernst Degner (Suzuki) taking an early lead. Although Jim Redman made a slow start, the Rhodesian speeded past Dan Shorey (Bultaco), Paddy Driver (EMC) and Tommy Robb (Honda) to grab Degner’s lead as early as the end of lap two. Taveri was sixth until he got the feel of his bike and the course, and with an example of almost impossible cornering went round the outside of Mike Hailwood (EMC), Degner and Robb as though they were one man. Taking the lap record with him with a time of 3 minutes, 32.7 seconds, at 130.399 kph (approx. 87 mph), Taveri came up to Redman but only as the checkered flag dropped did the nose of his Honda get in front of Redman’s machine. Taveri’s world championship points keep him at the top of the 125cc table.
In the land where more transport is propelled by 50cc motors than anywhere else, the Dutch had a good entry of seven riders in this event, but Ernst Degner gave his Suzuki another good win while placemen Hans Anscheidt and Jan Huberts waged a private war on their Kreidlers.
Redman was again in the lead when the 250cc event began. The starters were depleted for a moment when Tommy Robb overbraked and fell at Mandaveen Corner, bringing down Tarquinio Provini and his Morini on the second lap.
Provini remounted and cut through the field to threaten Bob McIntyre in the closing stages, but Mac has been at the game too long, and was not to be caught by the Italian. However, Provini’s ride, during which he pulled back 35 seconds over 11 laps of the 17 lap race, was one of the day’s splendid memories.
Everyone at the TT had expected the MV to win the 500cc race, so there was no surprise when Mike Hailwood led from flag to flag. Grassetti dropped his Bianchi on one of the corners — and that’s where the Bianchi stayed. He was unhurt apart from a scratch or two — although the machine was more seriously damaged.
Derek Minter on his Hallett Norton was in second place after a tussle with Phil Read (Norton). Alan Shepherd (Matchless) was never far behind and they finished in that order.
Early in the meeting the sidecar race was a real thriller, for Camathias (BMW) and Scheidegger (BMW) raised a lot of dust, but Camathias’ clutch went. The British challenge did not amount to much, with Chris Vincent (BSA) being down on revs after making a spectacular start and Jack Beeton also short of power. •
DUTCH GP RESULTS
350 cc, 154.09 km, 95.7 miles, 20 laps: 1 J. Redman (Honda) 66m 49.5s 138.350 kph—85.8 mph, 2 M. Hailwood (MV) 67m 09.6s 137.661, 3 S. Grassetti (Bianchi) 67m 15.7s 137.451. Fastest lap: S. Grassetti (Bianchi) 3m 16.9s 140.862 kph—87.5 mph. 50cc, 61.64 km 38.3 miles, 8 laps: 1 E. Degner (Suzuki) 32m 56.2s 112.278 kph—69.83 mph, 2 J. Huberts (Kreidler) 33m 04.2s 111.827, 3 H. G. Anscheidt (Kreidler) 33m 05.1s 111.776. Fastest lap: J. Huberts (Kreidler) 4m 03.2s 114.045 kph—70.9 mph. 250cc, 130.97 km 81.2 miles, 17 laps: 1 J. Redman (Honda) 58m 52.2s 133.489 kph—82.83 mph, 2 B. McIntyre (Honda) 58m 54.4s 133.409, 3 T. Provini (Morini) 58m 54.8s 133.390. Fastest lap: T. Provini (Morini) 3m 21s 137.989 kph—85.69 mph. 125cc, 107.86 km 66.9 miles, 14 laps: 1 L. Taveri (Honda) 50m 36.6s 127.873 kph—79.45 mph, 2 J. Redman (Honda) 50m 36.8s 127.865, 3 T. Robb (Honda) 50m 54.6s 127.122, 4 E. Degner (Suzuki) 50m 55.4s 127.088. Fastest lap: L. Taveri (Honda) 3m 32.7s 130.399 kph—80.85 mph. 500cc, 154.09 km 95.75 miles, 20 laps: 1 M. Hailwood (MV) 65m 46.2s 140.570 kph—89.1 mph, 2 D. Minter (Norton) 66m 09.4s 139.749, 3 P. Read (Norton) 66m 49.2s 138.362 mph. Fastest lap: M. Hailwood (MV) 3m 11.8s 144.608 kph—89.76 mph. Sidecars, 107.86 km 14 laps: 1 F. Scheidegger/J. Robinson (BMW) 52m 16.2s 123.814 kph—76.8 mph, 2 M. Deubel/E. Horner (BMW) 52m 25.2s 123.457, 3 0. Kole/K.D. Hess (BMW) 52m 59.2s 122.138. Fastest lap: F. Camathias/H. Winter (BMW) 3m 39s 126.647 kph—78.65 mph.
