Italian Grand Prix

ITALIAN GRAND PRIX

TWO MEN dominated the Italian meeting of the world road racing championship: they were Mike Hailwood and Tarquinio Provini. Mike is well known to all for his exploits at previous meeting this year but the wiry and wily Italian unfortunately has not been seen much this season as Morini, for whom he rides, have not contested the world title. The fact that he rode an old single cylinder Morini against the Honda works four of Redman and yet finished less than a second behind will give a fair indication of just how well he rode. He has an awkward style on corners but tucks himself away to such good measure on the straight that a recess has been put in the tank top for his chin.

The fifty cc event saw two great scraps, the first between championship contender Hans-Georg Anscheidt, the works Kreidler rider, and Suzuki-mounted Mitsuo Itoh, who were battling it out for the lead, and the second which was for fourth place. Anscheidt won the race after a bad start which prevented him getting with the leaders until the half way mark but then after a great struggle with Itoh snatched victory on the last bend to gain victory and the lead in the class of the world championship. Degner was still unable to ride following injuries received in the Ulster Grand Prix. Third man home was Kreidler-mounted Dutchman Jan Huberts whilst fourth spot was the subject of dispute between New Zealander Hugh Anderson (Suzuki), Isao Moritsha, a newcomer from Japan in the Suzuki team, and Swiss ace Luigi Taveri who was of course on a Honda. They finished in that order with less than a second between them, Anderson having snatched fourth spot on the line.

The “fifties” were actually the third race, for the day had started with the 35()cc event in which Honda had things all their own way. Finally the 35()cc. M.V. seems to be retired from the racing scene and rather than have it beaten in front of Italian eyes Hailwood was without a mount. With no serious opposition Jim Redman took a comfortable first place that gave him the 350cc world title to add to his 250cc crown. Behind him came teammate Tommy Robb and then Silvio Grasetti (Bianchi) and then the works Jawas of Franta Stastny and Gustav Havel.

Then came the 125cc race which again was to be a Honda benefit. Although Hungarian Laszlo Szabo was on the grid with an M.Z., this threat did not materialize so at the finish less than one second covered the works Hondas of Teisuke Tanaka, Luigi Taveri, Tommy Robb and Jim Redman. There was, however, a monumental scrap going on for fifth place between Paddy Driver (E.M.C.), Alberto Pagani (Honda) and Frank Perris (Suzuki). Pagani was the local boy who had been chosen to ride Honda machines for the day and it was he who just managed to get ahead of Driver at the finish with Perris a couple of lengths away in seventh spot — only three tenths of a second separated the three.

If Redman had been having a relatively easy day so far he was due for a shock in the 250 class where champion ear’oler Provini was intent on showing the Morini concern that he should have been allowed to have a go at more championship meetings. Provini had put up the fastest practice lap but, regrettably, both the Benelli fours had been blown up in practice so Hailwood was on a single. From the start Provini led and held his advantage for four laps when both Redman and Taveri got by. But the pace was too hot for Taveri’s Honda and it blew up on the eighth lap and then next time round Provini was leading Redman. With both riders trying their utmost the lead swopped a couple more times until finally Redman, riding like a double world champion, managed to open up a gap and win by eight tenths of a second.

The final race of the day was for the 500 class and here Remo Venturi struggled hard with Hailwood for the lead. And it must have been quite a fight for Hailwood after his crash in the previous race for to beat Venturi he had to out-braké him on the last bend and the duel brought about the only record of the day. That was the race record, for no lap records were broken at Monza this year. •