Grand Prix of Holland

GRAND PRIX OF HOLLAND

HEINZ-JURGEN SCHNEIDER

RUSSIAN RIDERS Nicolai Sevostianov, Endel Kiisa and Juri Randla made their first appearance in the western hemisphere at the Dutch TT in Assen. They rode C.K.B. DOHC twins (based on Jawa design) in the 250, 350 and 500cc classes, but only Sevostianov finished in the 500cc event. Mike Hailwood retired his MV 500 with piston failure, and Geoff Duke’s Gilera team scored their first win in the big class in a classic event. Fumio Ito took his Yamaha 250 twin to a fine second behind Jim Redman on the Honda, beating Provini on the Morini single.

350cc

The three-fifties served as a curtainraiser to the only full-scale Grand Prix on the continent this season, which was immaculately arranged by the friendly people of Koninglijke Nederlandse Motorriders Vereniging. From the start Jim Redman took first position, followed by Hailwood’s MV and Luigi Taveri on a Honda. Brilliant Austrian Rudi Thalhammer on his six-speed Norton battled for fourth with Frantisek Stastny on the Jawa, striking sparks with the exhaust pipe and grounding his fairing in the bends, till he dropped a valve and left the Czech Jawa rider in an unchallenged position.

In a medium fast righthander Italian Remo Venture lost his Bianchi twin, suffering neck injuries and two broken ribs. Old hand Jack Ahearn, who had taken off the side-panels of the streamlining from his five-speed Norton because of strong wind, enjoyed a fine fight for fifth with Russia’s N. Sevostianov and E. Kiisa till the C.K.B. dropped back and finally retired. Holding a good mid-field position, young Swede Sven Gunnarsson had to call it a day with magneto trouble on his Norton fitted with a Swedish Argord fivespeed gearbox. That left hard-fighting Karl Hoppe and Fred Stevens 7th and 8th places behind second Jawa rider G. Havel.

50cc RACE

The five-man strong Suzuki team (Austrian Bert Schneider being a nonstarter), thoroughly defeated the rivaling Kreidlers. Isao Morishita took the lead for the opening lap, Degner having had a bad start. Then Hugh Anderson pushed through, led for three laps, closely followed by Ichino, Morishita and Degner. Lap four of the eight lap race saw Degner second, Alberto Pagani and H. G. Anscheidt 5th and 6th, followed by Mitsuo Itoh on the last Suzuki.

During lap five Degner took first, gradually increasing his advantage over Anderson and Ichino. Two laps from the end Itoh passed the Kreidler riders, completing the leading team. Although Pagani finally gave way to his teammate, Hans George Anscheidt, who now has lost his leading position in the world championship.

250cc RACE

Although he had ridden fastest lap in practice, Italian star Tarquinio Provini could not really score points in the 250cc event. Jim Redman on the Honda Four took the lead from the first lap, riding unchallenged to his second victory of the day. Fumio Ito followed him on the Yamaha two-stroke twin, also unchallenged but pressing on hard. Luigi Taveri held third place ’til Provini on one of his madeto-measure Morinis passed his Honda in lap four. At mid-distance the unfortunate Swiss had to retire with a dead engine, leaving fourth place to Tommy Robb, who in the very last lap had to call his pit for some quick adjustment, thereby losing his position to Japanese Yoshikasu Sunaku on the second Yamaha.

Trevor C. Barnes on an ex-Arthur Wheeler Guzzi led steady riding German Siggi Lohman to 10th position just behind Stani Malina’s works CZ DOHC .

125cc RACE

After lunch break the 125cc mounts came to the grid for their 14 lap race. Hugh Anderson’s lead never was in danger, Degner and Canadian Frank Perris fought for 2nd some 10 seconds behind him until Degner had to retire with his little twin silent, two laps from the finish. In the same lap Bertie Schneider, who had pushed Taveri very hard trying to secure third place, also for Suzuki, had to visit his pit. During his stop Takahashi and Robb passed him on their Honda twins, but in a brilliant effort the Austrian just managed to regain his position during the remaining two laps, setting a new record. Poor Jim Redman came off his Honda, suffering a broken collarbone, which will put him out for some weeks.

500cc

Mike Hailwood held pole position at the 500cc grid on his MV; he also led the race for the opening two laps but then retired with a hole in one of his four pistons. John Hartle and Phil Read on Geoff Duke’s Güeras had a race of their own which “number one” Hartle easily won. Geoff Duke proudly joined his riders on the winner’s platform.

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Unlucky Rudi Thalhammer dropped his Norton Domi-racer equipped with Shaftleiiner’s six-speed gearbox holding ninth place behind Sven Gunnarsson and in front of Franti Stastny’s works Jawa, who finally dropped out. Australian Jack Findlay had a go on the ultra light ex-Bob McIntyre Matchless Special, ’til a broken primary chain put him out.

Holding a very steady third, Alan Shepherd took a smooth-running Matchless round the flat track, the rough surface of which allows extremely high cornering speeds. Jack Ahearn followed on his red faired Norton, having relegated Fred Stevens to 5th place in a fine 6-lap-long tussle.

The fair-haired Swede, who had taken on the task of maintaining and starting a 125 Honda and two five-speed Nortons as a private entrant, finished his second race.

500cc SIDECARS

This year will see the most thrilling finish of the sidecar world championship since BMW has reigned in this category. Champions Max Deubel/Emil Horner won the race on their now immaculately going BMW; Fritz Scheidegger on the ultra-low red outfit made second followed by TT winner Camathias on the same BMW based kneeler he has driven all year, which now bears the name of “Florian Camathias Special.”

None of the frames used in sidecar racing are “standard” BMW RS 54, which is the official name of the “cammy” BMW, so every rider would have the right of giving his outfit a name of its own. Flori’s reason to take this step is based on an unpleasant controversy with some BMW officials concerning the reliability of BMW framework.

English drivers Colin Seeley and Chris Vincent made best starts in the last event of the day. Deubel, Camathias and Scheidegger passed them during the first half lap. Then Scheidegger took second position from Flori in tour three, Colin Seeley had to retire his 6-speed Matchless while fighting Vincent’s green 5-speed BSA kneeler, one of the lowest outfits in the race.

Alan Clark and his passenger Colin Marshal unfortunately had to retire their surprisingly quick Norton outfit with magneto trouble after making up ground following a bad start from last grid position due to valve gear trouble during practice. Top speeds of the sidecars were recorded by an instrument called Gatsometer, with the interesting result that Otto Kolle’s carburetor-BMW (the injection pump broke down in practice) was the second fastest outfit in the race.

The upcoming Belgian GP will see the first World Championship decision of 1963, being the last classic to include sidecars. •