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John Williams (motorcyclist)

John Glen Williams (27 May 1946 – 12 August 1978)[1] was an English motorcycle short-circuit road racer who also entered selected Grands Prix on the near-continent. He mostly raced as a "privateer" having a personal sponsor, Gerald Brown.[2] Williams died in Northern Ireland, following an accident when racing at an event held on closed public roads near Dundrod.[3]

John Williams
NationalityEnglish
Motorcycle racing career statistics
Grand Prix motorcycle racing
Active years19681978
First race1968 500cc Isle of Man TT
Last race1978 500cc British Grand Prix
First win1976 500cc Belgian Grand Prix
Last win1976 500cc Belgian Grand Prix
Team(s)Suzuki
Championships0
Starts Wins Podiums Poles F. laps Points
33 1 8 0 1 141

Career

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Williams began racing in 1966, and won the Stars of Tomorrow meeting at Brands Hatch in 1968 on a 250 cc Ducati. He turned professional in 1973, and won the 250, 350 and 500 cc classes at that year's Ulster Grand Prix, the first rider to win three Ulster GP races in a single day. In 1974 he won the 350cc, 500cc and 750cc classes at the North West 200, marking the first time a competitor had won three classes at the event.[4] He also raced for Honda in endurance events such as the Bol d'Or.[5]

His best season was in 1975 when he finished in fifth place in the 500 cc world championship on a Yamaha motorcycle.[6] Williams won his only world championship race when he defeated Barry Sheene at the 1976 Belgian Grand Prix. He also looked set for victory in that year's Senior TT, setting a new outright lap record for the course at 112.27 mph (181 km/h).[5] Sadly, having led the race throughout, he ran out of petrol within sight of the chequered flag, pushing his bike across the line to finish seventh.[7] Williams was named as Sports Personality of the Year for 1976 by the Liverpool Echo.[5]

Williams turned down the offer of a place on the factory-backed Texaco Heron Suzuki team in 1977, preferring to race as a privateer, although well-publicised differences between himself and Barry Sheene may have been a contributing factor.[5]

He was a five-time winner of the North West 200 race in Northern Ireland and a four-time winner at the Isle of Man TT.[7]

Williams won the 500 cc race in the 1978 Ulster Grand Prix, but died from injuries suffered after crashing at Wheeler's Corner in the inaugural TT Formula One event later that same day.[8][9] He was a resident of Heswall, a town on the Wirral, Merseyside, England.[10]

John Williams Trophy

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The John Williams Trophy is an annual award at the Isle of Man TT Races. It is presented to the rider who completes the fastest lap in the Superbike TT race.[11]

Motorcycle Grand Prix results

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Points system from 1969 onwards:

Position 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Points 15 12 10 8 6 5 4 3 2 1

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position; races in italics indicate fastest lap)

Year Class Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 Points Rank Wins
1968 500cc Matchless GER
-
ESP
-
IOM
11
NED
-
BEL
-
DDR
-
CZE
-
FIN
-
ULS
-
NAT
-
0 0
1969 350cc AJS ESP
-
GER
-
IOM
15
NED
-
DDR
-
CZE
-
FIN
-
ULS
-
NAT
-
YUG
-
0 0
500cc Metisse ESP
-
GER
-
FRA
-
IOM
-
NED
-
BEL
-
DDR
-
CZE
-
FIN
-
ULS
8
NAT
-
YUG
-
3 46th 0
1970 500cc Matchless GER
-
FRA
-
YUG
-
IOM
5
NED
-
BEL
-
DDR
-
FIN
-
ULS
9
NAT
-
ESP
-
8 23rd 0
1971 350cc AJS AUT
-
GER
-
IOM
4
NED
-
DDR
-
CZE
-
SWE
-
FIN
-
ULS
4
NAT
-
ESP
-
16 13th 0
500cc AJS AUT
-
GER
-
IOM
NC
NED
-
BEL
-
DDR
-
SWE
-
FIN
-
ULS
-
NAT
-
ESP
-
0 0
1972 250cc Yamaha GER
-
FRA
-
AUT
-
NAT
-
IOM
3
YUG
-
NED
-
BEL
-
DDR
-
CZE
-
SWE
-
FIN
-
ESP
-
10 18th 0
350cc Honda GER
-
FRA
-
AUT
-
NAT
-
IOM
NC
YUG
-
NED
-
DDR
-
CZE
-
SWE
-
FIN
-
ESP
-
0 0
500cc Matchless GER
-
FRA
-
AUT
-
NAT
-
IOM
NC
YUG
-
NED
-
BEL
-
DDR
-
CZE
-
SWE
-
FIN
-
ESP
-
0 0
1973 250cc Yamaha FRA
-
AUT
-
GER
-
IOM
2
YUG
-
NED
-
BEL
-
CZE
-
SWE
-
FIN
-
ESP
-
12 17th 0
350cc Yamaha FRA
-
AUT
-
GER
-
NAT
-
IOM
3
YUG
-
NED
-
CZE
-
SWE
-
FIN
-
ESP
-
10 20th 0
500cc Matchless FRA
-
AUT
-
GER
-
IOM
NC
YUG
-
NED
-
BEL
-
CZE
-
SWE
-
FIN
-
ESP
-
0 0
1974 250cc Yamaha GER
-
NAT
-
IOM
-
NED
-
BEL
9
SWE
-
FIN
-
CZE
-
YUG
-
ESP
-
2 38th 0
350cc Yamaha FRA
-
GER
-
AUT
9
NAT
-
IOM
-
NED
8
SWE
-
FIN
9
YUG
-
ESP
-
7 29th 0
500cc Yamaha FRA
7
GER
-
AUT
8
NAT
-
IOM
-
NED
10
BEL
7
SWE
10
FIN
6
CZE
-
18 11th 0
1975 250cc Yamaha FRA
-
ESP
-
GER
-
NAT
-
IOM
3
NED
-
BEL
9
SWE
-
FIN
8
CZE
-
YUG
-
15 14th 0
350cc Yamaha FRA
-
ESP
10
AUT
-
GER
-
NAT
-
IOM
NC
NED
-
FIN
-
CZE
-
YUG
-
1 47th 0
500cc Yamaha FRA
-
AUT
-
GER
-
NAT
-
IOM
2
NED
7
BEL
5
SWE
3
FIN
-
CZE
-
32 5th 0
1976 500cc Suzuki FRA
Ret
AUT
Ret
NAT
-
IOM
7
NED
6
BEL
1
SWE
-
FIN
-
CZE
-
GER
-
24 9th 1
1977 350cc Yamaha VEN
-
GER
-
NAT
-
ESP
-
FRA
-
YUG
-
NED
-
SWE
-
FIN
-
CZE
-
GBR
3
10 22nd 0
500cc Suzuki VEN
-
AUT
-
GER
-
NAT
16
FRA
-
NED
-
BEL
10
SWE
8
FIN
-
CZE
-
GBR
-
4 26th 0
1978 500cc Suzuki VEN
-
ESP
-
AUT
-
FRA
-
NAT
-
NED
-
BEL
-
SWE
-
FIN
-
GBR
12
GER
-
0 0

References

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  1. ^ "Motorsport Memorial - John Williams". Motorsport Memorial. Retrieved 21 March 2023.
  2. ^ Motor Cyclist Illustrated, October 1974, p.17 Reverbs by John C Gee. Accessed and added 2015-01-20
  3. ^ Tom Herron - an appreciation Dundrod '78 Retrieved 2015-01-20
  4. ^ Wain, Phil (2020), "The North West; A History", Classic Racer, Mortons Motorcycle Media Ltd, ISSN 1470-4463, Sandwiched in between was John Williams' hat trick of wins in 1974, the first rider to achieve the feat,
  5. ^ a b c d "A Private Affair". Bike (48). Peterborough: East Midland Allied Press: 30. March 1977.
  6. ^ "John Williams career statistics at MotoGP.com". Archived from the original on 30 October 2013. Retrieved 5 September 2008.
  7. ^ a b John Williams career profile at the Isle of Man TT web page
  8. ^ John Williams career profile on Motorsport Memorial
  9. ^ "UGP Historical Stats".
  10. ^ Heswall's king of speed Heswall Magazine, July 2012. Retrieved 2015-01-18
  11. ^ IoM TT.com official site Awards Retrieved 2015-06-20