1952 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season

Umberto Masetti won his second and final 500cc World Championship title in 1952.
Geoff Duke (pictured in 1951) successfully defended his 350cc World Championship title.
Enrico Lorenzetti won his only world championship in the 250cc class.

The 1952 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season was the fourth F.I.M. Road Racing World Championship Grand Prix season. The season consisted of eight Grand Prix races in five classes: 500cc, 350cc, 250cc, 125cc and Sidecars 500cc. It began on 18 May, with Swiss Grand Prix and ended with Spanish Grand Prix on 5 October.

1952 Grand Prix season calendar

Round Date Grand Prix Circuit 125cc winner 250cc winner 350cc winner 500cc winner Sidecars 500cc winner Report
1 18 May Switzerland Swiss Grand Prix Bremgarten United Kingdom Fergus Anderson United Kingdom Geoff Duke United Kingdom Jack Brett Italy Milani / Pizzocri Report
2 13 June Isle of Man Isle of Man TT Snaefell Mountain United Kingdom Cecil Sandford United Kingdom Fergus Anderson United Kingdom Geoff Duke Republic of Ireland Reg Armstrong Report
3 28 June Netherlands Dutch TT Assen United Kingdom Cecil Sandford Italy Enrico Lorenzetti United Kingdom Geoff Duke Italy Umberto Masetti Report
4 6 July Belgium Belgian Grand Prix Spa-Francorchamps United Kingdom Geoff Duke Italy Umberto Masetti United Kingdom Oliver / Price Report
5 20 July West Germany German Grand Prix Solitude West Germany Werner Haas West Germany Rudi Felgenheier Republic of Ireland Reg Armstrong Republic of Ireland Reg Armstrong United Kingdom Smith / Clements Report
6 16 August Northern Ireland Ulster Grand Prix Clady United Kingdom Cecil Sandford United Kingdom Maurice Cann Australia Ken Kavanagh United Kingdom Cromie McCandless Report
7 14 September Italy Nations Grand Prix Monza Italy Emilio Mendogni Italy Enrico Lorenzetti Southern Rhodesia Ray Amm United Kingdom Leslie Graham Italy Merlo / Magri Report
8 5 October Spain Spanish Grand Prix Montjuïc Italy Emilio Mendogni United Kingdom Leslie Graham United Kingdom Italy Oliver / Dobelli Report

Standings

Scoring system

Points were awarded to the top six finishers in each race. Only the four best races counted in the Sidecars, 125cc and 250cc, while in the 350cc and 500cc championships, the five best results counted.

Position  1st   2nd   3rd   4th   5th   6th 
Points 8 6 4 3 2 1

500cc final standings

Pos Rider Machine SUI
Switzerland
MAN
United Kingdom
HOL
Netherlands
BEL
Belgium
GER
Germany
ULS
Ulster
NAC
Italy
ESP
Spain
Pts
1 Italy Umberto Masetti Gilera Ret 1 1 Ret Ret 2 2 28
2 United Kingdom Leslie Graham MV Agusta Ret 2 7 Ret 4 Ret 1 1 25
3 Republic of Ireland Reg Armstrong Norton Ret 1 4 Ret 1 Ret 6 5 22
4 New Zealand Rod Coleman AJS 5 4 5 5 Ret 2 Ret 15
5 United Kingdom Jack Brett AJS / Norton 1 Ret 9 4 Ret 4 7 14
6 Australia Ken Kavanagh Norton 32 3 2 Ret 3 14
7 United Kingdom Geoff Duke Norton Ret Ret 2 2 12
8 Italy Nello Pagani Gilera 4 6 6 3 4 12
9 Northern Ireland Cromie McCandless Norton / Gilera 6 1 9
10 Southern Rhodesia Ray Amm Norton 6 3 Ret 3 Ret 9 9
11 Italy Carlo Bandirola MV Agusta 3 Ret Ret Ret 4 Ret 7
12 United Kingdom Bill Doran AJS 2 6
13 United Kingdom Bill Lomas AJS / MV Agusta 5 Ret Ret 3 Ret Ret 6
14 United Kingdom Sid Lawton Norton / AJS 8 12 Ret 3 Ret 6 5
15 Belgium Auguste Goffin Norton 7 5 Ret Ret 2
16 Northern Ireland Peter Carter Norton 10 5 2
17 Italy Giuseppe Colnago Gilera 17 5 Ret 2
18 Germany Hans Baltisberger BMW 6 Ret 1
19 United Kingdom John Surtees Norton 6 1
20 Italy Libero Liberati Gilera 7 8 8 16 0
21 Germany Siegfried Wünsche BMW / DKW 11 7 0
22 Australia Tony McAlpine Norton 13 Ret 7 Ret 0
23 United Kingdom Roy Evans Norton 14 7 0
24 United Kingdom George Brown Norton 7 Ret 0
25 United Kingdom Robin Sherry Norton / AJS Ret 8 Ret 9 0
26 New Zealand Ken Mudford Norton 8 10 0
27 East Germany Karl Rührschneck Norton 8 Ret 0
28 Spain Fernando Aranda Gilera 8 0
= Northern Ireland William Campbell Norton 8 0
30 Netherlands Lous van Riswijk Matchless / Norton 11 9 0
31 Germany Siegfried Fuss Norton 9 0
= Northern Ireland John Guirke Norton 9 0
= United Kingdom Alain Lawton Norton 9 0
= Switzerland Willy Lips Norton 9 0
= United Kingdom Albert Moule Norton 9 0
36 Germany Rudi Knees Norton 10 11 0
37 Gibraltar John Grace Norton 16 10 0
38 United Kingdom Jack Bailey Norton Ret 10 0
= Germany Friedel Schön Horex 10 Ret 0
40 Belgium Francis Basso Norton 10 0
= Italy Martino Giani MV Agusta 10 0
42 United Kingdom Humphrey Ranson Norton 17 Ret 11 0
43 Italy Enrico Galante Norton 11 0
= Northern Ireland Malcolm Templeton AJS 11 0
= United Kingdom Vic Willoughby Norton 11 0
= Switzerland Hans Wirz Triumph 11 0
47 United Kingdom Bill Beevers Norton 12 Ret 0
48 Italy Francesco Guglielminetti MV Agusta 12 0
= United Kingdom Herbert Ranson Norton 12 0
= United Kingdom Geoff Read Norton 12 0
= Belgium Edouard Texidor Norton 12 0
= Northern Ireland Harry Turner Norton 12 0
53 Spain Javier de Ortueta Norton 13 Ret 0
54 Netherlands Piet Bakker BMW 13 0
= Switzerland Massimo Forster Gilera 13 0
= Germany Ewald Kluge DKW 13 0
= United Kingdom Douglas Sides Velocette 13 0
58 Switzerland Carletto Bellotti Moto Guzzi 14 0
= Republic of Ireland Harry Lindsay Triumph 14 0
= United Kingdom Reg MacDonald AJS 14 0
= Netherlands Drikus Veer Triumph 14 0
62 Dominion of Ceylon Rally Dean Norton Ret Ret 15 0
63 Austria Siegfried Vogel Norton 15 0
= United Kingdom Don Williams Norton 15 0
65 United Kingdom Robert Ferguson AJS 16 0
66 United Kingdom John Dickson Velocette 18 0
= United Kingdom Charlie Salt BSA 18 0
68 United Kingdom Robin Fitton Norton 19 0
= United Kingdom Cyril Stevens Norton 19 0
70 United Kingdom Fonsie McGovern Norton 20 0
= United Kingdom Frank Norris Norton 20 0
72 United Kingdom Arthur Wheeler Norton 21 Ret Ret 0
73 United Kingdom J. O. Kerrigan Triumph 21 0
74 United Kingdom Ken Swallow Norton 22 0
75 United Kingdom Syl Anderton Norton 23 0
76 United Kingdom Les Dear Norton 24 0
77 Denmark Sven Sørensen Norton 25 0
78 United Kingdom Howard Grindley Norton 26 0
79 United Kingdom Jack Varlow Norton 27 0
80 United Kingdom Harry Stephen Norton 28 0
81 United Kingdom Leo Starr AJS 29 0
82 United Kingdom Dennis Lashmar Norton 30 0
83 Dominion of Ceylon David Stevenson AJS 31 0
84 United Kingdom Leslie Harris Norton Ret 33 0
85 United Kingdom Leslie Barrett Norton 34 0
86 United Kingdom John Fisher AJS 35 0
87 United Kingdom Joe Glazebrook Norton 36 0
88 United Kingdom Jack Harding Norton 37 0
89 United Kingdom Eric Hardy AJS 38 0
90 Canada Ivor Wagar Triumph 39 0
91 United Kingdom Bob McDonald AJS 40 0
92 Northern Ireland Charlie Gray AJS 41 0
United Kingdom Phil Heath Vincent / Norton Ret Ret Ret Ret
Northern Ireland Bob Matthews Norton / Matchless Ret Ret Ret 0
Italy Alfredo Milani Gilera Ret Ret Ret 0
Australia Ernie Ring Matchless Ret Ret Ret 0
Belgium Charles Bruguiere Norton Ret Ret 0
France Georges Burgaff Norton Ret Ret 0
Switzerland Werner Gerber Horex Ret Ret 0
New Zealand Dean Hollier Norton Ret Ret 0
United Kingdom Sidney Mason Norton Ret Ret 0
United Kingdom Bill Petch Norton Ret DNS 0
Italy Emilio Soprani Gilera Ret DNS 0
Switzerland Jost Albisser Rudge Ret 0
United Kingdom Syd Barnett Norton Ret 0
East Germany Edgar Barth Norton Ret 0
Italy Felice Benasedo Moto Guzzi Ret 0
United Kingdom David Bennett Norton Ret 0
United Kingdom Wilf Billington Norton Ret 0
United Kingdom George Brockerton Bitza Ret 0
Northern Ireland Louis Carter Norton Ret 0
France Jacques Collot Norton Ret 0
Belgium Firmin Dauwe Norton Ret 0
Italy Lodovico Facchinelli Gilera Ret 0
United Kingdom Archie Fenn Norton Ret 0
Dominion of Ceylon Peter Fernando Norton Ret 0
Netherlands Cees Fokke-Bosch Norton Ret 0
Italy Tito Forconi MV Agusta Ret 0
United Kingdom Sid Franklen AJS Ret 0
Canada Roy Godwin Norton Ret 0
Germany Ernst Gross BMW Ret 0
United Kingdom Bill Hall Norton Ret 0
Germany Ernst Hoske Horex Ret 0
United Kingdom Robert King Norton Ret 0
United Kingdom John Maloney Vincent Ret 0
Austria Alex Mayer Norton Ret 0
United Kingdom Tommy McEwan Norton Ret 0
Germany Gerhard Mette BMW Ret 0
United Kingdom Stan Miller Norton Ret 0
United Kingdom Eric Oliver Norton Ret 0
United Kingdom Ashley Parry Norton Ret 0
United Kingdom Roland Pike BSA Ret 0
United Kingdom Arthur Pollitt Norton Ret 0
United Kingdom Mark Prudence Norton Ret 0
United Kingdom Bob Rowbottom AJS Ret 0
United Kingdom Cecil Sandford BSA Ret 0
United Kingdom Simon Sandys-Winsch Velocette Ret 0
Netherlands Lodewijk Simons Norton Ret 0
Netherlands Henk Steman Norton Ret 0
Northern Rhodesia Norman Stewart Norton Ret 0
United Kingdom Les Tedder AJS Ret 0
United Kingdom Roy Walker BSA Ret 0
United Kingdom Dick Ward Velocette Ret 0
United Kingdom Leonard Williams Velocette Ret 0
Isle of Wight Tommy Wood Norton Ret 0
Germany Gerhard Pohlers BMW DNS 0
Pos Rider Bike SUI
Switzerland
MAN
United Kingdom
HOL
Netherlands
BEL
Belgium
GER
Germany
ULS
Ulster
NAC
Italy
ESP
Spain
Pts
Colour Result
Gold Winner
Silver Second place
Bronze Third place
Green Points finish
Blue Non-points finish
Non-classified finish (NC)
Purple Retired (Ret)
Red Did not qualify (DNQ)
Did not pre-qualify (DNPQ)
Black Disqualified (DSQ)
White Did not start (DNS)
Withdrew (WD)
Race cancelled (C)
Blank Did not practice (DNP)
Did not arrive (DNA)
Excluded (EX)

Bold – Pole
Italics – Fastest Lap

350cc Standings

Place Rider Number Country Machine Points Wins
1 United Kingdom Geoff Duke United Kingdom Norton 32 4
2 Republic of Ireland Reg Armstrong Ireland Norton 24 1
3 Southern Rhodesia Ray Amm Southern Rhodesia Norton 21 1
4 New Zealand Rod Coleman New Zealand AJS 20 0
5 Australia Ken Kavanagh Australia Norton 16 1
6 United Kingdom Jack Brett United Kingdom AJS 12 0
7 United Kingdom Bill Lomas United Kingdom AJS 9 0
8 United Kingdom Sid Lawton United Kingdom AJS 7 0
9 United Kingdom Robin Sherry United Kingdom AJS 4 0
10 Austria Ernie Ring Austria AJS 3 0
11 West Germany Ewald Kluge Germany DKW 2 0
= Belgium Auguste Goffin Belgium Norton 2 0
13 United Kingdom Leslie Graham United Kingdom Velocette 1 0
= Republic of Ireland Mike O'Rourke Ireland AJS 1 0
= United Kingdom George Brown United Kingdom AJS 1 0
= West Germany Roland Schnell Germany Horex 1 0

250cc Standings

Place Rider Number Country Machine Points Wins
1 Italy Enrico Lorenzetti Italy Moto Guzzi 28 2
2 United Kingdom Fergus Anderson United Kingdom Moto Guzzi 24 2
3 United Kingdom Leslie Graham United Kingdom Velocette 11 0
4 United Kingdom Maurice Cann United Kingdom Moto Guzzi 10 1
5 West Germany Rudi Felgenheier Germany DKW 8 1
6 Italy Bruno Ruffo Italy Moto Guzzi 7 0
7 West Germany Werner Haas Germany NSU 6 0
= West Germany Heinrich Thorn-Prikker Germany Moto Guzzi 6 0
= Italy Alano Montanari Italy Moto Guzzi 6 0
10 West Germany Herman Gablenz Germany Horex 4 0
= United Kingdom Sid Lawton United Kingdom Moto Guzzi 4 0
= United Kingdom Arthur Wheeler United Kingdom Moto Guzzi 4 0
13 West Germany Ewald Kluge Germany DKW 3 0
= United Kingdom Ronald Mead United Kingdom Velocette 3 0
= West Germany Gotthilf Gehring Germany Moto Guzzi 3 0
16 Italy Roberto Colombo Italy NSU 2 0
= United Kingdom Bill Webster United Kingdom Velocette 2 0
= Italy Nino Grieco Italy Parilla 2 0
= United Kingdom Benny Rood United Kingdom Velocette 2 0
20 Italy Bruno Francisci Italy Moto Guzzi 1 0
= United Kingdom Ray Petty United Kingdom Norton 1 0
= Netherlands Sieb Postma Netherlands Moto Guzzi 1 0

125cc

Riders' standings

Pos. Rider Bike MAN
United Kingdom
NED
Netherlands
GER
Germany
ULS
Ulster
NAT
Italy
ESP
Spain
Pts
1 United Kingdom Cecil Sandford MV Agusta 1F 1F 3 1F 3 28 (32)
2 Italy Carlo Ubbiali Mondial 2 2 2 2 24
3 Italy Emilio Mendogni Morini 1 1F 16
4 United Kingdom Leslie Graham MV Agusta 3 2 10
5 Italy Luigi Zinzani Morini 3 6 4 6 9
6 West Germany Werner Haas NSU 1F 8
7 Italy Angelo Copeta MV Agusta 5 5 4 7
8 United Kingdom Bill Lomas MV Agusta 2 6
9 Italy Guido Sala MV Agusta 4 5F 5
10 United Kingdom Len Parry Mondial 3 4
10 United Kingdom Charlie Salt MV Agusta 3 4
12 United Kingdom Cromie McCandless Mondial 4 3
12 Italy Romolo Ferri Morini 4 3
14 West Germany Hubert Luttenberger NSU 5 6 3
15 West Germany Hermann Paul Müller Mondial 5 2
16 United Kingdom Frank Burman EMC-Puch 6 1
16 Netherlands Lo Simons Mondial 6 1
Pos. Rider Bike MAN
United Kingdom
NED
Netherlands
GER
Germany
ULS
Ulster
NAT
Italy
ESP
Spain
Pts
Race key
Colour Result
Gold Winner
Silver 2nd place
Bronze 3rd place
Green Points finish
Blue Non-points finish
Non-classified finish (NC)
Purple Retired (Ret)
Red Did not qualify (DNQ)
Did not pre-qualify (DNPQ)
Black Disqualified (DSQ)
White Did not start (DNS)
Withdrew (WD)
Race cancelled (C)
Blank Did not practice (DNP)
Did not arrive (DNA)
Excluded (EX)
Annotation Meaning
P Pole position
F Fastest lap
Rider key
Colour Meaning
Light blue Rookie rider

Constructors' standings

Each constructor is awarded the same number of points as their best placed rider in each race.

Pos. Constructor MAN
United Kingdom
NED
Netherlands
GER
Germany
ULS
Ulster
NAT
Italy
ESP
Spain
Pts
1 Italy MV Agusta 1 1 3 1 3 2 30 (38)
2 Italy Mondial 2 2 2 2 5 24 (26)
3 Italy Morini 3 6 1 1 21
4 West Germany NSU 1 6 9
5 United Kingdom EMC-Puch 6 1
Pos. Constructor MAN
United Kingdom
NED
Netherlands
GER
Germany
ULS
Ulster
NAT
Italy
ESP
Spain
Pts

References

  • Haefliger, Werner. FIM MotoGP Results 1949–2023 Guide (2024 ed.). pp. 12–13. ISBN 978-2-9701086-8-9.
  • Büla, Maurice & Schertenleib, Jean-Claude (2001). Continental Circus 1949–2000. Chronosports S.A. ISBN 2-940125-32-5
  • "The Official MotoGP website". Archived from the original on 2012-03-02. Retrieved 2010-07-06.