Hugh Anderson (motorcyclist)

Hugh Anderson
MBE
Anderson at the 1963 Dutch TT
NationalityNew Zealander
Born (1936-01-18) 18 January 1936 (age 88)
Huntly, New Zealand
Motorcycle racing career statistics
Grand Prix motorcycle racing
Active years1960-1966
First race1960 350cc Isle of Man TT
Last race1966 50cc Japanese Grand Prix
First win1962 50cc Argentine Grand Prix
Last win1965 125cc Japanese Grand Prix
Team(s)Suzuki
Championships50 cc - 1963, 1964
125 cc - 1963, 1965
Starts Wins Podiums Poles F. laps Points
68 24 48 0 21
Isle of Man TT career
TTs contested7 (1960 - 1966)
TT wins2
First TT win1963 Lightweight 125 TT
Last TT win1964 Ultra-Lightweight TT
TT podiums6

Hugh Robertson Anderson MBE (born 18 January 1936) is a four-time Grand Prix motorcycle road racing World Champion and a 19-time New Zealand national champion. He is also a two-time Isle of Man TT winner.[1][2] In 2022, the F.I.M. inducted Anderson into the MotoGP Hall of Fame.[3]

Motorcycle racing career

Growing up in Huntly, Anderson played rugby league for Huntly United alongside fellow future motorcycle champion Ginger Molloy.[4]

Anderson received support for his racing activities from Rod Coleman, the Suzuki importer for New Zealand and former Grand Prix racer who won the 1954 Isle of Man Junior TT.[5] He joined the Suzuki factory racing team in 1961, racing the factory's 50cc, 125cc and occasionally 250cc racers. During his team membership, Anderson was double World Champion (50cc and 125cc) in 1963 and retained his 50cc World Title the following year. In 1965, he was crowned 125cc World Championship on his factory Suzuki. Anderson's last race for the Suzuki factory was at the 1966 Japanese Grand Prix at Fisco in October 1966.[6]

In the 1994 Queen's Birthday Honours, Anderson was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire, for services to motor sport.[7] In 1995 he was inducted into the New Zealand Sports Hall of Fame.

Motorcycle Grand Prix results

Position 1 2 3 4 5 6
Points 8 6 4 3 2 1

(key) (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
1960 350cc AJS FRA
- 		IOM
NC 		NED
- 		ULS
3 		NAT
6 		5 7th 0
500cc Norton FRA
7 		IOM
NC 		NED
- 		BEL
- 		GER
- 		ULS
- 		NAT
- 		0 - 0
1961 250cc Suzuki ESP
- 		GER
- 		FRA
- 		IOM
10 		NED
- 		BEL
- 		DDR
- 		ULS
- 		NAT
- 		SWE
- 		ARG
- 		0 - 0
350cc Norton GER
- 		IOM
7 		NED
- 		DDR
- 		ULS
- 		NAT
NC 		SWE
- 		0 - 0
500cc Norton GER
- 		FRA
- 		IOM
NC 		NED
- 		BEL
- 		DDR
- 		ULS
- 		NAT
- 		SWE
- 		ARG
- 		0 - 0
1962 50cc Suzuki ESP
- 		FRA
- 		IOM
- 		NED
- 		BEL
- 		GER
- 		DDR
3 		NAT
4 		FIN
6 		ARG
1 		16 7th 1
125cc Suzuki ESP
- 		FRA
- 		IOM
NC 		NED
- 		BEL
- 		GER
NC 		ULS
NC 		DDR
- 		NAT
- 		FIN
- 		ARG
NC 		0 - 0
350cc AJS IOM
- 		NED
6 		ULS
- 		DDR
- 		NAT
- 		FIN
- 		1 14th 0
500cc Matchless IOM
NC 		NED
- 		BEL
- 		ULS
- 		DDR
- 		NAT
- 		FIN
- 		ARG
- 		0 - 0
1963 50cc Suzuki ESP
2 		GER
1 		FRA
- 		IOM
2 		NED
2 		BEL
4 		FIN
3 		ARG
1 		JPN
2 		34 1st 2
125cc Suzuki ESP
- 		GER
2 		FRA
1 		IOM
1 		NED
1 		BEL
2 		ULS
1 		DDR
1 		FIN
1 		NAT
- 		ARG
- 		JPN
5 		54 1st 6
1964 50cc Suzuki USA
1 		ESP
2 		FRA
1 		IOM
1 		NED
- 		BEL
3 		GER
- 		FIN
1 		JPN
- 		38 1st 4
125cc Suzuki USA
1 		ESP
5 		FRA
- 		IOM
NC 		NED
5 		GER
NC 		DDR
1 		ULS
1 		FIN
- 		NAT
2 		JPN
NC 		34 3rd 3
250cc Suzuki USA
- 		ESP
NC 		FRA
- 		IOM
- 		NED
- 		BEL
- 		GER
- 		DDR
- 		ULS
- 		NAT
- 		JPN
- 		0 - 0
1965 50cc Suzuki USA
2 		GER
3 		ESP
1 		FRA
6 		IOM
2 		NED
2 		BEL
2 		JPN
- 		32 3rd 1
125cc Suzuki USA
1 		GER
1 		ESP
1 		FRA
1 		IOM
5 		NED
3 		DDR
- 		CZE
- 		ULS
- 		FIN
1 		NAT
1 		JPN
1 		56 1st 7
1966 50cc Suzuki ESP
4 		GER
3 		NED
3 		IOM
3 		NAT
4 		JPN
3 		16 4th 0
125cc Suzuki ESP
- 		GER
- 		NED
4 		DDR
- 		CZE
4 		FIN
4 		ULS
5 		IOM
3 		NAT
- 		JPN
- 		15 5th 0

References

  1. ^ "Hugh Anderson career statistics at MotoGP.com". Archived from the original on 13 March 2020. Retrieved 5 September 2008.
  2. ^ Hugh Anderson Isle of Man career results
  3. ^ "MotoGP Legends". motogp.com. Retrieved 7 December 2023.
  4. ^ Huntly duo paved the way New Zealand Herald, 6 February 2011
  5. ^ "Kiwi Great Rod Coleman Passes Away Aged 93". amcn.com.au. Retrieved 9 April 2024.
  6. ^ TEAM SUZUKI by Ray Battersby (2008) Parker House Publishing ISBN 0-9796891-5-5
  7. ^ "No. 53697". The London Gazette (2nd supplement). 11 June 1994. p. 34.

Further reading

  • Anderson, Hugh (2014). Being there: an autobiography by arguably the most successful all round international rider in the history of New Zealand motorcycling. Hamilton, New Zealand: self-published. ISBN 978-0-473-29994-1.