Italian Grand Prix
ITALIAN GRAND PRIX
CARLO PERELLI
PHIL READ TAKES the 250cc world title from Jim Redman at the decisive championship round; all but one record smashed; brilliant racing in nearly all classes; little pleasure in the results for the usual enthusiastic crowd that had hopes of more success for the Italian riders and machinery: this the summary of the 42nd Italian Grand Prix. run as usual over the fast. 3½-mile Monza autodrome and counting as the 11th stage of the world championship.
Racing started late in the morning with the three-fifties. And it brought the first disillusion for Italian fans. Remo Venturi on the Bianchi twin, in spite of a not-sodashing start. Soon succeeded in catch ing Jim Redman. leading as usual on his Honda four. The Italian Champion re corded the fastest lap (a record) but was soon slowed by a broken wire in the ignition and forced to give it up. So Redman walked away to his usual win. with no need to break the distance record.
Next came the 125cc race where records were broken by the widest margin - about 5½ mph over the distance and close to 5 mph over the lap - improving records set up way hack in 1956 by Ubbiali (distance) and Provini (lap). riding fully enclosed M.V. and Mondial double ohc respectively. The speeds recorded this year by the Suzuki two-stroke twin and the Honda double ohc four were. until a few years ago. obtainable only by the best two-fifties!
Taveri (Honda 4). Anderson (Suzuki twin) and Bryans (Honda 4) jumped into the lead and set a terrific pace. Be hind them came Redman (Honda 4) and Perris (Suzuki twin), while Ernst Deg ner (Suzuki). riding his first race since a bad accident at the 1963 Japan Grand Prix, still looked quite strong. After a had start the German closed on Perris and Redman. succeeded in overtaking them despite furious resistance, then went on to overhaul Bryans as well.
In the later stages Taveri. in an all-out effort. closed to within 150 yards of Anderson. but the Kiwi rider. featuring his full. knee-out riding position more than ever. registered fastest lap and was gaining on winner Taveri at the finish line. Third was Degner. fourth Bryans and fifth Pe rn s.
In the much awaited 250 race the Italian fans had to suffer another shock. After a long testing period and a good performance in practice. Tarquinio Pro vini didn't even complete a lap. His four-
cylinder Benelli was stopped abruptly by a broken oil pump.
To counter-attack the Yamahas of Duff and Read, and give their leader Jim Redman a chance of retaining the world title. Honda had prepared a fully new machine, the six-cylinder double ohc. Surrounded as usual by the deepest secrecy, it wasn't possible to learn or photograph much: however, it should also have four valves per cylinder. gear-driven overhead camshafts, eight-speed gearbox in unit. power over the 50 hp mark, and wet sump lubrication.
Redman's brilliant start soon gave him a good advantage over Read (Yamaha) Shepherd (M.Z.). Agostini (Morini) and Taveri (Honda four). Read closed merci lessly. though. and after a breathtaking wheel-to-wheel duel which lasted for many laps. Redman just had to let his rival go. In the closing stages his engine lost some tune and he was overhauled by Yamaha's second string Duff, who was ninth on the first lap but then worked his way up to second and recorded the fastest lap en route.
In the absence of Provini, the Italians encouraged Agostini in the Morini single. At least 10 hp down froni the others, the machine from Bologna was brilliantly ridden by the young Italian champion. Staying firmly in third position until over taken by Duff's Yamaha. he still finished ahead of Shepherd's M.Z.. Taveri's Honda 4 and the other M.Z. in the race, ridden by D. Woodman.
And, finally, the "big guns" and a win for the Italian industry. hut a win (as usual) without much value. Hailwood (MV. 4) rocketed into the lead and was unassailable in spite of the furious efforts of Caldarella (Gilera 4, new fairing). who had to be content with a fastest lap record and second place.
Hailwood won at record speed hut as it frequently happens in these 500 races. the interest of the crowd was more attract ed by two frantic privateer scraps - one between Findlay (Matchless). Ahearn (Norton). Marzokski (Matchless) and Duff (Matchless) and the other between Scheimann. Molloy. Loro and Stevens (all Norton mounted). Repeating his fine Finnish G.P. performance. Ahearn was again first private entry~ heating Duff on the line for third place, while Findlay was a hit farther hack, and Marzowski retired: the rush for second group suprem acy was won by Scheimann over Stevens. Molloy and Loro.
