Belgian Gp
BELGIAN GP
HEINZ SCHNEIDER
A THUNDERSTORM AT SPA completely turned the table on the 500cc world championship, when the chief candidate, Jim Redman, parted company with his Honda on the puddle-spotted high-speed Belgian track. Redman broke his arm, so he's out for the rest of the season. This robs Honda and the clearly superior machine of its chances for the title, as second man Mike Hailwood has not collected a single point so far. Giacomo Agostini inherited first place at the Belgian after Mike also dropped out and probably has inherited the title, too.
250cc RACE
Having started the day with a dull national 50cc race, the Belgians opened the three-event meeting with the 250s. Under sweltering skies, Phil Read on the Yamaha opened up a 50-yard lead on Redman's Honda, then increased it to 200 yards. Hailwood then took over second place. Redman was followed by Yamaha team man Bill Ivy. Behind were Derek Woodman, MZ; Mike Duff, Yamaha; and East German Heinz Rosner, MZ.
Hailwood bested Read in the hairpin, but was immediately shut down by the Yamaha's superior power. This game continued for a few laps until Read could no longer second-guess his mount's behavior in the bumpy turns. Hailwood and Honda took the checkered flag first. Mike leads on 250 world points with five wins and 40 points. Redman has 20 points; Derek Woodman, 18; and Read, 16. With Redman out, Read has a possible crack at second, if not first.
500cc RACE
Mechanics rushed to the grid to drop tire pressures when the rain began to fall. The Spa circuit is fierce when it gets wet, as deep puddles collect in the bumpy surface with no chance of draining or drying quickly.
Agostini, on the MV-4 (which gives higher top speed than the 460cc 3-cylinder which he rode in the Dutch), built up an early lead over Redman and Hailwood. Hailwood was reported to lead at the Malmedy turn but Ago was first again at Stavelot. Behind Redman, John Cooper led the privateers, followed by Stuart Graham and Englishman Peter Williams.
During lap two, the sky fell in.
Mike and Giacomo ended the second lap going into the hairpin together, but the MV had the edge on acceleration. The Red Cross flag was shown, urging the riders to take care of an ambulance on the course. Derek Woodman, riding Harry Thompson's Metisse had dropped the bike and broken his upper leg, to the setback of MZ, who now have lost their best scorer.
Jim Redman did not come through after two laps. He had slid off the road in one of the puddles, breaking his arm and leaving responsibility to Mike. Then the MV slowed and Hailwood took over and gained a minute and a half in eight laps. Then the Honda rider coasted in to the pits, where the bike was covered up and wheeled to the paddock. Gearbox trouble was the Honda official announcement. The Italian pit crew triumphantly motioned Ago to be careful. Stuart Graham earned a well deserved second. Agostini now leads the 500 championship with 20 points, Redman is second with 16 and Stuart Graham, third with 13.
SIDECAR RACE
Having blown up the engine and worked on the motor until practice was over, Fritz Scheidegger had to start with his engine untried. Deubel made the best start ahead of Pip Harris in the uphill section; however, Scheidegger led the 15 strong field. After a very bad start, from sixth position, behind Seeley, Harris and Vincent, George Auerbacher made his green BMW fly to catch up with the leaders. He and his passenger, Wolfgang Kalauch, had worked on the racer since the Dutch TT from dawn to dusk and finally got the outfit to their liking. Klaus Enders, the man to be watched, took fourth place, far behind the leading three. Colin Seeley got fifth place ahead of Tony Wakefield, Chris Vincent and Pip Harris having retired.
Scheidegger now has 32 points in the championship standings, Deubel has 22, and Seeley and Auerbacher are tied for third place with 13 points.
