The 1971 Isle of Man TT was a motorcycle event held on 12 June 1971, on the 37-mile Snaefell Mountain course on the Isle of Man between Great Britain and Ireland. It was the third round of the F.I.M.

1971 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season The 1971 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season was the 23rd F.I.M. Road Racing World Championship Grand Prix season. The season consisted of twelve Grand Prix races in six classes: 500cc, 350cc, 250cc, 125cc, 50cc and Sidecars 500cc. It began on ...

(now

MotoGP Grand Prix motorcycle racing is the premier class of motorcycle road racing events held on road circuits sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme (FIM). Independent motorcycle racing events have been held since the start ...

). The unbelievable happened in 1971 - Agostini's MV broke down on the first lap of the Junior. The crowd cheered when it was announced that the Italian had stopped at Ramsey with engine problems. His demise produced a dramatic race in which many of the favourites either crashed or broke down. Yamaha's

Phil Read Phillip William Read, (1 January 1939 – 6 October 2022) was an English professional motorcycle racer. He competed in Grand Prix motorcycle racing from 1961 to 1976. Read is notable for being the first competitor to win world championships ...

led Alan Barnett, Rod Gould and Dudley Robinson at the end of the first lap. Gould then crashed at Quarterbridge, but continued. On lap three Barnett came off at Glen Helen, and a lap later Read retired with chassis problems. With one lap to go Robinson led Yorkshireman Tony Jefferies, riding a Yamsel, but he crashed at Rhencullen, so Jefferies came home with 37 seconds to spare from newcomers Gordon Pantall, with Bill Smith third. Agostini had no such problems in the Senior, which was postponed by a day because of bad weather. Despite spending nearly two minutes in the pits to rectify carburation problems, he won comfortably from Peter Williams (Arter

Matchless Matchless is one of the oldest marques of British motorcycles, manufactured in Plumstead, London, between 1899 and 1966. A wide range of models were produced under the Matchless name, ranging from small two-strokes to 750 cc Four-stroke cy ...

) and

Frank Perris Frank Perris (May 28, 1931 – March 17, 2015) was a Canadian Grand Prix motorcycle road racer and TT rider from Toronto. Perris was noticed by the Suzuki team after his third-place in the 1961 500 cc World Championship, becoming a con ...

on a Suzuki. The Yamaha twins dominated the 250cc race, which was reduced to four laps. Phil Read led all the way when his main challenger Peter Williams's MZ expired at the end of the first lap. Barry Randle and Alan Barnett completed a Yamaha clean sweep.

Barry Sheene Barry Steven Frank Sheene (11 September 1950 – 10 March 2003) was a British professional motorcycle racer. He competed in Grand Prix motorcycle racing Grand Prix motorcycle racing is the premier class of motorcycle road racing even ...

made his one and only TT appearance in the 125cc race, but slipped off his Suzuki at Quarterbridge on the second lap while lying second in appalling conditions. The race was won by

Chas Mortimer Charles 'Chas' Mortimer (born 14 April 1949) is an English former professional motorcycle short-circuit road racer and race-school instructor. He competed in the Grand Prix motorcycle road racing world championships from 1969 to 1979. He remain ...

, riding a Yamaha, at the slowest 125cc average on the Mountain Course since 1953. A new three-lap Formula 750 race was introduced to provide a class to accommodate the popular British 750cc racing machines. Tony Jefferies led throughout on a works Triumph after a splendid battle with the BSA of

Ray Pickrell Raymond Pickrell (16 March 1938 – 20 February 2006) was an English short-circuit motorcycle road racer who won four Isle of Man TT motorcycle races. Pickrell was born in Harrow Weald, Middlesex. During his early career, Pickrell rode for t ...

and the Norton of Peter Williams. Pickrell gained revenge in the 750cc class of the Production race. Riding a Triumph, he was involved in a tremendous duel with Williams until the Norton stopped on the third lap at the Bungalow. Pickrell was a comfortable winner from Jefferies and the BSA of Bob Heath. John Williams and Bill Smith brought Honda success in both the 500 and 250cc classes with dominant victories. Siggi Schauzu won his fifth TT after a superb duel with BMW teammate George Auerbacher in the World Championship sidecar race. Earlier in the week Auerbacher had secured his first TT victory in the 750cc sidecar event after ten years of trying. Schauzu broke the lap record from a standing start but dropped out on the second lap.Source: www.iomtt.com

1971 Isle of Man Lightweight TT 125cc final standings

3 Laps (113.00 Miles) Mountain Course.

1971 Isle of Man Lightweight TT 250cc final standings

4 Laps (150.92 Miles) Mountain Course.

1971 Isle of Man Junior TT 350cc final standings

5 Laps (188.65 Miles) Mountain Course.

1971 Isle of Man Senior TT 500cc final standings

6 Laps (236.38 Miles) Mountain Course.

1971 Isle of Man Sidecar 500cc TT final standings

3 Laps (113.00 Miles) Mountain Course.

Non-championship races

1971 Isle of Man Production 750 cc TT final standings

3 Laps (113.00 Miles) Mountain Course.

1971 Isle of Man Production 500 cc TT final standings

3 Laps (113.00 Miles) Mountain Course.

1971 Isle of Man Sidecar 750cc TT final standings

3 Laps (113.00 Miles) Mountain Course.

1971 Isle of Man Production 250 cc TT final standings

3 Laps (113.00 Miles) Mountain Course.

1971 Isle of Man Formula 1 750 cc TT final standings

3 Laps (113.00 Miles) Mountain Course.

References

External links

Detailed race results

Mountain Course map
{{Isle of Man TT

Isle of Man Tt The Isle of Man TT or Tourist Trophy races are an annual motorcycle racing event run on the Isle of Man in May/June of most years since its inaugural race in 1907. The event is often called one of the most dangerous racing events in the world ...

Tourist Trophy

Isle of Man TT The Isle of Man TT or Tourist Trophy races are an annual motorcycle racing event run on the Isle of Man in May/June of most years since its inaugural race in 1907. The event is often called one of the most dangerous racing events in the world ...

Isle of Man TT