Phil Read’s spectacular career saw him compete in the World Championship over a period of 16 years in the '60s and '70s, winning 52 Grands Prix and seven World titles across four different classes, battling against other great names such as Giacomo Agostini, Mike Hailwood and Barry Sheene.
He made his Grand Prix debut in 1961, making a handful of appearances that year across the 125cc, 350cc and 500cc categories and took victory in the Isle of Man TT 350cc race onboard Norton machinery.
Phillip William Read (born 1 January 1939 in Luton, England) is an English former Grand Prix motorcycle road racer nicknamed "The Prince of Speed." Although he would often be overshadowed by his contemporary, Mike Hailwood, he would become the first man to win world championships in the 125cc, 250cc and 500cc classes.
By 1964, he had won his first world title - and a first for Yamaha - when he conquered the 250cc championship courtesy of five Grand Prix victories in the quarter litre class. The following season he retained the title as he won seven of the nine 250cc Grands Prix and finished second in the other two.
On a new four cylinder 250cc Yamaha in 1966 Read missed out on the title to Honda’s Mike Hailwood and although he pushed his countryman close the following year it was Hailwood who again emerged with the 1967 title.
However, in 1968 Read became a World Champion again, in fact winning two titles as he added the 125cc crown and then controversially another 250cc championship to his list of achievements. Having taken the single cylinder honours he denied his team-mate Bill Ivy the 250cc title at the last Grand Prix of the year, a move which did not go down well with his Yamaha bosses.
Although Read did not receive factory Yamaha support from that point on and only made sporadic World Championship appearances over the next couple of years – whilst the major Japanese factories were incidentally withdrawing from Grand Prix racing - he returned to the 250cc scene full time in '71 to reclaim the title.
In 1972 he got the opportunity to ride an MV Agusta 350cc and the next season the Italian brand also provided him with a 500cc ride. The Englishman repaid the favour by winning the premier class title consecutively in '73 and '74, before finishing runner-up to a Yamaha-riding Giacomo Agostini in '75.
Read retired from World Championship racing in 1976.
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS
Most successful British GP rider with 121 podiums.
8 World Championships.
52 GP wins, comprising;
10 125cc GP wins
27 250cc GP wins
4 350cc GP wins
11 500cc GP wins
soiurce:www.motogp.com
www.en.wikipedia.org
1 comment:
All his wins against the toughest opposition no easy wins like Agostini
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