1983 Swedish motorcycle Grand Prix
The 1983 Swedish motorcycle Grand Prix was the eleventh round of the 1983 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season. It took place on the weekend of 4–6 August at the Scandinavian Raceway in Anderstorp, Sweden.
Race details | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Race 11 of 12 races in the 1983 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Date | 6 August 1983 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Official name | Swedish TT[1][2][3] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Location | Scandinavian Raceway | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Course |
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500 cc | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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250 cc | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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125 cc | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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50 cc | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Sidecar (B2A) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Race summary
One of the most dramatic races in one of the most dramatic Grand Prix seasons ended in controversy as the championship's two main combatants collided on the last lap while battling for the lead.
Coming into the Swedish Grand Prix, Honda's Freddie Spencer led Yamaha's Kenny Roberts 117 to 115 with each man having won five of the season's ten previous races. Roberts had the momentum, having won four of the previous five rounds.
Roberts led Spencer going into the last lap of the race. Heading down the back straight, Spencer placed his Honda right behind Roberts' Yamaha as they reached the second to the last corner, a ninety degree right-hander. As both riders applied their brakes, Spencer came out of Roberts' slipstream and managed to get inside of the Yamaha. As they exited the corner, both riders ran wide off the track and into the dirt.[4] Spencer was able to get back on the track and back on the power first, crossing the finish line just ahead of Roberts for a crucial victory.[5] Roberts considered Spencer's pass to be foolish and dangerous and, exchanged angry words with him on the podium.[4]
It was a controversial pass by the young Honda rider and one that the two participants still dispute to this day. Roberts contends that it was a dangerous move while Spencer maintains it was a calculated risk he had to take to secure the championship.[6]
Classification
500 cc
Pos. | Rider | Team | Machine | Time/Retired | Points | ||
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1 | HRC-Honda | NS500 | 49'17.530 | 15 | |||
2 | Marlboro Agostini-Yamaha | YZR500 | +0.160 | 12 | |||
3 | HRC-Honda | NS500 | +34.700 | 10 | |||
4 | Sonauto Gauloises-Yamaha | YZR500 | +38.220 | 8 | |||
5 | Marlboro Agostini Yamaha | YZR500 | +58.500 | 6 | |||
6 | HRC-Honda | NS500 | +58.830 | 5 | |||
7 | HB Sinclair-Suzuki | RG500 | +1'11.460 | 4 | |||
8 | Moto Club Paul Ricard | NS500 | +1'11.710 | 3 | |||
9 | HRC-Honda | NS500 | +1'15.300 | 2 | |||
10 | HB Gallina-Suzuki | RG500 | +1'15.460 | 1 | |||
11 | Heron-Suzuki | RG500 | +1 lap | ||||
12 | Shell Nederland-Suzuki | RG500 | +1 lap | ||||
13 | Harold Coppock | RG500 | +1 lap | ||||
14 | RG500 | +1 lap | |||||
15 | HB Gallina-Suzuki | RG500 | +1 lap | ||||
16 | Jeb’s Helmet Sweden | RG500 | +1 lap | ||||
17 | RG500 | +1 lap | |||||
18 | RG500 | +1 lap | |||||
19 | Marlboro-Suzuki | RG500 | +1 lap | ||||
20 | Team Johnson Elf | RS500 | +1 lap | ||||
21 | RG500 | +1 lap | |||||
22 | RG500 | +1 lap | |||||
23 | YZR500 | +1 lap | |||||
24 | DTR Fowler Yamaha | YZR500 | +1 lap | ||||
25 | RG500 | +1 lap | |||||
26 | YZR500 | +1 lap | |||||
27 | RG500 | +2 laps | |||||
28 | YZR500 | +2 laps | |||||
29 | YZR500 | +2 laps | |||||
30 | RG500 | +2 laps | |||||
31 | RG500 | +2 laps | |||||
Ret | Heron-Suzuki | RG500 | Retired | ||||
Ret | RG500 | Retired | |||||
Ret | RG500 | Retired | |||||
Ret | YZR500 | Retired | |||||
DNS | Stichting Ned-Honda | RS500 | Did not start | ||||
DNQ | RG500 | Did not start | |||||
Sources:[7][8] |
1983 250cc Swedish Grand Prix final standings
Place | Rider | Number | Country | Machine | Points |
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1 | 10 | France | Yamaha | 15 | |
2 | 44 | France | Kawasaki | 12 | |
3 | 5 | Venezuela | Yamaha | 10 | |
4 | 20 | Britain | Rotax-Armstrong | 8 | |
5 | 28 | Britain | Yamaha | 6 | |
6 | 22 | France | Yamaha | 5 | |
7 | 8 | France | Yamaha | 4 | |
8 | 6 | Belgium | Chevallier-Yamaha | 3 | |
9 | 19 | France | Pernod-Yamaha | 2 | |
10 | 4 | West Germany | Yamaha | 1 |
1983 125cc Swedish Grand Prix final standings
Place | Rider | Number | Country | Machine | Points |
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1 | 15 | Switzerland | MBA | 15 | |
2 | Italy | Garelli | 12 | ||
3 | 6 | Austria | MBA | 10 | |
4 | 10 | Finland | MBA | 8 | |
5 | 5 | Spain | MBA | 6 | |
6 | 8 | Switzerland | MBA | 5 | |
7 | 4 | Italy | Sanvenero | 4 | |
8 | Italy | MBA | 3 | ||
9 | Argentina | MBA | 2 | ||
10 | 13 | Italy | MBA | 1 |
Sidecar Classification
Pos | Rider | Passenger | Manufacturer | Time/Retired | Points |
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1 | LCR-Yamaha | 15 | |||
2 | LCR-Yamaha | 12 | |||
3 | Seymaz-Yamaha | 10 | |||
4 | LCR-Yamaha | 8 | |||
5 | LCR-Yamaha | 6 | |||
6 | Seymaz-Yamaha | 5 | |||
7 | LCR-Yamaha | 4 | |||
8 | LCR-Yamaha | 3 | |||
9 | Seymaz-Yamaha | 2 | |||
10 | Seymaz-Yamaha | 1 |
References
- "Grand Prix uitslagen en bijzonderheden 1983". 25 July 2015. Archived from the original on 25 July 2015.
- Mitchell, Malcolm. "1983 500cc Class (FIM Grand Prix World Championship) Programmes - The Motor Racing Programme Covers Project". www.progcovers.com.
- Mitchell, Malcolm. "Anderstorp Raceway - The Motor Racing Programme Covers Project". www.progcovers.com.
- "Roberts says he will never again give an inch of track to Spencer". The Modesto Bee. Bee News Services. 12 August 1983. p. 15. Retrieved 20 December 2010.
- "Roberts vs Spencer". cyclenews.com. Archived from the original on 2010-07-15. Retrieved 15 December 2010.
- Abrams, Henry Ray (November 1983). Fastest Freddie. American Motorcyclist. Books.Google.com. Retrieved 25 December 2010.
- "1983 Swedish MotoGP". 9 October 2017.
- "1983 500cc Swedish Grand Prix". motogp.com. Retrieved 22 December 2010.
- "1983 250cc Swedish Grand Prix". motogp.com. Retrieved 22 December 2010.
- "1983 125cc Swedish Grand Prix". motogp.com. Retrieved 22 December 2010.
Previous race: 1983 British Grand Prix |
FIM Grand Prix World Championship 1983 season |
Next race: 1983 San Marino Grand Prix |
Previous race: 1982 Swedish Grand Prix |
Swedish Grand Prix | Next race: 1984 Swedish Grand Prix |