Wil Hartog
Wil Hartog (born 28 May 1948) is a Dutch former professional Grand Prix motorcycle road racer.
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Motorcycle racing career
Born in Abbekerk, North Holland, Hartog became the first Dutchman to win a 500cc Grand Prix when he claimed a victory at the 1977 Dutch TT.[1] That victory earned him a ride with the Suzuki factory team as a teammate to Barry Sheene. Hartog won five Grands Prix during his career.[2] Standing over 1,80 meters tall, he was at a disadvantage against his jockey-sized competitors yet he still managed impressive results. With his penchant for wearing all white riding apparel, he was nicknamed The White Giant.[3]
To commemorate the fortieth anniversary of his 1977 Dutch TT victory, Hartog was honored during the 2017 Dutch TT by riding a lap of the Assen TT circuit on the motorcycle he won on, accompanied by Freddie Sheene, the son of Hartog's late teammate, on one of his father's motorcycles.
Career statistics
Grand Prix motorcycle racing
Races by year
(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)
References
- "MotoGP Preview: The 76th Dutch TT". superbikeplanet.com. Archived from the original on 27 June 2010. Retrieved 11 December 2010.
- "Wil Hartog". MotoGP.com. Retrieved 11 December 2010.
- "1977: 'De Witte Reus' wint de TT". NOS (in Dutch). Retrieved 31 May 2017.