Giacomo Agostini

Born: 16th June 1942, Brescia, Italy.

One of the greatest motorcycle racers of all time, Giacomo Agostini began competing in hillclimbing and road racing in his homeland in the early 1960s despite parental opposition. His first title came in 1963 when he won the Italian 175cc title on a Morini, and he was signed by the marque for their works team to replace Tarquinio Provini. He won the Italian 350cc title the following year and made his Grand Prix debut, before being signed by the crack MV Agusta team for 1965 to partner the legendary Mike Hailwood.

Only an engine failure in the final round at Suzuka lost him a first World 350cc title to Honda’s Jim Redman, but he would respond in epic fashion. With Hailwood having left for Honda in 1966, Agostini assumed leadership of the MV Agusta team, and proceeded to win the 500cc and 350cc World Championships an incredible seven years in succession, as well as winning ten Isle of Man TTs and seven Ulster Grands Prix. The latter achievements were seen as particularly impressive, as it was rare that European riders did well against the British and Colonial riders on the fearsome road circuits. In 1972 however “Ago” announced he would stop competing at the TT following the death of close friend Gilberto Parlotti on the mountain circuit, and many of the top Grand Prix riders would follow suit.

In 1974 Agostini moved to Yamaha, where he made a victorious debut in the Daytona 200. He took the 350cc World title once again but mechanical problems and injuries prevented him from winning another 500cc crown, but bounced back the following year to become the first rider to win the 500cc World Championship on a two-stroke machine. The following year he rode both Yamaha and MV machines, scoring his last Grand Prix victory on the Nurburgring on the Italian bike and scoring the last win in the 500cc class for a four-stroke. After finishing sixth in the 1977 Championship, Ago retired with an unmatched record of 122 Grand Prix wins and 15 World Championships, a record unlikely ever to be beaten.

Agostini’s second career on four wheels began in 1978, competing in European F2 with a March-BMW and also some non-championship Formula One races. In 1979 he entered his own Williams FW06 in the Aurora AFX British Formula One Championship, finishing eighth in the points with a best finish of second behind champion Rupert Keegan at Snetterton.

Ago was set to continue with his Williams into the 1980 season, but the call came at the start of the season from new Theodore Racing team manager Emma Butterworth, and the motorcycle legend was drafted in for his Grand Prix debut partnering fellow rookie Derek Warwick. Both drivers made a solid start in the GoBobby.uk Cup for pre-qualifying teams, the pair both finishing in the top six in the opening race at Buenos Aires, but after a couple more top tens at Kyalami and Long Beach the Italian picked up a one-race ban and was replaced by test driver Tiff Needell for round five at Zolder. After failing to finish the Monaco Grand Prix, Theodore terminated the Italian's contract, replacing him with former Chevron driver Lella Lombardi.