John Surtees’ career was notable in that he was the first and in all probability will remain the only racer to achieve a world championship on 2 and 4 wheels. When he was crowned World Driver’s Champion at the wheel of a Ferrari in 1964, Surtees already had 7 motorcycle world championships to his name. He is remembered as the complete professional in a demanding sport; one that he pursued in unwavering fashion. His analytical approach to racing was supplemented by thorough mechanical knowledge and exceptional riding ability.
A career on two wheels
John Surtees was born in Surrey in 1934; into a family environment that was steeped in motorcycling. His father was Jack Surtees; a successful sidecar driver in pre-war and early post-war mainland events.John’s road racing career began modestly enough on a 250 Triumph fitted with McCandless rear suspension. The Tiger 70 was a pre-war design, on which he competed regularly at Brands Hatch and other venues. At the time he was serving an apprenticeship with the Vincent firm at Stevenage, and was able to purchase one of their Grey Flash racers.
Throughout 1951 and into 1952 the Vincent was raced successfully at a variety of British short circuits. Despite his success, John was well aware that in order to remain competitive he would need to graduate to a more sophisticated racer. The Featherbed Manx Norton was becoming more readily available to the private owner, provided his credentials satisfied Norton’s management. Their managing director, Gilbert Smith was prepared to supply a new 500 Manx to John Surtees, with a proviso that he competed in international events. As a result he made his international debut in the 1952 Senior Ulster Grand Prix.
Following the Ulster, which resulted in a 6th place for Surtees, he campaigned the new Norton at national-level meetings in England. In early 1953 he added a second hand 350 Manx Norton to his stable During the latter part of 1952 and the 1953 season the Surtees’ Nortons were entered in sixty races. It was a strenuous schedule, and a measure of John’s ability was that he won thirty of these events.
Isle of Man
In June 1953 he made his Isle of Man debut. Initially he was to ride his own Nortons, plus an entry of a 125 EMC. During practice the Norton works team found itself short of a rider following Syd Lawton’s crash at Brandish. Norton team manager Joe Craig paid John a rare compliment with an invitation to join the team, despite not having previously ridden at the TT. Craig expressed his reservations when John informed him that he still intended to ride the EMC in the 125 Lightweight event.He was even less pleased when John crashed the EMC at Ballaugh Bridge on his first practice lap and broke a bone in his wrist. It was a disastrous TT for Surtees, having to forgo his opportunity of a works ride. Craig later confided that he did consider having him in the 1954 team, but it was 1955 before Craig finally relented and Surtees was included. Their 1955 team works team was a very low-key effort, and the riders’ salary was limited to a 500 pounds retainer from Castrol, which was quite a paltry amount, even for those rather impecunious times.
MV years
He also had the opportunity to ride a works prepared BMW at the Nurburgring, and despite his unfamiliarity with the bike and the circuit he put in a creditable performance. Surtees was impressed enough with the Munich twin to be confident of winning a World’s Championship on one. But the BMW directors seemed unable to come to any decision whether or not to engage him. When they finally overcame their inertia and made a move, Surtees had already signed with MV.
The move proved to be most advantageous for both the MV concern and for Surtees, although it was never easy for a foreigner to be accepted into the inner sanctum of an Italian organization. . John Surtees’ analytical approach to the development of the current machines, plus his undoubted riding ability was vindicated in his very first season with them. His TT debut on the MV resulted in a convincing Senior victory, followed by emphatic wins at the 500 Dutch TT and 500 Belgian Grand Prix. These victories, plus his TT win gave him a substantial points lead to gain his first 500cc World Championship.
Reigning world champion John Surtees had recovered well from an injury he sustained at Hockenheim and was facing 1957 with optimism. As events turned out, his machines were plagued with persistent breakdowns that saw him finish third in the 500cc championship. Thus, at the end of 1957 two new names were added to the list of previous champions; the effervescent Aussie, Keith Campbell with the 350 crown for Moto Guzzi, and the brooding, handsome Italian, Libero Liberati the 500 for Gilera..
But the dramas of 1957 were unfinished. At season’s end came the bombshell that the leading Italian manufacturers were withdrawing from racing. These included Gilera, MV Agusta, Moto Guzzi and Mondial; due, they claimed to the unsupportable costs. It was shattering news, and in some instances it spelt the end of some riders’ careers.
World champion
With its rivals committed to leaving the scene, MV reversed its decision and in 1958 they began a full-blooded assault on the world championships. Their efforts were concentrated on every category from 125 to 500cc, and in this they were unchallenged. In the 500 class it was a pattern that continued for the next decade, and from 1958 to 1960, when he announced his retirement from motorcycle competition, John Surtees had won the Junior/Senior crown in every year. His dominance was absolute, which made life exceedingly difficult for the battling privateers who made up the field on Manx Nortons or Matchless G50s. With Surtees’ move to Formula One, the 500cc mantle was passed to other MV greats, beginning with Rhodesian Gary Hocking and Britain’s Mike Hailwood. MV’s favourite champion was surely their local hero Giacomo Agostini who brought them a multitude of World Championships on the Gallarate ‘fire engines’. It fell to the brilliant but abrasive Phil Read to give MV their last taste of glory during the 1974 GP season. By then the Japanese influence was indisputable. But of all the champions none could match the all-round brilliance of John Surtees; who with singular dedication made that transition from world champion on two wheels to world champion on four. He still delights the enthusiasts with his scintillating displays at historic car and bike meetings.
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