At the age of 83, Phil Read, a MotoGPTM legend and seven-time FIM Grand Prix Road Racing World Champion, passed away. Read, also referred to as the “Prince of Speed,” was the first man to ever win world championships in the 125, 250, and 500cc divisions. He competed in the World Championship for 16 years in the 1960s and 1970s, winning 52 Grands Prix and seven Championships in four different classes. His career was extraordinary. He also competed against other sports titans including Barry Sheene, Mike Hailwood, and Giacomo Agostini.
In 1961, he made his Grand Prix debut. That year, he competed in a few events in the 125cc, 350cc, and 500cc classes, and he won the Isle of Man TT 350cc race while riding a Norton. By 1964, he had captured the 250cc championship with the help of five Grand Prix victories in the quarter-liter class, giving him his first world title and a first for Yamaha. He kept the title the following year by winning seven of the nine 250cc Grands Prix and placing second in the other two.
As he added the 125cc title and a second 250cc championship to his resume in 1968, Read once more became a World Champion, capturing two titles in total. At the final Grand Prix of the year, he prevented his teammate Bill Ivy from winning the 250cc category by winning the single cylinder race. While the main Japanese companies were incidentally retreating from Grand Prix racing over the following couple of years, Read only made irregular World Championship appearances. However, he returned to the 250cc arena full time in ’71 to recapture the title.
He was given the chance to ride an MV Agusta 350cc in 1972, and the Italian manufacturer also gave him a 500cc ride the following year. The Englishman returned the favour by winning the premier class championship in consecutive years in 1973 and 1974 before losing to a Yamaha-riding Giacomo Agostini in 1975. In 1976, Read gave up competing in World Championship races.
The iconic British driver will be remembered for his achievements on the track as well as the enormous character he possessed both on and off the race. The entire MotoGPTM family sends its condolences to his loved ones at this trying moment.
