John Williams (motorcyclist)


John Williams was an English motorcycle short-circuit road racer who also entered selected Grands Prix on the near-continent. He mostly raced as a 'privateer' having a personal sponsor, Gerald Brown. Williams died in Northern Ireland, following an accident when racing at an event held on closed public roads near Dundrod.
Williams began racing in 1966, and won the Stars of Tomorrow meeting at Brands Hatch in 1968 on a 250 cc Ducati. He turned professional in 1973, and won the 250, 350 and 500 cc classes at that year's Ulster Grand Prix, the first rider to win three Ulster GP races in a single day. In 1974 he won the 350cc, 500cc and 750cc classes at the North West 200, marking the first time a competitor had won three classes at the event. He also raced for Honda in endurance events such as the Bol d'Or.
His best season was in 1975 when he finished in fifth place in the 500 cc world championship on a Yamaha motorcycle. Williams won his only world championship race when he defeated Barry Sheene at the 1976 Belgian Grand Prix. He also looked set for victory in that years Senior TT, setting a new outright lap record for the course at. Sadly, having led the race throughout, he ran out of petrol within sight of the chequered flag, pushing his bike across the line to finish seventh. Williams was named as Sports Personality of the Year for 1976 by the Liverpool Echo.
Williams turned down the offer of a place on the factory backed Texaco Heron Suzuki team in 1977, preferring to race as a privateer, although well-publicised differences between himself and Barry Sheene may have been a contributing factor.
He was a five-time winner of the North West 200 race in Northern Ireland and a four-time winner at the Isle of Man TT.
Williams won the 500 cc race in the 1978 Ulster Grand Prix, but died from injuries suffered after crashing at Wheeler's Corner in the inaugural TT Formula One event later that same day. He was a resident of Heswall, a town in an area known as the Wirral, Merseyside, England.

John Williams Trophy

The John Williams Trophy is an annual award at the Isle of Man TT Races. It is presented to the rider who completes the fastest lap in the Superbike TT race.

Motorcycle Grand Prix results

Points system from 1969 onwards:
Position12345678910
Points1512108654321


YearClassTeam12345678910111213PointsRankWins
1968500ccMatchlessGER
-
ESP
-
IOM
11
NED
-
BEL
-
DDR
-
CZE
-
FIN
-
ULS
-
NAT
-
00
1969350ccAJSESP
-
GER
-
IOM
15
NED
-
DDR
-
CZE
-
FIN
-
ULS
-
NAT
-
YUG
-
00
1969500ccMetisseESP
-
GER
-
FRA
-
IOM
-
NED
-
BEL
-
DDR
-
CZE
-
FIN
-
ULS
8
NAT
-
YUG
-
346th0
1970500ccMatchlessGER
-
FRA
-
YUG
-
IOM
5
NED
-
BEL
-
DDR
-
FIN
-
ULS
9
NAT
-
ESP
-
823rd0
1971350ccAJSAUT
-
GER
-
IOM
4
NED
-
DDR
-
CZE
-
SWE
-
FIN
-
ULS
4
NAT
-
ESP
-
1613th0
1971500ccAJSAUT
-
GER
-
IOM
NC
NED
-
BEL
-
DDR
-
SWE
-
FIN
-
ULS
-
NAT
-
ESP
-
00
1972250ccYamahaGER
-
FRA
-
AUT
-
NAT
-
IOM
3
YUG
-
NED
-
BEL
-
DDR
-
CZE
-
SWE
-
FIN
-
ESP
-
1018th0
1972350ccHondaGER
-
FRA
-
AUT
-
NAT
-
IOM
NC
YUG
-
NED
-
DDR
-
CZE
-
SWE
-
FIN
-
ESP
-
00
1972500ccMatchlessGER
-
FRA
-
AUT
-
NAT
-
IOM
NC
YUG
-
NED
-
BEL
-
DDR
-
CZE
-
SWE
-
FIN
-
ESP
-
00
1973250ccYamahaFRA
-
AUT
-
GER
-
IOM
2
YUG
-
NED
-
BEL
-
CZE
-
SWE
-
FIN
-
ESP
-
1217th0
1973350ccYamahaFRA
-
AUT
-
GER
-
NAT
-
IOM
3
YUG
-
NED
-
CZE
-
SWE
-
FIN
-
ESP
-
1020th0
1973500ccMatchlessFRA
-
AUT
-
GER
-
IOM
NC
YUG
-
NED
-
BEL
-
CZE
-
SWE
-
FIN
-
ESP
-
00
1974250ccYamahaGER
-
NAT
-
IOM
-
NED
-
BEL
9
SWE
-
FIN
-
CZE
-
YUG
-
ESP
-
238th0
1974350ccYamahaFRA
-
GER
-
AUT
9
NAT
-
IOM
-
NED
8
SWE
-
FIN
9
YUG
-
ESP
-
729th0
1974500ccYamahaFRA
7
GER
-
AUT
8
NAT
-
IOM
-
NED
10
BEL
7
SWE
10
FIN
6
CZE
-
1811th0
1975250ccYamahaFRA
-
ESP
-
GER
-
NAT
-
IOM
3
NED
-
BEL
9
SWE
-
FIN
8
CZE
-
YUG
-
1514th0
1975350ccYamahaFRA
-
ESP
10
AUT
-
GER
-
NAT
-
IOM
NC
NED
-
FIN
-
CZE
-
YUG
-
147th0
1975500ccYamahaFRA
-
AUT
-
GER
-
NAT
-
IOM
2
NED
7
BEL
5
SWE
3
FIN
-
CZE
-
325th0
1976500ccSuzukiFRA
Ret
AUT
Ret
NAT
-
IOM
7
NED
6
BEL
1
SWE
-
FIN
-
CZE
-
GER
-
249th1
1977350ccYamahaVEN
-
GER
-
NAT
-
ESP
-
FRA
-
YUG
-
NED
-
SWE
-
FIN
-
CZE
-
GBR
3
1022nd0
1977500ccSuzukiVEN
-
AUT
-
GER
-
NAT
16
FRA
-
NED
-
BEL
10
SWE
8
FIN
-
CZE
-
GBR
-
426th0
1978500ccSuzukiVEN
-
ESP
-
AUT
-
FRA
-
NAT
-
NED
-
BEL
-
SWE
-
FIN
-
GBR
12
GER
-
00