Ricardo Tormo

Tormo was born in the Spanish province of Valencia, in Ayacor, which is a small village dependant on Canals. When he was 8, his family moved into the center of Canals. Tormo won the 1978 FIM 50cc world championship as a member of the Bultaco factory racing team. He repeated as 50cc world champion in 1981 on a privately backed Bultaco.^[1] He was also a three-time 50cc Spanish national champion and a four-time 125cc national champion. His career was closely linked to that of Ángel Nieto, who was both a team mate and rival of Tormo.

In 1983, together with Jorge “Aspar” Martínez, Tormo signed with the Derbi factory to compete for the 1984 world championship in the new 80cc category. Tormo suffered an engine failure at the first race of the year at Misano. The second race of the season was to be held at Spain’s Jarama Circuit.

At that time, there were only two official circuits in Spain, one in Jarama and the other in Calafat. The team planned test rides before the race, but both circuits were already booked, forcing them to practice in Martorelles. This region of Barcelona was an industrial park near the Derbi factory. The team occasionally had test runs in this area, blocking off the roads to ensure that no cars would interfere with the racers. However, during a practice prior to the Spanish Grand Prix, a vehicle gained access to the area from one of the team’s assistants who was supposed to have blocked off all of the roads. Tragically, Tormo, who was testing a new racing suit, hit the car and shattered his right leg. The accident marked the end of his racing career and the beginning of a countless series of operations.

In 1994, Tormo received Valencia’s highest honor when he was given the Valencian Community’s High Distinction award. In collaboration with the journalist Paco Desamparados, an autobiography was published, entitled "Yo Ricardo. Una vida por y para la moto". (I am Ricardo. A life by and for motorcycles). On December 27, 1998, Tormo died from leukemia, which he had been battling for many years. In his honor, Valencia’s racetrack was renamed the Circuit de la Comunitat Valenciana Ricardo Tormo.

Images

Ricardo Tormo in Brno, 1978.

Complete Grand Prix motorcycle racing results

Points system from 1969 to 1987:

Position	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10
Points	15	12	10	8	6	5	4	3	2	1

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position; races in italics indicate fastest lap)

Year	Class	Bike	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	Points	Rank	Wins
1973	50cc	Derbi	GER -	NAT -	YUG -	NED -	BEL -	SWE -	ESP 10								1	28th	0
1976	50cc	Kreidler	FRA -	NAT -	NED -	BEL -	SWE -	FIN -	GER -	ESP 6							5	19th	0
1977	50cc	Bultaco	GER 11	NAT 2	ESP 3	YUG 2	NED 2	BEL 4	SWE 1								69	3rd	1
1978	50cc	Bultaco		ESP 2			NAT 1	NED 2	BEL 1				GER 1	CZE 1	YUG 1		99	1st	5
1978
125cc	Bultaco	VEN -	ESP -	AUT 10	FRA -	NAT -	NED -	BEL -	SWE -	FIN -	GBR -	GER -		YUG -		1	30th	0
1979	50cc	Bultaco			GER -	NAT -	ESP -	YUG 5	NED -	BEL -					FRA -		6	17th	0
1979	125cc	Bultaco	VEN -	AUT -	GER -	NAT -	ESP -	YUG -	NED 2	BEL -	SWE -	FIN 1	GBR -	CZE -	FRA 2		39	7th	1
1980	50cc	Kreidler Van Veen	NAT -	ESP 5		YUG 1	NED 1	BEL -				GER -					36	4th	2
1980	125cc	MBA	NAT -	ESP 5	FRA -	YUG -	NED 6	BEL 9	FIN -	GBR -	CZE -	GER -					13	12th	0
1981	50cc	Motul Bultaco			GER -	NAT 1		ESP 1	YUG 1	NED 1	BEL 1	RSM 1				CZE -	90	1st	6
1981	125cc	Sanvenero	ARG -	AUT -	GER -	NAT -	FRA -	ESP -	YUG -	NED 8		RSM 4	GBR 9	FIN 4	SWE 1	CZE -	36	8th	1
1982	50cc	Motul				ESP -	NAT 2	NED 3		YUG 3					RSM -	GER 4	40	4th	0
1982	125cc	Sanvenero	ARG 2	AUT -	FRA -	ESP 8	NAT -	NED 5	BEL 1	YUG 3	GBR 2	SWE -	FIN -	CZE 3			52	5th	1
1983	50cc	Garelli	FRA -	NAT -	GER -	ESP -		YUG NC	NED 3				RSM 1				25	7th	1
1983	125cc	MBA	FRA 1	NAT 4	GER NC	ESP 10	AUT DSQ	YUG NC	NED 2	BEL 3	GBR NC	SWE 5	RSM NC				52	5th	1
1984	80cc	Derbi	NAT NC	ESP -	AUT -	GER -	YUG -	NED -	BEL -	RSM -							0	-	0

References

↑ Ricardo Tormo career statistics at MotoGP.com

External links

50cc Motorcycle World Champions

1962 - E. Degner
1963 - H. Anderson
1964 - H. Anderson
1965 - R. Bryans
1966 - H. Anscheidt
1967 - H. Anscheidt
1968 - H. Anscheidt
1969 - Á. Nieto

1970 - Á. Nieto
1971 - J. de Vries
1972 - Á. Nieto
1973 - J. de Vries
1974 - H. v. Kessel
1975 - Á. Nieto
1976 - Á. Nieto
1977 - Á. Nieto
1978 - R. Tormo
1979 - E. Lazzarini

1980 - E. Lazzarini
1981 - R. Tormo
1982 - S. Dörflinger
1983 - S. Dörflinger

Authority control	WorldCat VIAF: 87648350

This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the Wednesday, March 16, 2016. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.