First published on July 15th 2015.
Although we’re always keen to put on a first class display of famous bikes and riders at the Festival of Speed presented by Mastercard, 2015 was the best-ever line-up for lovers of two-wheeled racing. To celebrate this we thought it apt to gather together every rider present ever to have won a world championship for a prestigious photograph. And what a photo it is…
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The astonishing line-up of motorcycling world champions is as follows, from left to right:
Chaz Davies – One World Supersport title
Steve Webster and Paul Woodhead – Ten sidecar titles for Webster, three for Woodhead
Dave Thorpe – Three Motorcross world titles
Freddie Spencer – Three Grand Prix world titles
Phil Read – Seven Grand Prix world titles
John Surtees – Seven Grand Prix world titles
Valentino Rossi – Nine Grand Prix world titles
Giacomo Agostini – Fifteen Grand Prix world titles
Kenny Roberts – Three world titles
Dougie Lampkin – Twelve world titles
Jim Redman – Four Grand Prix world titles
Casey Stoner – Two world titles
Troy Corser – Two World Superbike titles
Sylvain Guintoli – Current World Superbike champion
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As a list of names alone that’s pretty awe-inspiring, to then gaze at the main photo and take in all of those riders, their machines and their legendary exploits and see them all in one place is something else again. There was another world champion at FOS with a further three titles to his name, but unfortunately Speedway superstar Greg Hancock couldn’t be there on Sunday when the photo was taken. That makes in excess of eighty world titles between the gentlemen in the picture. It’s an astonishing feat to have gathered so many legendary pilots together and to witness it was an immeasurable privilege.
Images courtesy of Motorsport Images.
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