BIG INCREASE IN G.P. PRIZE MONEY

Press, 29 November 1979, Page 19

BIG INCREASE IN G.P. PRIZE MONEY

The F.I.M. has responded to the threat of a world road racing series organised by “rebel” riders by increasing the prize money for its own world championships by a remarkable 500 per cent. This move is designed to make riders think twice before they join the rebel world series circus. The prize for winning a 500 grand prix will rise from $lOOO to $7500. Sidecar. 350 and 250 cu cm race winners will get $4lOO each.

This means that it will cost a meeting organiser $172,000 in prize money to run a grand prix of six classes. This is an increase of more than $52,000 on the cost of organising a grand prix meeting last season. However, the scale of start money has been scrapped. This will not prevent organisers offer-

ing starting money to top riders if they want to. Not only will the winners take home more, but all riders who compete should leave with some money. The rider finishing twenty-fifth in a 500 cu cm grand prix will receive $B5O. All starters who finish below twenty-fifth in any class will receive $230. In addition, competitors who practise but fail to qualify must be paid $lBO (double for sidecars). In spite of the big improvement in prize money for the F.I.M. world championships, the world series planned by the rebel racers will go ahead. A number of promoters have agreed to stage meetings, although the director, Mr Barry Coleman, is not saying which these are. “We are acting with the F.l.M.’s rules, and we certainly plan to go ahead.

At the moment, it looks as if we will have eight meetings, which is probably the right number for the first year,” Mr Coleman said. Now, the fear of many motor-cycle racing enthusiasts is that one series will detract from the other, and that neither will be a success. However, when the dust has finally cleared, it will be surprising if the F.I.M. world championship series does not push the proposed world series into the background.