Chas Mortimer


Charles Mortimer is an English former professional motorcycle short-circuit road racer and race-school instructor. He competed in the Grand Prix motorcycle road racing world championships from 1969 to 1979. He remains the only competitor to have won FIM Grand Prix races in the 125, 250, 350, 500 and 750 world championship classes.

Motorcycle racing career

Born in Shere, Surrey, UK, Mortimer is the son of Charles Mortimer Senior, a former motorcycle road racer and proprietor of the Charles Mortimer Race School based at Brands Hatch race circuit, Kent. The school was originally named in 1963 as the Beart-Mortimer racing school, with engine tuner Francis Beart being a partner to Mortimer Senior which ended in 1965 due to Beart's other business involvements. From 1966 the venues included Cadwell Park, Silverstone and Mallory Park.
Mortimer began racing in 1965 on a Greeves Silverstone as used by the race school. At 18 years of age in 1967, Mortimer was one of the school's instructors, with Paul Smart being another. Both were competitive riders sponsored by Charles Senior, riding from a stable of machines consisting of RDS Greeves 250s, a Bultaco 125 and an Aermacchi 350. He competed for most of his career as a privateer riding Yamaha motorcycles. When Mortimer won the 500cc Spanish Grand Prix on a Yamaha, it marked the first 500cc Grand Prix victory for the Japanese manufacturer. He had his best Grand Prix season in when he finished second to Kent Andersson in the 125cc world championship. In the season, Mortimer held a comfortable lead on 15-time World Champion Giacomo Agostini during the 350cc Austrian Grand Prix at the Salzburgring, when he slowed his pace to allow Agostini to claim the victory because he was unsure whether the Yamaha factory would withhold their support if he defeated their top rider. Mortimer also competed successfully at the Isle of Man TT, with eight victories at the event. In 1976, he won the Macau Grand Prix.
In the 1970s, Mortimer operated a race school and ran a business in Reading, Berkshire importing motorcycle parts. As of 2013 he is running a transportation company specialising in transportation of motorcycles. His brother Robin Mortimer had a long career in motor sport. When he died in 2007, he was manager of RPM Motorsport with his son Alex as driver in GT class.

Grand Prix motorcycle racing results

Position12345678910
Points1512108654321


YearClassTeam12345678910111213PointsRankWins
125ccVillaESP
-		GER
-		FRA
-		IOM
NC		NED
-		BEL
-		DDR
-		CZE
-		FIN
6		NAT
-		YUG
-		532nd0
250ccYamahaESP
-		GER
-		FRA
-		IOM
NC		NED
-		BEL
-		DDR
-		CZE
-		FIN
9		ULS
5		NAT
-		YUG
-		822nd0
125ccVillaGER
-		FRA
-		YUG
-		IOM
NC		NED
-		BEL
6		DDR
-		CZE
-		FIN
-		NAT
-		ESP
-		531st0
250ccYamahaGER
3		FRA
-		YUG
7		IOM
4		NED
-		BEL
8		DDR
-		CZE
6		FIN
-		ULS
-		NAT
-		ESP
-		306th0
350ccYamahaGER
3		YUG
8		IOM
NC		NED
-		DDR
-		CZE
10		FIN
10		ULS
-		NAT
-		ESP
-		1515th0
125ccYamahaAUT
-		GER
7		IOM
1		NED
5		BEL
5		DDR
-		CZE
7		SWE
-		FIN
6		NAT
-		ESP
2		485th1
250ccYamahaAUT
-		GER
-		IOM
NC		NED
5		BEL
5		DDR
7		CZE
4		SWE
-		FIN
4		ULS
-		NAT
-		ESP
3		428th0
125ccYamahaGER
2		FRA
2		AUT
-		NAT
2		IOM
1		YUG
2		NED
-		BEL
2		DDR
2		CZE
2		SWE
3		FIN
-		ESP
2		873rd1
250ccYamahaGER
7		FRA
-		AUT
5		NAT
-		IOM
14		YUG
-		NED
-		BEL
-		DDR
-		CZE
-		SWE
-		FIN
-		ESP
4		1814th0
350ccYamahaGER
-		FRA
-		AUT
-		NAT
-		IOM
NC		YUG
-		NED
-		DDR
-		CZE
-		SWE
-		FIN
-		ESP
-		0-0
500ccYamahaGER
-		FRA
-		AUT
-		NAT
-		IOM
-		YUG
2		NED
5		BEL
-		DDR
5		CZE
-		SWE
8		FIN
-		ESP
1		426th1
125ccYamahaFRA
-		AUT
-		GER
-		NAT
-		IOM
-		YUG
2		NED
3		BEL
3		CZE
2		SWE
3		FIN
5		ESP
1		752nd1
250ccYamahaFRA
7		AUT
3		GER
-		IOM
-		YUG
5		NED
5		BEL
7		CZE
-		SWE
10		FIN
-		ESP
3		406th0
500ccYamahaFRA
-		AUT
-		GER
-		IOM
-		YUG
-		NED
-		BEL
-		CZE
-		SWE
-		FIN
-		ESP
4		824th0
250ccYamahaGER
-		NAT
-		IOM
3		NED
6		BEL
-		SWE
4		FIN
-		CZE
8		YUG
1		ESP
-		416th1
350ccYamahaFRA
-		GER
-		AUT
2		NAT
5		IOM
NC		NED
-		SWE
6		FIN
-		YUG
-		ESP
5		295th0
500ccYamahaFRA
8		GER
-		AUT
-		NAT
-		IOM
NC		NED
-		BEL
-		SWE
-		FIN
-		CZE
10		428th0
250ccYamahaFRA
7		ESP
4		GER
-		NAT
-		IOM
1		NED
-		BEL
7		SWE
10		FIN
-		CZE
8		YUG
2		466th1
350ccYamahaFRA
-		ESP
-		AUT
-		GER
7		NAT
8		IOM
2		NED
9		FIN
-		CZE
-		YUG
3		316th0
500ccYamahaFRA
-		AUT
-		GER
-		NAT
-		IOM
3		NED
-		BEL
-		SWE
-		FIN
4		CZE
6		2311th0
250ccYamahaFRA
12		NAT
4		YUG
5		IOM
3		NED
-		BEL
-		SWE
5		FIN
-		CZE
-		GER
10		ESP
12		317th0
350ccYamahaFRA
-		AUT
8		NAT
-		YUG
2		IOM
1		NED
3		FIN
4		CZE
4		GER
-		ESP
Ret		543rd1
500ccYamahaFRA
13		AUT
-		NAT
-		IOM
NC		NED
-		BEL
7		SWE
3		FIN
-		CZE
9		GER
9		1614th0
250ccYamahaVEN
-		GER
-		NAT
-		ESP
-		FRA
-		YUG
-		NED
-		BEL
13		SWE
6		FIN
15		CZE
-		GBR
-		527th0
350ccYamahaVEN
-		GER
-		NAT
10		ESP
14		FRA
-		YUG
-		NED
12		SWE
-		FIN
12		CZE
-		GBR
-		136th0
250ccYamahaVEN
-		ESP
10		FRA
7		NAT
-		NED
-		BEL
-		SWE
8		FIN
-		GBR
-		GER
7		CZE
-		YUG
-		1218th0
250ccYamahaVEN
9		GER
-		NAT
-		ESP
-		YUG
-		NED
-		BEL
2		SWE
-		FIN
-		GBR
-		CZE
-		FRA
-		1413th0
250ccYamahaRSA
23		NAT
-		ESP
-		AUT
-		GER
-		FRA
-		YUG
-		NED
-		BEL
-		GBR
-		SWE
-		RSM
-		0-0

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