50cc Roadracing 1975




1975



The 1975 season saw some changes. After Van Veen stopped the racing activities, Jörg Möller switched to Morbidelli, where he was responsible for developing the 50 cc and 125 cc Grand Prix racers. Furthermore, Jan Thiel and Martin Mijwaart stopped the development of the Jamathi, and moved to Piovaticci to develop a new 50 cc racer. Angel Nieto bought a Van Veen Kreidler, which was maintained by Jan de Vries, to compete in all Grand Prix.

First GP of the season was Jarama in Spain. Angel Nieto (Van Veen Kreidler) won unchallenged, Julien van de Zeebroeck on an older Van Veen Kreidler came in second. Dörflinger's Kreidler broke a fork leg, but he still managed to come in third. Fourth was Eugenio Lazazarini (Piovaticci), 5. Nico polane (Kreidler), and 6. Herbert Rittberger (Kreidler).

In Imola, Italy, Nieto won again. Lazzarini (Piovaticci), after a bad start at place 8, raced through the field, set the fastes lap and a new record in lap 10 and 11, and finished second. After him, 3. Dörflinger (Kreidler), 4. C. Lusuard (Derbi), 5. Rittberger (Kreidler), and 6. Van Kessel (Kreidler).

Next came the German GP. Angel Nieto (Van Veen Kreidler) led from start to finish. Behind him it was 2. E. Lazzarini (Piovaticci), 3. J. v.d. Zeebroeck (Van Veen Kreidler), 4. H. Rittberger (Kreidler), 5. R. Kunz (Kreidler), and 6. S. Dörflinger (Kreidler).

The Dutch TT was again won by Nieto (Van Veen Kreidler), with 2. Rittberger (Kreidler), 3. Lazzarini (Piovaticci), 4. Strikker (Kreidler), 5. V. d. Zeebroeck (Van Veen Kreidler), and 6. Kunz (Kreidler).

In Francorchamps it was V.d. Zeebroeck (Van Veen Kreidler) who took the checkered flag first, followed by 2. Nieto (Van Veen Kreidler), 3. Lazzarini (Piovaticci), 4. Timmer (Jamathi), 5. Polane (Kreidler), 6. Van Dongen (Kreidler).

After having made pole position in 3 previous races, in Sweden Lazzarini (Piovaticci) at last won, ahead of 2. Nieto (Van Veen Kreidler), 3. Hummel (Kreidler), 4. Polane (Kreidler), 5. Thurow (Kreidler), and 6 Timmer (Jamathi).

In Finland it was again 1. Nieto (Van Veen Kreidler), 2. Lazzarini (Piovaticci), 3. Kunz (Kreidler), 4. Polane (Kreidler), and 5. Hummel (Kreidler).

Last race of the season was in Jugoslavia, where the sequence was 1. A. Nieto (Van Veen Kreidler), 2. R. Kunz (Kreidler), 3. A. Pero (Kreidler), 4. C. Lusuardi (Derbi), 5. S. Dörflinger (Kreidler), and 6. G. Thurow (Kreidler).

The world championship was won by Angel Nieto (Van Veen Kreidler), second was Eugenio Lazzarini (Piovaticci), and third Julien van de Zeebroeck (Van Veen Kreidler).
J. Kortekaas 2006





The Bikes


Van Veen Kreidler



The Van Veen Kreidler, although this design now dated back to 1972, was probably still the fastest machine on the tracks. Power was supposed to be around 20 bhp, although no official figure was given.

Piovaticci



When Jan Thiel and Martin Mijwaart dropped the Jamathi and moved to Piovaticci, at last they got some money for building racing motorcycles, instead of paying for everything themselves. The new bike of course looked a lot like the old Jamathi, with a stainless steel monocoque frame and the one Koni rear shock absorber, Ceriani front forks and cast wheels by Ringhini. Tyre sizes 2.00-18 front, 2.25-18 rear. Also reminiscent of the Jamathi was the engine with the horizontal cylinder (see Piovaticci2). Bore and stroke were 40 x 39 mm, for a capacity of 49.0 cc. Compression ratio 15 : 1, carburettor 28 mm Mikuni. Claimed power was 17 bhp at 16,000 rpm. This was no doubt a very modest claim - in practice the bikes were maybe even faster that the Van Veen Kreidler, and on several occasions Lazzarini was able to grab pole position. Picture Piovaticci3 shows Jan Thiel (foreground) and Martin Mijwaart working on the bike.




Morbidelli



During 1975, Morbidelli's efforts were solely in the 125 cc class - and with success, Jörg Möller's creations were first and second in the world championship. However, at the end of the year, at the Milan show, they showed a 50 cc racer that was being developed. No specifications were given.