1949 Belgian motorcycle Grand Prix

The 1949 Belgian motorcycle Grand Prix was the fourth round of the 1949 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season. It took place at the Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps.

  1949 Belgian Grand Prix

Race details
Race 4 of 6 races in the 1949 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season
Date	17 July 1949
Location	Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps
Course	Permanent racing facility 14.120 km (8.774 mi)
500 cc
Rider Fastest lap Rider Arciso Artesiani Gilera Time 96.3 mph (155.0 km/h) Podium First Bill Doran AJS Second Arciso Artesiani Gilera Third Enrico Lorenzetti Moto Guzzi
350 cc
Rider Fastest lap Rider Freddie Frith Bob Foster Velocette Velocette Time 90.8 mph (146.1 km/h) Podium First Freddie Frith Velocette Second Bob Foster Velocette Third Johnny Lockett Norton
Sidecar (B2A)
Rider Fastest lap Rider Eric Oliver Norton Podium First Eric Oliver Norton Second Frans Vanderschrick Norton Third Ernesto Merlo Gilera

British rider Bill Doran won the 500cc race riding his AJS from Arciso Artesiani and Enrico Lorenzetti.

By winning their second race of the 600 cc Sidecar of the season British Norton rider Eric Oliver and his swinger Denis Jenkinson wrapped up the first Sidecar championship before the third and final round to be held at the Nations Grand Prix. In the same race, Belgian sidecar rider Edouard Bruylant and his British swinger known as "Hurst" were killed.

500 cc classification

Pos	Rider	Manufacturer	Time	Points
1	Bill Doran	AJS	1:19:56.0	10
2	Arciso Artesiani	Gilera	+0.2	9
3	Enrico Lorenzetti	Moto Guzzi	+1.3	7
4	Artie Bell	Norton	+50.0	6
5	Nello Pagani	Gilera	+1:08.0	5
6	Guido Leoni	Moto Guzzi	+1:14.0
7	Harold Daniell	Norton
8	George Morrison	Norton
9	Syd Jensen	Triumph
10	Ken Bills	Velocette
16 finishers
[1][2]

350 cc classification

Pos	Rider	Manufacturer	Time	Points
1	Freddie Frith	Velocette	1h 06m 14s	10.5
2	Bob Foster	Velocette	+16s	8.5
3	Johnny Lockett	Norton	+33s	7
4	David Whitworth	Velocette	+1m 39s	6
5	Eric McPherson	AJS	+2m 01s	5
6	Reg Armstrong	AJS	+2m 01s
7	Eric Oliver	Velocette
8	Enrico Lorenzetti	Moto Guzzi
9	Louis van Rijswijk	Velocette
10	Tommy Wood	Velocette
22 finishers
[2][3]

Sidecar Classification

Pos	Rider	Passenger	Manufacturer	Time	Points
1	Eric Oliver	Denis Jenkinson	Norton	50m 07s	11
2	Frans Vanderschrick	Martin Whitney	Norton	+25s	8
3	Ernesto Merlo	Dino Magri	Gilera	+1m 33s	7
4	Roland Benz	Max Hirzel	BMW	+1m 54s	6
5	Pip Harris	Neil Smith	Norton	+2m 31s	5
6	Raymond Rorsvort	Louis van Leemput	BMW	+4m 33s
7	Alphonse Vervroegen	?	FN
8	Jean Debotze	?	Norton
8 finishers
[2][4]

References

1. Bula, Maurice. Grand Prix Motorcycle Championships of the World. Haynes Publications Inc. 1949–500 cc. ISBN 0-85429-208-X.
2. Davison, G. S., ed. (1950). The Racing Year. W. W. Curtis, Ltd. pp. 52–57.
3. Bula, Maurice. Grand Prix Motorcycle Championships of the World. Haynes Publications Inc. 1949–350 cc. ISBN 0-85429-208-X.
4. Bula, Maurice. Grand Prix Motorcycle Championships of the World. Haynes Publications Inc. Championnat du monde de side-cars 1949. ISBN 0-85429-208-X.