THE REAL 50CC GP
The 50cc world championship class ran from 1962 83, but there was never a proper 50cc British GP at Silverstone. The Isle of Man TT was Britain’s world championship round until 1977, and it ran a 50cc race, with world championship points, from 1962 68. The winner of the last 50cc TT was Australian Barry Smith on a Spanish made Derbi, who averaged 72.9mph over three laps and 113.19 miles of The Mountain Course. Which puts our pathetic efforts into perspective. Even so, it must have been a long slog up The Mountain. The 50cc GP class was briefly replaced by an 80cc crown.