CLASSICRACERPEOPLE
28 ClassicRacer
Abusyschedule
AGrandPrixinthe 1960 swasabusyday
forbothspectatorsandriders.Therewere
typicallysixclassesinaGPrangingfrom 50 s
to 500 splussidecars.Everysinglesoloclass
waspackedwithworksmachineryand,inan
agewheretheonlytechnicalrestrictionwas
theenginecapacity,there wasahuge variety
ofbikesonthe starrtttline.Thetopclasswasalwaysthe 500 butthis
offtttendidnotprovidethebestracing.The
problemwastheabsolutedominanceofMike
Hailwoodonthefour-cylinderMVAgusta.
The 125 ccand 250 ccclasseswerethe
mostfiercelycontested,whichmakes
Redman’sachievementallthemore
remarkable.Inthe 250 ccclassthefirstsix
finisherswereallworksridersrepresenting
four diffffferentfactoriesandcompetingon
singleand four cylinderfourstrokemachines
and two-stroketwins.bestday of my life.
“A ika San andthe Honda team were just
as excited as me. Imade sureeveryone
knewthat if theyhadn’t donesuch agood
job makingthe bikesfor me Icouldnever
have won.This meant alot to them.Ifelt veryfortunate to be aHonda factoryriderand I
wantedthemto knowwhat Ifelt in my heart.
“It wasn’t PR or keepingsponsorshappy
likeriders have to do today. Iwas justvery
grateful to Honda.
“I told themall howIfelt, butespecially
Aika San, and allthis waswith thebeer
flowing and the partyinfull swing.Wewere
morethanateam.Wewere familyand we
had achievedsomething remarkable together.
“A fterwards, we went backtothe hotel
and Imade sure that Marlenewas looked
aftertoo!
“In 1995 Ireturned to theDutchTTonce
morebut this timedemonstratingmy old
Hondasrather than as aracer.Kevin Schwantz
wasthere andhesaid to me thathehad
heard what Ihad donein 1964 andthat he
waslucky to win three GPs in ayear,never
mindone day!
“Everyone shouldexperience the euphoria
of victory, in somepartoftheirlife, at
least once.”“I wasthe star and Ienjoyedit. Loads of
riderscame uptome and there were alot
ofcompliments.This meantalot to me,and
still does, because thesewere my fellow
professional riders–and every one of them
wasbloody goodintheirown right.Itwas theMallory Park,September26,1964:Fromlefttoright Jim Redman,VittorioCarrnana and Mike Hailwood.022 Jim Redman_SEP.indd 28 02/08/201710:38:10