Randy Mamola

Randy Mamola
File:2005 0408 Randy Mamola.jpg Randy Mamola
Nationality	American
Motorcycle racing career statistics Grand Prix motorcycle racing Active years 1979 - 1992 First race 1979 250cc Venezuelan Grand Prix Last race 1992 500cc South African Grand Prix First win 1980 500cc Belgian Grand Prix Last win 1987 500cc San Marino Grand Prix Team(s) Suzuki, Yamaha, Honda, Cagiva Championships 0 Starts Wins Podiums Poles F. laps Points 151 13 57 5 11 1050

Randy Mamola born (1959-11-10) November 10, 1959 in San Jose, California, USA is a former Grand Prix motorcycle road racer. He is considered to be one of the most talented riders never to have won a world championship.

Career

File:Randy Mamola Pits 2006 0618.jpg

Randy Mamola in Barcelona (2006)

File:Randy Mamola Ducati 2006 0618.jpg

Mamola piloting the Doubleseater Ducati at Barcelona

Mamola's first 500cc motorcycle Grand Prix race was in Sweden in 1979, riding a Yamaha. His first victory in the 500cc class was at Belgium in 1980. He went on to win a total of 13 Grands Prix, and finished second in the championship four times: in 1980, 1981, 1984 and 1987. During his Grand Prix career he rode for Yamaha, Suzuki, Honda and Cagiva.

Mamola signed with Cagiva to help them develop their GP500 race bike. He stayed with the Italian team for three years, but lack of funds hampered the teams success. After sitting out the 1991 season, he returned in 1992 for one last year on a privately supported Yamaha. He has maintained his crowd pleasing manner, often wearing humorous wigs on camera during interviews with riders. He was inducted into the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame in 2000.

Charity work

Mamola began raising money for Save the Children in 1986. On visits to Africa, he noticed that motorcycles being used to transport medical supplies to remote areas were breaking down and being abandoned due to poor training and maintenance. In 1996, he became one of the founders of Riders for Health, a charity which provides motorcycles and training to projects which give the population of rural Africa health and medical support. His fund-raising activities include giving passenger rides on a two-seater Ducati MotoGP bike.

Grand Prix career statistics

Points system from 1969 to 1987:

Position	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10
Points	15	12	10	8	6	5	4	3	2	1

Points system from 1988 to 1992:

Position	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15
Points	20	17	15	13	11	10	9	8	7	6	5	4	3	2	1

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position; races in italics indicate fastest lap)

Year	Class	Team	Machine	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15	Points	Rank	Wins
1979	250cc	Zago-Yamaha	TZ250	VEN 5		GER 2	NAT 2	ESP 8	YUG 10	NED 7	BEL -	SWE -	FIN -	GBR 2	CZE 5	FRA 4			64	4th	0
	500cc	Zago-Suzuki	RG500	VEN -	AUT -	GER -	NAT -	ESP -	YUG -	NED 13	BEL DNS	SWE 6	FIN 2	GBR -		FRA 2			29	8th	0
1980	500cc	Heron-Suzuki	RG500	NAT NC	ESP 3	FRA 2	NED 5	BEL 1	FIN 4	GBR 1	GER 5								72	2nd	2
1981	500cc	Heron-Suzuki	RG500	AUT 1	GER 2	NAT NC	FRA 2	YUG 1	NED NC	BEL 3	RSM 4	GBR 3	FIN 2	SWE 13					94	2nd	2
1982	500cc	HB-Suzuki	RG500	ARG NC	AUT 7	FRA -	ESP -	NAT -	NED 5	BEL 5	YUG 7	GBR 5	SWE 5	RSM 2	GER 1				65	6th	1
1983	500cc	HB-Suzuki	RG500	RSA 5	FRA NC	NAT 2	GER 8	ESP 4	AUT 3	YUG 2	NED 4	BEL 3	GBR 3	SWE 7	RSM 5				89	3rd	0
1984	500cc	HRC-Honda	NS500	RSA -	NAT -	ESP 2	AUT 3	GER 3	FRA 3	YUG 2	NED 1	BEL 2	GBR 1	SWE NC	RSM 1				111	2nd	3
1985	500cc	Rothmans-Honda	NSR500	RSA 5	ESP NC	GER 8	NAT 4	AUT 4	YUG NC	NED 1	BEL NC	FRA 3	GBR 5	SWE 5	RSM 3				72	6th	1
1986	500cc	Lucky Strike-Yamaha	YZR500	ESP 4	NAT 2	GER 6	AUT 3	YUG 2	NED 2	BEL 1	FRA 2	GBR 5	SWE 8	RSM 3					105	3rd	1
1987	500cc	Lucky Strike-Yamaha	YZR500	JPN 1	ESP 6	GER 2	NAT NC	AUT 2	YUG 2	NED 3	FRA 1	GBR 3	SWE 3	CZE 4	RSM 1	POR 2	BRA 3	ARG 2	158	2nd	3
1988	500cc	Cagiva	GP500	JPN NC	USA -	ESP -	EXP -	NAT 7	GER NC	AUT NC	NED NC	BEL 3	YUG 4	FRA 6	GBR 11	SWE 10	CZE NC	BRA NC	58	12th	0
1989	500cc	Cagiva	GP500	JPN 16	AUS NC	USA NC	ESP NC	NAT DNS	GER 12	AUT NC	YUG 7	NED 11	BEL 23	FRA 11	GBR -	SWE -	CZE 11	BRA 11	33	18th	0
1990	500cc	Cagiva	GP500	JPN NC	USA 7	ESP -	NAT 7	GER 9	AUT 10	YUG NC	NED 18	BEL NC	FRA 7	GBR 6	SWE NC	CZE 11	HUN NC	AUS -	55	14th	0
1992	500cc	Budweiser-Yamaha	YZR500	JPN 5	AUS 8	MAL 7	ESP 8	ITA 10	EUR 9	GER NC	NED 5	HUN 3	FRA 8	GBR NC	BRA 10	RSA NC			45	10th	0

External links

• History of Riders for Health
• Randy Mamola at the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame