Ricardo Tormo

Ricardo Tormo
Ricardo Tormo
Nationality	Spanish
Born	7 September 1952; Canals, Valencia, Spain
Died	27 December 1998 (aged 46); Valencia, Spain
Motorcycle racing career statistics
Grand Prix motorcycle racing
Active years	1973 - 1984
First race	1973 50cc Spanish Grand Prix
Last race	1984 80cc Nations Grand Prix
First win	1977 50cc Swedish Grand Prix
Last win	1983 50cc San Marino Grand Prix
Team(s)	Bultaco, Derbi, Kreidler
Championships	50cc - 1978, 1981

Ricardo Tormo Blaya (7 September 1952 – 27 December 1998) was a Spanish professional motorcycle road racer. He competed in Grand Prix motorcycle racing from 1973 to 1984, most prominently as a two-time 50cc world champion riding Bultaco motorcycles. The Circuit de Valencia race track was renamed Circuit de la Comunitat Valenciana Ricardo Tormo in his honor.

Biography

Tormo was born in the village of Alacor in the municipality of Canals in the Spanish province of Valencia. When he was 8, his family moved into the center of Canals. Tormo won the 1978 FIM 50cc world championship as a member of the Bultaco factory racing team. He repeated as 50cc world champion in 1981 on a privately backed Bultaco.^[1] He was also a three-time 50cc Spanish national champion and a four-time 125cc national champion. His career was closely linked to that of Ángel Nieto, who was both a teammate and rival of Tormo.

In 1983, together with Jorge “Aspar” Martínez, Tormo signed with the Derbi factory to compete for the 1984 world championship in the new 80cc category. Tormo suffered an engine failure at the first race of the year at Misano. The second race of the season was to be held at Spain's Jarama Circuit.

At that time, there were only two official circuits in Spain, one in Jarama and the other in Calafat. The team planned test rides before the race, but both circuits were already booked, forcing them to practice in Martorelles. This region of Barcelona was an industrial park near the Derbi factory. The team occasionally had test runs in this area, blocking off the roads to ensure that no cars would interfere with the racers. However, during a practice prior to the Spanish Grand Prix, a vehicle gained access to the area from one of the team's assistants who was supposed to have blocked off all of the roads. Tragically, Tormo, who was testing a new racing suit, hit the car and shattered his right leg. The accident marked the end of his racing career and the beginning of a countless series of surgeries.

In 1994, Tormo received Valencia's highest honor when he was given the Valencian Community's High Distinction award. In collaboration with the journalist Paco Desamparados, an autobiography was published, entitled "Yo Ricardo. Una vida por y para la moto". (I am Ricardo. A life by and for motorcycles). On 27 December 1998, Tormo died from leukemia, which he had been battling for many years. In his honor, Valencia's racetrack was renamed the Circuit de la Comunitat Valenciana Ricardo Tormo.

Images

Complete Grand Prix motorcycle racing results

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

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

Year	Class	Bike	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	Pos	Pts	Wins
1973	50cc	Derbi	GER -	NAT -	YUG -	NED -	BEL -	SWE -	ESP 10								28th	1	0
1976	50cc	Kreidler	FRA -	NAT -	NED -	BEL -	SWE -	FIN -	GER -	ESP 6							19th	5	0
1977	50cc	Bultaco	GER 11	NAT 2	ESP 3	YUG 2	NED 2	BEL 4	SWE 1								3rd	69	1
1978	50cc	Bultaco		ESP 2			NAT 1	NED 2	BEL 1				GER 1	CZE 1	YUG 1		1st	99	5
1978	125cc	Bultaco	VEN -	ESP -	AUT 10	FRA Ret	NAT -	NED -	BEL -	SWE -	FIN -	GBR -	GER -		YUG -		30th	1	0
1979	50cc	Bultaco			GER Ret	NAT -	ESP -	YUG 5	NED Ret	BEL -					FRA Ret		17th	6	0
1979	125cc	Bultaco	VEN -	AUT NC	GER Ret	NAT -	ESP -	YUG Ret	NED 2	BEL -	SWE Ret	FIN 1	GBR 12	CZE Ret	FRA 2		7th	39	1
1980	50cc	Kreidler Van Veen	NAT Ret	ESP 5		YUG 1	NED 1	BEL Ret				GER Ret					4th	36	2
1980	125cc	MBA	NAT -	ESP 5	FRA -	YUG Ret	NED 6	BEL 9	FIN -	GBR -	CZE -	GER Ret					12th	13	0
1981	50cc	Motul Bultaco			GER Ret	NAT 1		ESP 1	YUG 1	NED 1	BEL 1	RSM 1				CZE -	1st	90	6
1981	125cc	Sanvenero	ARG 12	AUT -	GER Ret	NAT -	FRA -	ESP DNQ	YUG -	NED 8		RSM 4	GBR 9	FIN 4	SWE 1	CZE -	8th	36	1
1982	50cc	Motul Bultaco				ESP Ret	NAT 2	NED 3		YUG 3					RSM -	GER 4	4th	40	0
1982	125cc	Sanvenero	ARG 2	AUT Ret	FRA WD	ESP 8	NAT Ret	NED 5	BEL 1	YUG Ret	GBR 2	SWE Ret	FIN Ret	CZE 3			5th	52	1
1983	50cc	Garelli	FRA -	NAT -	GER -	ESP -		YUG Ret	NED 3				RSM 1				7th	25	1
1983	125cc	MBA	FRA 1	NAT 4	GER Ret	ESP 10	AUT 11	YUG Ret	NED 2	BEL 3	GBR Ret	SWE 5	RSM Ret				5th	52	1
1984	80cc	Derbi	NAT Ret	ESP -	AUT -	GER -	YUG -	NED -	BEL -	RSM -							-	0	0

References

^ Ricardo Tormo career statistics at MotoGP.com

External links

[1] Ricardo Tormo career statistics at MotoGP.com

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