Wil Hartog

Wil Hartog (born 28 May 1948) is a Dutch former professional Grand Prix motorcycle road racer. He competed in the Grand Prix motorcycle racing world championships from 1970 to 1981. Hartog was the first Dutch competitor to win a 500cc Grand Prix race.

Wil Hartog
Wil Hartog
Nationality	Dutch
Motorcycle racing career statistics Grand Prix motorcycle racing Active years 1973 - 1981 First race 1970 125cc Dutch TT Last race 1981 500cc West German Grand Prix First win 1977 500cc Dutch TT Last win 1980 500cc Finnish Grand Prix Team(s) Suzuki Championships 0 Starts Wins Podiums Poles F. laps Points 36 5 12 0 2 217

Motorcycle racing career

Born in Abbekerk, North Holland, Hartog became the first Dutchman to win a 500cc Grand Prix when he claimed a victory at the 1977 Dutch TT.^[1] When Suzuki factory team rider Pat Hennen suffered career-ending injuries while competing in the 1978 Isle of Man TT, Hartog was hired as his replacement to help their number one rider, Barry Sheene, defend his world championship.^[2] However, Sheene was unhappy when his Hartog won the 1978 Belgian Grand Prix ahead of Kenny Roberts and Sheene in second and third places. He challenged Roberts and Sheene during the 1979 season however, he crashed while leading four Grand Prix races and ended the season ranked fourth in the 500cc World Championship.^[3]

Hartog won five Grands Prix during his career.^[4] Standing over 1,80 meters tall, he was at a disadvantage against his jockey-sized competitors yet he still managed impressive results. With his penchant for wearing all white riding apparel, he was nicknamed The White Giant.^[5]

Hartog (30) competing in his first World Championship race, leads Walter Szabo (23) and Dieter Braun (11) during the 1970 125cc Dutch TT.

To commemorate the fortieth anniversary of his 1977 Dutch TT victory, Hartog was honored during the 2017 Dutch TT by riding a lap of the Assen TT circuit on the motorcycle he won on, accompanied by Freddie Sheene, the son of Hartog's late teammate, on one of his father's motorcycles.

Wil's nephew, Rob Hartog, is a motorcycle racer who has taken part in the Supersport World Championship and the FIM Endurance World Championship.^[6][7]

Career statistics

Grand Prix motorcycle racing

Races by year

(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	Pos.	Pts
1970	125cc	Yamaha	GER	FRA	YUG	IOM	NED Ret	BEL	DDR	CZE	FIN	NAT	SPA			NC	0
1972	250cc	Yamaha	GER	FRA	AUT	NAT	IOM	YUG	NED 14	BEL	DDR	CZE	SWE	FIN	SPA	NC	0
	500cc	Riemanoc	GER Ret	FRA	AUT	NAT	IOM	YUG								NC	0
		Yamaha							NED Ret	BEL	DDR	CZE	SWE	FIN	SPA
1973	350cc	Yamaha	FRA	AUT	GER	NAT	IOM	YUG	NED Ret		CZE	SWE	FIN	SPA		NC	0
	500cc	Yamaha	FRA	AUT	GER		IOM	YUG	NED 4	BEL	CZE	SWE	FIN	SPA		25th	8
1974	250cc	Yamaha		GER		NAT	IOM	NED 15	BEL	SWE	FIN	CZE	YUG	SPA		NC	0
	350cc	Yamaha	FRA	GER	AUT	NAT	IOM	NED 15		SWE	FIN		YUG	SPA		NC	0
1975	350cc	Yamaha	FRA	SPA	AUT	GER	NAT	IOM	NED 6			FIN	CZE	YUG		26th	5
	500cc	Suzuki	FRA		AUT	GER	NAT	IOM	NED Ret	BEL	SWE	FIN	CZE			NC	0
1976	500cc	Suzuki	FRA	AUT Ret	NAT	IOM	NED 3	BEL	SWE Ret	FIN	CZE	GER				21st	10
1977	500cc	Suzuki	VEN	AUT DNS	GER 6	NAT Ret	FRA Ret	NED 1	BEL 7	SWE 5	FIN Ret	CZE Ret	GBR Ret			10th	30
1978	500cc	Suzuki	VEN	SPA 9	AUT 7	FRA 5	NAT 6	NED 5	BEL 1	SWE 2	FIN 1	GBR Ret	GER Ret			4th	65
1979	500cc	Suzuki	VEN Ret	AUT 3	GER 1	NAT Ret	SPA 2	YUG 4	NED 3	BEL DNS	SWE Ret	FIN 10	GBR 3	FRA 18		4th	66
1980	500cc	Suzuki	NAT Ret	SPA Ret	FRA	NED 19	BEL 5	FIN 1	GBR Ret	GER 3						6th	31
1981	500cc	Suzuki	AUT 9	GER 14	NAT	FRA	YUG	NED	BEL	RSM	GBR	FIN	SWE			23rd	2

References

1. "MotoGP Preview: The 76th Dutch TT". superbikeplanet.com. Archived from the original on 27 June 2010. Retrieved 11 December 2010.
2. "Wil Hartog Hammers Form Book". classicracer.com. Retrieved 2023-12-19.
3. "Racing's Greats: Kenny Roberts". classictwowheels.com.au. Retrieved 20 January 2024.
4. "Wil Hartog". MotoGP.com. Retrieved 11 December 2010.
5. "1977: 'De Witte Reus' wint de TT". NOS (in Dutch). Retrieved 31 May 2017.
6. "SBK, Rob Hartog following in the footsteps of uncle Wil".
7. "Hartog's "goal" a Spa weekend as recovery from injury continues". ewc.fim-live.com. Retrieved 2023-12-19.