Paul Friedrichs

East German motocross racer (1940–2012)

For the United States Air Force general, see Paul A. Friedrichs. For people with a similar name, see Paul Friedrich (disambiguation).

Paul Friedrichs

Friedrichs in 1964

Nationality| German
Born| (1940-03-21)21 March 1940
Buchholz, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern
Died| 30 August 2012(2012-08-30) (aged 72)
Erfurt
Motocross career
Years active| 1961 – 1972
Teams| CZ
Championships| 500cc – 1966–1968
Wins| 28

Paul Friedrichs (21 March 1940 – 30 August 2012) was an East German professional motocross and enduro racer.[1] He competed in the Motocross World Championships from 1961 to 1972, most prominently as a member of the ČZ factory motocross team where he won three consecutive titles from 1966 to 1968

## Biography

[edit]

Friedrichs was born in Buchholz and grew up in Mecklenburg where he joined the motor sports clubs MC tractor Franzburg, MC Dynamo Rostock / Sportvereinigung (SV) Dynamo. With the training offered by the clubs, he developed into one of the best motocross and enduro racers of his era.

Paul Friedrichs at the 1967 Motocross des Nations

In 1965, he finished in second place in the 500cc world championship, behind Jeff Smith, before claiming his first world title in 1966 as a member of the ČZ factory motocross team. His was the first 500cc championship won on a two-cycle powered motocross bike and the first by a rider from the eastern 'bloc' of a divided Europe.

Friedrichs successfully defended his crown in 1967 and 1968 to become the first three-time 500cc Motocross World Champion since the series' inception in 1957.[2] He was the top individual points scorer at the 1968 Motocross des Nations event helping the East German team finish second to the Russian team.[3] He dropped to third place in the 1969 championship, then finished second to Roger De Coster in the 1972 500cc world championship.

Friedrichs also competed in the 1972 International Six Day Trial as a member of the East Germany national team that finished second to the powerful Czechoslovakia national team. He died in Erfurt, Germany on 30 August 2012 at the age of 72.

## Motocross Grand Prix Results

[edit]

Points system from 1952 to 1968:

Position  |  1st |  2nd |  3rd |  4th |  5th |  6th

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Points  | 8  | 6  | 4  | 3  | 2  | 1

Points system from 1969 to 1980:

Position  | 1  | 2  | 3  | 4  | 5  | 6  | 7  | 8  | 9  | 10

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Points  | 15  | 12  | 10  | 8  | 6  | 5  | 4  | 3  | 2  | 1
| Denotes European motocross championship only.

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Year  | Class  | Machine  | 1  | 2  | 3  | 4  | 5  | 6  | 7  | 8  | 9  | 10  | 11  | 12  | 13  | 14  | 15  | Pos  | Pts

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R1  | R2  | R1  | R2  | R1  | R2  | R1  | R2  | R1  | R2  | R1  | R2  | R1  | R2  | R1  | R2  | R1  | R2  | R1  | R2  | R1  | R2  | R1  | R2  | R1  | R2  | R1  | R2  | R1  | R2
1961 | 250cc  | ESO | BEL
- | BEL
- | FRA
- | FRA
- | NED
- | NED
- | CZE
- | CZE
- | POL
- | POL
- | LUX
- | LUX
- | FIN
- | FIN
- | ITA
- | ITA
- | GER
- | GER
- | UK
- | UK
- | CH
- | CH
- | SWE
- | SWE
- | GDR
6 | GDR
6 |  |  |  |  | 20th  | 1
1962 | 250cc  | MZ | ESP
- | ESP
- | CH
- | CH
- | BEL
- | BEL
- | FRA
- | FRA
- | CZE
9 | CZE
11 | POL
- | POL
- | NED
- | NED
- | LUX
- | LUX
- | FIN
- | FIN
- | USR
- | USR
- | GER
- | GER
- | ITA
- | ITA
- | UK
- | UK
- | SWE
21 | SWE
- | GDR
4 | GDR
- | \-  | 0
1963 | 250cc  | ČZ | ESP
- | ESP
- | ITA
- | ITA
- | FRA
- | FRA
- | CH
- | CH
- | GER
- | GER
- | LUX
- | LUX
- | NED
- | NED
- | UK
- | UK
- | SWE
18 | SWE
- | FIN
- | FIN
- | USR
- | USR
3 | POL
- | POL
- | CZE
- | CZE
- | GDR
1 | GDR
5 |  |  | 14th  | 4
1965 | 250cc  | ČZ  | ESP
- | ESP
- | ITA
- | ITA
- | FRA
- | FRA
- | BEL
- | BEL
- | CZE
- | CZE
- | GER
- | GER
- | NED
- | NED
- | LUX
- | LUX
- | POL
- | POL
- | USR
- | USR
- | GDR
3 | GDR
1 | UK
- | UK
- | SWE
- | SWE
- | FIN
- | FIN
- | AUT
5 | AUT
- | 9th  | 8
500cc  | ČZ  | AUT
- | AUT
- | CH
- | CH
- | FRA
- | FRA
- | FIN
2 | FIN
2 | SWE
5 | SWE
6 | GDR
1 | GDR
1 | CZE
1 | CZE
2 | USR
- | USR
4 | UK
7 | UK
9 | ITA
- | ITA
- | GER
- | GER
- | NED
2 | NED
4 | LUX
4 | LUX
1 |  |  |  |  | 2nd  | 36
1966 | 500cc  | ČZ  | CH
1 | CH
1 | AUT
2 | AUT
1 | ITA
1 | ITA
1 | DEN
2 | DEN
4 | SWE
5 | SWE
- | FIN
3 | FIN
3 | GDR
1 | GDR
1 | CZE
1 | CZE
1 | USR
1 | USR
1 | UK
- | UK
- | NED
- | NED
- | BEL
11 | BEL
3 | LUX
1 | LUX
2 | GER
- | GER
- |  |  | 1st  | 62
1967 | 500cc  | ČZ  | AUT
- | AUT
- | ITA
2 | ITA
2 | SWE
4 | SWE
6 | CZE
1 | CZE
1 | USR
- | USR
- | FRA
1 | FRA
2 | GER
1 | GER
1 | UK
1 | UK
2 | BEL
2 | BEL
1 | LUX
- | LUX
1 | CH
1 | CH
1 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 1st  | 56
1968 | 500cc  | ČZ  | AUT
1 | AUT
18 | ITA
- | ITA
- | SWE
- | SWE
1 | FIN
1 | FIN
2 | GDR
1 | GDR
1 | CZE
1 | CZE
1 | UK
- | UK
- | GER
1 | GER
- | FRA
- | FRA
- | NED
- | NED
- | BEL
8 | BEL
1 | LUX
1 | LUX
3 | CH
2 | CH
2 |  |  |  |  | 1st  | 42
1969 | 500cc  | ČZ  | AUT
39 | AUT
1 | SWE
7 | SWE
- | NED
- | NED
- | ITA
- | ITA
- | CZE
1 | CZE
- | USR
2 | USR
1 | GER
1 | GER
5 | BEL
5 | BEL
6 | LUX
5 | LUX
1 | FRA
2 | FRA
1 | CH
4 | CH
4 | GDR
1 | GDR
- |  |  |  |  |  |  | 3rd  | 67
1970 | 250cc  | ČZ  | ESP
- | ESP
- | FRA
- | FRA
- | BEL
- | BEL
- | YUG
- | YUG
- | ITA
- | ITA
- | USR
- | USR
- | POL
- | POL
- | UK
- | UK
- | FIN
- | FIN
- | GDR
- | GDR
- | CH
- | CH
- | AUT
4 | AUT
- |  |  |  |  |  |  | \-  | 0
500cc  | ČZ  | CH
9 | CH
1 | AUT
6 | AUT
1 | NED
- | NED
28 | FRA
- | FRA
- | FIN
- | FIN
- | SWE
3 | SWE
3 | CZE
3 | CZE
- | USR
1 | USR
1 | GER
6 | GER
6 | GDR
8 | GDR
1 | BEL
- | BEL
- | LUX
- | LUX
1 |  |  |  |  |  |  | 4th  | 60
1971 | 500cc  | ČZ  | ITA
4 | ITA
- | AUT
1 | AUT
1 | SWE
2 | SWE
3 | FIN
1 | FIN
2 | CZE
- | CZE
- | USR
- | USR
- | GDR
6 | GDR
6 | UK
4 | UK
1 | GER
- | GER
- | BEL
- | BEL
- | LUX
6 | LUX
3 | NED
- | NED
- |  |  |  |  |  |  | 4th  | 70
1972 | 500cc  | ČZ  | AUT
- | AUT
- | CH
5 | CH
- | SWE
- | SWE
- | FRA
1 | FRA
1 | USR
8 | USR
1 | CZE
- | CZE
- | UK
7 | UK
- | GER
2 | GER
5 | GDR
2 | GDR
1 | BEL
6 | BEL
- | LUX
6 | LUX
3 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 2nd  | 62
Sources:[4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15]

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "Paul Friedrichs 21.03.1940 – 30.08.2012" (in German). MSC Teutschenthal. 30 August 2012. Archived from the original on 5 September 2012. Retrieved 5 September 2012.
2. ^ Paul Friedrichs career profile
3. ^ "1968 Motocross des Nations classifications" (PDF). memotocross.fr. Retrieved 7 March 2025.
4. ^ "1961 250cc motocross world championship race classifications" (PDF). memotocross.fr. Retrieved 3 March 2025.
5. ^ "1962 250cc motocross world championship race classifications" (PDF). memotocross.fr. Retrieved 3 March 2025.
6. ^ "1963 250cc motocross world championship race classifications" (PDF). memotocross.fr. Retrieved 3 March 2025.
7. ^ "1965 250cc motocross world championship race classifications" (PDF). memotocross.fr. Retrieved 3 March 2025.
8. ^ "1965 500cc motocross world championship race classifications" (PDF). memotocross.fr. Retrieved 3 March 2025.
9. ^ "1966 500cc motocross world championship race classifications" (PDF). memotocross.fr. Retrieved 3 March 2025.
10. ^ "1967 500cc motocross world championship race classifications" (PDF). memotocross.fr. Retrieved 3 March 2025.
11. ^ "1968 500cc motocross world championship race classifications" (PDF). memotocross.fr. Retrieved 3 March 2025.
12. ^ "1969 500cc motocross world championship race classifications" (PDF). memotocross.fr. Retrieved 3 March 2025.
13. ^ "1971 250cc motocross world championship race classifications" (PDF). memotocross.fr. Retrieved 3 March 2025.
14. ^ "1971 500cc motocross world championship race classifications" (PDF). memotocross.fr. Retrieved 3 March 2025.
15. ^ "1972 500cc motocross world championship race classifications" (PDF). memotocross.fr. Retrieved 3 March 2025.

* v
* t
* e

500cc / MX1 / MXGP world champions1

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1957 \- B. Nilsson
1958 \- R. Baeten
1959 \- S. Lundin

1960 \- B. Nilsson
1961 \- S. Lundin
1962 – R. Tibblin
1963 – R. Tibblin
1964 – J. Smith
1965 – J. Smith
1966 – P. Friedrichs
1967 – P. Friedrichs
1968 – P. Friedrichs
1969 – B. Åberg

1970 – B. Åberg
1971 – R. De Coster
1972 – R. De Coster
1973 – R. De Coster
1974 – H. Mikkola
1975 – R. De Coster
1976 – R. De Coster
1977 – H. Mikkola
1978 – H. Mikkola
1979 – G. Noyce

1980 – A. Malherbe
1981 – A. Malherbe
1982 – B. Lackey
1983 – H. Carlqvist
1984 – A. Malherbe
1985 – D. Thorpe
1986 – D. Thorpe
1987 – G. Jobé
1988 – E. Geboers
1989 – D. Thorpe

1990 – E. Geboers
1991 – G. Jobé
1992 – G. Jobé
1993 – J. Martens
1994 – M. Hansson
1995 – J. Smets
1996 – S. King
1997 – J. Smets
1998 – J. Smets
1999 – A. Bartolini

2000 – J. Smets
2001 – S. Everts
2002 – S. Everts
2003 – S. Everts
2004 – S. Everts
2005 – S. Everts
2006 – S. Everts
2007 – S. Ramon
2008 – D. Philippaerts
2009 – T. Cairoli

2010 – T. Cairoli
2011 – T. Cairoli
2012 – T. Cairoli
2013 – T. Cairoli
2014 – T. Cairoli
2015 – R. Febvre
2016 – T. Gajser
2017 – T. Cairoli
2018 – J. Herlings
2019 – T. Gajser

2020 – T. Gajser
2021 – J. Herlings
2022 – T. Gajser
2023 – J. Prado
2024 – J. Prado

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1From 1957 to 2002 500cc is the premier class. 2003 top class named motocrossgp which combine the top driver from 500cc and 250cc last year.2004~2013 MX1 and 2014 to today MXGP is the premier class,both use the 450cc 4 stroke bike.
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