Geoff Duke
{{short description|British motorcycle racer}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2015}}
{{Use British English|date=January 2015}}
{{Infobox motorcycle rider
|image = Geoff Duke (1951).jpg
|caption = Geoff Duke (1951)
|name = Geoff Duke
{{nobold|{{post-nominals|country=GBR|size=100%|OBE}}}}
|nationality = {{flagicon|GBR}} British
|birth_date = {{birth date|1923|3|29|df=yes}}
|death_date = {{death date and age|2015|5|1|1923|3|29|df=yes}}
|birth_place = St. Helens, Lancashire, England
|death_place = Isle of Man
|GP Teams = Benelli, BMW, Gilera, Norton, NSU
|GP Race Starts = 89
|GP Championships = 350 cc - 1951, 1952{{Clear}}500 cc - 1951, 1953 - 1955
|GP Race Wins = 33
|GP Podiums = 50
|GP Total Points = 359 (371)
|GP Poles = N/A
|GP Fastest laps = 29
|GP First race = 1950 Isle of Man TT
|GP First win = 1950 500 cc Isle of Man TT
|GP Last win = 1958 500 cc Swedish Grand Prix
|GP Last race = 1959 Nations Grand Prix
|TT Contested = 9 (1949 – 1955, 1958, 1959)
|TT Wins = 6
|TT First win = 1949 Clubmans Senior TT
|TT Last win = 1955 Senior TT
|TT Podiums = 8
}}
Geoffrey Ernest Duke {{post-nominals|country=GBR|size=100%|OBE}} (29 March 1923 – 1 May 2015), born in St. Helens, Lancashire, was a British multiple motorcycle Grand Prix road racing world champion.{{cite web |date=1923-03-29 |title=Geoff Duke |url=http://www.motogp.com/en/riders/profiles/Geoff+Duke |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150316205709/http://www.motogp.com/en/riders/Geoff+Duke |archive-date=2015-03-16 |access-date=2015-05-02 |publisher=Motogp.com}} He raced several brands of motorcycle: Norton, Gilera, BMW, NSU and Benelli.{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=GgyrCgAAQBAJ&q=Geoff+Duke+NSU&pg=PA17|title=Pilotes légendaires de la Moto|first=Hervé|last=Gouinguenet|date=15 October 2015|publisher=edi8|isbn=9791030100938|access-date=4 January 2018|via=Google Books}} After retirement from competition, he was a businessman based in the Isle of Man.
Sporting career
After reaching the status of Team Sergeant in the Royal Signals Motorcycle Display Team, The White Helmets,{{Cite web|url=http://www.motorcyclenews.com/news/2007/september/sept1807picturespecialmcnmeetsthewhitehelmets|title=Picture special: MCN meets veterans from the White Helmets army display team|publisher=MCN|date=2007-09-18|access-date=2015-05-06}} Duke was a prominent figure in racing in the 1950s, winning six world championships and six Isle of Man TT races. First entering the Isle of Man Manx Grand Prix in 1948, he retired after four laps of the Junior race. He came to prominence after the 1949 events, finishing second in the Junior race, after remounting due to a spill, and winning the Senior race with a record lap and race-average speeds.Motor Cycle, 5 November 1964, p.797. Help Club accessed 31 January 2015{{cite web|url=http://www.manxgrandprix.org/Mountain-Course-Database/Events/Races.aspx?meet_code=MGP49&race_seq=1 |title=Race Results - Manx Grand Prix Official Website |publisher=Manxgrandprix.org |access-date=2015-05-02}}{{cite web|url=http://www.manxgrandprix.org/Mountain-Course-Database/Events/Races.aspx?meet_code=MGP49&race_seq=2 |title=Race Results - Manx Grand Prix Official Website |publisher=Manxgrandprix.org |access-date=2015-05-02}} He also won the 1949 Senior Clubmans TT.{{cite web|url=http://www.iomtt.com/TT-Database/Events/Races.aspx?meet_code=TT49&race_seq=2 |title=Race Results - Isle of Man TT Official Website |publisher=Iomtt.com |date=1929-03-29 |access-date=2015-05-02}} He signed to the Norton works team for the 1950 TT, finishing second in the Junior TT and breaking both lap and race records in the Senior TT.
File:500 cc klasse. Geoff Duke (Norton) winnaar, Bestanddeelnr 904-6709.jpg
After winning three World Championships for Norton, he moved abroad to Italian motorcycle manufacturer, Gilera in 1953.{{cite web |url=http://www.crash.net/MotoGP/racer_bio/157/geoff_duke.html |title=Geoff Duke | MotoGP |publisher=Crash.Net |date=1923-03-29 |access-date=2015-05-02 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150630054635/http://www.crash.net/motogp/racer_bio/157/geoff_duke.html |archive-date=30 June 2015 |df=dmy-all }} With Gilera, he had a string of three consecutive 500 cc world championships. His support for a riders' strike demanding more start money led the FIM to suspend him for six months, dashing any hopes for a fourth consecutive title.{{cite news |title=Geoff Duke Must Finish Six Months' Suspension |work=The Bulletin |page=8 |date=18 August 1956 |access-date=20 December 2010 |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=KKxBAAAAIBAJ&pg=4656,1403324}} For 1953 he joined the sports car racing team of Aston Martin (Feltham, Middlesex) to race the DB3.{{cite web |url=http://www.hwmastonmartin.co.uk/aston-martin-news-article.asp?ArticleID=10 |title=Aston Martin And The Last 100 Years - Aston Martin News Details |publisher=Hwmastonmartin.co.uk |date=1913-01-15 |access-date=2015-05-02 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130523170518/http://www.hwmastonmartin.co.uk/aston-martin-news-article.asp?ArticleID=10 |archive-date=23 May 2013 |df=dmy-all }} Teamed with Peter Collins, the pair led the 12 Hours of Sebring until Duke's accident and resulting DNF. In 1955 he was declared the first rider to lap the Isle of Man TT course at 100 mph, though this was later corrected to 99.97.{{cite web|url=http://www.iomtt.com/TT-Database/competitors.aspx?ride_id=1057 |title=Geoff Duke - Competitors - Isle of Man TT Official Website |publisher=Iomtt.com |date=1929-03-29 |access-date=2015-05-02}} As a consequence the official first 100 mph lap is credited to Bob McIntyre, also on a Gilera, in 1957. Duke was a non-starter because of injury. His final race was the 1959 Nations Grand Prix.
Duke briefly dabbled in Formula One, entering the 1961 German Grand Prix in a private Cooper-Climax.{{Cite web|url=https://www.statsf1.com/en/1961/allemagne/engages.aspx|title=Germany 1961 - Race entrants • STATS F1|website=www.statsf1.com|access-date=3 August 2020}} Although forced to withdraw from that event as his car was not yet ready, he did race in the non-championship Kanonloppet at Karlskoga two weeks later.{{Cite web|url=https://www.statsf1.com/en/1961-hc/grand-prix-185.aspx|title=VII Kanonloppet • STATS F1|website=www.statsf1.com|access-date=3 August 2020}}
In 1963, he formed a racing team – Scuderia Duke, with riders Derek Minter and John Hartle – to race the 1957 Gileras against Mike Hailwood riding the MV Agusta.
During 1964, Duke was appointed Competition Manager for Royal Enfield motorcycles, helping to develop their new GP250 clubman's-category volume-production road racer.Motor Cycle, 3 September 1964. p.486 Lightweights stir it up during Manx Grand Prix practising. "New from stem to stern, the model is in the care of Geoff Duke who is helping Royal Enfields with the racing design". [image caption]: "Manxman Dennis Craine chats with Royal Enfield's Jack Booker and Geoff Duke.". Accessed 2015-07-02Motor Cycle, 19 November 1964. 'Earls Court Show Guide'. p.847 "Geoff Duke demonstrates the riding position of the new Royal Enfield racer..."Accessed 2013-08-18Motor Cycle, 9 September 1965. p.371 SLIM and LOW by David Dixon. Track test at Oulton Park of RE GP with Racing Manager Geoff Duke. Accessed 2013-08-18[http://www.bonhams.com/auctions/16230/lot/593/ Royal Enfield 250GP at Bonhams] Retrieved 2013-08-18
For the 1965 International Six Days Trial held on the Isle of Man, Duke was instrumental in helping to devise the 1,000-mile course and sections held on an island measuring approximately 30 miles long by 10 miles wide, particularly using tracks which would be unavailable in mainland UK due to restrictive legislation, a problem which did not arise on self-governing Isle of Man. Additionally, the island had hotels easily able to cater for the visiting teams, followers and spectators with a traditional goodwill and enthusiasm towards motorcycle sport. Duke acted as Clerk of the Course to the ACU, the governing body of motorcycle sport in Great Britain including the Isle of Man, which interacted with the FIM international organisation.Motor Cycle 28 January 1965 pp.104-107 Manx Recce. Peter Fraser weighs up the venue for this year's ISDT. Accessed 2015-06-12
In 1967, Duke acted as entrant for the class-winning Triumph Bonneville ridden by John Hartle in the 750 cc capacity section of the newly introduced for 1967 Production class, which required racing machines to be based on roadsters, complying with controlled specifications using selected adaptations only, available from the manufacturers as part-numbered inventory.Motor Cycle 15 June 1967 pp.808-811 Diamond TT edition, race report. Production machine race. Super speeds on roadsters. [image caption] "John Hartle pilots the big Geoff Duke-entered Triumph through the right-hander at Quarter Bridge". Accessed 25 June 2015
Personal life
Duke was the most famous rider to adopt one-piece leathers - he had enlisted his local tailor, Frank Barker, to make the first of his now famous one-piece race suits. Duke had previously used a one-piece lining under his two-piece leather racing suit, to facilitate easy movement, for which he received "ribald remarks from my team-mates!"Duke, Geoff. In Pursuit of Perfection (1988). Osprey, London. {{ISBN|0-85045-838-2}} He was named Sportsman of the Year in 1951, and was awarded the RAC Segrave Trophy.{{cite web|url=https://www.royalautomobileclub.co.uk/motoring/the-segrave-trophy |title=The Segrave Trophy |publisher=Royalautomobileclub.co.uk |access-date=2016-01-30}}{{cite web|url=https://ultimatemotorcycling.com/2015/05/04/1950s-motorcycle-racing-star-geoff-duke-passes-at-92/ |title=1950s Motorcycle Racing Star Geoff Duke Passes at 92 |date=4 May 2015 |publisher=ultimatemotorcycling.com |access-date=2016-01-30}}
He is also known to popularize the "centered" riding style, whereby keeping himself on the saddle while cornering and keeping his upper body on the same lean angle as the bike. He also dismissed the notion of the "body leaning out" riding style would only be a fad. It had since been proven false after his passing, mostly because he was riding on less powerful machinery with thinner all-weather tyres.{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z9gLDjKA_zg |title=Evolution of MotoGP Riding Styles - From Leaning Out to Elbow Dragging |date=2018-01-03 |last=Mike on Bikes |access-date=2024-07-30 |via=YouTube}}
Duke was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 1953 New Year Honours "for services to British Motor-Cycle racing."UK list: {{London Gazette |issue=39732 |date= 30 December 1952 |pages=13 |supp=y}}
He was one of many signatories in a letter to The Times on 17 July 1958 opposing 'the policy of apartheid' in international sport and defending 'the principle of racial equality which is embodied in the Declaration of the Olympic Games'. Brown, Geoff and Hogsbjerg, Christian. Apartheid is not a Game: Remembering the Stop the Seventy Tour campaign. London: Redwords, 2020, p. 16 {{ISBN|9781912926589}}
File:Geoff Duke funeral cortege 1 cropped.JPG
After retiring from racing, Duke became a businessman, initially in the motor trade and later in shipping services to the Isle of Man. In 1978, he was instrumental in setting up the Manx Line that introduced the first roll-on-roll-off ferry service to the island in competition with the 150-year-old Isle of Man Steam Packet Company{{cite web|author=John Moss |url=http://www.manchester2002-uk.com/celebs/sport-champs7.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20041124154839/http://www.manchester2002-uk.com/celebs/sport-champs7.html |url-status=usurped |archive-date=24 November 2004 |title=Ricky hatton, Andrew Freddy Flintoff, Paula Radcliffe, Geoff Duke, Stanley Matthews & David Lloyd - British Sportsmen and Sportswomen from the Northwest region |publisher=Manchester2002-uk.com |access-date=2015-05-02}} The FIM named him a Grand Prix "Legend" in 2002.{{cite web|url=http://www.motogp.com/en/MotoGP+Legends |title=· MotoGP Legends |publisher=Motogp.com |access-date=2015-05-02 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111028145312/http://www.motogp.com/en/MotoGP+Legends/ |archive-date=28 October 2011 |df=dmy }}
Highly honoured by the Isle of Man, where he made so many of his world record breaking rides, a point on the mountain section of the TT Course was named after him in 2003. Three sharp bends at the 32nd Milestone between Brandywell and Windy Corner now carry the title 'Duke's'.[http://www.iomtt.com/TT-Database/Courses.aspx Isle of Man TT Official site] Retrieved 2015-06-12
He died, aged 92, at his home on the Isle of Man on 1 May 2015 after being ill for some time.{{cite news|last=Miller|first=Robin|title=Grand Prix and TT legend Geoff Duke has died|publisher=Bikesportnews.com|url=http://www.bikesportnews.com/news/news-detail/grand-prix-and-tt-legend-geoff-duke-has-died|date=2015-05-02|access-date=2015-05-02}} Duke's funeral cortege assembled at TT Grandstand, Glencrutchery Road, Douglas, Isle of Man on 10 May, prior to a last lap of the Snaefell Mountain Course, followed by a private family funeral service.[https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/motorsport/32608927 Isle of Man TT champion Geoff Duke's coffin to take final lap] BBC Sport, 10 May 2015, Retrieved 2015-07-07[http://www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/news/latest-news/top-stories/tt-legend-geoff-duke-makes-last-lap-of-mountain-course-1-7253685 TT legend Geoff Duke makes last lap of Mountain Course] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150708153602/http://www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/news/latest-news/top-stories/tt-legend-geoff-duke-makes-last-lap-of-mountain-course-1-7253685 |date=8 July 2015 }} Yorkshire Evening Post, 10 May 2015, Retrieved 2015-07-07
World Championship results
| class="wikitable" style="font-size: 95%;" |
| Position
| width=20| 1 | width=20| 2 | width=20| 3 | width=20| 4 | width=20| 5 | width=20| 6 |
| Points
| 8 | 6 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position; races in italics indicate fastest lap. An empty black cell indicates that the class did not compete at that particular championship round.)
| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; font-size:90%" |
| Year
! Class ! Motorcycle ! 1 ! 2 ! 3 ! 4 ! 5 ! 6 ! 7 ! 8 ! 9 ! Rank ! Points |
|---|
| rowspan=3| 1950
!colspan=2| ! IOM ! BEL ! NED ! SUI ! ULS ! NAT ! ! ! !colspan=2| |
| 350 cc
! Norton |style="background:#DFDFDF;"| 2 |style="background:#FFDF9F;"| 3 |style="background:#DFDFDF;"| 2 |style="background:#FFDF9F;"| 3 | |style="background:#FFFFBF;"| 1 | | | |style="background:#DFDFDF;"| 2nd |style="background:#DFDFDF;"| 24 (28) |
| 500 cc
! Norton |style="background:#FFFFBF;"| 1 |style="background:#efcfff;"| Ret |style="background:#efcfff;"| Ret |style="background:#DFFFDF;"| 4 |style="background:#FFFFBF;"| 1 |style="background:#FFFFBF;"| 1 | | | |style="background:#DFDFDF;"| 2nd |style="background:#DFDFDF;"| 27 |
| rowspan=3| 1951
!colspan=2| ! ESP ! SUI ! IOM ! BEL ! NED ! FRA ! ULS ! NAT ! !colspan=2| |
| 350 cc
! Norton | |style="background:#efcfff;"| Ret |style="background:#FFFFBF;"| 1 |style="background:#FFFFBF;"| 1 |style="background:#efcfff;"| Ret |style="background:#FFFFBF;"| 1 |style="background:#FFFFBF;"| 1 |style="background:#FFFFBF;"| 1 | |style="background:#FFFFBF;"| 1st |style="background:#FFFFBF;"| 32 (40) |
| 500 cc
! Norton | |style="background:#efcfff;"| Ret |style="background:#FFFFBF;"| 1 |style="background:#FFFFBF;"| 1 |style="background:#FFFFBF;"| 1 |style="background:#DFFFDF;"| 5 |style="background:#FFFFBF;"| 1 |style="background:#DFFFDF;"| 4 | |style="background:#FFFFBF;"| 1st |style="background:#FFFFBF;"| 35 (37) |
| rowspan=3| 1952
!colspan=2| ! SUI ! IOM ! NED ! BEL ! GER ! ULS ! NAT ! ESP ! !colspan=2| |
| 350 cc
! Norton |style="background:#FFFFBF;"| 1 |style="background:#FFFFBF;"| 1 |style="background:#FFFFBF;"| 1 |style="background:#FFFFBF;"| 1 | | | | style="background:#000;"| | |style="background:#FFFFBF;"| 1st |style="background:#FFFFBF;"| 32 |
| 500 cc
! Norton |style="background:#efcfff;"| Ret |style="background:#EFCFFF;"| Ret |style="background:#DFDFDF;"| 2 |style="background:#DFDFDF;"| 2 | | | | | ! 7th ! 12 |
| rowspan=2| 1953
!colspan=2| ! IOM ! NED ! BEL ! GER ! FRA ! ULS ! SUI ! NAT ! ESP !colspan=2| |
| 500 cc
! Gilera |style="background:#EFCFFF;"| Ret |style="background:#FFFFBF;"| 1 |style="background:#efcfff;"| Ret | style="background:#000;"| |style="background:#FFFFBF;"| 1 |style="background:#DFDFDF;"| 2 |style="background:#FFFFBF;"| 1 |style="background:#FFFFBF;"| 1 | |style="background:#FFFFBF;"| 1st |style="background:#FFFFBF;"| 38 |
| rowspan=2| 1954
!colspan=2| ! FRA ! IOM ! ULS ! BEL ! NED ! GER ! SUI ! NAT ! ESP !colspan=2| |
| 500 cc
! Gilera |style="background:#efcfff;"| Ret |style="background:#DFDFDF;"| 2 | style="background:#fff;"| C |style="background:#FFFFBF;"| 1 |style="background:#FFFFBF;"| 1 |style="background:#FFFFBF;"| 1 |style="background:#FFFFBF;"| 1 |style="background:#FFFFBF;"| 1 | |style="background:#FFFFBF;"| 1st |style="background:#FFFFBF;"| 40 (46) |
| rowspan=2| 1955
!colspan=2| ! ESP ! FRA ! IOM ! GER ! BEL ! NED ! ULS ! NAT ! !colspan=2| |
| 500 cc
! Gilera |style="background:#efcfff;"| Ret |style="background:#FFFFBF;"| 1 |style="background:#FFFFBF;"| 1 |style="background:#FFFFBF;"| 1 |style="background:#efcfff;"| Ret |style="background:#FFFFBF;"| 1 | |style="background:#FFDF9F;"| 3 | |style="background:#FFFFBF;"| 1st |style="background:#FFFFBF;"| 36 |
| rowspan=2| 1956
!colspan=2| ! IOM ! NED ! BEL ! GER ! ULS ! NAT ! ! ! !colspan=2| |
| 500 cc
! Gilera | | |style="background:#efcfff;"| Ret |style="background:#efcfff;"| Ret |style="background:#efcfff;"| Ret |style="background:#FFFFBF;"| 1 | | | ! 7th ! 8 |
| rowspan=3| 1957
!colspan=2| ! GER ! IOM ! NED ! BEL ! ULS ! NAT ! ! ! !colspan=2| |
| 350 cc
! Gilera | | | | |style="background:#efcfff;"| Ret |style="background:#efcfff;"| Ret | | | ! - ! 0 |
| 500 cc
! Gilera | | | | |style="background:#FFDF9F;"| 3 |style="background:#DFDFDF;"| 2 | | | ! 4th ! 10 |
| rowspan=4| 1958
!colspan=2| ! IOM ! NED ! BEL ! GER ! SWE ! ULS ! NAT ! ! !colspan=2| |
| 350 cc
! Norton |style="background:#EFCFFF;"| Ret |style="background:#efcfff;"| Ret |style="background:#DFFFDF;"| 5 |style="background:#efcfff;"| Ret |style="background:#FFFFBF;"| 1 |style="background:#DFFFDF;"| 4 |style="background:#FFDF9F;"| 3 | | |style="background:#ffdf9f;"| 3rd |style="background:#ffdf9f;"| 17 |
| rowspan=2| 500 cc
! BMW |style="background:#EFCFFF;"| Ret |style="background:#efcfff;"| Ret |style="background:#DFFFDF;"| 4 |style="background:#efcfff;"| Ret | | | | | |rowspan=2 style="background:#ffdf9f;"| 3rd |rowspan=2 style="background:#ffdf9f;"| 13 |
| Norton
| | | | |style="background:#FFFFBF;"| 1 |style="background:#DFFFDF;"| 5 |style="background:#cfcfff;"| 7 | | |
| rowspan=5| 1959
!colspan=2| ! FRA ! IOM ! GER ! NED ! BEL ! SWE ! ULS ! NAT ! !colspan=2| |
| rowspan=2| 250 cc
! NSU | style="background:#000;"| |style="background:#EFCFFF;"| Ret | | | style="background:#000;"| | | | | !rowspan=2| 10th !rowspan=2| 5 |
| Benelli
| style="background:#000;"| | |style="background:#dfffdf;"| 6 | | style="background:#000;"| |style="background:#ffdf9f;"| 3 | |style="background:#cfcfff;"| 10 | |
| 350 cc
! Norton | |style="background:#DFFFDF;"| 4 |style="background:#DFFFDF;"| 4 | style="background:#000;"| | style="background:#000;"| | |style="background:#FFDF9F;"| 3 |style="background:#efcfff;"| Ret | ! 5th ! 10 |
| 500 cc
! Norton | | |style="background:#cfcfff;"| 9 | |style="background:#ffdf9f;"| 3 | style="background:#000;"| |style="background:#ffdf9f;"| 3 |style="background:#ffdf9f;"| 3 | ! 4th ! 12 |
See also
References
=Footnotes=
{{refbegin}}
- All Grand Prix results are taken from Walker, pp. 248–252
{{refend}}
{{reflist}}
=Books=
- {{cite book| title=Geoff Duke: The Stylish Champion| first= Mick | last= Walker | author-link=Mick Walker (motorcycling) | publisher=MBI Publishing Company | year= 2007 | isbn=9781859835456 | url= https://books.google.com/books?id=sZZBswEACAAJ&q=9781859835456 | access-date= 2016-01-30}}
{{500 cc/MotoGP Motorcycle World Champions}}
{{350 cc Motorcycle World Champions}}
{{MotoGP Legends}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Duke, Geoff}}
Category:Sportspeople from St Helens, Merseyside
Category:British motorcycle racers
Category:English motorcycle racers
Category:500cc World Championship riders
Category:350cc World Championship riders
Category:250cc World Championship riders
Category:Isle of Man TT riders
Category:Motorcycle racing team owners
Category:Officers of the Order of the British Empire
Category:Segrave Trophy recipients
Category:500cc World Riders' Champions