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Kent Andersson (motorcyclist)

{{Short description|Swedish motorcycle racer (1942–2006)}}

{{Infobox motorcycle rider

|image = File:Kent Andersson (1973) cropped.jpg

|caption = Andersson in 1973 with a 125 Yamaha

|name = Kent Andersson

|nationality = Swedish

|GP Active years = 1966–1975

|GP Teams = Yamaha

|GP Race Starts = 90

|GP Championships = 125cc - 1973, 1974

|GP Race Wins = 17

|GP Podiums = 53

|GP Total Points =

|GP Poles = 4

|GP Fastest laps = 9

|GP First race = 1966 250cc Finnish Grand Prix

|GP First win = 1969 250cc West German Grand Prix

|GP Last win = 1975 125cc French Grand Prix

|GP Last race = 1975 125cc Yugoslavian Grand Prix

}}

Kent Andersson (August 1, 1942 – August 29, 2006) was a Swedish professional motorcycle road racer.{{cite web |url=https://global.yamaha-motor.com/race/wgp-50th/race_archive/riders/kent_andersson/index.html |title=Kent Andersson profile |publisher=yamaha-motor.com |access-date=2018-01-21 }} He competed in Grand Prix motorcycle racing between 1966 and 1975, most prominently as a member of the Yamaha factory racing team where he was a two-time 125cc World Champion.{{cite web |url=http://www.motogp.com/en/riders/profiles/Kent+Andersson |title=Kent Andersson career statistics |publisher=motogp.com |access-date=2010-01-05 }} Andersson was notable for being the only Swedish rider to win an FIM road racing world championship.{{cite web |url=http://www.classicyams.com/personalities/personalities/kent-andersson.html |title=Kent Andersson bio |publisher=classicyams.com |access-date=2018-01-21 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180901003720/http://www.classicyams.com/personalities/personalities/kent-andersson.html |archive-date=2018-09-01 |url-status=dead }}

__TOC__

Motorcycle racing career

Born in Landvetter, Sweden, Andersson rode in his first national championship races at the age of 19 in Sweden and Denmark on a Monark in the 250 cc class.{{cite web |url=http://www.motogp.com/en/news/2006/08/30/former-rider-kent-andersson-passes-away/141591 |title=Former rider Kent Andersson passes away |publisher=motogp.com |access-date=2018-01-21 }} He then rode a 250 cc Bultaco for the 1962 season. He proved himself to be a capable competitor.

After winning the 250cc Swedish national championship in 1965, Andersson moved up to the world championships competing with Husqvarna bikes that he modified himself. He bought a Yamaha 250 cc production racer and began posting solid results. In 1969 he finished second in the 250 championship after a season-long battle with Santiago Herrero and eventual champion Kel Carruthers. These impressive results earned him a place on the Yamaha factory 250 cc racing team as Rod Gould's teammate for the 1970 season, in which he finished third.

File:V.l.n.r. Kent Andersson, Dieter Braun, Cees van Dongen en Dave Simmonds in de 12, Bestanddeelnr 922-5810.jpg (7) pursue Cees van Dongen (29) in the 1969 125cc Dutch TT. Eventual winner, Dave Simmonds, follows behind an obscured rider.]]

Yamaha chose Andersson to help develop their TA125 racebike for the 1971 season.[https://www.bonhams.com/auctions/19766/lot/356/ Yamaha YZ623C 125cc Racing Motorcycle] Bonhams, Retrieved 20 November 2015 He went on to finish second in the 1972 on the water-cooled development model designated YZ623C, and claim the 1973 125cc World Championship. In 1974, he successfully defended his title by winning five races along with two second-place finishes.

Andersson retired after finishing 3rd in the 1975 season and took a position at Yamaha Europe's Developing and Constructing Department.{{cite web |url=http://www.motorbase.com/auctionlot/profile/2012/04/29/355-yamaha-ysk3-sankito-350cc-racing-motorcycle/ |title=Lot 355: Yamaha YSK3 Sankito 350cc Racing Motorcycle |publisher=motorbase.com |access-date=2018-01-21 |archive-date=2018-01-22 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180122072022/http://www.motorbase.com/auctionlot/profile/2012/04/29/355-yamaha-ysk3-sankito-350cc-racing-motorcycle/ |url-status=dead }} Among other projects, Andersson had an important role in developing the three-cylinder 350 cc bike that Takazumi Katayama rode to win the 350cc road racing world championship in 1977.{{cite web |url=http://davestestsandarticles.weebly.com/uploads/4/8/4/5/4845046/yamcircuitmag78_1__3_cyl_tz350.pdf |title=World Champion in its Debut Year!: Yamaha 350 Triple |publisher=davestestsandarticles.weebly.com |access-date=2018-01-21 }} Andersson continued racing in his later years just for fun at an amateur level in Sweden, but did so well that he won the Supermono National Championship in 1995 at the age of 53. He was a successful member of Ferry Brouwer's Dutch Yamaha Classic Racing Team. He often participated in classic exhibition races all over Europe. Andersson sometimes served as expert Road Racing commentator for Swedish Eurosport. Andersson died in August 2006 in Landvetter at the age of 64.

Grand Prix motorcycle racing results

Points system from 1950 to 1968:

class="wikitable" style="font-size: 90%;"
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

Points system from 1969 onwards:

class="wikitable" style="font-size: 90%;"
Position

| width=20| 1

| width=20| 2

| width=20| 3

| width=20| 4

| width=20| 5

| width=20| 6

| width=20| 7

| width=20| 8

| width=20| 9

| width=20| 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)

class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; font-size:95%"

! Year

! Class

! Team

! 1

! 2

! 3

! 4

! 5

! 6

! 7

! 8

! 9

! 10

! 11

! 12

! 13

! Points

! Rank

! Wins

rowspan=2| 1966

! 250cc

! Husqvarna

|style="background:#DFFFDF;"| ESP
5

| GER
-

| FRA
-

| NED
-

| BEL
-

| DDR
-

| CZE
-

|style="background:#DFFFDF;"| FIN
6

| ULS
-

| IOM
-

| NAT
-

|style="background:#DFFFDF;"| JPN
6

|

| 4

! 20th

| 0

350cc

! Husqvarna

|

| GER
-

| FRA
-

| NED
-

|

| DDR
-

| CZE
-

| FIN
-

| ULS
-

| IOM
-

| NAT
-

|style="background:#DFFFDF;"| JPN
6

|

| 1

! 25th

| 0

rowspan=2|1968

! 125cc

! MZ

|style="background:#DFFFDF;"| GER
5

| ESP
-

| IOM
-

| NED
-

|

| DDR
-

| CZE
-

| FIN
-

| ULS
-

| NAT
-

|

|

|

| 2

! 17th

| 0

250cc

! Yamaha

|style="background:#FFDF9F;"| GER
3

| ESP
-

| IOM
-

| NED
-

|style="background:#DFFFDF;"| BEL
6

| DDR
-

| CZE
-

| FIN
-

|style="background:#DFFFDF;"| ULS
6

| NAT
-

|

|

|

| 6

! 8th

| 0

rowspan=2|1969

! 125cc

! Maico

|style="background:#DFDFDF;"| ESP
2

| GER
-

| FRA
-

| IOM
-

|style="background:#DFDFDF;"| NED
2

|style="background:#DFFFDF;"| BEL
4

|style="background:#DFFFDF;"| DDR
7

| CZE
-

| FIN
-

|

| NAT
-

| YUG
-

|

| 36

! 4th

| 0

250cc

! Yamaha

|style="background:#DFDFDF;"| ESP
2

|style="background:#FFFFBF;"| GER
1

|style="background:#FFDF9F;"| FRA
3

| IOM
-

|style="background:#DFFFDF;"| NED
7

|style="background:#DFFFDF;"| BEL
4

|style="background:#DFFFDF;"| DDR
4

|style="background:#DFFFDF;"| CZE
7

|style="background:#FFFFBF;"| FIN
1

|style="background:#DFDFDF;"| ULS
2

|style="background:#FFDF9F;"| NAT
3

|style="background:#FFDF9F;"| YUG
3

|

| 84

|style="background:#DFDFDF;"| 2nd

| 2

rowspan=2|1970

! 250cc

! Yamaha

| GER
-

| FRA
-

|style="background:#DFDFDF;"| YUG
2

| IOM
-

| NED
-

|style="background:#DFFFDF;"| BEL
5

|style="background:#FFDF9F;"| DDR
3

|style="background:#DFDFDF;"| CZE
2

|style="background:#DFDFDF;"| FIN
2

| ULS
-

| NAT
-

|style="background:#FFFFBF;"| ESP
1

|

| 67

|style="background:#FFDF9F;"| 3rd

| 1

350cc

! Yamaha

| GER
-

|

| YUG
-

| IOM
-

|style="background:#DFFFDF;"| NED
5

|

|style="background:#DFFFDF;"| DDR
5

|style="background:#FFDF9F;"| CZE
3

|style="background:#DFDFDF;"| FIN
2

| ULS
-

| NAT
-

|style="background:#FFDF9F;"| ESP
3

|

| 44

! 4th

| 0

rowspan=2|1971

! 125cc

! Yamaha

| AUT
-

|style="background:#FFDF9F;"| GER
3

| IOM
-

| NED
-

| BEL
-

| DDR
-

| CZE
-

|style="background:#FFDF9F;"| SWE
3

| FIN
-

|

|style="background:#DFFFDF;"| NAT
7

|style="background:#DFFFDF;"| ESP
5

|

| 30

! 9th

| 0

250cc

! Yamaha

|style="background:#DFFFDF;"| AUT
4

|style="background:#DFFFDF;"| GER
5

| IOM
-

| NED
-

| BEL
-

| DDR
-

| CZE
-

| SWE
-

| FIN
-

| ULS
-

| NAT
-

| ESP
-

|

| 14

! 14th

| 0

rowspan=3|1972

! 50cc

! Kreidler

| GER
-

|

|

| NAT
-

|

| YUG
-

| NED
-

| BEL
-

| DDR
-

|

| SWE
-

|

|style="background:#FFDF9F;"| ESP
3

| 10

! 12th

| 0

125cc

! Yamaha

|style="background:#DFFFDF;"| GER
5

| FRA
-

|style="background:#FFDF9F;"| AUT
3

| NAT
-

| IOM
-

|style="background:#FFFFBF;"| YUG
1

| NED
-

|style="background:#FFDF9F;"| BEL
3

|style="background:#FFDF9F;"| DDR
3

|style="background:#FFDF9F;"| CZE
3

|style="background:#DFDFDF;"| SWE
2

|style="background:#FFFFBF;"| FIN
1

|style="background:#FFFFBF;"| ESP
1

| 87

|style="background:#DFDFDF;"| 2nd

| 3

250cc

! Yamaha

| GER
-

| FRA
-

| AUT
-

| NAT
-

| IOM
-

|style="background:#FFDF9F;"| YUG
3

| NED
-

|style="background:#DFFFDF;"| BEL
7

|style="background:#DFFFDF;"| DDR
5

|style="background:#DFFFDF;"| CZE
10

|style="background:#DFFFDF;"| SWE
4

|style="background:#FFDF9F;"| FIN
3

| ESP
-

| 39

! 7th

| 0

rowspan=2|1973

! 125cc

! Yamaha

|style="background:#FFFFBF;"| FRA
1

|style="background:#FFFFBF;"| AUT
1

|style="background:#FFFFBF;"| GER
1

|style="background:#FFFFBF;"| NAT
1

| IOM
-

|style="background:#FFFFBF;"| YUG
1

| NED
-

| BEL
-

| CZE
-

|style="background:#DFDFDF;"| SWE
2

|style="background:#DFDFDF;"| FIN
2

| ESP
-

|

| 99

|style="background:#FFFFBF;"| 1st

| 5

350cc

! Yamaha

|style="background:#DFFFDF;"| FRA
5

|style="background:#DFFFDF;"| AUT
7

| GER
-

|style="background:#FFDF9F;"| NAT
3

| IOM
-

|style="background:#DFFFDF;"| YUG
4

|style="background:#DFFFDF;"| NED
6

|

| CZE
-

| SWE
-

|style="background:#DFFFDF;"| FIN
6

| ESP
-

|

| 38

! 6th

| 0

rowspan=2|1974

! 125cc

! Yamaha

|style="background:#FFFFBF;"| FRA
1

| GER
-

|style="background:#FFFFBF;"| AUT
1

|style="background:#DFDFDF;"| NAT
2

|

|style="background:#FFDF9F;"| NED
3

|style="background:#DFDFDF;"| BEL
2

|style="background:#FFFFBF;"| SWE
1

|

|style="background:#FFFFBF;"| CZE
1

|style="background:#FFFFBF;"| YUG
1

|style="background:#DFFFDF;"| ESP
4

|

| 87

|style="background:#FFFFBF;"| 1st

| 5

250cc

! Yamaha

|

| GER
-

|

|style="background:#DFFFDF;"| NAT
5

| IOM
-

| NED
-

| BEL
-

| SWE
-

|style="background:#DFFFDF;"| FIN
4

|style="background:#DFFFDF;"| CZE
6

| YUG
-

| ESP
-

|

| 34

! 8th

| 0

1975

! 125cc

! Yamaha

|style="background:#FFFFBF;"| FRA
1

|style="background:#DFDFDF;"| ESP
2

|style="background:#DFFFDF;"| AUT
4

|style="background:#FFDF9F;"| GER
3

| NAT
-

| NED
-

|style="background:#FFDF9F;"| BEL
3

|style="background:#DFFFDF;"| SWE
4

|style="background:#DFDFDF;"| CZE
2

|style="background:#DFFFDF;"| YUG
4

|

|

|

| 67

|style="background:#FFDF9F;"| 3rd

| 1

References

{{Reflist}}

{{125 cc Motorcycle World Champions}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Andersson, Kent}}

Category:Swedish motorcycle racers

Category:50cc World Championship riders

Category:125cc World Championship riders

Category:250cc World Championship riders

Category:350cc World Championship riders

Category:Sportspeople from Gothenburg

Category:People from Härryda Municipality

Category:2006 deaths

Category:1942 births

Category:125cc World Riders' Champions