Motorcycle Grand Prix legends who switched to Formula One

MotoGP and Formula One are now under the same ownership, but the two sports share a history that stretches back to their beginnings. Grand Prix motor racing has been around for much of the twentieth century, but the championships we know today as MotoGP and Formula One officially started in 1949 and 1950 respectively.

Since then, only a handful of athletes have reached the very top in both disciplines. In fact, just four names immediately come to mind. If we've missed anyone, be sure to drop us a line.

With the Australian Formula One Grand Prix upon us and the MotoGP season in full swing, we’re taking a closer look at these iconic dual-sport legends.

While four Grand Prix motorcycle racers also competed in Formula One, John Surtees is the only man to win both championships. The British rider was born in 1934 and began his Grand Prix career in 1952 at the Ulster Grand Prix, finishing sixth on a 500cc Norton. His first win came in the 250cc class in 1955, followed by three 500cc victories for MV Agusta in 1956, which secured his first championship.

As a member of the MV Agusta factory team, he went on to win another three 500cc championships, as well as three 350cc titles, before switching to Formula One. Surtees made his F1 debut in 1960 for Lotus, before joining the Yeoman Credit Racing Team in 1961. Championship success eluded him until he joined Ferrari, where he won the 1964 Formula One World Championship. He continued racing until 1972 and passed away in 2017, aged 83.

One of the most iconic names in motorcycle racing history, Mike Hailwood was born in Great Milton in 1940. Nicknamed “the Bike,” Hailwood competed in Grand Prix motorcycle racing from 1958 to 1967, winning nine championships, including four 500cc titles. He raced for several brands, most notably Ducati, MV Agusta, and Honda.

His Formula One career began in 1963, with a total of 50 race entries. He never achieved the same level of success as in motorcycles, with his best result being second place at Monza in 1972, racing for a team owned by Surtees. Hailwood left Formula One in 1974 after a serious injury at the Nürburgring and retired to New Zealand. He returned to the Isle of Man TT in 1978 and, to the surprise of many, won the Formula TT class at the age of 38 — his 13th TT victory. He won a 14th TT in 1979 before retiring for good.

Hailwood died in 1981 at the age of 40 after crashing his car into a truck that had made an illegal turn. Legend has it that a South African fortune teller had predicted this exact outcome, further mythologizing his legacy.

Venezuela’s Johnny Cecotto raced in Grand Prix motorcycles from 1975 to 1980. In his debut season, at the age of 19, he became the youngest World Champion, winning the 1975 350cc title. He raced exclusively for the Venemotos-Yamaha team over his six-year career, finishing with 14 race wins and 26 podiums. Cecotto moved to Formula Two in 1980 and finished second in the 1982 championship.

He made his Formula One debut in 1983 with the Theodore Racing Team but never finished higher than 6th in a race. This 6th-place finish was the best by a Venezuelan driver until Pastor Maldonado won the 2012 Spanish Grand Prix. Cecotto only started 18 F1 races over two seasons, finishing seven. He found more success in touring cars after leaving F1 and, today, aged 70, supports his sons’ racing careers.

While not as successful as the other three, Jean-Pierre Beltoise still belongs in this exclusive club, having competed in Grand Prix races on both two and four wheels. Born in France in 1937, he made his Grand Prix motorcycle debut in 1962 and raced until 1964. In that short time, he made eight starts and earned one podium in the 50cc class aboard a Kreidler.

Beltoise debuted in Formula One in 1966 and achieved his first podium in 1968. The pinnacle of his career came when he won the 1972 Monaco Grand Prix for the Marlboro-sponsored British Racing Motors team. He retired in 1974, with one win and eight podiums to his name, and passed away in 2015 at the age of 77.

Tazio Nuvolari – Competed in Grand Prix races on both two and four wheels, but his career occurred before the birth of Formula One and the Grand Prix motorcycle world championship. His major wins included the Monaco Grand Prix in 1932 and Le Mans in 1933.

Giacomo Agostini – One of the most successful motorcycle racers in history, Agostini achieved 122 Grand Prix victories and 15 World Championships, mostly for MV Agusta. He later raced cars, including non-championship Formula One events and the British Formula One series, but never reached the top tier of F1.