Today in motorcycle history, March 21, 1965

  The 17th F.I.M. Road Racing World Championship Grand Prix season gets underway with the United States Grand Prix at Daytona, Florida.  

 

  The 1965 season consisted of thirteen Grand Prix races in six classes: 500cc, 350cc, 250cc, 125cc, 50cc and Sidecars 500cc.  It began on March 21, with United States Grand Prix and ended with Japanese Grand Prix on October 24.

 

  Britain's Mike Hailwood easily claimed his fourth successive 500cc class crown for MV Agusta.  Hailwood would continue his legendary career by winning eight out of the ten 500cc Grand Prix races this year, losing only to Northern Ireland's Dick Creith and his Norton on August 7th at the Ulster Grand Prix and to fellow MV Augusta team-mate Italy's Giacomo Agostini in the Finnish Grand Prix on August 22.

 

  Mike Hailwood would end the season by winning the 250cc class at the Japanese Grand Prix aboard a Honda.  Much to the dismay of Count Agusta.