Anton Mang


Anton Mang is a former five-time world champion in Grand Prix motorcycle racing from Germany.

Early life

When he was 11 he had his first experience with motorcycles on the DKW RT 125, but soon afterwards he chose skibobbing as his favored sport. He was successful at this sport, winning the German National Championship as well as the Junior European Championship in skibobbing at the age of 16.
Still, motorsports kept pulling at him and he took part in a 50cc race on a Kreidler two years later though he had to pull out of the race due to mechanical difficulties.

Professional racing

In 1970 Mang joined the reigning 125cc world champion Dieter Braun's team as his mechanic. Together with Sepp Schloegl and Alfons Zender Mang, he developed the "Schloegl Mang Zender". With this machine, he took part in a race on an airfield in Augsburg and claimed his first victory. In 1975 he won the German Championship on 350cc Yamaha. Also in 1975 he competed in his first Grand Prix at the Austrian round of the world championship.
His first Grand Prix victory came at the 1976 German Grand Prix at the 22.8 km Nordschleife Circuit at Nürburgring on a 125cc Morbidelli. His success earned him a ride with Kawasaki riding Kawasaki KR250 and KR350s for the 1978 season. In 1980 he became World Champion in the 250 cc class and runner-up in the 350cc class behind Jon Ekerold. In 1981 he won both the 250cc and 350cc World Championships and became German Sportsman of the Year. In 1982, he became the last ever 350cc World Champion as the class was abolished at the end of the year. He fell just one point short of defending his 250cc championship, despite winning five races.
In 1983 Mang moved up to the 500 cc class, but a bad injury sustained in a skiing accident at the start of the season preventing him from competing until the middle of August. He failed to finish above 10th place in any of the races. In the subsequent year, 1984, Mang returned to the 250 cc class and finished 5th in the World Championship on a private 250 cc Yamaha. In 1985, a strong performance by Freddie Spencer left him in second place in the championship. 1986 saw him finish in 4th place in the series. Moreover, the fruitful collaboration with his chief mechanic and friend Sepp Schloegl came to an end.
In 1987 he became 250cc World Champion for the third time with 8 consecutive victories. At 38, he was the oldest 250 cc World Champion in the history of Grand Prix motorcycle racing history. He started the 1988 season with a victory, but injuries sustained in a bad crash in the Rijeka race in Yugoslavia forced him into retirement. Mang retired with a lifetime total of 42 GP wins. The FIM named him a Grand Prix "Legend" in 2001.
Like Angel Nieto on lighter 50cc and 125cc machinery, Mang specialized in medium-sized 250cc and 350cc bikes, winning all 5 of his championships on medium bikes.

Motorcycle Grand Prix results

Points system from 1968 to 1987
Position12345678910
Points1512108654321

Points system from 1988 to 1992
Position123456789101112131415
Points201715131110987654321


YearClassTeam123456789101112131415PointsRankWins
1975350ccSMZFRA
-
ESP
-
AUT
6
GER
-
NAT
-
IOM
-
NED
-
FIN
-
CZE
-
YUG
-
526th0
1976125ccMorbidelliFRA
-
NAT
-
NED
6
BEL
13
SWE
-
FIN
7
GER
1
ESP
4
325th1
1977125ccMorbidelliVEN
2
AUT
-
GER
3
NAT
4
ESP
-
FRA
-
YUG
7
NED
4
BEL
3
SWE
14
FIN
-
GBR
8
555th0
1977500ccSuzukiVEN
-
AUT
-
GER
8
NAT
10
FRA
-
NED
-
BEL
-
SWE
-
FIN
-
CZE
-
GBR
-
425th0
1978250ccKawasakiVEN
7
ESP
-
FRA
-
NAT
-
NED
-
BEL
7
SWE
9
FIN
4
GBR
1
GER
5
CZE
10
YUG
2
525th1
1978350ccKawasakiVEN
-
AUT
-
FRA
-
NAT
-
NED
-
SWE
-
FIN
-
GBR
-
GER
6
CZE
7
YUG
6
1416th0
1979250ccKawasakiVEN
-
GER
3
NAT
-
ESP
10
YUG
6
NED
4
BEL
DNS
SWE
4
FIN
-
GBR
3
CZE
4
FRA
5
566th0
1979350ccKawasakiVEN
-
AUT
3
GER
2
NAT
4
ESP
-
YUG
6
NED
4
FIN
4
GBR
-
CZE
2
FRA
-
634th0
1980250ccKawasakiNAT
1
ESP
2
FRA
2
YUG
1
NED
3
BEL
1
FIN
2
GBR
2
CZE
1
GER
3
1281st4
1980350ccKawasakiNAT
-
FRA
4
NED
3
GBR
1
CZE
1
GER
2
602nd2
1981250ccKawasakiARG
-
GER
1
NAT
3
FRA
1
ESP
1
NED
1
BEL
1
RSM
1
GBR
1
FIN
1
SWE
1
CZE
1
1601st10
1981350ccKawasakiARG
7
AUT
2
GER
1
NAT
2
YUG
1
NED
1
GBR
1
CZE
1
1031st5
1982250ccKawasakiFRA
-
ESP
3
NAT
1
NED
1
BEL
1
YUG
-
GBR
2
SWE
2
FIN
6
CZE
8
RSM
1
GER
1
1172nd5
1982350ccKawasakiARG
-
AUT
2
FRA
-
NAT
4
NED
2
GBR
3
FIN
1
CZE
2
GER
2
811st1
1983500ccSuzukiRSA
-
FRA
-
NAT
-
GER
-
ESP
-
AUT
NC
YUG
-
NED
-
BEL
-
GBR
12
SWE
10
RSM
10
218th0
1984250ccYamahaRSA
5
NAT
10
ESP
7
AUT
2
GER
4
FRA
1
YUG
NC
NED
4
BEL
7
GBR
11
SWE
DNF
RSM
8
615th1
1985250ccHondaRSA
2
ESP
3
GER
3
NAT
5
AUT
2
YUG
NC
NED
3
BEL
3
FRA
2
GBR
1
SWE
1
RSM
2
1242nd2
1986250ccHondaESP
2
NAT
1
GER
2
AUT
-
YUG
NC
NED
2
BEL
18
FRA
-
GBR
NC
SWE
NC
RSM
4
654th1
1987250ccHondaJPN
8
ESP
NC
GER
1
NAT
1
AUT
1
YUG
7
NED
1
FRA
NC
GBR
1
SWE
1
CZE
1
RSM
6
POR
1
BRA
7
ARG
NC
1361st8
1988250ccHondaJPN
1
USA
8
ESP
NC
EXP
7
NAT
10
GER
8
AUT
10
NED
3
BEL
3
YUG
DNF
FRA
-
GBR
-
SWE
-
CZE
-
BRA
-
878th1