1983 Swedish motorcycle Grand Prix
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One of the most dramatic races in one of the most dramatic Grand Prix seasons ended in controversy as the championship's two main combatants collided on the last lap while battling for the lead.
Coming into the Swedish Grand Prix, Honda's Freddie Spencer led Yamaha's Kenny Roberts 117 to 115 with each man having won 5 of the season's 10 races. Roberts had the momentum, having won four of the previous five rounds.
Roberts led going into the last lap. Heading down the back straight, Spencer placed himself right behind Roberts' tail pipes as they reached the second to the last corner, a ninety degree right hander. As both riders applied their brakes, Spencer came out of Roberts' slipstream and managed to get inside of the Yamaha. As they exited the corner, both riders ran wide off the track and into the dirt. Spencer was able to get back on the track and back on the power first, crossing the finish line just ahead of Roberts.
It was a controversial pass by the young Honda rider and one that the two participants still dispute to this day. Roberts contends that it was a dangerous move while Spencer maintains it was a calculated risk he had to take to secure the championship. There is no film or video of the incident so only the two Americans know what really happened.
[edit] 1983 500cc Swedish Grand Prix final standings
| Place | Rider | Number | Country | Machine | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Freddie Spencer |
3 | United States | Honda | 15 |
| 2 | Kenny Roberts |
4 | United States | Yamaha | 12 |
| 3 |  Takazumi Katayama |
7 | Japan | Honda | 10 |
| 4 |  Marc Fontan |
10 | France | Yamaha | 8 |
| 5 | Eddie Lawson |
21 | United States | Yamaha | 6 |
| 6 |  Marco Lucchinelli |
8 | Italy | Honda | 5 |
| 7 | Randy Mamola |
6 | United States | Suzuki | 4 |
| 8 | Raymond Roche |
28 | France | Honda | 3 |
| 9 |  Ron Haslam |
Britain | Honda | 2 | |
| 10 |  Anton Mang |
West Germany | Suzuki | 1 |
[edit] 1983 250cc Swedish Grand Prix final standings
| Place | Rider | Number | Country | Machine | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Christian Sarron |
10 | France | Yamaha | 15 |
| 2 | Hervé Guilleux |
France | Kawasaki | 12 | |
| 3 |  Carlos Lavado |
5 | Venezuela | Yamaha | 10 |
| 4 | Tony Head |
28 | Britain | Rotax-Armstrong | 8 |
| 5 | Alan Carter |
Britain | Yamaha | 6 | |
| 6 | Jean Michel Mattioli |
22 | France | Yamaha | 5 |
| 7 | Jean Louis Guignabodet |
8 | France | Yamaha | 4 |
| 8 |  Didier De Radigues |
6 | Belgium | Chevallier | 3 |
| 9 | Jaques Bolle |
19 | France | Pernod | 2 |
| 10 | Martin Wimmer |
4 | West Germany | Yamaha | 1 |
[edit] 1983 125cc Swedish Grand Prix final standings
| Place | Rider | Number | Country | Machine | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Bruno Kneubühler |
15 | Switzerland | MBA | 15 |
| 2 | Fausto Gresini |
Italy | Garelli | 12 | |
| 3 |  August Auinger |
6 | Austria | MBA | 10 |
| 4 |  Johnny Wickström |
10 | Finland | MBA | 8 |
| 5 |  Ricardo Tormo |
5 | Spain | MBA | 6 |
| 6 | Hans Müller |
8 | Switzerland | MBA | 5 |
| 7 | Pierpaolo Bianchi |
4 | Italy | Sanvenero | 4 |
| 8 | Pierluigi Aldrovandi |
Italy | MBA | 3 | |
| 9 |  Willy Perez |
Argentina | MBA | 2 | |
| 10 | Maurizio Vitali |
13 | Italy | MBA | 1 |
