Santiago Herrero

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Santiago Herrero

Motorcycle Grand Prix Career
Nationality	Spanish
Active years	1968 - 1970
Team(s)	Ossa
Grands Prix	17
Championships	0
Wins	4
Podium finishes	11
Pole positions	N/A
Fastest laps	N/A
First Grand Prix	1968 250cc West German Grand Prix
First win	1969 250cc Spanish Grand Prix
Last win	1970 250cc Yugoslavian Grand Prix
Last Grand Prix	1970 Isle of Man TT

Santiago Herrero(May 9, 1943 - June 8, 1970) was born Madrid, Spain and was a Grand Prix motorcycle road racer famous for 17 motor-cycle Grand Prix wins and competing at the Isle of Man TT Races 3 times. After finishing 3rd in the 1969 Grand Prix championship with 3 wins in the 250cc class, Santiago Herrero followed this with the 1970 season with a win at the Yugoslavian Grand Prix. While lying in 3rd place on the last lap of the 250cc Lightweight TT Race during the 1970 Isle of Man TT Races, Santiago Herrero crashed at the 13th Milestone (Westwood Corner) and died two days later. The Ossa factory pulled out of Grand Prix racing after the accident

Contents 1 Biography 1.1 Grand Prix Championship 2 FIM Motorcycle Grand Prix Results 3 Sources 4 External links

[edit] Biography

At the age of 12 Santiago Herrero bought his first motorcycle. In 1962, he obtained his racing license, competing on a Derbi and doing his own maintenance. He soon moved up to a Bultaco Tralla 125 and caught the eye of Luis Bejarano, the owner of Lube (a Spanish motorcycle marque) who recognized Herrero's talent. Bejarano offered him a job in the company's competition department. In 1964, Herrero finished in third place in the 125cc Spanish National Championship and in 1965, he finished in second. Unfortunately, the Lube marque ran into financial difficulties and went out of business.

Herrero decided to go into business for himself, running a motorcycle repair shop in Bilbao. He purchased a Bultaco and competed as a privateer.

Around this period, Eduardo Giró, lead designer of the Ossa motorcycle company developed a revolutionary bike with a monocoque chassis. Recognizing Herrero's riding talent as well as his mechanical skills, Giró offered him a job to develop the Ossa 250cc race bike. Together they won the 250cc Spanish National Championship in 1967.

[edit] Grand Prix Championship

In 1968, he would move up to compete in the 250cc Grand Prix world championship. Although the single cylinder Ossa had 20 HP less than the powerful V4 Yamahas of Phil Read and Bill Ivy, the Ossa was 45 pounds lighter and its monocoque frame was much stiffer, giving it superior agility. The Yamahas swept the championship but, Herrero left no doubt that the little Ossa was quick and dependable. He finished seventh in the championship and claimed a third place in the final race of the season at Monza. He would once again take the 250cc Spanish National Championship.

1969 would be a big year for Herrero. He began the year winning his first Grand Prix at the opening race of the season in front of his countrymen at Jarama. After retiring from the German Grand Prix with mechanical problems, he returned with a victory at Le Mans. He followed this with third place at the Isle of Man TT, a considerable accomplishment considering his horsepower deficit on the infamous mountain circuit. He triumphed again at Spa and was leading the championship points race when he was beset by bad luck. He crashed in the rain at the Ulster Grand Prix and suffered a broken left arm. Most observers considered his championship hopes dashed, but Herrero showed true grit by coming back to finish in a remarkable fifth place at Imola. At last race of the season in Yugoslavia, he held a one point lead in the championship. He started the race in the lead but crashed on the seventh lap, ending his championship hopes. He would finish third in the World Championship. He repeated as Spanish 250cc champion for a third consecutive year.

Herrero got the 1970 season off to a promising start. Although, he retired from the first race of the season in Germany, he finished in second in France and took a victory in Yugoslavia. The Grand Prix circus then moved to the treacherous Isle of Man venue. Tragically, Santiago Herrero crashed at the 13th Milestone (Westwood Corner) when lying in 3rd place on the last lap of the 250cc Lightweight TT Race during the 1970 Isle of Man TT Races. After experiencing a "tank-slapping"^[1] wobble, Santiago Herrero collided with Stanley Wood and crashed into a hedge. As a result of the accident Stanley Wood suffered a broken ankle and two broken collar-bones^[2] and Santiago Herrero died of irreversible shock and from his injuries two days later.^[3] The cause of the accident was described by Stanley Wood as "may have been melting tar on the bend."^[4] He was 28 years old. His loss affected the Ossa factory so much that they abandoned racing altogether. Spain had lost one of their first racing heroes.

[edit] FIM Motorcycle Grand Prix Results

Position	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10
Points	15	12	10	8	6	5	4	3	2	1

Year	Class	Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	Points	Rank	Wins
1968	250cc	Ossa	W.GER 1	ESP DNF	IOM DNF	NED 1	BEL 2	E.GER DNF	CZE DNS	FIN DNS	ULS DNS	NAT 4			8	7th	0
1969	50 cc	Derbi	ESP DNS	W.GER DNS	FRA DNS		NED 4	BEL 12	E.GER 12	CZE DNF		ULS DNF	NAT DNF	YUG DNF	28	7th	0
1969	250cc	Ossa	ESP 15	W.GER DNF	FRA 15	IOM 10	NED 10	BEL 15	E.GER 12	CZE DNF	FIN 5	ULS DNF	NAT 6	YUG DNS	83	3rd	3
1970	250cc	Ossa	W.GER DNF	FRA 12	YUG 15	IOM DNF	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	27	8th	1

[edit] Sources

[edit] External links