# Wil Hartog > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Wil_Hartog > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Wil_Hartog.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wil_Hartog > Source revision: 1315766100 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) Dutch motorcycle racer Wil Hartog Wil Hartog Nationality Dutch Motorcycle racing career statistics Grand Prix motorcycle racing Active years 1973 - 1981 First race 1970 125cc Dutch TT Last race 1981 500cc West German Grand Prix First win 1977 500cc Dutch TT Last win 1980 500cc Finnish Grand Prix Team Suzuki Championships 0 Starts Wins Podiums Poles F. laps Points 36 5 12 0 2 217 Wikimedia Commons has media related to [Wil Hartog](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Wil_Hartog). **Wil Hartog** (born 28 May 1948) is a [Dutch](/source/Dutch_people) former professional [Grand Prix](/source/Grand_Prix_motorcycle_racing) [motorcycle](/source/Motorcycle) [road racer](/source/Road_racing). He competed in the [Grand Prix motorcycle racing](/source/Grand_Prix_motorcycle_racing) world championships from [1970](/source/1970_Grand_Prix_motorcycle_racing_season) to [1981](/source/1981_Grand_Prix_motorcycle_racing_season). Hartog was the first Dutch competitor to win a 500cc Grand Prix race. ## Motorcycle racing career Born in [Abbekerk](/source/Abbekerk), [North Holland](/source/North_Holland), Hartog became the first Dutchman to win a 500cc Grand Prix when he claimed a victory at the [1977 Dutch TT](/source/1977_Dutch_TT).[1] When [Suzuki factory team](/source/Suzuki_MotoGP) rider [Pat Hennen](/source/Pat_Hennen) suffered career-ending injuries while competing in the 1978 [Isle of Man TT](/source/Isle_of_Man_TT), Hartog was hired as his replacement to help their number one rider, [Barry Sheene](/source/Barry_Sheene), defend his world championship.[2] However, Sheene was unhappy when his Hartog won the [1978 Belgian Grand Prix](/source/1978_Belgian_motorcycle_Grand_Prix) ahead of [Kenny Roberts](/source/Kenny_Roberts) and Sheene in second and third places. He challenged Roberts and Sheene during the [1979 season](/source/1979_Grand_Prix_motorcycle_racing_season) however, he crashed while leading four Grand Prix races and ended the season ranked fourth in the 500cc World Championship.[3] Hartog won five Grands Prix during his career.[4] Standing over 1,80 meters tall, he was at a disadvantage against his jockey-sized competitors yet he still managed impressive results. With his penchant for wearing all white riding apparel, he was nicknamed The White Giant.[5] Hartog (30) competing in his first World Championship race, leads Walter Szabo (23) and [Dieter Braun](/source/Dieter_Braun) (11) during the 1970 125cc Dutch TT. To commemorate the fortieth anniversary of his 1977 Dutch TT victory, Hartog was honored during the [2017 Dutch TT](/source/2017_Dutch_TT) by riding a lap of the Assen TT circuit on the motorcycle he won on, accompanied by Freddie Sheene, the son of Hartog's late teammate, on one of his father's motorcycles. Wil's nephew, Rob Hartog, is a motorcycle racer who has taken part in the [Supersport World Championship](/source/Supersport_World_Championship) and the [FIM Endurance World Championship](/source/FIM_Endurance_World_Championship).[6][7] ## Career statistics ### Grand Prix motorcycle racing #### Races by year ([key](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Template:Motorsport_driver_results_legend)) (Races in **bold** indicate pole position) (Races in *italics* indicate fastest lap) Year Class Bike 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 Pos. Pts 1970 125cc Yamaha GER FRA YUG IOM NED Ret BEL DDR CZE FIN NAT SPA NC 0 1972 250cc Yamaha GER FRA AUT NAT IOM YUG NED 14 BEL DDR CZE SWE FIN SPA NC 0 500cc Riemanoc GER Ret FRA AUT NAT IOM YUG NC 0 Yamaha NED Ret BEL DDR CZE SWE FIN SPA 1973 350cc Yamaha FRA AUT GER NAT IOM YUG NED Ret CZE SWE FIN SPA NC 0 500cc Yamaha FRA AUT GER IOM YUG NED 4 BEL CZE SWE FIN SPA 25th 8 1974 250cc Yamaha GER NAT IOM NED 15 BEL SWE FIN CZE YUG SPA NC 0 350cc Yamaha FRA GER AUT NAT IOM NED 15 SWE FIN YUG SPA NC 0 1975 350cc Yamaha FRA SPA AUT GER NAT IOM NED 6 FIN CZE YUG 26th 5 500cc Suzuki FRA AUT GER NAT IOM NED Ret BEL SWE FIN CZE NC 0 1976 500cc Suzuki FRA AUT Ret NAT IOM NED 3 BEL SWE Ret FIN CZE GER 21st 10 1977 500cc Suzuki VEN AUT DNS GER 6 NAT Ret FRA Ret NED 1 BEL 7 SWE 5 FIN Ret CZE Ret GBR Ret 10th 30 1978 500cc Suzuki VEN SPA 9 AUT 7 FRA 5 NAT 6 NED 5 BEL 1 SWE 2 FIN 1 GBR Ret GER Ret 4th 65 1979 500cc Suzuki VEN Ret AUT 3 GER 1 NAT Ret SPA 2 YUG 4 NED 3 BEL DNS SWE Ret FIN 10 GBR 3 FRA 18 4th 66 1980 500cc Suzuki NAT Ret SPA Ret FRA NED 19 BEL 5 FIN 1 GBR Ret GER 3 6th 31 1981 500cc Suzuki AUT 9 GER 14 NAT FRA YUG NED BEL RSM GBR FIN SWE 23rd 2 ## References 1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** ["MotoGP Preview: The 76th Dutch TT"](https://web.archive.org/web/20100627173709/http://www.superbikeplanet.com/2006/Jun/tb/060621x.htm). superbikeplanet.com. Archived from [the original](http://www.superbikeplanet.com/2006/Jun/tb/060621x.htm) on 27 June 2010. Retrieved 11 December 2010. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-Wil_Hartog_Hammers_Form_Book_2-0)** ["Wil Hartog Hammers Form Book"](https://www.classicracer.com/wil-hartog-hammers-form-book/). classicracer.com. Retrieved 2023-12-19. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** ["Racing's Greats: Kenny Roberts"](https://classictwowheels.com.au/racings-greats-kenny-roberts/). classictwowheels.com.au. Retrieved 20 January 2024. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** ["Wil Hartog"](https://web.archive.org/web/20200427010631/https://www.motogp.com/en/riders/Wil+Hartog). MotoGP.com. Archived from [the original](http://www.motogp.com/en/riders/profiles/Wil+Hartog) on 27 April 2020. Retrieved 11 December 2010. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** ["1977: 'De Witte Reus' wint de TT"](http://nos.nl/video/249170-1977-de-witte-reus-wint-de-tt.html). *NOS* (in Dutch). Retrieved 31 May 2017. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** ["SBK, Rob Hartog following in the footsteps of uncle Wil"](https://www.gpone.com/en/2017012138028/sbk/rob-hartog-following-in-the-steps-of-uncle-wil.html). 1. **[^](#cite_ref-7)** ["Hartog's "goal" a Spa weekend as recovery from injury continues"](https://ewc.fim-live.com/news/hartogs-goal-a-spa-weekend-as-recovery-from-injury-continues). *ewc.fim-live.com*. Retrieved 2023-12-19.[*[dead link](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Link_rot)*] --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Wil Hartog](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wil_Hartog) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wil_Hartog?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.