Finding the formula 750 style
1977 – Baker becomes the first 750 world champion
The rules come under scrutiny once again at the FIM’s annual conference with the 750s deemed too powerful for both the riders and the accessories, primarily the tyres. Various ideas were floated around but in the end no changes were made, with the exception that the Formula 750 was upgraded, gaining full World Championship status from the 1977 season onwards.
The season again got underway at Daytona, where the durability of the tyres and the weather were of major concern to everyone. A decision was made to run the event as two 100-mile heats and the three clear favourites were all Yamaha mounted – Steve Baker, Johnny Cecotto and Kenny Roberts.
The first 100-mile heat saw Cecotto drop out with an oil leak after just four laps and it was Baker who romped to victory some 28sec clear of Roberts, with Takazumi Katayama giving Yamaha a clean sweep of the top three. The expected bad weather then appeared and the second heat was cancelled.
Yamahas dominated the field at Imola, with 36 of the 39 entries on the TZ750, the remaining three on Kawasakis and Roberts was the star performer, winning both heats ahead
