Introduction
Jack Middelburg (30 April 1952, in Naaldwijk – 3 April 1984, in Groningen) was a Dutch professional Grand Prix motorcycle road racer. Together with Wil Hartog and Boet van Dulmen, he was part of a contingent of Dutch riders who competed at the highest levels of Grand Prix racing in the late 1970s. Middelburg never earned a factory-sponsored race bike, yet managed to post some impressive results.
He became the second Dutchman to win the Dutch TT in 1980, and in 1981 he pulled off an unexpected upset when he defeated the defending world champion, Kenny Roberts at the British Grand Prix at Silverstone. His best years were in 1979 and 1981, when he finished in seventh place in the 500cc world championships. Middelburg was the last privateer to win a motorcycle Grand Prix in the 500cc class.
Middelburg was killed while competing in a road circuit race in Tolbert, the Netherlands in 1984.
Career statistics
Grand Prix motorcycle racing
Races by year
(key) (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 | Pos. | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1977 | 350cc | Yamaha | VEN | GER | NAT | SPA | FRA | YUG | NED 11 |
SWE | FIN | CZE | GBR | NC | 0 | |
| 500cc | Suzuki | VEN | AUT | GER | NAT | FRA | NED 11 |
BEL | SWE | FIN | CZE | GBR | NC | 0 | ||
| 1978 | 350cc | Yamaha | VEN | AUT DNQ |
FRA | NAT | NED 13 |
SWE Ret |
FIN | GBR 16 |
GER | CZE | YUG | NC | 0 | |
| 500cc | Suzuki | VEN | SPA | AUT Ret |
FRA | NAT | NED 15 |
BEL | SWE 13 |
FIN | GBR 14 |
GER 11 |
NC | 0 | ||
| 1979 | 500cc | Suzuki | VEN | AUT 15 |
GER 7 |
NAT 7 |
SPA 7 |
YUG Ret |
NED 7 |
BEL DNS |
SWE 2 |
FIN 4 |
GBR DNS |
FRA | 7th | 36 |
| 1980 | 500cc | Yamaha | NAT DNS |
SPA 15 |
FRA Ret |
NED 1 |
BEL Ret |
FIN Ret |
GBR 9 |
GER 8 |
9th | 20 | ||||
| 1981 | 500cc | Suzuki | AUT 8 |
GER 8 |
NAT 7 |
FRA 9 |
YUG DNS |
NED 5 |
BEL 6 |
RSM 7 |
GBR 1 |
FIN 4 |
SWE 3 |
7th | 60 | |
| 1982 | 500cc | Suzuki | ARG 9 |
AUT Ret |
FRA DNS |
SPA Ret |
NAT | NED Ret |
BEL Ret |
YUG 6 |
GBR | SWE | RSM 5 |
GER Ret |
16th | 13 |
| 1983 | 500cc | Honda | RSA | FRA 10 |
NAT Ret |
GER 11 |
SPA 8 |
AUT 8 |
YUG 11 |
NED 6 |
BEL Ret |
GBR Ret |
SWE DNS |
RSM Ret |
12th | 12 |