André Malherbe, Three-Time Motocross World Champion, Dies at 66
Larry Lawrence | November 24, 2022
Belgian Won a Trio of 500cc Motocross World Championships with Honda in the 1980s
André Malherbe, the Belgian racer who won the FIM 500cc Motocross World Championships three times in the 1980s riding for Honda, passed away today, Nov. 24, according to a news release from the FIM.
He was 66.
Born in Huy, Belgium on March 21, 1956, Malherbe was the son of a motorcycle dealer and started racing at seven. He came to the attention of motocross fans around the world when he rode a Zündapp to victory in the FIM 125cc Motocross European Championship in both 1973 and 1974, a precursor to the FIM 125cc Motocross World Championships, which began in 1975.
He signed with KTM in 1976. In ’77 he scored his first GP victory. Malherbe then joined Honda in 1979. It was with Honda where Malherbe scored his greatest successes, winning his first world title in the FIM 500cc Motocross World Championship in 1980. He defended his championship again in 1981 and then scored his third crown in the class in 1984.
Malherbe was also a key member of three winning efforts by Team Belgium in the Motocross des Nations – 1977, 1979 and 1980.
At the time of his retirement from motocross in 1986, Malherbe’s 41 Grand Prix race victories placed him fourth on the all-time winners list.
After racing in the 1987 Spa 24 Hour as part of the Touring Car World Championship Malherbe then went on to compete in Rally events. Sadly, Malherbe crashed heavily during the 1988 Paris Dakar and sustained serious injuries that left him paralyzed.
The FIM stated that “Malherbe inspired respect, a true gentleman on and off the track. He was one of the Motocross greats of the eighties. His battles with Hakan Carlqvst and Dave Thorpe are legendary.”
