Except where otherwise stated, the images shown here are the personal property of Phil Read MBE and may not be reproduced without his permission.
Please contact info@philread.org for more information.

Updated 18th April 2011

Phil's father Robert Read was a Flight Engineer in the RAF.

Roy Blunt says: "This is an Avro Tutor - there is only one left (but it is still airworthy!) at The Shuttleworth collection at Old Warden, near Biggleswade (quite appropriate really!).  There is a bit more info on Wikipedia"

Phil's father Robert Read during his time as a college lecturer

Phil aged 17 on the Duke BSA outside his family home in Luton. The bike was the ex-Alan Rutherford BSA 500 which he had campaigned the previous year.

Any more information on Alan Rutherford or the Duke BSA would be welcomed (tried Google and there's nothing out there!)

A winner on Syd Lawton's Norton 650 SS

Phil's co-rider was Brian Setchell.

Excerpt from Lothar Mildebrath
www.bmw-veteranclub.de

A painting of Phil riding the Kirby 350 AJS.

Any more information on this bike would be welcomed.

"The Yamaha RD56 made its debut at newly built Suzuka circuit in 1962 on the occasion of 'The First Suzuka All Japan Road Race Championship Event'. Since 1963, RD56 took part in the World Championship Grand Prix 250 class for 3 years. In 1963, Japanese riders such as Fumio Itoh, Yoshikazu Sunako and Hiroshi Hasegawa matured this model. Fuel bubbling problem caused by engine vibration which occurred in its first year was solved by modifying mounting of float chamber. In 1963 F. Itoh's win at the Belgian GP, the first GP win for Yamaha, arose expectations for the coming years. But in 1964, Yamaha ace rider F. Itoh crashed at the Singapore GP, a non-championship event, prior to the season opening and suffered head injury. Later Itoh disappeared from the GP scene due to this accident. When the season opened, Yamaha's newcomer Phil Read showed his potential. Read won five races this year and presented Yamaha its first World Championship Title. In 1965, Read won seven races and Mike Duff won one race. By these wins Yamaha defended the World Championship 250cc title that year"
Picture and Text  © Seevert Works 2001

This commemorative picture was kindly provided by Ferry Brouwer

Phil (in the foreground) relaxes at the 1966 Finnish GP with Giacomo Agostini, Mike  Hailwood and Bill Ivy

Phil won the 125cc race (Yamaha), Hailwood the 250 (Honda) and Ago the 350 and the 500cc races (MV)

What does that say on Mike's t-shirt???

Shown leading Mike Hailwood.
Phil was riding the Yamaha factory four cylinder 250, Mike on the legendary Honda 250-6.

Ken Boyd writes: (it must be 1968 as...) "Mike has the 'Mr Punch' caricature on the front of his helmet rather than the 1966/67 Honda badge"

Phil on the four cylinder 250cc Yamaha leading Bill Ivy

What a great picture this is!

For a period, Phil lived in Guernsey and sported the Guernsey crest on his helmet.

This commemorative picture was kindly provided by Ferry Brouwer

Phil was riding the RD05A 250-4 Yamaha. This photo was taken coming up to the Bungalow, where a puncture forced his retirement.

The race was won by the great Bill Ivy.

Additional info from Ferry Brouwer

Phil on the TR2 350 twin production Yamaha (air cooled).

Additional info from Ferry Brouwer

Phil was riding the 250-4 Benelli.

Again, the race was won by Kel Carruthers (Benelli) when Phil failed to finish.

This is an extract from "Motor Cycle" dated 1st April 1970.

It wasn't a joke - he slid into the 350 Yamaha and broke a bone in his wrist.

This was the first race of the Italian motorcycling calendar.

The picture says "GP d'Allemagne" - is that the TT?

This commemorative picture was kindly provided by Ferry Brouwer

Phil on the rostrum having just won the 500cc GP at Imatra

He went on to take the 1974 500cc World Championship for MV Agusta with four wins.

Phil in action at Imatra.

On the MV Agusta 500-4

Note that Phil is racing with the No.2 even though he was World Champion at the time. It was the practice in those days (still is?) to allow the No.1 plate to the current British Champion.

Who was that in 1974?

Same race as above.

Winner.

On the start line at Brands Hatch in 1974.
Phil is the World Champion (No.1). Ago on his right - both on MV 500-4s.
The partially hidden bike (No.3?) on the far left is Barry Sheene on the Suzuki twin (?).

If anyone knows anything about the mechanic in blue overalls on the left or the identity of the rider on the "Jeff's Motor Spares" Norton on the right, please let us know.

Paul Selleck says "I am the chap on the Norton. The 500cc Manx belonged to an old friend of mine, Jeff Boniface, who unfortunately is no longer with us. I started road racing on a 350cc Pike BSA Gold Star in the 1960s, went on to a 350cc Manx-engined "Low Boy",   used Jeff's Norton at times  and rode for Tom Kirby in 1972 on his 500cc and 636cc Seeleys. I also had a couple of rides on Vic Camps 750cc " V " twin Ducati after Tom finished up. I then rode the Norton again for a couple of seasons and packed up in 1975.
I still have the crash helmet I am wearing in the photo."

MV500-4.

MV500-4

Race of the Year on the privateer Yamaha 750

The Island was stripped of World Championship status in 1977 and responded with the Formula 1 - a one race World Championship. The 1000cc four stroke Honda was based on their successful endurance racers of the time (and forerunner of their CB900 DOHC road bike).

Montage of the above with Phil on the winner's rostrum.

Many authorities don't count the TT Formula 1 as a "real" World Championship - hence the discrepancy between Phil's eight World Championships (or seven as some would have it).

On the TT Formula 1 Honda

What about this then! Phil and his wife Angie in a magazine ad for his branded fairings.

"With a Phil Read fairing you don't need to wear anything else!"

Photo © Philip Wain 1988

Phil sent us these old shots that his dad took and says:
"My dad named me after you when I was born in 1974, just a couple of months after you'd won the World 500cc title!"

Photo © Philip Wain 1988

Photo © Philip Wain 1988

Taken at the Gilera Evening, Yorkshire Air Museum on 23rd September 2000. In black behind Phil is Umberto Masetti (1926-2006) who won Gilera's first world championship in 1950 on the 500-4. Also, pillion to Phil Read is Bill Lomas (1928-2007), two-times world champion in 1955 and 1956 on the 350 Moto Guzzi.

Phil's iconic helmet design was inspired by that campaigned by Lomas at the time.

Photo by Doug Peel.

International Classic GP motorcycle racing with Phil on the Duke BSA

International Classic GP motorcycle racing with Phil on the Duke BSA replica

Phil riding a Magni race replica owned by Peter Jones, 860cc 4-cylinder, built by Arturo Magni for Peter, specially for Phil to ride.Thanks to Peter for the information.

[also submitted by Thierry Linard in Ghent: he adds that the event has sadly moved to Dijon a few years back]

 

Phil riding the Paton in Belgium.

Phil riding the Paton at a memorial event.

Phil with Nobby Clarke and Steve Whynne. Phil is sitting on the 1953 MV Agusta 500-4

Phil is clearly impressed by the volume produced by Ago's MV 500 Replica.

Grid girls :)

Ferry Brouwer says:
"Some hundreds of years ago, two Scottish princesses left Scotland and ended up in Germany, not far from Frankfurt in the county of Hessen. They named the place 'Schotten' which is German for 'Scots'. The two girls shown in the photo are dressed as those two princesses. The men of Schotten also wear kilts and play bagpipes"

Ferry may be found at:
www.yamaha-classic-racingteam.nl

Riding the Paton

Phil with Ferry Brouwer - former Yamaha GP mechanic, original importer of Arai helmets to Europe in the early '80s and manager of the Yamaha Classic Racing Team.

The partnership continues to this day with the Arai Chaser Phil Read Replica helmet.

Photo © Greg Pullen 2008
www.gregpullen.co.uk
Team Benzina Blog

A nice portrait of Phil.

Get your "PR Replica" cap on our Shop page!

Phil raises a shower of sparks from the Matchless G30 as he chases Jamie Whitham.

Photo © Mark Steadman 2009

Riding the ex-Kenny Roberts Yamaha OW54

Photo © Mark Steadman 2009

Pictured with Wil Hartog (matching hair and leathers!)

Photo © Henk Stadman 2010

On an MV - awaiting further details...

Photo © Henk Stadman 2010

Cool bike Phil...

With Brian and Shirley (and the Yamaha)

A famous photo showing Giacomo Agostini (1), John Surtees (J1S), Phil Read (29), John Cooper (5) and Gianfranco Bonera (1).

They all like to be No 1 don't they!

Phil and Ago with Jay Leno in LA.