Ginger Molloy

Ginger Molloy
NationalityNew Zealand
BornWilliam Garth Molloy
(1937-12-25)25 December 1937
Died16 September 2026(2026-09-16) (aged 88)
Motorcycle racing career statistics
Grand Prix motorcycle racing
Active years1965–1970
First race1965 250cc Ulster Grand Prix
Last race1970 500cc Spanish Grand Prix
First win1966 250cc Ulster Grand Prix
Last win1966 250cc Ulster Grand Prix
TeamBultaco
Championships0
Starts Wins Podiums Poles F. laps Points
40 1 13 N/A N/A 194

William Garth "Ginger" Molloy (25 December 1937 – 16 September 2026) was a New Zealand Grand Prix motorcycle racer. He competed from 1965 to 1970 in the Grand Prix world championship.

Biography

Growing up in Huntly, Molloy played rugby league for Huntly United alongside fellow future motorcycle champion Hugh Anderson. Molloy represented New Zealand schoolboys in rugby league before travelling to Europe in 1963.

Riding a Bultaco, Molley won his only world championship race in the 250cc class at the 1966 250cc Ulster Grand Prix. His best season was in 1970 when he rode a Kawasaki H1R to a second-place finish behind Giacomo Agostini in the 500cc world championship. New Zealand road racers had a string of second placings in the premier class – Molloy in 1970, Keith Turner in 1971 and Kim Newcombe in 1973.

Molloy died on 16 September 2026, at the age of 88.

Grand Prix motorcycle racing results

Points system from 1950 to 1968:

Position 1 2 3 4 5 6
Points 8 6 4 3 2 1

Points system from 1969 onwards:

Position 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Points 15 12 10 8 6 5 4 3 2 1

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position; races in italics indicate fastest lap)

Year Class Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 Points Rank Wins
1965 125cc Bultaco USA
-		 GER
-		 ESP
-		 FRA
-		 IOM
-		 NED
-		 DDR
-		 CZE
-		 ULS
-		 FIN
-		 NAT
6		 JPN
-		 1 24th 0
250cc Bultaco USA
-		 GER
-		 ESP
-		 FRA
-		 IOM
-		 NED
-		 BEL
-		 DDR
-		 CZE
-		 ULS
6		 FIN
-		 NAT
4		 JPN
-		 4 20th 0
1966 250cc Bultaco ESP
-		 GER
-		 FRA
-		 NED
-		 BEL
-		 DDR
-		 CZE
-		 FIN
-		 ULS
1		 IOM
-		 NAT
-		 JPN
-		 8 10th 1
1967 125cc Bultaco ESP
-		 GER
-		 FRA
-		 IOM
-		 NED
-		 BEL
-		 DDR
-		 CZE
-		 FIN
-		 ULS
6		 NAT
-		 CAN
-		 JPN
-		 1 28th 0
250cc Bultaco ESP
4		 GER
-		 FRA
-		 IOM
-		 NED
6		 BEL
5		 DDR
5		 CZE
-		 FIN
-		 ULS
-		 NAT
6		 CAN
-		 JPN
-		 9 7th 0
1968 125cc Bultaco GER
-		 ESP
2		 IOM
-		 NED
2		 DDR
-		 CZE
-		 FIN
-		 ULS
4		 NAT
-		 15 3rd 0
250cc Bultaco GER
2		 ESP
3		 IOM
-		 NED
-		 BEL
-		 DDR
5		 CZE
6		 FIN
4		 ULS
4		 NAT
-		 19 5th 0
350cc Bultaco GER
4		 IOM
-		 NED
2		 DDR
4		 CZE
-		 ULS
-		 NAT
-		 12 5th 0
1969 125cc Bultaco ESP
7		 GER
-		 FRA
3		 IOM
-		 NED
4		 BEL
-		 DDR
-		 CZE
8		 FIN
-		 NAT
7		 YUG
-		 29 6th 0
350cc Bultaco ESP
4		 GER
-		 IOM
-		 NED
-		 DDR
-		 CZE
10		 FIN
-		 ULS
-		 NAT
8		 YUG
-		 12 16th 0
500cc Bultaco ESP
3		 GER
-		 FRA
-		 IOM
-		 NED
-		 BEL
-		 DDR
-		 CZE
-		 FIN
-		 ULS
-		 NAT
-		 YUG
-		 10 26th 0
1970 250cc Yamaha GER
-		 FRA
-		 YUG
-		 IOM
-		 NED
-		 BEL
-		 DDR
-		 CZE
-		 FIN
-		 ULS
-		 NAT
-		 ESP
2		 12 19th 0
500cc Kawasaki GER
5		 FRA
2		 YUG
7		 IOM
-		 NED
4		 BEL
16		 DDR
15		 FIN
2		 ULS
2		 NAT
6		 ESP
2		 62 2nd 0

References

  1. ↑ "Huntly duo paved the way". The New Zealand Herald. 6 February 2011.
  2. ↑ "Ginger Molloy career statistics at MotoGP.com". motogp.com. Retrieved 13 April 2026.
  3. ↑ "THE EX-SIDEMM (KAWASAKI FRANCE) 1974 KAWASAKI 500CC H1-RW GRAND PRIX RACING MOTORCYCLE". bonhams.com. Retrieved 6 February 2022.
  4. ↑ "Ginger Molloy (88): New Zealand's first 500cc World Championship runner-up has died – MotoGP". SPEEDWEEK.com. 17 September 2026. Retrieved 17 September 2026.
  5. ↑ "William Molloy obituary". The New Zealand Herald. 19 September 2026. Retrieved 19 September 2026.