Gaston Rahier

Gaston Rahier (1 February 1947 – 8 February 2005) was a Belgian professional motocross racer. He competed in the Motocross World Championships from 1967 to 1983, most prominently as a member of the Suzuki factory racing team where he won three consecutive FIM 125cc Motocross World Championships. After his motocross career, he competed in long distance Rally Raid racing and was a two-time winner of the prestigious Paris-Dakar rally. In 1977, Rahier was named the recipient of the Belgian National Sports Merit Award.

Rahier was born in Herve, Wallonia, Belgium on 1 February 1947. At the age of 20, he competed in his first Motocross World Championship event at the 1967 250cc Belgian Grand Prix as a privateer aboard a ČZ motorcycle. Despite his small stature (He stood 5 ft 3 in (1.60 m) tall), he also competed in the larger 500cc class where he scored his first World Championship point at the 1968 500cc Belgian Grand Prix.

Rahier joined the Suzuki factory racing team in 1973 competing in the 250cc World Championship in support of six-time World Champion, Joël Robert. He won the first overall victory of his career with Suzuki at the 1974 250cc West German Grand Prix where he finished ahead of perennial World Championship contenders, Gennady Moiseyev and his Suzuki teammates, Sylvain Geboers and Joël Robert. Rahier was a member of the victorious Belgian team at the 1974 Trophée des Nations event in Vesoul, France on 1 September.

As the sport of motocross experienced a surge in popularity during the early 1970s, the FIM introduced the 125cc Motocross World Championship in 1975. The Suzuki team entered Rahier into the new class, and he proceeded to dominate the season by winning eight out of twelve Grand Prix events to win the inaugural 125cc Motocross World Championship. He also helped the Belgian team reclaim the Trophée des Nations event on 7 September 1975.

He successfully defended his 125cc title in 1976 and was a member of victorious Belgian teams at both the Motocross des Nations and Trophée des Nations events. Rahier's title defense in the 1977 season was made more difficult by the strong opposition presented by Yamaha factory rider Gérard Rond who won three Grand Prix events. Rahier was able to prevail by winning seven of twelve events to win his third consecutive 125cc motocross world championship, setting a record of 29 career 125cc Grand Prix victories. In the 1978 125cc Motocross World Championship, Rahier finished the season in second place behind his Suzuki teammate Akira Watanabe. On 10 September 1978, he helped the Belgian team win the Trophée des Nations event for the fourth and final time of his career.

Rahier left the Suzuki team and raced a Yamaha to a third place finish in the 1979 125cc Motocross World Championship behind Suzuki teammates Harry Everts and Akira Watanabe. He raced for the Gilera factory racing team in the 125cc motocross world championships in 1980 and 1981. Rahier moved back to the 250cc class in 1982 riding a Suzuki. He suffered a serious hand injury in the 1983 season that ended his professional motocross career.

Rahier won 53 individual heat races and 30 Grand Prix victories during his world championship racing career. He won three 125cc motocross world titles (1975-1977) and six Belgian motocross national championships. He was a member of six victorious Belgian Trophée des Nations teams (1970, 1971, 1974-1976, 1978), and one victorious Belgian Motocross des Nations team (1976).

Rahier (left) during the 1988 Paris-Dakar Rally.

After recovering from his injury, Rahier began a successful off-road racing career competing in rally raid events. As a member of the BMW factory racing team, he entered the grueling, long distance 1983 Paris-Dakar Rally. A mechanical failure forced him to abandon the rally while he was leading the event however, he returned to win the 1984 Dakar Rally. He successfully defended his title by winning the 1985 Dakar Rally.

Rahier also competed for BMW in the 1985 Baja 1000 desert race in Baja California. Rahier and his co-rider Eddy Hau won Class 30 for riders over 30 years of age, and finished eighth overall ahead of all the cars and trucks entered in the race. In 1985, Rahier and long-distance runner Vincent Rousseau were honored as co-winners of the Belgian Sportsman of the Year award. Rahier was also a three-time winner of the Rallye des Pharaons (1984, 1985, 1988).

In the late 1980s, Rahier competed in sports car and touring car racing, taking part in the 1987 24 Hours of Le Mans and the 1987 Spa 24 Hour endurance races.

Rahier died in Paris on 8 February 2005, after a long battle with cancer.

Points system from 1952 to 1968:

Points system from 1969 to 1980:

• Gaston Rahier at DriverDB.com
• Gaston Rahier at eWRC-results.com