Fergus Kenrick Anderson was a British professional motorcycle racer. He was a two-time Grand Prix World Champion. His name appears on the Nazis' "most wanted" list drawn up prior to their intended invasion of Britain (published online as "Hitler's Black Book" by Forces War Records).

Anderson was one of the first riders from Great Britain to make his living racing motorcycles on the European continent. In 1950 he signed with Moto Guzzi and competed in the 250 cc class. He convinced Moto Guzzi to build a 350 cc bike, initially of 320 cc but later a full 350. He raced to the 1953 world championship in the bike's first year of competition. He repeated this feat as 350 cc champion again in 1954. His 350 cc world championship wins were the first by a non-British bike.

He retired from racing to become Moto Guzzi's team manager, but quit over a dispute over having a freer hand at running the team. He returned to racing and was offered a ride by the BMW factory. He died in 1956 after being thrown from his bike at a race in Floreffe, Belgium.

Fergus Anderson was a British lanky fellow and a rider of undoubtable talent, who rode Norton, Rudge, Velocette, NSU, DKW and above all Moto Guzzi machines, in a racing career which started in 1927, at the age of 18, and continued with the exception of the Second World War years, until his retirement at the end of the 1954 season. He became racing director of Moto Guzzi’s competition department, but after a dispute with the company over having a free hand at running the team, he returned to the circuits again in 1956, aged 47, accepting the offer of a ride by the BMW factory.

One of the best riders of the 1950s living at Varenna, province of Como, Italy, close to the Moto Guzzi factory, and competing in Grand Prix events as a works rider for Moto Guzzi, Fergus Anserson was a two-time motorcycle World Champion, winning the 350 cm3 class title in 1953 and 1954. He developed into an expert on the Isle of Man Tourist Trophy, winning this race in 1952 and 1953 in the 250 cm3 class. In 1952 Anderson also won the Swiss Grand Prix and was second in the 250 cm3 World Championship. He was classified third in that championship class in both 1950 and 1953. Anderson achieved 26 Grand Prix starts, with 12 wins included two Grand Prix wins in the 500 cm3 class, in the Swiss Grand Prix at Bremgarten in 1951 and in the Spain Grand Prix at Montjuïc Park in 1953.

On 06 May 1956 he had his first issue for BMW team taking part on the 23ème Circuit de Floreffe, a race organized by the Royal Motor Union de Namur in a public road circuit near the Belgian city of same name. While chasing John Surtees and Bill Lomas, Anderson hit a patch of gravel, collided with a telegraph pole and was thrown off his 500 cm3 motorcycle. He died shortly later at Namur hospital. His death shocked the racing community and caused the end of racing activities in Floreffe.

Fergus Anderson was buried at the Cimetière de Namur, Belgium, reportedly he had expressed the wish to be buried near the circuit had he died while racing. He was survived by his wife and two children. In May 1996 the Royal Motor Union de Namur organized a ceremony in Buzet with the presence of Jenny, daughter of Fergus Anderson, and former world champions and winners at Floreffe Cecil Sandford and Bill Lomas, on the occasion it was unveiled a memorial stone dedicated to Anderson.

Motorsport Memorial

Fergus Anderson Visit 1949

In summer 1948/49 Fergus Anderson came to Oz with a works 500 v twin Moto Guzzi , which was the lap record holder in the IOM by Omobono Tenni the year before, plus the first 7R AJS in Oz and a works 250 cc Moto Guzzi Albatros, which was virtually identical with the machine Stanley Woods won the lightweight TT in 1936

Classic Motorcycling Australia