De Coster won 12 out of 24 motos during the season to claim his fourth 500cc world championship over second place Mikkola. The Husqvarna team asked Mikkola to switch to the 250cc world championship in 1976, leaving De Coster to battle his Suzuki teammate Wolsink for the 500cc championship.
Wolsink had seven moto victories against the nine victories by De Coster meaning that, both riders had a chance to win the championship going into the final race of the year in Luxembourg where, De Coster secured enough points to claim his fifth 500cc world championship. He also won a third consecutive Trans-AMA motocross series championship in the United States.