Giacomo Agostini 1967 he battled Hailwood in one of the most dramatic seasons in Grand Prix history. Each rider had 5 victories before the championship was decided in Agostini's favor at the last race of the season. Agostini dropped a bombshell on the Grand Prix world when he announced he would never again race at the Isle of Man TT, after the death of his close friend, Gilberto Parlotti during the 1972 TT. He considered the 37 mile circuit unsafe for world championship competition. At the time, the TT was the most prestigious race on the motorcycling calendar. Other top riders joined
Johnny Cecotto 350cc races. He went on to win three more races and defeated the seven-time defending champion, Giacomo Agostini, for the 350cc World Championship. At the age of nineteen, he became the youngest-ever rider at the time to win a world championship. He also finished the 1975 250cc world championship in fourth place with two victories. In 1976, Cecotto returned to the Daytona 200, now with full support from the Yamaha factory racing team. The race turned into a battle between Cecotto and his Yamaha teammate, Kenny Roberts. Their grueling pace proved too much for their tires and on the 33rd