The 1956 Motocross European Championship was the 5th edition of the Motocross European Championship organized by the FIM and reserved for 500cc motorcycles.
Since 1957 this championship has then become the current Motocross World Championship.
It should not be confused with the European Motocross Championship, now organized by the FIM Europe, whose first edition was held in 1988.
Grands Prix RoundDateGrand PrixLocationWinnerTeamReport 1 May 6 Swiss Grand Prix Geneva Geoff Ward BSA Report 2 May 13 Dutch Grand Prix Schijndel Jan Clynk BSA Report 3 June 3 Italian Grand Prix Imola Bill Nilsson BSA Report 4 June 10 French Grand Prix Rouen Les Archer Jr. Norton Report 5 July 8 British Grand Prix Hawkstone Park Les Archer Jr. Norton Report 6 August 5 Belgian Grand Prix Balen Les Archer Jr. Norton Report 7 August 12 Luxembourg Grand Prix Ettelbruck John Draper BSA Report 8 August 19 Swedish Grand Prix Saxtorp Bill Nilsson BSA Report 9 September 2 Danish Grand Prix Randers Les Archer Jr. Norton ReportSources:
Final standings
500cc Points are awarded to the top 6 classified finishers.
Position 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th Points 8 6 4 3 2 1 Pos Rider Machine CH NED ITA FRA GBR BEL LUX SWE DEN Pts 1 Les Archer Jr. Norton 1 1 1 2 4 1 32 2 John Draper BSA 2 5 2 1 3 26 3 Nic Jansen Matchless 2 2 3 6 4 19 4 Sten Lundin BSA 4 3 6 2 4 3 17 5 Bill Nilsson BSA 1 1 16 6 Geoff Ward BSA 1 3 3 16 7 Auguste Mingels FN 2 5 4 5 13 8 René Baeten FN 5 4 2 11 9 Brian Stonebridge BSA 3 6 3 9 10 Jan Clijnk BSA 1 8 11 Jeff Smith BSA 6 2 7 12 Piet Vanden Oever BSA 3 4 13 Lars Gustavsson BSA 5 5 4 14 Broer Dirkx Matchless 4 3 David Curtis Matchless 4 3 Terry Cheshire BSA 4 3 17 Jean Somja FN 5 2 Pol Breesselers Matchless 5 2 Ejvind Hansen BSA 5 2 20 Raymond Sigvardsson AJS 6 1 Hendrik Rietman BSA 6 1 Jean Rombauts BSA 6 1 Hubert Scaillet FN 6 1 Frans Baudouin Matchless 6 1Source:
References