 He joined the Tom Kirby racing team in May 1965.Ivy's big break into Grand Prix motorcycle racing came towards the end of 1965, when he was selected as a stand-in and flown to Japan in October by Yamaha due to regular rider Mike Duff crashing in practice for the Japanese GP, suffering a broken thigh.Ivy finished fourth in the 125 cc race and third in the 250 cc class, the highest-placed of the Yamahas.