 He proved to be competitive by finishing second to Giacomo Agostini and the dominant MV Agusta at the Finnish Grand Prix and had third places in Holland and Italy.Simmonds won his first 500cc class victory at the season ending Spanish Grand Prix at Jarama when Agostini sat out the race after already winning the championship.In 1972, seven years after first his first appearance on the 125cc Kawasaki, Simmonds would race the bike to a remarkable third place at the Dutch TT.