1988 Japanese motorcycle Grand Prix
Encyclopedia
The 1988 Japanese motorcycle Grand Prix was the first round of the 1988 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season
1988 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season
The 1988 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season was the 40th F.I.M. Road Racing World Championship season.-Season summary:Eddie Lawson would recapture the championship from Wayne Gardner in a season that witnessed several fierce duels. Two newcomers joined the Grand Prix circuit with Americans Wayne...

. It took place on the weekend of 25th-27th March 1988 at the Suzuka Circuit
Suzuka Circuit
, Suzuka Circuit for short, is a motorsport race track located in Ino, Suzuka City, Mie Prefecture, Japan and operated by Mobilityland Corporation, the subsidiary of Honda Motor Co., Ltd..-Introduction:...

.

500 cc race report

Tadahiko Taira
Tadahiko Taira
Tadahiko Taira is a former Grand Prix motorcycle road racer from Japan. He was a three-time winner of the All Japan 500cc championship. Taira began his Grand Prix career in 1984 with Yamaha. He enjoyed his best season in 1987 when he finished the season in sixth place overall in the 500cc world...

 was on pole of the 5-column grid (it became 4-columns in 1990). Wayne Rainey
Wayne Rainey
Wayne Wesley Rainey, born in Downey, California, United States, is a former American Grand Prix motorcycle road racer. During the late 1980s and early 1990s, he won the 500cc World Championship three times and the Daytona 200 once. He was characterized by his smooth, calculating riding...

 got the start and lead through the first turns, with Kevin Schwantz
Kevin Schwantz
Kevin Schwantz is an American former World Champion motorcycle road racer during the late 1980s and early 1990s.-Early life:...

, Wayne Gardner
Wayne Gardner
Wayne Michael Gardner OAM is a former Grand Prix motorcycle road racer and touring car racer. His most notable achievement was winning the 1987 500 cc Motorcycle World Championship, becoming the first Australian to win motorcycling's premier class...

 and Christian Sarron
Christian Sarron
Christian Sarron is a former Grand Prix motorcycle road racer.He began his career on a Kawasaki when he met French Grand Prix racer Patrick Pons. Pons helped him get his start in the international racing circuit. His first victory came in the rain in the 1977 German Grand Prix...

 behind. Schwantz took the inside of the hairpin, but Rainey dove back under and got him back on the exit; Schwantz succeeded in taking the lead on Spoon.

At the end of the 1st lap, it was Schwantz and Gardner, then a gap to Toshihiko Honma (riding #46) and Sarron. Gardner and Schwantz swapped the lead many times.

Eddie Lawson
Eddie Lawson
Eddie Lawson is a former four-time Grand Prix motorcycle racing World Champion. His penchant for not crashing & consistently finishing in the points earned him the nickname "Steady Eddie".-Biography:...

 and Niall Mackenzie
Niall Mackenzie
Niall Macfarlane Mackenzie is a retired motorcycle road racer from Denny, Falkirk, Scotland.-Career:MacKenzie won the British Superbike Championship three times from 1996 to 1998 on a Rob McElnea-run Yamaha team, and the British 250cc and 350cc titles earlier in his career...

 moved through the field to 3rd and 4th. Norihiko Fujiwara lowsided at the hairpin.

On the last lap Gardner ran off the track and stayed on, but lost any chance of winning the race.

500cc classification

Pos Rider Manufacturer Time/Retired Points
1  United States Kevin Schwantz
Kevin Schwantz
Kevin Schwantz is an American former World Champion motorcycle road racer during the late 1980s and early 1990s.-Early life:...

Suzuki
Suzuki
is a Japanese multinational corporation headquartered in Hamamatsu, Japan that specializes in manufacturing compact automobiles and 4x4 vehicles, a full range of motorcycles, all-terrain vehicles , outboard marine engines, wheelchairs and a variety of other small internal combustion engines...

50:03.750 20
2  Australia Wayne Gardner
Wayne Gardner
Wayne Michael Gardner OAM is a former Grand Prix motorcycle road racer and touring car racer. His most notable achievement was winning the 1987 500 cc Motorcycle World Championship, becoming the first Australian to win motorcycling's premier class...

Honda
Honda
is a Japanese public multinational corporation primarily known as a manufacturer of automobiles and motorcycles.Honda has been the world's largest motorcycle manufacturer since 1959, as well as the world's largest manufacturer of internal combustion engines measured by volume, producing more than...

+8.384 17
3  United States Eddie Lawson
Eddie Lawson
Eddie Lawson is a former four-time Grand Prix motorcycle racing World Champion. His penchant for not crashing & consistently finishing in the points earned him the nickname "Steady Eddie".-Biography:...

Yamaha
Yamaha
Yamaha may refer to:* Yamaha Corporation, a Japanese company with a wide range of products and services** Yamaha Motor Company, a Japanese motorized vehicle-producing company...

+12.724 15
4 Niall Mackenzie
Niall Mackenzie
Niall Macfarlane Mackenzie is a retired motorcycle road racer from Denny, Falkirk, Scotland.-Career:MacKenzie won the British Superbike Championship three times from 1996 to 1998 on a Rob McElnea-run Yamaha team, and the British 250cc and 350cc titles earlier in his career...

Honda
Honda
is a Japanese public multinational corporation primarily known as a manufacturer of automobiles and motorcycles.Honda has been the world's largest motorcycle manufacturer since 1959, as well as the world's largest manufacturer of internal combustion engines measured by volume, producing more than...

+15.785 13
5  Japan Tadahiko Taira
Tadahiko Taira
Tadahiko Taira is a former Grand Prix motorcycle road racer from Japan. He was a three-time winner of the All Japan 500cc championship. Taira began his Grand Prix career in 1984 with Yamaha. He enjoyed his best season in 1987 when he finished the season in sixth place overall in the 500cc world...

Yamaha
Yamaha
Yamaha may refer to:* Yamaha Corporation, a Japanese company with a wide range of products and services** Yamaha Motor Company, a Japanese motorized vehicle-producing company...

+36.383 11
6  United States Wayne Rainey
Wayne Rainey
Wayne Wesley Rainey, born in Downey, California, United States, is a former American Grand Prix motorcycle road racer. During the late 1980s and early 1990s, he won the 500cc World Championship three times and the Daytona 200 once. He was characterized by his smooth, calculating riding...

Yamaha
Yamaha
Yamaha may refer to:* Yamaha Corporation, a Japanese company with a wide range of products and services** Yamaha Motor Company, a Japanese motorized vehicle-producing company...

+42.070 10
7  Australia Kevin Magee Yamaha
Yamaha
Yamaha may refer to:* Yamaha Corporation, a Japanese company with a wide range of products and services** Yamaha Motor Company, a Japanese motorized vehicle-producing company...

+42.179 9
8  Early Modern France Christian Sarron
Christian Sarron
Christian Sarron is a former Grand Prix motorcycle road racer.He began his career on a Kawasaki when he met French Grand Prix racer Patrick Pons. Pons helped him get his start in the international racing circuit. His first victory came in the rain in the 1977 German Grand Prix...

Yamaha
Yamaha
Yamaha may refer to:* Yamaha Corporation, a Japanese company with a wide range of products and services** Yamaha Motor Company, a Japanese motorized vehicle-producing company...

+45.186 8
9  Belgium Didier de Radiguès
Didier de Radiguès
Didier de Radiguès is a Belgian Grand Prix motorcycle road racer and racing driver.He made his motorcycle Grand Prix debut in 1979, racing in the 500cc class. His best year was in 1982 when he won two races and finished second to Anton Mang in the 350cc world championship...

Yamaha
Yamaha
Yamaha may refer to:* Yamaha Corporation, a Japanese company with a wide range of products and services** Yamaha Motor Company, a Japanese motorized vehicle-producing company...

+1:01.213 7
10  Japan Shunji Yatsushiro
Shunji Yatsushiro
Shunji Yatsushiro is a former Grand Prix motorcycle road racer from Japan. He began his Grand Prix career in . He enjoyed his best season in when he finished the season in ninth place in the 500cc world championship...

Honda
Honda
is a Japanese public multinational corporation primarily known as a manufacturer of automobiles and motorcycles.Honda has been the world's largest motorcycle manufacturer since 1959, as well as the world's largest manufacturer of internal combustion engines measured by volume, producing more than...

+1:10.228 6
11  Japan Hikaru Miyagi Honda
Honda
is a Japanese public multinational corporation primarily known as a manufacturer of automobiles and motorcycles.Honda has been the world's largest motorcycle manufacturer since 1959, as well as the world's largest manufacturer of internal combustion engines measured by volume, producing more than...

+1:16.201 5
12 Ron Haslam
Ron Haslam
Ronald Haslam is a British former Grand Prix motorcycle road racer who has been racing for over thirty years, winning three World titles, four British championships and having ridden in almost 110 GPs....

Elf Honda
Honda
is a Japanese public multinational corporation primarily known as a manufacturer of automobiles and motorcycles.Honda has been the world's largest motorcycle manufacturer since 1959, as well as the world's largest manufacturer of internal combustion engines measured by volume, producing more than...

+1:20.045 4
13  Early Modern France Patrick Igoa Yamaha
Yamaha
Yamaha may refer to:* Yamaha Corporation, a Japanese company with a wide range of products and services** Yamaha Motor Company, a Japanese motorized vehicle-producing company...

+1:29.535 3
14  Italy Pierfrancesco Chili
Pierfrancesco Chili
Pierfrancesco 'Frankie' Chili, is a motorcycle racer who has raced in the Superbike World Championship and the 250cc and 500cc classes in Grand Prix. In World Superbike he had a record number of starts, as well as 10 poles and 17 wins. He retired at the end of the season...

Honda
Honda
is a Japanese public multinational corporation primarily known as a manufacturer of automobiles and motorcycles.Honda has been the world's largest motorcycle manufacturer since 1959, as well as the world's largest manufacturer of internal combustion engines measured by volume, producing more than...

+1:38.989 2
15  Japan Osamu Hiwatashi Suzuki
Suzuki
is a Japanese multinational corporation headquartered in Hamamatsu, Japan that specializes in manufacturing compact automobiles and 4x4 vehicles, a full range of motorcycles, all-terrain vehicles , outboard marine engines, wheelchairs and a variety of other small internal combustion engines...

+1:42.545 1
16  Japan Takazumi Katayama
Takazumi Katayama
Takazumi Katayama is a former Grand Prix motorcycle road racing World Champion. He was the first Japan-based Korean rider to win a motorcycle road racing world championship when he claimed the 1977 350cc title aboard a Yamaha. In 1979 he accepted an offer from Honda to develop their exotic...

Yamaha
Yamaha
Yamaha may refer to:* Yamaha Corporation, a Japanese company with a wide range of products and services** Yamaha Motor Company, a Japanese motorized vehicle-producing company...

+1:43.611
17  Japan Masaru Mizutani Suzuki
Suzuki
is a Japanese multinational corporation headquartered in Hamamatsu, Japan that specializes in manufacturing compact automobiles and 4x4 vehicles, a full range of motorcycles, all-terrain vehicles , outboard marine engines, wheelchairs and a variety of other small internal combustion engines...

+2:04.446
18  Japan Keiji Kinoshita Honda
Honda
is a Japanese public multinational corporation primarily known as a manufacturer of automobiles and motorcycles.Honda has been the world's largest motorcycle manufacturer since 1959, as well as the world's largest manufacturer of internal combustion engines measured by volume, producing more than...

+1 Lap
19  Italy Alessandro Valesi Honda
Honda
is a Japanese public multinational corporation primarily known as a manufacturer of automobiles and motorcycles.Honda has been the world's largest motorcycle manufacturer since 1959, as well as the world's largest manufacturer of internal combustion engines measured by volume, producing more than...

+1 Lap
Ret  Early Modern France Raymond Roche
Raymond Roche
Raymond Roche is a French former Grand Prix motorcycle road racer. In 1981, he teamed up with Jean Lafond to win the Endurance World Championship. His best year in Grand Prix racing was in 1984 when he finished third in the 500cc world championship behind Eddie Lawson and Randy Mamola...

Cagiva
Cagiva
Cagiva is an Italian motorcycle manufacturer. It was founded in 1950 by Giovanni Castiglioni in Varese, originally producing small metal components. It went into the motorcycle industry in 1978. The name is a portmanteau derived from the founder and the founding location, i.e. CAstiglioni GIovanni...

Retirement
Ret Rob McElnea
Rob McElnea
Rob McElnea is a retired motorcycle road racer, who won three Isle of Man TT races, and with a best of fifth overall in Grands Prix....

Suzuki
Suzuki
is a Japanese multinational corporation headquartered in Hamamatsu, Japan that specializes in manufacturing compact automobiles and 4x4 vehicles, a full range of motorcycles, all-terrain vehicles , outboard marine engines, wheelchairs and a variety of other small internal combustion engines...

Retirement
Ret  Japan Katunori Shinozaki Suzuki
Suzuki
is a Japanese multinational corporation headquartered in Hamamatsu, Japan that specializes in manufacturing compact automobiles and 4x4 vehicles, a full range of motorcycles, all-terrain vehicles , outboard marine engines, wheelchairs and a variety of other small internal combustion engines...

Retirement
Ret  Japan Norihiko Fujiwara Yamaha
Yamaha
Yamaha may refer to:* Yamaha Corporation, a Japanese company with a wide range of products and services** Yamaha Motor Company, a Japanese motorized vehicle-producing company...

Retirement
Ret  United States Randy Mamola
Randy Mamola
Randy Mamola born in San Jose, California is a former Grand Prix motorcycle road racer. He is considered one of the most talented riders never to have won a world championship.-Career:...

Cagiva
Cagiva
Cagiva is an Italian motorcycle manufacturer. It was founded in 1950 by Giovanni Castiglioni in Varese, originally producing small metal components. It went into the motorcycle industry in 1978. The name is a portmanteau derived from the founder and the founding location, i.e. CAstiglioni GIovanni...

Retirement
Ret  Japan Hisashi Yamana Suzuki
Suzuki
is a Japanese multinational corporation headquartered in Hamamatsu, Japan that specializes in manufacturing compact automobiles and 4x4 vehicles, a full range of motorcycles, all-terrain vehicles , outboard marine engines, wheelchairs and a variety of other small internal combustion engines...

Retirement
Ret  Switzerland Marco Gentile
Marco Gentile
Marco Gentile in Den Haag, Netherlands, is an Dutch professional footballer who played as a central defender for Burnley in the Football League.-References:* at FootballDatabase.eu...

Fior Retirement
Ret  Germany Manfred Fischer Honda
Honda
is a Japanese public multinational corporation primarily known as a manufacturer of automobiles and motorcycles.Honda has been the world's largest motorcycle manufacturer since 1959, as well as the world's largest manufacturer of internal combustion engines measured by volume, producing more than...

Retirement
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