The 1988 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season was the 40th F.I.M. Road Racing World Championship season.
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 Rainey and Kevin Schwantz each winning races in their first full year. This was Rainey’s debut in the 500s; he had ridden a 250 in 1984 and gotten 1 podium of 12 starts. Alan Cathcart’s pre-season assessment in Cycle News was that “Rainey is a good rider, but he'll never be a great rider. And he'll certainly never be a Randy Mamola.” [1]
The V4 machines used by the factories were extremely powerful and in combination with rigid chassis produced power slides that sometimes caused violent highsides, throwing the riders into the air. Cagiva joined the racing with Randy Mamola as their rider. The first United States Grand Prix in 23 years was held in Monterrey, California.
Sito Pons beat out fellow countryman Juan Garriga for the 250 title winning four races to Garriga's three. Spain's Jorge Martinez captured double championships in the 80 and 125 classes for the Spanish firm Derbi.
The following Grands Prix were scheduled to take place in 1988: [2] [3]
Round | Date | Grand Prix | Circuit |
---|---|---|---|
1 | 27 March | Grand Prix of Japan | Suzuka Circuit |
2 | 10 April | United States International Grand Prix | Laguna Seca Raceway |
3 | 24 April | Gran Premio Marlboro de España | Circuito Permanente Del Jarama |
4 | 1 May | Gran Premio Campsa | Circuito Permanente de Jerez |
5 | 22 May | Nations Grand Prix | Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari |
6 | 29 May | Großer Preis von Deutschland | Nürburgring |
7 | 12 June | Großer Preis von Österreich | Salzburgring |
8 | 25 June | Dutch-TT | TT Circuit Assen |
9 | 3 July | G.P. of Belgium Gauloises Blondes | Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps |
10 | 17 July | Yu Grand Prix | Automotodrom Rijeka |
11 | 24 July | Grand Prix de France | Circuit Paul Ricard |
12 | 7 August | Shell Oils British Motorcycle Grand Prix | Donington Park |
13 | 14 August | Swedish TT | Scandinavian Raceway |
14 | 28 August | Grand Prix CSSR-Brno | Brno Circuit |
15 | 17 September | Brazilian Grand Prix | Autódromo Internacional de Goiânia |
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Round | Date | Race | Location | 80cc winner | 125cc winner | 250cc winner | 500cc winner | Report |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 27 March | Japanese Grand Prix | Suzuka | Anton Mang | Kevin Schwantz | Report | ||
2 | 10 April | United States Grand Prix | Laguna Seca | Jim Filice | Eddie Lawson | Report | ||
3 | 24 April | Spanish Grand Prix | Jarama | Stefan Dörflinger | Jorge Martínez | Sito Pons | Kevin Magee | Report |
4 | 1 May | Expo 92 Grand Prix | Jerez | Jorge Martínez | Juan Garriga | Eddie Lawson | Report | |
5 | 22 May | Italian Grand Prix | Imola | Jorge Martínez | Jorge Martínez | Dominique Sarron | Eddie Lawson | Report |
6 | 29 May | German Grand Prix | Nürburgring | Jorge Martínez | Ezio Gianola | Luca Cadalora | Kevin Schwantz | Report |
7 | 12 June | Austrian Grand Prix | Salzburgring | Jorge Martínez | Jacques Cornu | Eddie Lawson | Report | |
8 | 25 June | Dutch TT | Assen | Jorge Martínez | Jorge Martínez | Juan Garriga | Wayne Gardner | Report |
9 | 3 July | Belgian Grand Prix | Spa | Jorge Martínez | Sito Pons | Wayne Gardner | Report | |
10 | 17 July | Yugoslavian Grand Prix | Rijeka | Jorge Martínez | Jorge Martínez | Sito Pons | Wayne Gardner | Report |
11 | 24 July | French Grand Prix | Paul Ricard | Jorge Martínez | Jacques Cornu | Eddie Lawson | Report | |
12 | 7 August | British Grand Prix | Donington | Ezio Gianola | Luca Cadalora | Wayne Rainey | Report | |
13 | 14 August | Swedish Grand Prix | Anderstorp | Jorge Martínez | Sito Pons | Eddie Lawson | Report | |
14 | 28 August | Czechoslovakian Grand Prix | Brno | Jorge Martínez | Jorge Martínez | Juan Garriga | Wayne Gardner | Report |
15 | 17 September | Brazilian Grand Prix | Goiânia | Dominique Sarron | Eddie Lawson | Report |
Points are awarded to the top fifteen finishers. A rider has to finish the race to earn points.
Position | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 5th | 6th | 7th | 8th | 9th | 10th | 11th | 12th | 13th | 14th | 15th |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Points | 20 | 17 | 15 | 13 | 11 | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
250cc standings
125cc standings
80cc standings
Related Research ArticlesKevin Schwantz is an American former professional motorcycle road racer. He was the world champion of the 1993 FIM Road Racing World Championship. Eddie Ray Lawson is an American former professional motorcycle racer. He competed in the Grand Prix motorcycle racing world championships from 1983 to 1992. Randy Mamola is an American former professional motorcycle racer and television sports presenter. He competed in Grand Prix motorcycle racing between 1979 and 1992. A 13-time Premier Class race winner, Mamola was one of the most charismatic Grand Prix road racers of his generation, becoming a favourite because of his interaction with race fans both on and off the track as well as his aggressive and spirited riding style. The Portuguese motorcycle Grand Prix is a motorcycling event that is part of the FIM Grand Prix motorcycle racing season. The 1981 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season was the 33rd F.I.M. Road Racing World Championship season. The 1984 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season was the 36th F.I.M. Road Racing World Championship season. The 1986 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season was the 38th F.I.M. Road Racing World Championship season. The 1987 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season was the 39th F.I.M. Road Racing World Championship season. The 1989 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season was the 41st F.I.M. Road Racing World Championship season. The 1991 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season was the 43rd F.I.M. Road Racing World Championship season. The 1992 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season was the 44th F.I.M. Road Racing World Championship season. Honda secured the constructor's title in all three categories. The 1988 Dutch TT was the eighth round of the 1988 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season. It took place on the weekend of 23–25 June 1988 at the TT Circuit Assen located in Assen, Netherlands. The 1988 Belgian motorcycle Grand Prix was the ninth round of the 1988 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season. It took place on the weekend of 1–3 July 1988 at Spa-Francorchamps. The 1988 Yugoslavian motorcycle Grand Prix was the tenth round of the 1988 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season. It took place on the weekend of 15–17 July 1988 at the Rijeka circuit. The 1988 British motorcycle Grand Prix was the twelfth round of the 1988 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season. It took place on the weekend of 5–7 August 1988 at Donington Park. The 1990 Yugoslavian motorcycle Grand Prix was the seventh round of the 1990 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season. It took place on the weekend of 15–17 June 1990 at the Rijeka circuit. The 1992 Dutch TT was the eighth round of the 1992 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season. It took place on the weekend of 25–27 June 1992 at the TT Circuit Assen located in Assen, Netherlands. The 1992 Hungarian motorcycle Grand Prix was the ninth round of the 1992 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season. It took place on the weekend of 10–12 July 1992 at the Hungaroring circuit. The 1992 British motorcycle Grand Prix was the eleventh round of the 1992 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season. It took place on the weekend of 31 July-2 August 1992 at Donington Park. Kevin Magee is an Australian former Grand Prix motorcycle road racer who raced in 36 grands prix during his career, winning the 1988 Spanish Grand Prix. He is currently a television commentator for Fox Sports Australia. References
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