1988 British motorcycle Grand Prix

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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 5th-7th August, 1988 at the Donington Park circuit.

[edit] 500 cc race report

The front row: Wayne Gardner, Eddie Lawson, Christian Sarron, Niall Mackenzie and Wayne Rainey.

Rainey and Mackenzie get a good launch, and through the first turn it’s Rainey and he’s opening a gap the field. Rainey is using carbon fiber brakes for the first time, which had only been tested and not raced on.

Kevin Schwantz is in around 8th place and tries to pass two or three riders simultaneously at the chicane, but crashes into Ron Haslam and causes a bottleneck. Haslam struggles to get out of the gravel and back into the race, and Schwantz is out with a broken kneecap. Marco Papa highsides out of the race.

Finishing the first lap it’s Rainey, then a gap to Gardner, Sarron, and Mackenzie. Randy Mamola and Norihiko Fujiwara come together at the hairpin, but stay up.

Rainey is maintaining a gap, and Gardner makes a mistake at the chicane and lets Sarron and Mackenzie through, but he’s soon back to 2nd. Mamola is sliding the rear and waving to the crowd.

On the last lap, McElnea highsides coming out of the chicane.

Rainey wins his first premier-class GP.

[edit] 500cc classification

Pos	Rider	Manufacturer	Time/Retired	Points
1	Wayne Rainey	Yamaha	49:33.670	20
2	Wayne Gardner	Honda	+6.970	17
3	Christian Sarron	Yamaha	+8.780	15
4	Niall Mackenzie	Honda	+11.840	13
5	Kevin Magee	Yamaha	+36.750	11
6	Eddie Lawson	Yamaha	+40.970	10
7	Didier de Radiguès	Yamaha	+51.360	9
8	Pierfrancesco Chili	Honda	+51.810	8
9	Roger Burnett	Honda	+52.390	7
10	Tadahiko Taira	Yamaha	+1:21.840	6
11	Randy Mamola	Cagiva	+1:32.450	5
12	Norihiko Fujiwara	Yamaha	+1 Lap	4
13	Mike Baldwin	Honda	+1 Lap	3
14	Ron Haslam	Elf Honda	+1 Lap	2
15	Fabio Biliotti	Honda	+1 Lap	1
16	Patrick Igoa	Yamaha	+1 Lap
17	Eddie Laycock	Honda	+1 Lap
18	Fabio Barchitta	Honda	+1 Lap
19	Daniel Amatriain	Honda	+1 Lap
20	Marco Gentile	Fior	+1 Lap
21	Dave Leach	Suzuki	+1 Lap
22	Maarten Duyzers	Honda	+1 Lap
23	Damon Buckmaster	Honda	+1 Lap
24	Kees vd Endt	Honda	+1 Lap
25	Nicholas Schmassman	Honda	+1 Lap
Ret	Andreas Leuthe	Suzuki	Retirement
Ret	Rachel Nicotte	Honda	Retirement
Ret	Darren Dixon	Suzuki	Retirement
Ret	Bruno Kneubuhler	Honda	Retirement
Ret	Rob McElnea	Suzuki	Retirement
Ret	Wolfgang von Muralt	Suzuki	Retirement
Ret	Alessandro Valesi	Honda	Retirement
Ret	Raymond Roche	Cagiva	Retirement
Ret	Steve Spray	Suzuki	Retirement
Ret	Kevin Schwantz	Suzuki	Retirement
Ret	Marco Papa	Honda	Retirement

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