1988 French motorcycle Grand Prix

French France Grand Prix de Francehttp://www.jumpingjack.nl/GP-races_1988_heden.htm https://web.archive.org/web/20090901054308/http://www.jumpingjack.nl/GP-races_1988_heden.htm dead 1 September 2009 Alle Grand-Prix uitslagen en bijzonderheden, van 1973 (het jaar dat Jack begon met racen) tot heden. Jumping Jack 17 September 2018http://www.progcovers.com/motor/500cc1988.html 1988 500cc Class (FIM Grand Prix World Championship) Programmes - The Motor Racing Programme Covers Project Malcolm Mitchell Progcovers.com 17 September 2018http://www.progcovers.com/motor/paulricard.html Paul Ricard - The Motor Racing Programme Covers Project Malcolm Mitchell Progcovers.com 17 September 2018 Circuit Paul Ricard Paul Ricard 1970.png 3.610 5.809 11 15 24 July 1988 Christian Sarron FRA Yamaha 1:58.810 Wayne Gardner AUS Honda 1:59.027 Eddie Lawson USA Yamaha Christian Sarron FRA Yamaha Kevin Schwantz USA Suzuki Dominique Sarron FRA Honda 2:04.030 Juan Garriga ESP Yamaha 2:03.370 Jacques Cornu SWI Honda Sito Pons ESP Honda Dominique Sarron FRA Honda Ezio Gianola ITA Honda 2:14.780 Jorge Martínez ESP Derbi 2:14.700 Jorge Martínez ESP Derbi Ezio Gianola ITA Honda Corrado Catalano ITA Aprilia Rolf Biland SWI LCR-Krauser Kurt Waltisperg SWI Rolf Biland SWI LCR-Krauser Kurt Waltisperg SWI Rolf Biland SWI Kurt Waltisperg SWI LCR-Krauser Steve Webster GBR Tony Hewitt GBR LCR-Krauser Markus Egloff SWI Urs Egloff SWI LCR-ADM The 1988 French motorcycle Grand Prix was the eleventh round of the 1988 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season. It took place on the weekend of 22–24 July 1988 at the 5.81 km (3.61 mi) Paul Ricard Circuit.http://www.motogp.com/en/Results+Statistics/1988/FRA/500cc/RAC/Classification Moto GP statistics Moto GP 2018-02-19 2018-02-20 https://web.archive.org/web/20180220092211/http://www.motogp.com/en/Results+Statistics/1988/FRA/500cc/RAC/Classification dead 500 cc race report Frenchman Christian Sarron claimed his 5th pole position in a row on his Yamaha YZR500, and his last ever in 500 GP. Like most of the mid-field, Niall Mackenzie (Honda) jumped the start and raced to the lead, but the race was allowed to continue and no penalties were handed out by race officials. On the 1.8 km long Mistral Straight for the first time Wayne Gardner used the power of his factory Rothmans Honda to shoot to the lead from Kevin Schwantz (Suzuki), Mackenzie and Wayne Rainey (Yamaha). Gardner and pole sitter Sarron battled for the lead with Schwantz and Eddie Lawson (Yamaha), who was battling a shoulder injury suffered in the previous race in Yugoslavia only one week before and had turned to famed Austrian Willi Dungl to help him get fit to race. Gardner's Honda had the advantage on the Mistral Straight over all but Lawson's YZR500, but Lawson, Sarron and Schwantz had the advantage through the turns, though the Suzuki was clearly the slowest on the Pit and Mistral straights. The quartet gradually pulled away from Rainey, who in turn pulled away from a pack including Randy Mamola (Cagiva), Didier de Radiguès (Yamaha), Pierfrancesco Chili (Honda) and Kevin Magee (Yamaha). Going into the last lap, Gardner had pulled out a two-second lead over the trio and looked set to win his fourth race in a row. However, going through the Courbe de Signes at the end of the Mistral his bike developed mechanical problems when a crankshaft bolt broke loose and found its way into the water pump, though he had a big enough gap over Wayne Rainey to struggle home in 4th place only 5.720 seconds behind Lawson. Gardner's breakdown allowed Lawson to win the race and extend his lead in the championship. Sarron consolidated his second place in the title race, finishing only 0.22 behind the American. In one of the closest top 3 finishes in history, Schwantz finished in 3rd place only 0.24 behind Sarron and less than half a second from winning. Schwantz came out of the final turn and knowing his bike didn't have the acceleration to pass, pulled a wheelie until after crossing the line and celebrated on the cool down lap for gaining an unexpected podium finish. Wayne Gardner, back in the form that has seen him win the World Championship in 1987, had the consolation of setting the races fastest lap. 1988 was the final time that the French motorcycle Grand Prix would be held on the full length 5.81 km (3.61 mi) Paul Ricard circuit. When Grand Prix racing next returned to the circuit in 1991, the 3.812 km (2.369 mi) 'Club' circuit was used. 500 cc classification Pos. Rider Team Manufacturer Time/Retired Points 1 USA Eddie Lawson Marlboro Yamaha Team Agostini Yamaha 42:15.520 20 2 FRA Christian Sarron Sonauto Gauloises Blondes Yamaha Mobil 1 Yamaha +0.220 17 3 USA Kevin Schwantz Suzuki Pepsi Cola Suzuki +0.460 15 4 AUS Wayne Gardner Rothmans Honda Team Honda +5.720 13 5 USA Wayne Rainey Team Lucky Strike Roberts Yamaha +17.630 11 6 USA Randy Mamola Cagiva Corse Cagiva +27.810 10 7 BEL Didier de Radiguès Marlboro Yamaha Team Agostini Yamaha +30.620 9 8 ITA Pierfrancesco Chili HB Honda Gallina Team Honda +30.870 8 9 AUS Kevin Magee Team Lucky Strike Roberts Yamaha +35.110 7 10 GBR Ron Haslam Team ROC Elf Honda Elf Honda +35.310 6 11 GBR Rob McElnea Suzuki Pepsi Cola Suzuki +59.870 5 12 AUS Malcolm Campbell Team ROC Elf Honda Elf Honda +1:19.040 4 13 USA Mike Baldwin Racing Team Katayama Honda +1:42.640 3 14 ITA Alessandro Valesi Team Iberia Honda +1:46.140 2 15 SMR Fabio Barchitta Racing Team Katayama Honda +2:02.540 1 16 GBR Donnie McLeod Racing Team Katayama Honda +1 Lap 17 CHE Marco Gentile Fior Marlboro Fior +1 Lap 18 ITA Marco Papa Team Greco Honda +1 Lap 19 ITA Fabio Biliotti Team Amoranto Honda +1 Lap 20 DEU Manfred Fischer Team Hein Gericke Honda +1 Lap 21 IRL Eddie Laycock Millar Racing Honda +1 Lap 22 FRA Claude Arciero Honda +1 Lap 23 CHE Nicholas Schmassman FMS Honda +1 Lap 24 NLD Maarten Duyzers HDJ International Honda +1 Lap Ret FRA Patrick Igoa Sonauto Gauloises Blondes Yamaha Mobil 1 Yamaha Retirement Ret FRA Rachel Nicotte PVI Racing Honda Retirement Ret ESP Daniel Amatriain Ducados Lotus Guarz Honda Retirement Ret FRA Thierry Rapicault Fior Retirement Ret CHE Bruno Kneubühler Romer Racing Suisse Honda Retirement Ret AUT Josef Doppler MRC Grieskirchen Honda Retirement Ret CHE Wolfgang von Muralt Suzuki Retirement Ret GBR Niall Mackenzie Team HRC Honda Retirement Ret JPN Shunji Yatsushiro Rothmans Honda Team Honda Retirement Ret FRA Raymond Roche Cagiva Retirement Ret FRA Jean Luc Demierre Suzuki Retirement Ret ITA Vittorio Scatola Road Racing Team Avia Suzuki Retirement DNS FRA Eric Sabatier Weigl Telefix Racing Team Honda Did not start DNQ LUX Andreas Leuthe Suzuki Did not qualify DNQ VEN 1930 Larry Moreno Vacondio Suzuki Did not qualify DNQ FIN Ari Ramo Honda Did not qualify DNQ FRA Claude Albert Suzuki Did not qualify DNQ FRA Patrick Leruste Suzuki Did not qualify DNQ FRA Bernard Andrault Honda Did not qualify DNQ ITA Vincenzo Cascino Honda Did not qualify DNQ FRA Christian Polard Honda Did not qualify Sources: https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/database/races/1988-french-motogp 1988 French MotoGP - Motor Sport Magazine Database 13 June 2017 Motorsportmagazine.com 17 September 2018http://www.motogp.com/en/Results+Statistics/1988/FRA/500cc/RAC/ FRENCH GRAND PRIX · 500cc Race Classification 1988 Motogp.com 17 September 2018 17 September 2018 https://web.archive.org/web/20180917181738/http://www.motogp.com/en/Results+Statistics/1988/FRA/500cc/RAC/ dead References External links 1988 French Motorcycle Grand Prix French motorcycle Grand Prix 1988 1988 Yugoslavian Grand Prix 1988 British Grand Prix 1987 French Grand Prix 1989 French Grand Prix Category:French motorcycle Grand Prix French Motorcycle Grand Prix French motorcycle Grand Prix