The 1990 Australian motorcycle Grand Prix was the last round of the 1990 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season

1990 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season

The 1990 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season was the 42nd F.I.M. Road Racing World Championship season.-Season summary:1990 marked the beginning of the Rainey era with the Marlboro-Yamaha rider taking 7 wins and scoring points in every race but Hungary after he had already clinched the championship...

. It took place on the weekend of 14–16 September 1990 at Phillip Island

Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit

The Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit is a motor racing racing circuit on Phillip Island, Victoria, Australia. The circuit was opened in 1956.-Road circuit:...

.

500 cc race report

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...

 sat out the last race, as the grid was headed by Mick Doohan, 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 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:...

. The start went to the Rothmans Hondas, but by the hairpin 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...

 was up to third. Exiting the hairpin, Gardner almost highsided, letting Rainey through.

Rainey took the lead from Doohan, with Gardner making it a trio away at the front. Rainey was passed by Doohan on the straight, but he re-took the lead by barging through the inside of the hairpin. Doohan passed on the straight again: the Yamaha was never beaten on straight-line speed. The trio became a quartet as Schwantz caught up, having set the fastest lap of the race.

Gardner's fairing came loose after his near-crash, but he managed to pass Rainey on the straight to take second spot, and again Rainey inelegantly pushed Gardner wide on the hairpin apex, which allowed Schwantz into third. With 7 laps to go, Doohan was out front down the straight, Schwantz in second and Gardner back into third as he passed Rainey into Turn One. He then passed Schwantz before the hairpin.

Gardner passed Doohan in Turn One, causing Doohan to nearly highside through the right-hander as Schwantz closed the gap that had been forming and then goes on to pass him. Rainey was still in fourth place. On the brakes into Turn One, Schwantz had a high-speed highside and crashed out of second. Gardner won the race in front of Doohan, with a small gap to Rainey in third.

500cc classification

Pos	Rider	Manufacturer	Time/Retired	Points
1	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...	47:45.053	20
2	Mick Doohan	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...	+0.856	17
3	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...	+2.739	15
4	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...	+42.532	13
5	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...	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...	+54.520	11
6	Juan Garriga Juan Garriga Juan Garriga is a former Grand Prix motorcycle road racer. He is remembered for his aggressive riding style.Garriga had his best year in 1988, when he won three races and finished second in the 250cc world championship to Sito Pons. In 1990, he moved up to the 500cc class but failed to repeat his...	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...	+1:00.539	10
7	Sito Pons	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...	+1:05.231	9
8	Peter Goddard Peter Goddard (motorcycle racer) Peter Goddard was a Grand Prix motorcycle road racer. He resides in Wollongong, New South Wales, Australia. Riding motorcycles since the age of 5, Goddard started his racing career on dirt tracks before making his debut on road circuits at Oran Park Raceway in 1984.- Dirt Track Racing Career...	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...	+1:30.221	8
9	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 Lap	7
10	Marco Papa Marco Papa Marco Papa was a Grand Prix motorcycle road racer. His most successful year was in 1990 when he finished in 13th place in the 500cc world championship aboard a Moto Club Perugia sponsored Honda NS500. Papa perished in a road accident in September 1999...	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	6
11	Eddie Laycock	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	5
12	Cees Doorakkers Cees Doorakkers Cornelis Martinus Anthinius Maria Doorakkers is a former Grand Prix motorcycle road racer.Cees Doorakker was the 250cc Dutch champion in 1984 and 1986. In 1986 he also reached the championship in the 500cc 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...	+1 Lap	4
Ret	Jean Philippe Ruggia	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	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...	Retirement
Ret	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...	Retirement
Ret	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...	Retirement