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. Rainey's teammate was 1989 champion Eddie Lawson, but he was unable to defend his championship after breaking his left ankle in the first round and then severely shattering his right ankle the following round at Laguna Seca. Rainey on having Lawson as a teammate: “I just wanted to devastate Eddie. I don’t think he was ready for a team-mate like me. Maybe he thought he could control me, but at that stage I was past being controlled.”Scott, Michael: "Wayne Rainey", page 142. Haynes Publishing, 1997. Rainey switched from Dunlop to Michelin tires this year.
Kevin Schwantz continued to win on his Suzuki but just as often he would crash. Australian Mick Doohan would win his first Grand Prix for Honda at the Hungaroring.
The 1990 season continued the trend of crashes as riders tried to cope with the harsh power output of the V4 two-strokes. Honda put forth a proposition limiting the top class to 375cc and 3 cylinders, but that never caught on. Still, with 500cc lap times becoming stagnant, it was clear that something needed to be done.
Newcomer John Kocinski took the 250 title for Kenny Roberts' Marlboro-Yamaha squad after a tight points battle with Carlos Cardús that was not decided until the final race of the season. Despite five Grand Prix victories for Hans Spaan, seventeen-year-old Loris Capirossi became the youngest-ever world champion when he claimed the 125 crown for Honda.
1990 Grand Prix season calendar The following Grands Prix were scheduled to take place in 1990: RoundDateGrand PrixCircuit 1 25 March Kibun Japanese Grand Prix Suzuka Circuit 2 8 April U.S. Budweiser International Grand Prix Laguna Seca Raceway 3 6 May Gran Premio de España Circuito Permanente de Jerez 4 20 May G.P d'Italia Circuito Internazionale Santa Monica 5 27 May Großer Preis von Deutschland Nürburgring 6 10 June Großer Preis von Österreich Salzburgring 7 17 June Yu Grand Prix Automotodrom Rijeka 8 30 June Dutch TT TT Circuit Assen 9 7 July Belgian Motorcycle Grand Prix Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps 10 22 July Grand Prix de France Bugatti Circuit 11 5 August Shell British Motorcycle Grand Prix Donington Park 12 12 August Nordic TT Scandinavian Raceway 13 26 August Grand Prix Brno-CSFR Brno Circuit 14 2 September Grand Prix Magyar Nagydíj Hungaroring 15 16 September Drink/Drive Australian Motorcycle Grand Prix Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit
Calendar changes The Australian Grand Prix was moved back from 9 April to 16 September. The German Grand Prix moved from the Hockenheimring to the Nürburgring. The Hungarian Grand Prix was added to the calendar. The Brazilian Grand Prix was taken off the calendar due to organisational problems.
Participants 500cc participants TeamConstructorMotorcycleNo.RiderRounds Marlboro Team Roberts Yamaha Yamaha YZR500 1 Eddie Lawson 1, 8–15 2 Wayne Rainey All 38 Peter Goddard 15 Gauloises Blondes Yamaha/Mobil 1 Yamaha Yamaha YZR500 3 Christian Sarron 1–3, 5–6, 8–11, 13–15 14 Jean-Philippe Ruggia All Team Lucky Strike Suzuki Suzuki Suzuki RGV500 4 Kevin Magee 1–2 7 Niall Mackenzie 3–15 34 Kevin Schwantz All Team Suzuki Suzuki Suzuki RGV500 40 Satoshi Tsujimoto 1 La Cinq/ROC Honda Honda NSR500 5 Pierfrancesco Chili 1–8, 15 55 Marco Papa 9–10 55 Carl Fogarty 11–14 Campsa Banesto Honda Honda NSR500 6 Sito Pons 1–7, 13–15 Cagiva Corse Cagiva Cagiva C590 8 Ron Haslam 1–2, 6–14 18 Randy Mamola 1–2, 4–14 28 Alex Barros 1–14 Rothmans Honda Honda Honda NSR500 9 Mick Doohan All 10 Wayne Gardner 1–4, 8–15 Ducados Yamaha Team Yamaha Yamaha YZR500 11 Joan Garriga All Yamaha Motor Company Motorsports Yamaha Yamaha YZR500 15 Norihiko Fujiwara 1, 8–9 Tech 21/Yamaha Motor Company Yamaha Yamaha YZR500 21 Tadahiko Taira 1, 15 Honda Sweden Honda Honda RS500 17 Peter Lindén 4–5, 12 Autohaus Butz Honda Honda RS500 19 Hansjörg Butz 3, 5 RS Rallye Sport Team GmbH Honda Honda RS500 20 Michael Rudroff ?? RS Rallye Sport Honda Honda RS500 323542 Alois Meyer 0 (5–6) Sampo Honda Honda RS500 23 Esko Kuparinen 8, 12 Millar Racing Honda Honda RS500 2454 Eddie Laycock 3, 8–11, 13–15 Librenti Corse Honda Honda RS500 25 Andy Leuthe 3–5, 11–14 FMS/N Schmassmann Honda Honda RS500 26 Niggi Schmassman 2–5, 7–8 Levior Honda Honda RS500 30 Martin Trösch 10, 13–14 Motoclub Perugia Honda Honda RS500 313738 Marco Papa 4–8, 11–15 Shell Honda Honda RS500 33353643 Karl Truchsess 6–10, 14 Ys Racing Honda Honda NSR500 35 Shunji Yatsushiro 0 (1) Team Elit Paton Paton Paton V115 500 354237 Vittorio Scatola 3–5, 7–10 Nescafé Yamaha Yamaha YZR500 36 Kunio Machii 1 Teera Honda Honda NSR500 37 Hikaru Miyagi 1 Schick Advantage Suzuki Suzuki RGV500 38 Osamu Hiwatashi 1 HRC/Pentax Honda Honda NSR500 39 Shinichi Ito 1 Avia Honda Honda RS500 39 Michele Valdo 4 UCC Yamaha Yamaha YZR500 41 Shinji Katayama 1 HRK Motors Honda Honda RS500 404136 Cees Doorakkers 3–15 Camel Yamaha Yamaha YZR500 43 Keiji Ohishi 1 ?? Chevallier-Honda Honda RS500 43 Rachel Nicotte 10, 13–14 Meikoh Honda Honda NS500 44 Kenmei Matsumoto 0 (1) ?? ?? ?? ?? Vincenzo Cascino ?? ?? PRP ?? ?? Greg Drew 0 (15) ?? Yamaha Yamaha YZR500 ?? Craig Harwood 0 (15) ?? Suzuki Suzuki RGV500 ?? Scott Mitchell 0 (15) Source: Key Regular Rider Wildcard Rider Replacement Rider
250cc participants TeamConstructorMotorcycleNo.RiderRounds HB Honda Team Honda Honda NSR250 2 Reinhold Roth 1–2, 4–7 9 Helmut Bradl 1–7, 11–15 16 Jochen Schmid All 41 Bernd Kassner 14 Team Lucky Strike Elf Honda Honda NSR250 3 Jacques Cornu 1, 6–15 16 Jochen Schmid All Repsol Honda Honda Honda NSR250 4 Carlos Cardús All Marlboro Yamaha Team Agostini Yamaha Yamaha YZR 250 5 Luca Cadalora All 28 Àlex Crivillé 2–15 Ajinomoto Honda/HRC Honda Honda NSR250 6 Masahiro Shimizu All Castrol Mortimer Racing Yamaha Yamaha TZ 250 7 Niall Mackenzie 1–2 Rothmans Honda Honda Honda NSR250 8 Dominique Sarron 1–4, 6, 10–15 343935 Andy Preining 1–4, 6–15 Hein Gericke Racing Team Aprilia Aprilia AF1 10 Martin Wimmer 2–15 HB Gallina Aprilia Team Aprilia Aprilia AF1 11 Loris Reggiani All Honda Britain Honda Honda RS250R 12 Alan Carter 1–2, 10–11 Sharp-Samson Racing Team Honda Honda NSR250 14 Alan Carter 1–6, 8–15 UCC Yamaha Yamaha YZR 250 15 Toshihiko Honma 1 Team AGV HB Honda Honda RS250R 16 Jochen Schmid All Team Greco Aprilia Aprilia AF1 17 Carlos Lavado 1–10 29 Renzo Colleoni 2–15 Marlboro Team Roberts Yamaha Yamaha YZR 250 19 John Kocinski All Yamaha TZ 250 97 Rich Oliver 2 AMS Racing Team Aprilia Aprilia AF1 20 Andrea Borgonovo 1–12 Aprilia Aprilia-Rotax Aprilia AF1 21 Marcellino Lucchi 3–11, 13–15 GP Trade & Promotion Yamaha Yamaha TZ 250 22 Erich Neumair 1–8, 10–14 Gauloises Blondes Aprilia Aprilia AF1 23 Adrien Morillas 3–14 ?? Honda Honda NSR250 26 Tadayuki Okada 1 Iberna/Team Motoracing Aprilia Aprilia AF1 27 Didier de Radiguès 1, 3–15 Venemotos Racing Team Yamaha Yamaha TZ 250 30 José Barresi 1, 3–14 Ducados Yamaha Puig Yamaha Yamaha TZ 250Yamaha YZR 250 31 Alberto Puig 6–13 JF Aprilia - Kuhnert Aprilia Aprilia AF1 32 Harald Eckl 1–2, 4–14 ÖKM/SK Vöst Aprilia-Rotax Aprilia AF1 343935 Andy Preining 1–4, 6–15 Moto Club Bergamo Aprilia Aprilia AF1 3445 Alberto Rota 3–7, 10–12 Plaisir Vitesse International Various Various 3547 Rachel Nicotte 10, 13–14 Team St Yrian Motos Yamaha Yamaha TZ 250 3641 Jean Foray 3–11, 13–14 Team Italia Aprilia Aprilia AF1 37 Corrado Catalano 3–4, 7–10, 13 Marlboro Aprilia Team Elf Aprilia Aprilia AF1 3839 Bernard Haenggeli 2–15 HRC Honda Honda NSR250 38 Daryl Beattie 15 D Gallacher/B & M Motorcycles Yamaha Yamaha TZ 250 394036 Kevin Mitchell 1, 3, 5–13 Swiss Yamaha Team Yamaha Yamaha TZ 250 3933 Urs Jücker 2–15 HB Team Racing Yamaha Yamaha TZ 250Yamaha YZR 250 40 Bernd Kassner 4–11 ?? Yamaha Yamaha TZ 250 44 Tetsuya Harada 1 Romero Racing Team Yamaha Yamaha TZ 250 4534 Hans Becker 2, 5–11, 13 Cup Noodle Racing Team Honda Honda NSR250 47 Nobuatsu Aoki 1 Moto Club Crostolo Yamaha Yamaha TZ 250 4842 Paolo Casoli 3–14 Fior Racing Aprilia-Fior Aprilia AF1 4944 Alain Bronec 3–4, 7–10 Ducados JJ Cobas JJ Cobas-Rotax ?? 55 Jorge Martínez 1–6, 8–15 Source: Key Regular Rider Wildcard Rider Replacement Rider
125cc participants TeamConstructorMotorcycleNo.RiderRounds Sharp-Samson Racing Team Honda Honda RS125R 2 Hans Spaan 1, 3–14 Nacional Moto SA - Derbi Derbi Aprilia AF1 3 Ezio Gianola 1 38 Luis Alvaro 1, 9–11 Team Unemoto Honda Honda RS125R 4 Hisashi Unemoto 1, 3–6, 8–15 AGV Pileri Corse Honda Honda RS125R 5 Fausto Gresini 1, 3–4, 6–15 654867754759 Loris Capirossi 1, 3–15 Team Takeshima Honda Honda RS125R 6 Koji Takada 1, 3–4, 15 6867 Kinya Wada 1, 10–15 Lanson Honda Racing Honda Honda RS125R 7 Stefan Prein 1, 3–15 Coronas Racing Team JJ Cobas ?? 8 Julián Miralles 1, 3–15 Allan Scott Racing Honda Honda RS125R 109 Allan Scott 1, 3, 6–7, 11–12, 14–15 Garelli Garelli Garelli 125 GP 109 Allan Scott 1, 3, 6–7, 11–12, 14–15 14 Luis Miguel Reyes 10–13 RS Rallye Sport Racing Team Cobas-Rotax Rotax 125 GP 11 Adi Stadler 1, 3–13 24 Peter Öttl 6, 8–9, 13 Robin Milton Honda Honda RS125R 12 Robin Milton 1, 3–4, 6–13, 15 AMC Biberach/Riss e.V im ADAC Honda Honda RS125R 16 Dirk Raudies 1, 3–15 Gerstmann Racing Honda Honda RS125R 17 Alfred Waibel 3–15 Team Rumi Honda Honda RS125R 18 Taru Rinne 1, 8, 13–15 Moto Club Crostolo Honda Honda RS125R 20 Doriano Romboni 3–15 Marlboro Aprilia Team Dörflinger Aprilia-Cobas Aprilia AF1 21 Stefan Dörflinger 1, 3, 5–6, 9, 13–14 Cepsa JJ Cobas TB ?? 22 Manuel Herreros 1, 4–14 Semprucci/Club del Motore-Forli Honda Honda RS125R 23 Bruno Casanova 3–11, 13–15 Repsol Honda Honda Honda RS125R 25 Herri Torrontégui 3, 5–6, 10–14 Antonio Sánchez Ballesteros JJ Cobas TB ?? 29 Antonio Sánchez 3, 6, 8–12, 14 Viplex Plastics Holland Honda Honda RS125R 30 Hans Koopman 3–14 Schuh Racing Team Cobas-Rotax Rotax 125 GP 31 Ralf Waldmann 3–15 José Saez Calabuig Honda Honda RS125R 32 José Saez 3–4 Timspeed Casal Various Various 33 Jaime Mariano 5, 8–12 Ringelberg Team Honda Honda RS125R 34 Jos van Dongen 3–5, 7, 9, 14 Stefan Kurfiss Honda Honda RS125R 36 Stefan Kurfiss 3–11, 14–15 Team Italia Aprilia Aprilia AF1 37 Gabriele Debbia 4–15 39 Alessandro Gramigni 3–15 Team Driza Bone Honda Honda RS125R 40 Peter Galvin 1, 5, 7–9, 12, 14–15 Thomas Moller Pedersen Honda Honda RS125R 42 Flemming Kistrup 3–6, 8–14 Colin Appleyard Ltd Honda Honda RS125R 4347 Robin Appleyard 1, 3–15 BP Racing Team Switzerland Honda Honda RS125R 45 Thierry Feuz 1, 3–7, 9, 13 Silja Line Honda/Cobas Honda RS125R 46 Johnny Wickström 1, 3–15 Hervé Duffard Honda Honda RS125R 4962 Hervé Duffard 3–5, 10–11, 13 Derek Clarke Racing Team Honda Honda RS125R 505463 Steve Patrickson 1, 3–5, 7–8, 11–15 Stuart Edwards Honda Honda RS125R 515264 Stuart Edwards 1, 5, 8–10 Gazzaniga Corse Gazzaniga Gazzaniga 125 525159 Maurizio Vitali 1, 3–15 Mori Sport Laverda Various Various 5357 Stefan Brägger 12–15 Team Lucky Strike Elf Honda Honda RS125R 546466 Heinz Lüthi 3–15 Ducados JJ Cobas JJ Cobas-Rotax Rotax 125 GP 55 Jorge Martínez 1, 3–15 Digitec Honda Honda RS125R 566549 Bady Hassaine 1, 5–7, 9–10, 14 Team Honda Liqor 43 Honda Honda RS125R 57634355 Manuel Hernández 1, 3–12, 14–15 EMCO Sports Team Honda Honda RS125R 6048 Mike Leitner 3–8, 10–13 Hubert Abold Honda Honda RS125R 6153 Hubert Abold 3–10, 12, 14–15 T. C. Winchester Racing Team Honda Honda RS125R 61 Emilio Cuppini 4–6 Moto Club Biccirelli Honda Honda RS125R 66 Emilio Cuppini 8–14 Source: Key Regular Rider Wildcard Rider Replacement Rider
Results and standings Grands Prix