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.

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 Eddie Lawson Marlboro Yamaha Team Agostini Yamaha 42:15.520 20 2 Christian Sarron Sonauto Gauloises Blondes Yamaha Mobil 1 Yamaha +0.220 17 3 Kevin Schwantz Suzuki Pepsi Cola Suzuki +0.460 15 4 Wayne Gardner Rothmans Honda Team Honda +5.720 13 5 Wayne Rainey Team Lucky Strike Roberts Yamaha +17.630 11 6 Randy Mamola Cagiva Corse Cagiva +27.810 10 7 Didier de Radiguès Marlboro Yamaha Team Agostini Yamaha +30.620 9 8 Pierfrancesco Chili HB Honda Gallina Team Honda +30.870 8 9 Kevin Magee Team Lucky Strike Roberts Yamaha +35.110 7 10 Ron Haslam Team ROC Elf Honda Elf Honda +35.310 6 11 Rob McElnea Suzuki Pepsi Cola Suzuki +59.870 5 12 Malcolm Campbell Team ROC Elf Honda Elf Honda +1:19.040 4 13 Mike Baldwin Racing Team Katayama Honda +1:42.640 3 14 Alessandro Valesi Team Iberia Honda +1:46.140 2 15 Fabio Barchitta Racing Team Katayama Honda +2:02.540 1 16 Donnie McLeod Racing Team Katayama Honda +1 Lap 17 Marco Gentile Fior Marlboro Fior +1 Lap 18 Marco Papa Team Greco Honda +1 Lap 19 Fabio Biliotti Team Amoranto Honda +1 Lap 20 Manfred Fischer Team Hein Gericke Honda +1 Lap 21 Eddie Laycock Millar Racing Honda +1 Lap 22 Claude Arciero Honda +1 Lap 23 Nicholas Schmassman FMS Honda +1 Lap 24 Maarten Duyzers HDJ International Honda +1 Lap Ret Patrick Igoa Sonauto Gauloises Blondes Yamaha Mobil 1 Yamaha Retirement Ret Rachel Nicotte PVI Racing Honda Retirement Ret Daniel Amatriain Ducados Lotus Guarz Honda Retirement Ret Thierry Rapicault Fior Retirement Ret Bruno Kneubühler Romer Racing Suisse Honda Retirement Ret Josef Doppler MRC Grieskirchen Honda Retirement Ret Wolfgang von Muralt Suzuki Retirement Ret Niall Mackenzie Team HRC Honda Retirement Ret Shunji Yatsushiro Rothmans Honda Team Honda Retirement Ret Raymond Roche Cagiva Retirement Ret Jean Luc Demierre Suzuki Retirement Ret Vittorio Scatola Road Racing Team Avia Suzuki Retirement DNS Eric Sabatier Weigl Telefix Racing Team Honda Did not start DNQ Andreas Leuthe Suzuki Did not qualify DNQ Larry Moreno Vacondio Suzuki Did not qualify DNQ Ari Ramo Honda Did not qualify DNQ Claude Albert Suzuki Did not qualify DNQ Patrick Leruste Suzuki Did not qualify DNQ Bernard Andrault Honda Did not qualify DNQ Vincenzo Cascino Honda Did not qualify DNQ Christian Polard Honda Did not qualify Sources:

References

External links 1988 French Motorcycle Grand Prix