The 1990 French motorcycle Grand Prix was the tenth round of the 1990 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season. It took place on the weekend of 20–22 July 1990 at the Bugatti Circuit located in Le Mans.
500 cc race report Kevin Schwantz on pole and race day is hot and sunny.
Wayne Rainey wheelies halfway down the straight, giving the first turn to Wayne Gardner, then it’s Mick Doohan in third place.
Gardner goes very wide on a turn and has to sit up, letting Rainey through and when he gets back on the racing line, he forces Doohan wide as well.
It’s still a tight race at the front between Rainey, Gardner, Schwantz, Doohan, Eddie Lawson and Christian Sarron.
Gardner takes Rainey on the straight, and in the same place Gardner went wide, Rainey goes a little off-line too, this time letting Schwantz through into second.
At La Chapelle Gardner goes wide again, and Schwantz takes the lead easily.
By the last lap, Schwantz has a good gap in first, followed by Gardner and Rainey.
500 cc classification Pos. Rider Team Manufacturer Time/Retired Points 1 Kevin Schwantz Lucky Strike Suzuki Suzuki 48:05.213 20 2 Wayne Gardner Rothmans Honda Team Honda +2.420 17 3 Wayne Rainey Marlboro Team Roberts Yamaha +3.333 15 4 Mick Doohan Rothmans Honda Team Honda +4.865 13 5 Eddie Lawson Marlboro Team Roberts Yamaha +10.157 11 6 Niall Mackenzie Lucky Strike Suzuki Suzuki +20.480 10 7 Randy Mamola Cagiva Corse Cagiva +1:18.898 9 8 Juan Garriga Ducados Yamaha Yamaha +1:30.771 8 9 Marco Papa Team ROC Elf La Cinq Honda +1:41.299 7 10 Ron Haslam Cagiva Corse Cagiva +1 Lap 6 11 Eddie Laycock Millar Racing Honda +1 Lap 5 12 Cees Doorakkers HRK Motors Honda +1 Lap 4 Ret Jean Philippe Ruggia Sonauto Gauloises Yamaha Retirement Ret Christian Sarron Sonauto Gauloises Yamaha Retirement Ret Karl Truchsess Honda Retirement Ret Rachel Nicotte Plaisir Vitesse Internationale Chevallier Yamaha Retirement Ret Vittorio Scatola Team Elit Paton Retirement Ret Martin Troesch Honda Retirement Ret Alex Barros Cagiva Corse Cagiva Retirement DNQ Nicholas Schmassman Team Schmassman Honda Did not qualify Sources:
References