1989 Austrian motorcycle Grand Prix

  1989 Austrian Grand Prix
Race details
Race 7 of 15 races in the
1989 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season
Date 4 June 1989
Official name Großer Preis von Österreich
Location Salzburgring
Course
  • Permanent racing facility
  • 4.326 km (2.688 mi)
500 cc
Pole position
Rider Kevin Schwantz
Time 1:19.230
Fastest lap
Rider Kevin Schwantz
Time 1:19.150
Podium
First Kevin Schwantz
Second Eddie Lawson
Third Wayne Rainey
250 cc
Pole position
Rider Sito Pons
Time 1:24.690
Fastest lap
Rider Sito Pons
Time 1:24.690
Podium
First Sito Pons
Second Jacques Cornu
Third Martin Wimmer
125 cc
Pole position
Rider Jorge Martínez
Time 1:32.580
Fastest lap
Rider Àlex Crivillé
Time 1:38.130
Podium
First Hans Spaan
Second Julián Miralles
Third Àlex Crivillé

The 1989 Austrian motorcycle Grand Prix was the seventh round of the 1989 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season. It took place on the weekend of 2–4 June 1989 at the Salzburgring.

500 cc race report

Another pole for Kevin Schwantz, with Eddie Lawson and Wayne Rainey on his left as the light turns green. Lawson leads a large group through the first lap, with Rainey, Schwantz and about 4 other riders. Soon it’s a trio of the leading riders, until Schwantz begins to desperately open a gap, his bike squirming and bucking into the corners. A red mist seems to descend on Rainey, as he passes Lawson on the outside to briefly move into second, while Ron Haslam leads a fight for fourth that includes Christian Sarron, Pierfrancesco Chili, Kevin Magee and Mick Doohan, the last going off track trying to come to terms with the pace.

Schwantz enlarges his gap, while Lawson drops Rainey, which turns out to be the podium order. Rainey’s 13 point lead over Lawson is down to 11.

500cc classification

Pos. Rider Team Manufacturer Laps Time/Retired Grid Points
1 Kevin Schwantz Suzuki Pepsi Cola Suzuki 29 38:39.005 1 20
2 Eddie Lawson Rothmans Kanemoto Honda Honda 29 +2.130 2 17
3 Wayne Rainey Team Lucky Strike Roberts Yamaha 29 +19.900 3 15
4 Christian Sarron Sonauto Gauloises Blondes Yamaha Mobil 1 Yamaha 29 +37.830 5 13
5 Kevin Magee Team Lucky Strike Roberts Yamaha 29 +38.140 7 11
6 Pierfrancesco Chili HB Honda Gallina Team Honda 29 +38.500 4 10
7 Ron Haslam Suzuki Pepsi Cola Suzuki 29 +38.910 6 9
8 Mick Doohan Rothmans Honda Team Honda 29 +56.770 10 8
9 Freddie Spencer Marlboro Yamaha Team Agostini Yamaha 29 +58.040 9 7
10 Dominique Sarron Team ROC Elf Honda Honda 29 +1:03.590 8 6
11 Rob McElnea Cabin Racing Team Honda 29 +1:15.170 11 5
12 Alessandro Valesi Team Iberia Yamaha 28 +1 Lap 14 4
13 Simon Buckmaster Racing Team Katayama Honda 28 +1 Lap 15 3
14 Marco Gentile Fior Marlboro Fior 27 +2 Laps 16 2
15 Bruno Kneubühler Romer Racing Suisse Honda 27 +2 Laps 17 1
16 Josef Doppler Honda 27 +2 Laps 19
17 Georg Robert Jung Romer Telefix Honda 27 +2 Laps 18
18 Stefan Klabacher Honda 27 +2 Laps 21
19 Michael Rudroff HRK Motors Honda 27 +2 Laps 22
20 Karl Dauer PC Racing Honda 27 +2 Laps 24
21 Nicholas Schmassman FMS Honda 27 +2 Laps 23
22 Francisco Gonzales Club Motocross Pozuelo Honda 27 +2 Laps 26
23 Pavel Dekanek Honda 26 +3 Laps 30
24 Rudolf Zeller Manhattan 26 +3 Laps 27
25 Hans Klingebiel Honda 26 +3 Laps 25
26 Thomas Berghammer Suzuki 26 +3 Laps 29
Ret Alois Meyer Rallye Sport Honda Retirement 28
Ret Randy Mamola Cagiva Corse Cagiva Retirement 12
Ret Juan Lopez Mella Club Motocross Pozuelo Honda Retirement 20
DNS Norihiko Fujiwara Yamaha Motor Company Yamaha Did not start 13
DNQ Larry Moreno Vacondio Suzuki Did not qualify
Sources: