1989 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season


The 1989 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season was the 41st F.I.M. Road Racing World Championship season.

Season summary

Defending champion Eddie Lawson stunned most observers by switching from the Yamaha to Honda in the offseason then proceeded to win the championship, becoming the first man to win two consecutive 500cc championships on two different brands. On why he left Yamaha for Honda: "Giacomo Agostini, the Marlboro Yamaha team manager, started playing games, saying stuff like, 'I don't know if we can pay you the same as we did in 1988.' I'd just won my third title, so that was tough to hear. Also, I found out Ago was talking to Kevin Schwantz. I met with Erv and told him that I needed a change. When Marlboro discovered I was talking with Honda, they doubled their offer, but it was too late. I actually took a pay cut to ride the Honda."
Wayne Rainey and Kevin Schwantz continued to perform impressively while Freddie Spencer made a less than successful comeback attempt with the Marlboro Yamaha team. Australian Wayne Gardner was out for most of the season after breaking his leg at Laguna Seca but not before winning the inaugural Grand Prix in his home country. Another Australian made his Grand Prix debut for the Rothmans Honda team with Mick Doohan scoring a third-place finish at the Hockenheimring. The FIM awarded half points for the rain-drenched Belgian Grand Prix after organisers restarted the race three times contrary to FIM race regulations. The Nations Grand Prix at Misano was boycotted by most of the top riders for safety reasons.
Sito Pons won a second consecutive 250 championship for Honda while Spanish teenager, Àlex Crivillé won the 125 crown on a JJ Cobas. Derbi rider Manuel Herreros had the honor of winning the final 80cc championship as the class would be discontinued after 1989.

1989 Grand Prix season calendar

The following Grands Prix were scheduled to take place in 1989:
RoundDateGrand PrixCircuit
126 March Grand Prix of JapanSuzuka Circuit
29 April Swan Premium Australian Motorcycle Grand PrixPhillip Island Grand Prix Circuit
316 April Dunlop USGPLaguna Seca Raceway
430 April Marlboro Gran Premio de España de MotociclismoCircuito Permanente de Jerez
514 May G.P. Delle NazioniCircuito Internazionale Santa Monica
628 May Großer Preis von Deutschland für MotorräderHockenheimring
74 June Großer Preis von ÖsterreichSalzburgring
811 June Yu Grand PrixAutomotodrom Rijeka
924 June Dutch TTTT Circuit Assen
102 July Belgium Motorcycle Grand PrixCircuit de Spa-Francorchamps
1116 July Grand Prix de FranceBugatti Circuit
126 August Shell British Motorcycle Grand PrixDonington Park
1313 August Swedish TTScandinavian Raceway
1427 August Grand Prix CSSR-BrnoBrno Circuit
1517 September Brazilian Grand PrixAutódromo Internacional Ayrton Senna

Calendar changes

500cc participants

250cc participants

Results and standings

Grands Prix

500cc riders' standings

;Scoring system
Points are awarded to the top fifteen finishers. A rider has to finish the race to earn points.
Position 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 7th 8th 9th 10th 11th 12th 13th 14th 15th
Points201715131110987654321

250cc standings

125cc standings

80cc standings

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