1987 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season Sports season
The 1987 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season was the 39th F.I.M. Road Racing World Championship season.
Season summary
Wayne Gardner became Australia's first-ever 500cc World Champion in a season that saw him score points in every Grand Prix.[1] Randy Mamola would finish second yet again, one point ahead of Eddie Lawson despite Lawson's five victories.[1] The first Japanese Grand Prix in 20 years was held at the Suzuka Circuit. Along with rounds in Brazil and Argentina, the championship was becoming a real world championship.[1]
Venezuelan Carlos Lavado's defense of his 250 crown was spoiled by injuries sustained in a pre-season crash.[1] Anton Mang stepped up to claim his fifth world championship ahead of four other Hondas.[1] A new brand would announce its arrival in the 250 class when an Aprilia ridden by Loris Reggiani won the San Marino Grand Prix.[1] Garelli's Fausto Gresini won ten out of eleven races in the 125 class, but ruined his bid for a perfect season when he crashed at the last round in Jarama.[2] Spain's Jorge Martinez won the 80cc crown for the second consecutive year.[3]
The Portuguese round was held in Jarama, Spain because the Portuguese Federation had transferred their rights to the Jarama organisers.[1] 1987 would be the first year that saw clutch starts replace push starts on the grounds of safety.[1] The FIM also announced that the 80cc class would be discontinued after 1989 and that the 125 class would be restricted to single cylinder machines.[1]
The last round was in Argentina, which had not hosted a motorcycle Grand Prix since 1982. But appalling organization of the event saw the race nearly boycotted by the riders and their teams, and the race turned out to be a farcical embarrassment for the organizers. The safety of the Autódromo Municipal del Parque Almirante Brown de la Ciudad de Buenos Aires was totally unsuitable for racing; the organization of this Grand Prix was so bad that spectators had easy access to the circuit while the races were going on. The Argentine Grand Prix did not return until 1994.[4]
1987 Grand Prix season calendar
The following Grands Prix were scheduled to take place in 1987:[5][6]
Calendar changes
Results and standings
Grands Prix
Participants
500cc participants
Team
|
Constructor
|
Motorcycle
|
No.
|
Rider
|
Rounds
|
Marlboro Yamaha Team Agostini
|
Yamaha
|
Yamaha YZR500
|
1
|
Eddie Lawson
|
All
|
5
|
Rob McElnea
|
1–14
|
21
|
Tadahiko Taira
|
1–7, 9–15
|
Rothmans Honda/HRC
|
Honda
|
Honda NSR500
|
2
|
Wayne Gardner
|
All
|
16
|
Shunji Yatsushiro
|
All
|
Rothmans Racing
|
Honda
|
Honda NSR500
|
12
|
Roger Burnett
|
1–13
|
Team Lucky Strike Roberts
|
Yamaha
|
Yamaha YZR500
|
3
|
Randy Mamola
|
All
|
4
|
Mike Baldwin
|
1–2, 13–15
|
33
|
Richard Scott
|
2–12
|
Team Roberts
|
Yamaha
|
Yamaha YZR500
|
40 17 34
|
Kevin Magee
|
1, 7, 13
|
Team Sonauto Gauloises
|
Yamaha
|
Yamaha YZR500
|
6
|
Christian Sarron
|
1–5, 7–15
|
Team Cagiva - Alstare
|
Cagiva
|
Cagiva C587
|
7
|
Didier de Radiguès
|
1–5, 7–15
|
8
|
Raymond Roche
|
1–8, 11–15
|
Team Elf-ROC
|
Honda Elf
|
Honda NSR500 Elf 4
|
9
|
Ron Haslam
|
1–13
|
HB Honda Gallina
|
Honda
|
Honda NSR500
|
10
|
Pierfrancesco Chili
|
All
|
HB Honda/HRC
|
Honda
|
Honda NSR500
|
11
|
Niall Mackenzie
|
1–5, 7–15
|
Honda Racing Corporation
|
Honda
|
Honda NSR500
|
19
|
Freddie Spencer
|
9–12
|
Hein Gericke Racing
|
Honda
|
Honda RS500 Honda NSR500
|
14
|
Gustav Reiner
|
1–6, 8–9, 12–13
|
HG-Honda
|
??
|
36 34
|
Manfred Fischer
|
3–5, 7–10, 12
|
Servisco
|
Honda
|
Honda NS500
|
15
|
Fabio Biliotti
|
2–6, 9–13
|
Heron Suzuki GB Ltd
|
Heron/Suzuki
|
Suzuki RGV500
|
18
|
Kenny Irons
|
1–12
|
34
|
Kevin Schwantz
|
2, 4, 8
|
34
|
Donnie McLeod
|
3
|
Duckhams NLM Honda
|
Honda
|
Honda RS500
|
22
|
Simon Buckmaster
|
1–3, 5–13
|
Team Iberna
|
Honda
|
Honda RS500
|
23
|
Alessandro Valesi
|
1–2, 4–13
|
Frankonia-Suzuki
|
Suzuki
|
Suzuki RGB500
|
24
|
Wolfgang von Muralt
|
1–2, 4–14
|
Lucky Strike Fior
|
Fior-Honda
|
Honda RS500
|
25
|
Marco Gentile
|
All
|
Fior-SNCF
|
Fior-Honda
|
Honda RS500
|
53 26
|
Thierry Rapicault
|
2–4
|
55 72
|
Hervé Guilleux
|
5–11, 13
|
Suzuki Japan
|
Suzuki
|
Suzuki RGV500
|
32
|
Takumi Ito
|
1
|
Andy Leuthe
|
Honda
|
Honda RS500
|
40
|
Andy Leuthe
|
4–6, 8
|
??
|
Honda
|
Honda RS500
|
42 78 29
|
Fabio Barchitta
|
3–4, 6–13
|
Bruno Kneubühler
|
Honda
|
Honda RS500
|
45 65 55
|
Bruno Kneubühler
|
2–13
|
Honda Britain
|
Honda
|
Honda RS500 Honda NS500
|
57 33
|
Richard Scott
|
2–12
|
H.D.J. B.Y
|
Honda
|
Honda RS500
|
61 44
|
Maarten Duyzers
|
2–3, 5, 8–10
|
FE-GO
|
Honda
|
Honda RS500
|
75 50
|
Silvo Habat
|
6
|
??
|
Honda
|
Honda RS500
|
??
|
Gerold Fischer
|
2–7, 10–11
|
Yamaha Japan
|
Yamaha
|
Yamaha YZR500
|
??
|
Shinji Katayama
|
1
|
??
|
Hiroyuki Kawasaki
|
1
|
Source:[7]
|
|
Key
|
Regular Rider
|
Wildcard Rider
|
Replacement Rider
|
|
250cc participants
Team
|
Constructor
|
Motorcycle
|
No.
|
Rider
|
Rounds
|
HB-Venemotos
|
Yamaha
|
Yamaha YZR 250
|
1
|
Carlos Lavado
|
2–10, 13–15
|
Campsa-Honda
|
Honda
|
Honda NSR250
|
2
|
Sito Pons
|
All
|
Rothmans Honda France
|
Honda
|
Honda NSR250
|
3
|
Dominique Sarron
|
1–6, 8–15
|
Rothmans Honda
|
Honda
|
Honda NSR250
|
4
|
Anton Mang
|
All
|
Pole Position/Ville d’Hyeres
|
Honda
|
Honda RS250R
|
5
|
Jean-François Baldé
|
1, 3–6, 8–14
|
Defi
|
Defi-Rotax
|
??
|
5
|
Jean-François Baldé
|
1, 3–6, 8–14
|
Marlboro Yamaha Team Agostini
|
Yamaha
|
Yamaha YZR 250
|
6
|
Martin Wimmer
|
1–2, 5–15
|
22
|
Luca Cadalora
|
1–5, 7–15
|
??
|
Massimo Messere
|
??
|
Team Parisienne-Elf
|
Honda
|
Honda NSR250
|
7
|
Jacques Cornu
|
1–10
|
23
|
Urs Lüzi
|
10–15
|
Honda RS250R
|
55
|
Bernard Hänggeli
|
2, 9, 11, 13
|
Team Iberna
|
Honda
|
Honda RS250R
|
8
|
Fausto Ricci
|
1–2, 12–13
|
??
|
Honda
|
Honda RS250R
|
10
|
Donnie Mcleod
|
1–13
|
Pepsi/Ehrlich Automotive
|
EMC-Rotax
|
??
|
10
|
Donnie Mcleod
|
1–13
|
Team Ducados Angel Nieto
|
Honda
|
Honda NSR250
|
12
|
Carlos Cardús
|
1, 3–15
|
Racing Team Katayama
|
Sekitoba-Honda
|
Honda RS250R
|
14
|
Stéphane Mertens
|
All
|
15
|
Virginio Ferrari
|
1
|
Team Italia Garelli
|
Garelli
|
Garelli 250 GP
|
16
|
Maurizio Vitali
|
1–6, 9–13
|
Sonauto Gauloises
|
Yamaha
|
Yamaha YZR 250
|
17
|
Patrick Igoa
|
1–5, 7–15
|
21
|
Jean-Philippe Ruggia
|
All
|
Sonauto Yamaha
|
Yamaha
|
Yamaha TZ 250
|
21
|
Jean-Philippe Ruggia
|
All
|
??
|
Chevallier-Yamaha
|
Yamaha TZ 250
|
19
|
Jean Foray
|
2–3, 6–8, 10, 12–15
|
Atomic Road Racing Team
|
Honda
|
Honda RS250R
|
20
|
Hans Lindner
|
3–11
|
HB Römer Team
|
Honda
|
Honda NSR250
|
24
|
Reinhold Roth
|
All
|
Römer Racing Team
|
Honda
|
Honda RS250R
|
34 32
|
Harald Eckl
|
1–13
|
Honda France
|
Honda
|
Honda RS250R
|
25
|
Jean-Michel Mattioli
|
All
|
??
|
Honda
|
Honda RS250R
|
27
|
Manfred Herweh
|
1–2, 4–13
|
Ducados-Yamaha Racing
|
Yamaha
|
Yamaha YZR 250
|
31
|
Joan Garriga
|
1–7, 11–15
|
Team Aprilia
|
Aprilia AFI-Rotax
|
??
|
32 18 30 41 36 34
|
Loris Reggiani
|
2–6, 8–15
|
Pave d’Affinois
|
Honda
|
Honda RS250R
|
36
|
Guy Bertin
|
All
|
D Gallacher - Bradgate Containers
|
Yamaha Honda
|
Yamaha TZ 250 Honda RS250R
|
38
|
Kevin Mitchell
|
1, 6–7, 9–11
|
East West Transport
|
Honda
|
Honda RS250R
|
41
|
Garry Cowan
|
3, 5–9, 11–12
|
Ajinomoto
|
Honda
|
Honda NSR250
|
43 45
|
Masahiro Shimizu
|
1, 14–15
|
44
|
Masaru Kobayashi
|
1
|
HOMA Racing Team
|
Honda
|
Honda RS250R
|
43
|
Siegfried Minich
|
2, 5–7
|
Mitsui-Yamaha
|
Yamaha
|
Yamaha TZ 250
|
45
|
Jochen Schmid
|
2–10, 12
|
M.T.D
|
Honda
|
Honda RS250R
|
48
|
Bruno Bonhuil
|
1–4, 6, 8, 10–15
|
F.M.V.
|
Yamaha
|
Yamaha TZ 250
|
49 33
|
Iván Palazzese
|
6, 11–12
|
Gazzaniga Corse
|
Gazzaniga-Rotax
|
??
|
??
|
Stefano Caracchi
|
2, 4, 7–10, 12–15
|
Angelo Gazzaniga
|
Honda
|
Honda RS250R
|
49
|
Stefano Caracchi
|
2, 4, 7–10, 12–15
|
??
|
Yamaha
|
Yamaha TZ 250
|
55
|
René Délaby
|
2–13
|
??
|
Honda
|
Honda RS250R
|
??
|
Alain Bronec
|
2, 6, 8–11, 13–15
|
Moriwaki
|
Honda
|
Honda NSR250
|
??
|
Alan Carter
|
1
|
??
|
Honda
|
Honda RS250R
|
??
|
Hervé Duffard
|
2, 8–10, 14–15
|
??
|
Honda
|
Honda RS250R
|
??
|
Urs Lüzi
|
10–15
|
??
|
Honda
|
Honda RS250R
|
??
|
Alberto Rota
|
2–3, 12–13
|
Source: [8]
|
|
Key
|
Regular Rider
|
Wildcard Rider
|
Replacement Rider
|
|
Final standings
500cc standings
- Scoring system
Points are awarded to the top ten finishers. A rider has to finish the race to earn points.
Position
|
1st
|
2nd
|
3rd
|
4th
|
5th
|
6th
|
7th
|
8th
|
9th
|
10th
|
Points
|
15
|
12
|
10
|
8
|
6
|
5
|
4
|
3
|
2
|
1
|
250cc standings
[9][10]
125cc standings
[11]
80cc standings
[12]
Further reading
- Büla, Maurice & Schertenleib, Jean-Claude (2001). Continental Circus 1949-2000. Chronosports S.A. ISBN 2-940125-32-5
References
External links
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