1990 Nations motorcycle Grand Prix

The 1990 Nations motorcycle Grand Prix was the fourth race of the 1990 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season. It took place on the weekend of 18–20 May 1990 at the Misano circuit.

  1990 Nations Grand Prix

Race details
Race 4 of 15 races in the 1990 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season
Date	20 May 1990
Official name	G.P d'Italia
Location	Circuito Internazionale Santa Monica
Course	Permanent racing facility 3.488 km (2.167 mi)
500cc
Pole position Rider Wayne Rainey Time 1:16.019 Fastest lap Rider Wayne Rainey Time 1:15.912 Podium First Wayne Rainey Second Kevin Schwantz Third Mick Doohan
250cc
Pole position Rider John Kocinski Time 1:17.807 Fastest lap Rider John Kocinski Time 1:18.023 Podium First John Kocinski Second Helmut Bradl Third Wilco Zeelenberg
125cc
Pole position Rider Jorge Martínez Time 1:24.254 Fastest lap Rider Stefan Prein Time 1:24.213 Podium First Jorge Martínez Second Dirk Raudies Third Loris Capirossi

500 cc race report

In practice Christian Sarron falls in front of Wayne Gardner, bringing him down and causing Gardner to race with broken ribs.

At the first turn, Wayne Rainey and Kevin Schwantz go first, but Pierfrancesco Chili gets knocked off by Gardner, who came across the racing line. Chili kicks furiously at the gravel as he's escorted off the track.

A trio forms at the front: Rainey, Schwantz and Mick Doohan. Alex Barros crashes out for a second race in a row.

Drops of rain bring out the red flag and memories of Spa ’89, when 3 races were run; a second race on aggregate time will follow. New start in the dry and Doohan gets the first turn, followed by Rainey and Mamola. It soon turns into Rainey, Doohan, Gardner and Schwantz at the front. It’s a very aggressive group of four, who pass each other two at a time.

Schwantz takes the lead, and can’t suppress his tic of looking back while exiting on the throttle, a habit that caused him a crash last season.

Though the order crossing the line is Schwantz, Gardner, Rainey and Doohan, Rainey takes the win based on aggregate time.

500 cc classification

Pos.	Rider	Team	Manufacturer	Time/Retired	Points
1	Wayne Rainey	Marlboro Team Roberts	Yamaha	46:21.150	20
2	Kevin Schwantz	Lucky Strike Suzuki	Suzuki	+2.121	17
3	Mick Doohan	Rothmans Honda Team	Honda	+7.870	15
4	Wayne Gardner	Rothmans Honda Team	Honda	+9.732	13
5	Niall Mackenzie	Lucky Strike Suzuki	Suzuki	+1:13.452	11
6	Sito Pons	Campsa Banesto	Honda	+1:20.365	10
7	Randy Mamola	Cagiva Corse	Cagiva	+1 Lap	9
8	Juan Garriga	Ducados Yamaha	Yamaha	+1 Lap	8
9	Marco Papa	Team ROC Elf La Cinq	Honda	+1 Lap	7
10	Romolo Balbi		Honda	+1 Lap	6
11	Michele Valdo		Honda	+2 Laps	5
12	Peter Lindén		Honda	+3 Laps	4
13	Nicholas Schmassman	Team Schmassman	Honda	+3 Laps	3
14	Cees Doorakkers	HRK Motors	Honda	+5 Laps	2
15	Vittorio Scatola	Team Elit	Paton	+8 Laps	1
Ret	Ron Haslam	Cagiva Corse	Cagiva	Retirement
Ret	Jean Philippe Ruggia	Sonauto Gauloises	Yamaha	Retirement
Ret	Andreas Leuthe	Librenti Corse	Honda	Retirement
Ret	Christian Sarron	Sonauto Gauloises	Yamaha	Retirement
Ret	Pierfrancesco Chili	Team ROC Elf La Cinq	Honda	Retirement
Ret	Alex Barros	Cagiva Corse	Cagiva	Retirement
Sources: