# 1988 German motorcycle Grand Prix

The 1988 German motorcycle Grand Prix was the sixth round of the 1988 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season. It took place on the weekend of 27–29 May, 1988 at the Nürburgring circuit.

## 500 cc Race report

The race was held in wet conditions, with Wayne Gardner starting from the pole position. Wayne Rainey took the first turn from Eddie Lawson, Pierfrancesco Chili, Christian Sarron, Kevin Schwantz (from the second row).
Sarron, considered a good wet rider, took the lead. At the end of lap one it was Sarron, Schwantz, Lawson, Kevin Magee, Rainey, and Chili. Schwantz moved into first, then it was Sarron, Magee, Lawson, and Rainey. Schwantz had a large lead. Magee went down. The track was drying slightly. Heading towards the last lap, Schwantz was looking ragged going through a chicane, but he held it together to the line.

## 500 cc classification

| Pos. | Rider | Team | Manufacturer | Time/Retired | Points |
| 1 | Kevin Schwantz | Suzuki Pepsi Cola | Suzuki | 1'01:52.270 | 20 |
| 2 | Wayne Rainey | Team Lucky Strike Roberts | Yamaha | +25.030 | 17 |
| 3 | Christian Sarron | Sonauto Gauloises Blondes Yamaha Mobil 1 | Yamaha | +51.550 | 15 |
| 4 | Eddie Lawson | Marlboro Yamaha Team Agostini | Yamaha | +1:08.740 | 13 |
| 5 | Kevin Magee | Team Lucky Strike Roberts | Yamaha | +1:12.170 | 11 |
| 6 | Pierfrancesco Chili | HB Honda Gallina Team | Honda | +1:12.550 | 10 |
| 7 | Didier de Radiguès | Marlboro Yamaha Team Agostini | Yamaha | +1:20.280 | 9 |
| 8 | Wayne Gardner | Rothmans Honda Team | Honda | +1:43.880 | 8 |
| 9 | Niall Mackenzie | Team HRC | Honda | +1 Lap | 7 |
| 10 | Shunji Yatsushiro | Rothmans Honda Team | Honda | +1 Lap | 6 |
| 11 | Rob McElnea | Suzuki Pepsi Cola | Suzuki | +1 Lap | 5 |
| 12 | Patrick Igoa | Sonauto Gauloises Blondes Yamaha Mobil 1 | Yamaha | +1 Lap | 4 |
| 13 | Peter Schleef | Schuh Racing Team | Honda | +2 Laps | 3 |
| 14 | Marco Papa | Team Greco | Honda | +2 Laps | 2 |
| 15 | Michael Rudroff | | Honda | +2 Laps | 1 |
| 16 | Alessandro Valesi | Team Iberia | Honda | +2 Laps | |
| 17 | Marco Gentile | Fior Marlboro | Fior | +2 Laps | |
| 18 | Wolfgang von Muralt | | Suzuki | +2 Laps | |
| 19 | Maarten Duyzers | HDJ International | Honda | +2 Laps | |
| 20 | Josef Doppler | MRC Grieskirchen | Honda | +2 Laps | |
| 21 | Helmut Schutz | Rallye Sport | Honda | +2 Laps | |
| 22 | Ari Ramo | | Honda | +2 Laps | |
| 23 | Peter Sköld | Team Honda Sweden | Honda | +2 Laps | |
| 24 | Nicholas Schmassman | FMS | Honda | +2 Laps | |
| 25 | Bruno Kneubühler | Romer Racing Suisse | Honda | +2 Laps | |
| Ret | Andreas Leuthe | | Suzuki | Retirement | |
| Ret | Randy Mamola | Cagiva Corse | Cagiva | Retirement | |
| Ret | Georg Robert Jung | Weigl Telefix Racing Team | Honda | Retirement | |
| Ret | Manfred Fischer | Team Hein Gericke | Honda | Retirement | |
| Ret | Daniel Amatriain | Ducados Lotus Guarz | Honda | Retirement | |
| Ret | Massimo Broccoli | Cagiva Corse | Cagiva | Retirement | |
| Ret | Peter Linden | Team Honda Sweden | Honda | Retirement | |
| Ret | Hans Klingebiel | | Suzuki | Retirement | |
| Ret | Ron Haslam | Team ROC Elf Honda | Elf Honda | Retirement | |
| Ret | Hansjoerg Butz | | Honda | Retirement | |
| Ret | Fabio Barchitta | Racing Team Katayama | Honda | Retirement | |
| DNQ | Gustav Reiner | Team Hein Gericke | Honda | Did not qualify | |
| DNQ | Steve Manley | Gateford Motors | Suzuki | Did not qualify | |
| DNQ | Jorg Gammerschalg | | Honda | Did not qualify | |
| DNQ | Alois Meyer | | Honda | Did not qualify | |
| DNQ | Rachel Nicotte | PVI Racing | Honda | Did not qualify | |
| DNQ | Claus Wulff | | Honda | Did not qualify | |
| Sources: ||||||