# 1989 Australian motorcycle Grand Prix

The 1989 Australian motorcycle Grand Prix was the second of 15 races in the 1989 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season. It took place on the weekend of April 7–9, 1989, at Phillip Island, and was the first-ever World Championship Motorcycle Grand Prix to be held in Australia.

## 500 cc race report

Into the first corner of the race, Wayne Rainey, Tadahiko Taira, and Kevin Schwantz were at the front of the field, with Wayne Gardner in 4th. On the second lap whilst running in second place, Schwantz crashed out at Turn Ten; as he walked away from his Suzuki, he appeared visibly annoyed.
Rainey pulled out a lead of more than a second, followed by Kevin Magee, Taira, Gardner, Mick Doohan, and Eddie Lawson. Gardner eventually overtook Magee at Turn Four, and Pierfrancesco Chili crashed out for the second successive race. Gardner caught Rainey and began to swap the lead, while Magee, Christian Sarron, Freddie Spencer, and Lawson closed in on the leaders. Sarron caught up and went to the front with the leaders, while Magee held 4th spot. Spencer fell off and did not finish the race.
On the last lap, Gardner led, with Rainey and Sarron behind, and a further small gap to Magee. Rainey's depleted tyres meant he was unable to pass Gardner, and Gardner won the race, followed by Rainey and Sarron.
During the race, Wayne Rainey and Wayne Gardner had some close encounters on the track.

## 500 cc classification

| Pos. | Rider | Team | Manufacturer | Laps | Time/Retired | Grid | Points |
| 1 | Wayne Gardner | Rothmans Honda Team | Honda | 30 | 48:15.940 | 3 | 20 |
| 2 | Wayne Rainey | Team Lucky Strike Roberts | Yamaha | 30 | +0.350 | 2 | 17 |
| 3 | Christian Sarron | Sonauto Gauloises Blondes Yamaha Mobil 1 | Yamaha | 30 | +0.470 | 5 | 15 |
| 4 | Kevin Magee | Team Lucky Strike Roberts | Yamaha | 30 | +1.510 | 6 | 13 |
| 5 | Eddie Lawson | Rothmans Kanemoto Honda | Honda | 30 | +10.970 | 7 | 11 |
| 6 | Tadahiko Taira | Yamaha Motor Company | Yamaha | 30 | +12.570 | 4 | 10 |
| 7 | Ron Haslam | Suzuki Pepsi Cola | Suzuki | 30 | +32.460 | 11 | 9 |
| 8 | Mick Doohan | Rothmans Honda Team | Honda | 30 | +47.660 | 12 | 8 |
| 9 | Michael Dowson | | Yamaha | 30 | +1:27.820 | 16 | 7 |
| 10 | Dominique Sarron | Team ROC Elf Honda | Honda | 29 | +1 Lap | 17 | 6 |
| 11 | Alessandro Valesi | Team Iberia | Yamaha | 29 | +1 Lap | 19 | 5 |
| 12 | Simon Buckmaster | Racing Team Katayama | Honda | 29 | +1 Lap | 20 | 4 |
| 13 | Marco Gentile | Fior Marlboro | Fior | 29 | +1 Lap | 18 | 3 |
| 14 | Nicholas Schmassman | FMS | Honda | 27 | +3 Laps | 22 | 2 |
| 15 | Michael Rudroff | HRK Motors | Honda | 27 | +3 Laps | 21 | 1 |
| Ret | Greg Drew | | PRP | | Retirement | 23 | |
| Ret | Freddie Spencer | Marlboro Yamaha Team Agostini | Yamaha | | Retirement | 8 | |
| Ret | Randy Mamola | Cagiva Corse | Cagiva | | Retirement | 14 | |
| Ret | Malcolm Campbell | | Honda | | Retirement | 15 | |
| Ret | Kevin Schwantz | Suzuki Pepsi Cola | Suzuki | | Retirement | 1 | |
| Ret | Bubba Shobert | Cabin Racing Team | Honda | | Retirement | 13 | |
| Ret | Francisco Gonzales | Club Motocross Pozuelo | Honda | | Retirement | 24 | |
| Ret | Niall Mackenzie | Marlboro Yamaha Team Agostini | Yamaha | | Retirement | 9 | |
| Ret | James Judd | | Yamaha | | Retirement | 25 | |
| Ret | Pierfrancesco Chili | HB Honda Gallina Team | Honda | | Retirement | 10 | |
| DNS | Craig Harwood | | Yamaha | | Did not start | | |
| Sources: ||||||||