1991 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season

The 1991 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season was the 43rd F.I.M. Road Racing World Championship season.

Season summary

Mick Doohan (3) leads Kevin Schwantz (34), Wayne Rainey (1) and John Kocinski (19) at the 1991 Japanese Grand Prix

The beginning of the 1990s marked a golden age for Grand Prix motorcycle racing.^[1] The rivalry between Wayne Rainey and Kevin Schwantz was in full flow while Mick Doohan started to come into his own.^[1] Eddie Lawson had switched to Cagiva and started to have some respectable results.^[1] In a one-year quirk, only 13 races counted as, competitors were allowed to drop their two worst scores.^[1] The Yugoslavia round was dropped because of the civil war and replaced with a Grand Prix of Europe at Jarama.^[1] The Brazilian round was also dropped at the last minute over track safety concerns and replaced with a race held at Le Mans.^[1] The inaugural Malaysian Grand Prix was held at Shah Alam.^[1]

For the 1991 season, Michelin decided to supply only the Rothmans Honda team with tires; everybody else used Dunlops.^[1][2]

Luca Cadalora won the 250 title in a dominating fashion with eight wins.^[1] In the 125 class, Italian teenager Loris Capirossi swept to the title for the second consecutive year.^[1]

1991 Grand Prix season calendar

Round	Race	Location	125cc winner	250cc winner	500cc winner	Report
1	Japanese Grand Prix	Suzuka	Noboru Ueda	Luca Cadalora	Kevin Schwantz	Report
2	Australian Grand Prix	Eastern Creek	Loris Capirossi	Luca Cadalora	Wayne Rainey	Report
3	United States Grand Prix	Laguna Seca	no race	Luca Cadalora	Wayne Rainey	Report
4	Spanish Grand Prix	Jerez	Noboru Ueda	Helmut Bradl	Mick Doohan	Report
5	Italian Grand Prix	Misano	Fausto Gresini	Luca Cadalora	Mick Doohan	Report
6	German Grand Prix	Hockenheim	Ralf Waldmann	Helmut Bradl	Kevin Schwantz	Report
7	Austrian Grand Prix	Salzburgring	Fausto Gresini	Helmut Bradl	Mick Doohan	Report
8	European Grand Prix	Jarama	Loris Capirossi	Luca Cadalora	Wayne Rainey	Report
9	Dutch TT	Assen	Ralf Waldmann	Pierfrancesco Chili	Kevin Schwantz	Report
10	French Grand Prix	Paul Ricard	Loris Capirossi	Loris Reggiani	Wayne Rainey	Report
11	British Grand Prix	Donington	Loris Capirossi	Luca Cadalora	Kevin Schwantz	Report
12	San Marino Grand Prix	Mugello	Peter Öttl	Luca Cadalora	Wayne Rainey	Report
13	Czechoslovakian Grand Prix	Brno	Alessandro Gramigni	Helmut Bradl	Wayne Rainey	Report
14	Vitesse du Mans Grand Prix	Le Mans	no race	Helmut Bradl	Kevin Schwantz	Report
15	Malaysian Grand Prix	Shah Alam	Loris Capirossi	Luca Cadalora	John Kocinski	Report

Final standings

Scoring system

Points are awarded to the top fifteen finishers. Rider has to finish the race to earn points.

500cc standings^[3][4]

Pos Rider Bike JPN AUS USA ESP ITA GER AUT EUR NED FRA GBR RSM CZE VDM MAL Pts 1 Wayne Rainey Yamaha 3 1 1 3 9 2 2 1 2 1 2 1 1 3 233 2 Mick Doohan Honda 2 2 2 1 1 3 1 2 Ret 2 3 3 2 2 3 224 3 Kevin Schwantz Suzuki 1 5 3 Ret 7 1 3 4 1 4 1 2 5 1 204 4 John Kocinski Yamaha 4 3 Ret 2 2 Ret 9 5 6 DNS 4 6 3 4 1 161 5 Wayne Gardner Honda 5 4 7 7 5 4 3 3 10 5 4 4 5 2 161 6 Eddie Lawson Cagiva 6 6 5 6 3 4 5 Ret 4 3 6 Ret 8 126 7 Juan Garriga Yamaha 7 Ret 8 4 8 7 6 6 12 11 9 7 6 6 4 121 8 Didier de Radiguès Suzuki 14 10 10 8 Ret 6 8 10 5 7 8 8 7 8 8 105 9 Doug Chandler Yamaha 11 12 Ret 10 6 9 7 9 11 6 Ret 9 10 7 Ret 85 10 Jean-Philippe Ruggia Yamaha Ret 7 4 5 5 7 8 5 Ret 10 Ret Ret Ret 78 11 Adrien Morillas Yamaha 12 9 9 9 Ret 8 Ret 8 9 8 Ret Ret Ret 10 7 71 12 Eddie Laycock Yamaha Ret 13 13 11 10 10 10 12 Ret 11 11 11 11 12 57 13 Alex Barros Cagiva 10 8 6 4 7 46 14 Sito Pons Honda 8 Ret Ret 11 10 9 Ret Ret 9 9 Ret 40 15 Cees Doorakkers Honda 22 14 14 13 12 11 13 13 12 14 13 13 Ret 10 40 16 Marco Papa Honda 12 11 12 Ret 13 10 12 13 9 36 17 Niall Mackenzie Yamaha 7 5 12 6 34 18 Michael Rudroff Honda 15 15 12 11 14 14 14 13 14 12 Ret 26 19 Kevin Magee Suzuki 13 11 5 19 20 Harald Becker Yamaha 14 Ret 13 16 Ret Ret Ret 15 14 Ret 11 13 21 Keiichiro Iwahashi Honda 9 7 22 Simon Buckmaster Suzuki 14 14 Ret Ret 15 15 6 23 Rich Oliver Yamaha 11 5 24 Niggi Schmassman Honda 16 15 Ret Ret 15 15 Ret Ret 17 14 5 25 Ron Haslam Norton 12 4 26 Robbie Petersen Yamaha 12 4 27 Josef Doppler Yamaha 17 15 17 16 16 13 4 28 Romolo Balbi Honda 13 17 3 29 Andy Leuthe Suzuki Ret 15 18 Ret 14 3 30 Steve Spray Norton 15 1 31 Peter Goddard Yamaha 15 1 Pos Rider Bike JPN AUS USA ESP ITA GER AUT EUR NED FRA GBR RSM CZE VDM MAL Pts

Colour Result Gold Winner Silver 2nd place Bronze 3rd place Green Points finish Blue Non-points finish Non-classified finish (NC) Purple Retired (Ret) Red Did not qualify (DNQ) Did not pre-qualify (DNPQ) Black Disqualified (DSQ) White Did not start (DNS) Withdrew (WD) Race cancelled (C) Blank Did not participate (DNP) Excluded (EX) Bold – Pole Position

250cc standings^[5][6]

Place	Rider	Bike	JPN	AUS	USA	ESP	ITA	GER	AUT	EUR	NED	Points	Wins
1	Luca Cadalora	Honda	1	1	1	2	1	4	5	1	2	237	8
2	Helmut Bradl	Honda	7	2	8	1	2	1	1	2	4	220	5
3	Carlos Cardús	Honda	2	3	4	6	6	2	2	3	5	205	0
4	Wilco Zeelenberg	Honda	3	4	2	Ret	5	3	3	4	3	158	0
5	Masahiro Shimizu	Honda	8	Ret	5	4	7	5	6	6	6	142	0
6	Loris Reggiani	Aprilia	9	5	3	3	4	Ret	8	5	Ret	128	0
7	Pierfrancesco Chili	Aprilia	17	6	Ret	5	3	Ret	4	Ret	1	107	1
8	Jochen Schmid	Honda	13	8	10	7	8	8	7	8	Ret	96	0
9	Martin Wimmer	Suzuki	14	Ret	7	8	19	9	13	9	7	89	0
10	Paolo Casoli	Yamaha	26	9	Ret	Ret	10	11	11	10	8	65	0
11	Andy Preining	Aprilia	19	7	6	Ret	9	6	Ret	14	20	60
12	Jean Pierre Jeandat	Honda	18	11	11	12	11	14	Ret	13	10	59
13	Àlex Crivillé	Honda	Ret	Ret	9	Ret	Ret	7	9	Ret	Ret	51
14	Carlos Lavado	Yamaha	25	10	12	11	14	15	DNS		9	34
15	Doriano Romboni	Honda	Ret	Ret	13	9	Ret	13	Ret	7	Ret	32
16	Alberto Puig	Yamaha	21	Ret	Ret	10	Ret	DNS		DNS	Ret	28
17	Stefan Prein	Honda	20	Ret	15	DNS	15	10	10	Ret	Ret	28
18	Harald Eckl	Aprilia		Ret	14	Ret	16	12	12	19	11	22
19	Katsuyoshi Kozono	Honda	11						21	11	12	20
20	Renzo Colleoni	Aprilia				Ret	13	Ret	25	Ret	Ret	19
21	Bernard Haenggeli	Aprilia	32	12	17	17	Ret	Ret	22	Ret	13	15
22	Masumitsu Taguchi	Honda	4									13
23	Nobuatsu Aoki	Honda	5									13
24	Tetsuya Harada	Yamaha	6									10
25	Herri Torrontegui	Aprilia									Ret	8
26	Erkka Korpiaho	Aprilia				Ret	12	DNS	14	17	Ret	8
27	Max Biaggi	Aprilia								Ret		7
28	Tsumoto Udagawa	Honda	10									6
29	Marcellino Lucchi	Aprilia				Ret	Ret	22	Ret	Ret	14	5
30	Jose Barresi											4
30	Kyoji Nanba	Yamaha	12									4
30	Dominique Sarron	Yamaha				Ret		16		12		4
33	Frederic Protat	Aprilia	30	13	Ret	Ret	Ret	DNS	Ret	15	17	4
34	Urs Jücker	Yamaha	27	14	18	15	18	Ret	Ret	18	16	4
35	Leon Van Der Heyden	Honda	23	Ret	19	13	Ret	DNS		22	Ret	3
35	Patrick van den Goorbergh	Yamaha				14	21	19	23	20	15	3
37	Jurgen van den Goorbergh											2
38	Corrado Catalano	Honda	Ret	Ret	24	Ret	Ret	Ret	15	Ret	Ret	1
38	Bernd Kassner	Honda					22	17	20		21	1
38	Toshi Arakaki	Honda	15									1
38	Kevin Mitchell	Yamaha	29	15	Ret	Ret		20	DNS			1
	Jaime Mariano	Aprilia	Ret	17	20	16	17	Ret	18			0
	Fausto Ricci	Yamaha				19	Ret	18	16	Ret	DNQ	0
	Stefano Pennese	Aprilia					Ret	DNS	19	16	Ret	0
	Jim Filice	Yamaha	31	Ret	16							0
	Osamu Miyazaki	Yamaha	16									0
	Stephen Whitehouse	Yamaha		16								0
	Eskil Suter	Aprilia							17	23		0
	Ian Newton	Yamaha		Ret	27	18	Ret	24	26	21	19	0
	Jean Foray	Yamaha				20	24	21	27	Ret	18	0
	David Horton	Yamaha		18								0
	Gavin Johnston	Yamaha		19								0
	Renato Colleoni	Aprilia					20		24			0
	Warren Palesy	Yamaha		20								0
	Michael Haisman	Yamaha		21								0
	Nick Ienatsch	Yamaha			21							0
	Peter Linden	Honda	28	Ret				25	Ret		22	0
	Takehiko Kurokawa	Honda	22									0
	Scott Buckley	Yamaha		22								0
	Chris D'Aluisio	Yamaha			22							0
	Wayne Doran	Aprilia					23	23	28			0
	Jon Cornwell	Yamaha			25						23	0
	Rick Kirk	Yamaha			23							0
	Yoshomasa Kato	Yamaha	24									0
	Mike Sullivan	Yamaha			26							0
	Hiroyuki Yamagishi	Honda	Ret									0
	Darren Milner	Yamaha		Ret								0
	Trevor Manley	Yamaha		Ret								0
	Ricky Rice	Yamaha		Ret								0
	Alan Scott	Yamaha			Ret							0
	Rick Tripodi	Yamaha			Ret							0
	Daniel Amatriain	Aprilia								Ret		0
	Stefano Caracchi	Yamaha									DNQ	0

125cc standings

Place	Rider	Number	Country	Machine	Points	Wins
1	Loris Capirossi	1	Italy	Honda	200	5
2	Fausto Gresini	8	Italy	Honda	181	2
3	Ralf Waldmann	23	Germany	Honda	141	2
4	Gabriele Debbia	12	Italy	Aprilia	111	0
5	Noboru Ueda		Japan	Honda	105	2
6	Jorge Martínez	6	Spain	Cobas	99	0
7	Alessandro Gramigni	9	Italy	Aprilia	90	1
8	Dirk Raudies	5	Germany	Honda	81	0
9	Peter Öttl		Germany	Rotax	67	1
10	Noboyuki Wakai		Japan	Honda	60	0
11	Heinz Lüthi		Switzerland	Honda	56	0
12	Adi Stadler		Germany	Cobas	56	0
13	Kazuto Sakata		Japan	Honda	55	0
14	Hans Spaan		Netherlands	Honda	54	0
15	Bruno Casanova		Italy	Honda	45	0
16	Ezio Gianola		Italy	Derbi	32	0
17	Koji Takada		Japan	Honda	28	0
18	Maurizio Vitali		Italy	Gazzaniga	27	0
19	Hisashi Unemoto		Japan	Honda	15	0
20	Kinya Wada		Japan	Honda	14	0
21	Masato Shima		Japan	Honda	13	0
22	Luis Alvaro		Spain	Derbi	13	0
23	Oliver Petrucciani		Switzerland	Aprilia	13	0
24	Herri Torrontegui		Spain	Cobas	12	0
25	Andres Sanchez		Spain	Cobas	12	0
26	Gimmi Bosio		Italy	Honda	12	0
27	Julian Miralles		Spain	Cobas	10	0
28	Alfred Waibel		Germany	Honda	9	0
29	Akira Saito		Japan	Honda	8	0
30	Sinya Sato		Japan	Honda	7	0
31	Carlos Giro Jr.		Spain	Cobas	7	0
32	Arie Molenaar		Netherlands	Honda	7	0
33	Manuel Herreros		Spain	Cobas	6	0
34	Ian McConnacchie		United Kingdom	Honda	5	0
35	Steve Patrickson		United Kingdom	Honda	5	0
36	Johnny Wickstroem		Finland	Cobas	5	0
37	Yosuke Yamakawa		Japan	Honda	3	0
38	Peter Galvin		Australia	Honda	2	0
39	Alain Bronec		France	Honda	2	0

References

• Büla, Maurice & Schertenleib, Jean-Claude (2001). Continental Circus 1949-2000. Chronosports S.A. ISBN 2-940125-32-5
• "The Official MotoGP website". Retrieved 2010-07-06. 

1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Noyes, Dennis; Scott, Michael (1999), Motocourse: 50 Years Of Moto Grand Prix, Hazleton Publishing Ltd, ISBN 1-874557-83-7 
2. ↑ Scott, Michael: "Wayne Rainey", page 151. Haynes Publishing, 1997.
3. ↑ 1991 500cc Final Standings at MotoGP.com
4. ↑ 1991 500cc Entries List at www.f1network.net
5. ↑ 1991 250cc Final Standings at MotoGP.com
6. ↑ 1991 250cc Entries List at www.f1network.net

Grand Prix motorcycle racing seasons
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