1991 Vitesse du Mans motorcycle Grand Prix

The 1991 Vitesse du Mans motorcycle Grand Prix was the penultimate round of the 1991 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season. It took place on the weekend of 6–8 September 1991 at the Bugatti Circuit located in Le Mans. France.

  1991 Vitesse du Mans Grand Prix
Race details
Race 14 of 15 races in the
1991 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season
Date8 September 1991
Official nameGrand Prix Vitesse Du Mans
LocationBugatti Circuit
Course
  • Permanent racing facility
  • 4.425 km (2.750 mi)
500 cc
Pole position
Rider John Kocinski
Time 1:39.964
Fastest lap
Rider Mick Doohan
Time 1:41.200
Podium
First Kevin Schwantz
Second Mick Doohan
Third Wayne Rainey
250 cc
Pole position
Rider Luca Cadalora
Time 1:44.963
Fastest lap
Rider Helmut Bradl
Time 1:45.375
Podium
First Helmut Bradl
Second Carlos Cardús
Third Luca Cadalora

Originally meant to be held in Brazil, that race was cancelled for safety reasons, so the FIM decided to add a second French round. It is the only time in FIM Grand Prix motorcycle racing history two rounds were held in France during a season. The race's name was used for this race only, after the European Grand Prix moniker had been used for a race in Jarama that replaced the Yugoslavian race.

500 cc race report

John Kocinski on pole. Kevin Schwantz gets the start from Kocinski, Mick Doohan, Wayne Gardner and Wayne Rainey.

Schwantz and Doohan battle for 1st, but at ten laps to go, Rainey just needs to stay in 3rd place to win the championship.

Rainey speculates that Kocinski let him take 3rd so he could win the championship, though he told team manager Kenny Roberts he didn't want Kocinski's help.

Kenny Roberts: "There were a lot of races where we shouldn't have won, and we really wouldn't have won if it wasn't for Wayne. There's a lot of races where had we had anyone else, it wouldn't have happened. Wayne was very, very determined to win it this year. Some years you can say the bikes were definitely better or our engineering was better, but this year Wayne was definitely better."[1]

500cc classification
Pos. Rider Team Manufacturer Time/Retired Points
1 Kevin Schwantz Lucky Strike Suzuki Suzuki 47:37.764 20
2 Mick Doohan Rothmans Honda Team Honda +0.148 17
3 Wayne Rainey Marlboro Team Roberts Yamaha +3.468 15
4 John Kocinski Marlboro Team Roberts Yamaha +3.700 13
5 Wayne Gardner Rothmans Honda Team Honda +3.966 11
6 Juan Garriga Ducados Yamaha Yamaha +37.852 10
7 Doug Chandler Roberts B Team Yamaha +38.342 9
8 Didier de Radiguès Lucky Strike Suzuki Suzuki +39.290 8
9 Sito Pons Campsa Honda Team Honda +1:30.554 7
10 Adrien Morillas Sonauto Yamaha Mobil 1 Yamaha +1:45.040 6
11 Eddie Laycock Millar Racing Yamaha +1 Lap 5
12 Niall Mackenzie Roberts B Team Yamaha +1 Lap 4
13 Marco Papa Team Marco Papa Honda +2 Laps 3
14 Andreas Leuthe Librenti Corse Suzuki +2 Laps 2
15 Damon Buckmaster Padgett's Racing Team Suzuki +5 Laps 1
Ret Cees Doorakkers HEK-Baumachines Honda Retirement
Ret Jean Philippe Ruggia Sonauto Yamaha Mobil 1 Yamaha Retirement
Ret Michael Rudroff Rallye Sport Honda Retirement
Ret Hans Becker Team Romero Racing Yamaha Retirement
DNS Eddie Lawson Cagiva Corse Cagiva Did not start
DNQ Nicholas Schmassman Schmassman Technotron Honda Did not qualify
DNQ Helmut Schutz Rallye Sport Honda Did not qualify
DNQ Martin Trösch MT Racing Honda Did not qualify
DNQ Josef Doppler Doppler Racing Yamaha Did not qualify
Sources: [2][3]

References
  1. Duke Video: "Bike GP Review 1991". Videocassette.
  2. "1991 Le Mans MotoGP - Motor Sport Magazine Database". 13 June 2017.
  3. "motogp.com · VITESSE DU MANS GRAND PRIX · 500cc Race Classification 1991". www.motogp.com.
Previous race:
1991 Czechoslovakian Grand Prix		 FIM Grand Prix World Championship
1991 season		 Next race:
1991 Malaysian Grand Prix
Previous race:
1990 French Grand Prix		 MotoGP at Le Mans Next race:
1994 French Grand Prix
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