1993 Japanese motorcycle Grand Prix

The 1993 Japanese motorcycle Grand Prix was the third round of the 1993 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season. It took place on 18th April, 1993 at the Suzuka Circuit.

500 cc race report

Freddie Spencer out with an injury during qualifying. Mick Doohan’s bike has an extra lever on the left side for the rear brake, but it’s not the thumb lever that will appear later; he qualifies in 5th.

Kevin Schwantz gets a 3rd pole and the start from Alex Barros, Wayne Rainey in 5th.

Shinichi Itoh into 1st from Schwantz, Barros, Àlex Crivillé and Rainey.

Rainey moves into 3rd after a little difficulty getting past Barros.

Itoh with a small gap, then Rainey passes Schwantz on the esses to take 2nd. Rainey takes the lead on Spoon, Itoh retakes it on 130R, and Rainey tries to get him back at the chicane but can’t do it from the outside. While Itoh and Rainey are trading the lead, Schwantz catches up.

Rainey tries the hairpin pass again, but runs wide and Itoh goes through, with Schwantz right on Rainey’s wheel. Schwantz moves into 2nd on 130R and carries the momentum into the chicane and passes Itoh on the inside. Daryl Beattie has now made this a 4-man leading group.

Itoh retakes the lead on the straight, and Schwantz gets him back at the hairpin; Itoh looking very aggressive and not giving it to Schwantz. Itoh takes the lead again on the back straight, and Beattie moves into 3rd on 130R. Schwantz takes the lead on the chicane.

Replay of last lap, but at Spoon, Beattie takes second from Itoh, Rainey in 4th.

Luca Cadalora out with a problem.

Schwantz still in the lead, and Rainey takes second place from Beattie. Rainey passes Schwantz on Spoon and makes it stick, Schwantz through again on 130R.

Later at 130R, Schwantz goes from 1st to 3rd as Beattie takes 1st and Rainey 2nd, but Rainey has a better line and gets to the chicane in 1st place, and into the last lap.

Itoh passes Schwantz for 3rd on the straight. Rainey is dramatically sliding the rear on the exit of the aptly-named Dunlop Corner, eking out a crucial half a second to Beattie behind him. Itoh almost blocks Schwantz at the hairpin, but can’t keep him behind when he exit a little wide; Schwantz closing to Beattie at Spoon.

Though he’s closed the gap, Beattie isn’t close enough to draft-pass Rainey on 130R; his relative inexperience shows up at the chicane when he takes a wide line in anticipation of a good exit, but lets Schwantz through into 2nd as a result. Schwantz can’t manage to close Rainey down before the line. Rainey considered it his best win ever, being on a slower bike and winning by tactics and aggression. [Scott, Michael. "Wayne Rainey: His Own Story". Page 178. Sparkford: Haynes Publishing, 1997.]

500cc classification

References

MotoGP_race_report
Name_of_race = Japanese motorcycle Grand Prix
Year_of_race = 1993
Previous_race_in_season = 1993 Malaysian Grand Prix
Next_race_in_season = 1993 Spanish Grand Prix
Previous_year's_race = 1992 Japanese Grand Prix
Next_year's_race = 1994 Japanese Grand Prix