Sports season
Mick Doohan (pictured at Phillip Island) became the 1998 500cc world championThe1998 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season was the 50thF.I.M. Road Racing World Championship season.
Mick Doohan andHonda continued to dominate the 500 class with the Australian taking 8 victories and Honda winning all but one race.[ 1] Simon Crafar winning theBritish Grand Prix forYamaha 's lone victory.[ 1] After being shocked by 500 class rookieMax Biaggi 's opening round victory in theJapanese Grand Prix , Doohan went on to claim his fifth world championship in as many years, finishing off the season with four consecutive wins.[ 1]
A controversial finish marked the 250 title race.Aprilia teammatesTetsuya Harada andLoris Capirossi both went into the final race in Argentina with a chance to win the title, Capirossi leading Harada by 4 points.[ 1] With one corner to go, Harada was in second, with Capirossi third, which would have given Harada the championship on tiebreak. Entering the final turn, his bike was struck from behind by Capirossi's machine, sending both riders off the track.[ 1] Valentino Rossi took the win with Capirossi recovering to finish in second and claiming the title.[ 1] Afterwards, Aprilia would release Capirossi from his contract.[ 1]
Kazuto Sakata would win his second 125 title for Aprilia after a tight battle with Tomomi Manako andMarco Melandri .[ 1]
1998 Grand Prix season calendar [ edit ] The following Grands Prix were scheduled to take place in 1998:[ 2]
†† = Saturday race
1998 Grand Prix season results [ edit ] †† = Saturday race
Team Constructor Motorcycle No. Rider Rounds Repsol Honda Honda Honda NSR500 1 Mick Doohan All 2 Tadayuki Okada 1–4, 7, 10–14 4 Àlex Crivillé All Honda NSR500V 15 Sete Gibernau All Suzuki Grand Prix Team Suzuki Suzuki RGV500 (XR88)3 Nobuatsu Aoki All 20 Luca Cadalora 7 25 Yukio Kagayama 2–5 27 Katsuaki Fujiwara 10–12 29 Keiichi Kitagawa 1 33 Mark Willis 13 /Yamaha Team Rainey Yamaha Yamaha YZR500 (OWK1)5 Norick Abe All 12 Jean-Michel Bayle 10–12, 14 20 Luca Cadalora 5–6 21 Kyoji Nanba 1–4, 9 Marlboro Team Kanemoto Honda Honda NSR500 6 Max Biaggi All / /Muz Roc Rennen Sport MuZ MuZ 500 7 Doriano Romboni 1–2 16 Jean-Philippe Ruggia 7 20 Luca Cadalora 14 77 Eskil Suter 4–6, 8–12 Movistar Honda Pons Honda Honda NSR500 8 Carlos Checa 1–8, 10–14 14 Juan Borja 8 19 John Kocinski 1–7, 10–14 39 Gregorio Lavilla 9 Honda Gresini Honda Honda NSR500 9 Alex Barros All /Team Roberts Marlboro Team RobertsModenas KR Modenas KR3 10 Kenny Roberts Jr. All 28 Ralf Waldmann 1–7, 9–14 Red Bull Yamaha WCM Yamaha Yamaha YZR500 11 Simon Crafar All 55 Régis Laconi 1, 3–14 Shell Advance Racing Honda Honda NSR500V 14 Juan Borja 1–7, 10–14 18 Garry McCoy 1–10, 13 26 Bernard Garcia 11 42 Craig Connell 12, 14 42 Craig Connell 13 53 Russel Wood 2 58 Felisberto Teixeira 3 71 Juan Pablo Gianini 14 72 Fernando Cristóbal 6 72 Fernando Cristóbal 8–9 Dee Cee Jeans Racing Team Honda Honda NSR500V 17 Jurgen van den Goorbergh All Tecmas Honda ElfHonda Honda NSR500V 22 Sébastien Gimbert 1–6, 10–14 26 Bernard Garcia 7–9 F.C.C. TSR Honda Honda NSR500V 23 Matt Wait All Team Paton Paton Paton V70 C10/4 43 Paolo Tessari 11–12 63 Gianmaria Liverani 4 Yamaha Racing Team Yamaha Yamaha YZR500 50 Noriyuki Haga 1 BP Yamaha Racing Team Yamaha Yamaha YZR500 52 Norihiko Fujiwara 2 Team Polini Inoxmacel Honda Honda NSR500V 57 Fabio Carpani All Team ZupinHonda Honda NSR500V 60 Jörg Schöllhorn 9 Team Vimto Honda/Paul Bird Honda Honda NSR500V 68 John McGuinness 8 Team Millar Honda BritainHonda Honda NSR500V 88 Scott Smart 1, 3–14
Key Regular Rider Wildcard Rider Replacement Rider
Team Constructor Motorcycle No Rider Rounds Castrol 250 TeamHonda Honda NSR250 4 Stefano Perugini All Benetton Honda Honda Honda NSR250 5 Tohru Ukawa All F.C.C. TSR Honda Honda NSR250 6 Haruchika Aoki All Team Semprucci Biesse GroupYamaha Yamaha YZR 250 7 Takeshi Tsujimura All Antena 3 Yamaha Yamaha Yamaha YZR 250 8 Luis D'Antin All 17 José Luis Cardoso All 92 David García 12 QUB Team OptimumTSR–Honda Honda NSR250 9 Jeremy McWilliams All Docshop RacingAprilia Aprilia RSV 250 11 Jürgen Fuchs 1–9 15 Martin Craggill 13 34 Marcellino Lucchi 10–11 45 Diego Giugovaz 12, 14 85 Mathias Neukirchen 9 Team Rizla SuzukiSuzuki Suzuki RGV250 12 Noriyasu Numata All 16 Johan Stigefelt All OXS Matteoni RacingERPHonda Honda NSR250 14 Davide Bulega 5–14 Honda 1–4 49 Filippo Cotti 11 Edo RacingYamaha Yamaha YZR 250 18 Osamu Miyazaki 1–5, 7, 10–14 21 Franco Battaini 1–6, 10–14 33 Jamie Robinson 8–9 47 Ivan Clementi 6–9 Chesterfield Elf Tech 3 Honda Honda NSR250 19 Olivier Jacque 1–7, 10–14 20 William Costes 1–9 22 Matthieu Lagrive 10–14 68 Julien Allemand 8–9 Padgetts HRC ShopTSR–Honda Honda NSR250 24 Jason Vincent 1–13 Honda 82 Woolsey Coulter 8 82 Woolsey Coulter 14 Penguin RacingERP–Honda Honda NSR250 25 Yasumasa Hatakeyama 4–9 Honda 1–3, 10–14 PR2 Mitsubishi ElaionAprilia Aprilia RSV 250 27 Sebastián Porto All 40 Gary May 8 41 Federico Gartner 1–7, 9–14 Aprilia Grand Prix Racing Team Aprilia Aprilia RSV 250 31 Tetsuya Harada All 34 Marcellino Lucchi 3–4, 12 65 Loris Capirossi All Scuderia AGV CarrizosaTSR–Honda Honda NSR250 37 Luca Boscoscuro All 44 Roberto Rolfo All Strugnell RacingYamaha Yamaha YZR 250 42 William Strugnell 13 Team Taylor RacingHonda Honda NSR250 43 David Horton 13 Team ItaliaAprilia Aprilia RSV 250 45 Diego Giugovaz 11 Nastro Azzurro ApriliaAprilia Aprilia RSV 250 46 Valentino Rossi All Team RCGMAprilia Aprilia RSV 250 48 Igor Antonelli 11 BP Yamaha Racing TeamYamaha Yamaha YZR 250 50 Shinya Nakano 1, 13 Y.E.S.S. Racing TeamYamaha Yamaha YZR 250 51 Naoki Matsudo 1 Team Suzuki All JapanSuzuki Suzuki RGV250 52 Choujun Kameya 1 55 Yukio Kagayama 1 Team KotakeHonda Honda NSR250 53 Makoto Tamada 1 Castrol Honda Honda Honda NSR250 54 Daijiro Kato 1 Petronas Sprinta Team TVKHonda Honda NSR250 56 Shahrol Yuzy 2 SBK SportHonda Honda NSR250 58 Eustaquio Gavira 3, 12 59 Ismael Bonilla 3, 6 60 Agustín Escobar 3 Equipo Competition M-3Yamaha Yamaha YZR 250 61 Manuel Luque 3 Brunskill RacingYamaha Yamaha YZR 250 62 Adam Brunskill 13 Allect RacingHonda Honda NSR250 63 Craig Frederickson 13 Rgv SparesYamaha Yamaha YZR 250 64 Shaun Geronimi 13 Racing FactoryHonda Honda NSR250 66 Alex Hofmann 9 Equipe de FranceHonda Honda NSR250 67 Matthieu Lagrive 5 68 Julien Allemand 5 69 Vincent Philippe 5 F.P. RacingHonda Honda NSR250 70 Franck Poulle 5 Aprilia FranceAprilia Aprilia RSV 250 71 Hervé Mora 5 Team SotanoYamaha Yamaha YZR 250 72 José David de Gea 6 Hernandez TeamHonda Honda NSR250 73 Alex Debón 6 Team Chupa ChupsHonda Honda NSR250 74 Lucas Oliver Bultó 12 93 Iván Silva 12 MRTT Team BolwerkHonda Honda NSR250 75 Maurice Bolwerk 7 Dee Cee Jeans Racing Team Honda Honda NSR250 76 Jarno Janssen 7 Racing Team TwelloHonda Honda NSR250 77 André Romein 7 Johan Jong Brandbom TeamHonda Honda NSR250 78 Rudie Markink 7 Schoenkaper O.Z.Honda Honda NSR250 79 Henk van der Lagemaat 7 Aprilia UK / Blacks BikeshopAprilia Aprilia RSV 250 80 Paul Jones 8 Honda Britain / QUB Team OptimumHonda Honda NSR250 81 Callum Ramsay 8 Team Colin Appleyard RacingHonda Honda NSR250 83 Shane Norval 8 Team KlingelsHonda Honda NSR250 84 Mike Baldinger 9 RS Rallye Sport GmbhHonda Honda NSR250 86 Markus Ober 9 Imt Racing TeamHonda Honda NSR250 87 Adrian Schmidt 9 Slovnaft Sport Moto TeamERP–Honda Honda NSR250 88 Vladimír Častka 10 Klub Racing Team ZnojmoYamaha Yamaha YZR 250 89 Radomil Rous 10 Moto Racing Club OstravaHonda Honda NSR250 90 Lukáš Vavrečka 10 Muller Maler Racing TeamYamaha Yamaha YZR 250 91 Lars Langer 10 Costa AzamarHonda Honda NSR250 94 David Ortega 12 Mitsubishi MondialYamaha Yamaha YZR 250 95 Matías Ríos 14 Pablo Lessio CompeticionYamaha Yamaha YZR 250 96 Leandro Mulet 14 Honda Castrol GregorioHonda Honda NSR250 97 Diego Ruabén 14 Recouso OscarYamaha Yamaha YZR 250 98 Gabriel Borgmann 14
Key Regular Rider Wildcard Rider Replacement Rider
Team Constructor Motorcycle No Rider Rounds Givi Honda LCR Honda Honda RS125R 2 Noboru Ueda 1–5, 12–14 10 Lucio Cecchinello All 52 Hiroyuki Kikuchi 6–10 Team UGT 3000Honda Honda RS125R 3 Tomomi Manako All 39 Jaroslav Huleš All UGT 3000Aprilia Aprilia RS125R 4 Kazuto Sakata All Honda Honda RS125R 9 Frédéric Petit All 85 Klaus Nöhles 9 Docshop RacingAprilia Aprilia RS125R 5 Masaki Tokudome All Via Digital Team Aprilia Aprilia RS125R 7 Emilio Alzamora All 29 Ángel Nieto Jr. All 60 Fonsi Nieto 3, 6, 12 79 Pablo Nieto 12 Team Polini Inoxmacel Honda Honda RS125R 8 Gianluigi Scalvini All 15 Roberto Locatelli All 49 Andrea Zappa 11 70 Adrián Araujo 12 Team Valencia Aspar Aprilia Aprilia RS125R 11 Jose Ramon Ramirez 1–3 59 Jerónimo Vidal 3 59 Jerónimo Vidal 4–11, 13–14 73 Iván Martínez 6 73 Iván Martínez 12 Benetton Matteoni OXS MatteoniHonda Honda RS125R 13 Marco Melandri All 32 Mirko Giansanti All 55 Manuel Poggiali 11 Scuderia Alfa NolanAprilia Aprilia RS125R 14 Federico Cerroni 6–12, 14 18 Paolo Tessari 1–5 24 Alessandro Romagnoli 13 Team Semprucci Biesse GroupYamaha Yamaha TZ125 16 Christian Manna 1–11, 14 19 Andrea Ballerini 12–13 62 Yoshiaki Katoh All Team Yamaha Kurz AralYamaha Yamaha TZ125 17 Juan Enrique Maturana All 41 Youichi Ui All Team Pileri Honda Honda RS125R 19 Andrea Ballerini 1–3 65 Andrea Iommi 4–14 Mac Motors Liegeois CompeticionHonda Honda RS125R 20 Masao Azuma All SCRAB CompétitionAprilia Aprilia RS125R 21 Arnaud Vincent All Marlboro Team ADACAprilia Aprilia RS125R 22 Steve Jenkner All Motoracing TeamAprilia Aprilia RS125R 23 Gino Borsoi All Vasco Rossi RacingAprilia Aprilia RS125R 26 Ivan Goi All Fairbarin Cranes–Black MambaHonda Honda RS125R 42 Chedryian Bresland 13 Teknic Motorcycle ClothingHonda Honda RS125R 43 Peter Galvin 13 Southern Cross SportsHonda Honda RS125R 44 Judd Greedy 13 Team Taylor RacingHonda Honda RS125R 45 Jay Taylor 13 Christopher West PlumbingHonda Honda RS125R 46 Anthony West 13 Team ItaliaAprilia Aprilia RS125R 47 Riccardo Chiarello 11 Team RSHonda Honda RS125R 48 Max Sabbatani 11 M'ProjectHonda Honda RS125R 50 Yuzo Fujioka 1 J. RacingYamaha Yamaha TZ125 51 Takashi Akita 1 Tube Riders & AblecomHonda Honda RS125R 52 Hiroyuki Kikuchi 1 S.P. Tadao Racing TeamYamaha Yamaha TZ125 53 Nobuyuki Osaki 1 Castrol Team Harc Pro Honda Honda RS125R 54 Kazuhiro Takao 1 RRC Prakash RAOHonda Honda RS125R 56 Magilai Meganathan 2 Echo Team BernerHonda Honda RS125R 58 Álvaro Molina 3, 6, 12 Team Esparragoso IGMYamaha Yamaha TZ125 61 Vicente Esparragoso 3 Ricci CorseHonda Honda RS125R 63 Marco Tresoldi 4, 11 Ciarom–MotoSprintAprilia Aprilia RS125R 64 Claudio Cipriani 4 Honda FranceHonda Honda RS125R 67 Randy de Puniet 5 Ipone Dussauge RacingHonda Honda RS125R 68 Nicolas Dussauge 5 Team RMSHonda Honda RS125R 69 Jimmy Petit 5 Team TMRHonda Honda RS125R 71 Josep Sardà 6, 12 Team TJTHonda Honda RS125R 72 Sebastián Perelló 6 Ep Bos Electro ElburgEGAHonda Honda RS125R 74 Hans Koopman 7 Team KroegmanYamaha Yamaha TZ125 75 Wim Kroegman 7 Le Coq Fight RacingHonda Honda RS125R 76 Harold de Haan 7 R.T.D. Dooderman DakdekkersHonda Honda RS125R 77 Ronnie Timmer 7 Luvro Ramaker Toyota RacingHonda Honda RS125R 78 Wilhelm van Leeuwen 7 Honda Britain Honda Honda RS125R 80 Leon Haslam 8 L Rumney/Garstang CleaningHonda Honda RS125R 81 Chris Palmer 8 Racing Lines/Clive HortonHonda Honda RS125R 82 John Pearson 8 Ulster RacingHonda Honda RS125R 83 David Mateer 8 Agip Esch RacingHonda Honda RS125R 84 Reinhard Stolz 9 Yamaha Loffler Racing TeamYamaha Yamaha TZ125 86 Oliver Perschke 9 Hein Gericke Castrol Jr TeamHonda Honda RS125R 87 Dirk Heidolf 9 Motorrad B.U.S. Levior RacingYamaha Yamaha TZ125 88 Maik Stief 9 Repsol TeamHonda Honda RS125R 89 Igor Kaláb 10 Wernberger - Team HanuschHonda Honda RS125R 90 Jakub Smrž 10 91 Martin Psotný 10 Delta Uamk TeamHonda Honda RS125R 92 Michal Březina 10 Telemark Racing TeamHonda Honda RS125R 93 Bohuslav Seifert 10 Matsuo Daido Yuasa–tamHonda Honda RS125R 94 Cristiano Vieira 14 Amauri–Revista Moto!Honda Honda RS125R 95 César Barros 14 Motosistem 1Honda Honda RS125R 97 Silvio Cesar 14
Key Regular Rider Wildcard Rider Replacement Rider
[ 3] [ 4]
Scoring system Points were awarded to the top fifteen finishers. A rider had to finish the race to earn points.
Position 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 7th 8th 9th 10th 11th 12th 13th 14th 15th Points 25 20 16 13 11 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
Riders marked with light blue background were eligible for Rookie of the Year award. Colour Result Gold Winner Silver Second place Bronze Third place Green Points classification Blue Non-points classification Non-classified finish (NC) Purple Retired, not classified (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 practice (DNP) Did not arrive (DNA) Excluded (EX)
Bold – Pole positionItalics – Fastest lap
[ 5]
Scoring system Points were awarded to the top fifteen finishers. A rider had to finish the race to earn points.
Position 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 7th 8th 9th 10th 11th 12th 13th 14th 15th Points 25 20 16 13 11 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
Riders marked with light blue background were eligible for Rookie of the Year award. Colour Result Gold Winner Silver Second place Bronze Third place Green Points classification Blue Non-points classification Non-classified finish (NC) Purple Retired, not classified (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 practice (DNP) Did not arrive (DNA) Excluded (EX)
Bold – Pole positionItalics – Fastest lap
[ 6]
Scoring system Points were awarded to the top fifteen finishers. A rider had to finish the race to earn points.
Position 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 7th 8th 9th 10th 11th 12th 13th 14th 15th Points 25 20 16 13 11 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
Riders marked with light blue background were eligible for Rookie of the Year award. Colour Result Gold Winner Silver Second place Bronze Third place Green Points classification Blue Non-points classification Non-classified finish (NC) Purple Retired, not classified (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 practice (DNP) Did not arrive (DNA) Excluded (EX)
Bold – Pole positionItalics – Fastest lap
Manufacturers' standings[ edit ] [ 7]
[ 8]
[ 9]