Motorcycle Grand Prix’s visit to Misano in 1993 wasn’t a classic, but Wayne Rainey’s tragic accident did mark a momentous day in the series’ history.
A great champion and rival to the likes of fellow American Kevin Schwantz and Australian Mick Doohan, Rainey began 1993 with three consecutive 500cc titles for 1990–2 under his belt.
He arrived at Misano – that year hosting the Italian Grand Prix, while the ‘San Marino’ race took place at Italian sister circuit Mugello – leading the 1993 championship title race from Schwantz after winning his fourth GP of the year at Brno to match Schwantz’s own four season wins on the Suzuki (pictured, top), while Schwantz had struggled with a wrist injury.
But while leading the race at Misano on September 5, disaster struck for the 32-year-old American. Losing control of the Roberts Yamaha in a corner, Rainey crashed heavily, sliding into a gravel trap over a kerb and breaking his spine as he flipped over onto his head and his bike caught up and collided with his body, instantly ending his career.
What happened later?
The crash paralysed Wayne Rainey from the chest down, but he refused to be cowed, and eventually went into team management in the sport instead. He still races karts with hand controls. Kevin Schwantz went on to win the 1993 championship in Rainey’s absence, but the maiden title gave him little pleasure without the fierce but respectful rivalry he’d shared with his countryman. Somewhat disillusioned, Schwantz retired from racing in 1995 (after discussing the matter with Rainey) and for a while raced in NASCAR, but is now once again a huge presence in the sport, having been involved with the Red Bull Rookies Cup and also instrumental in bringing MotoGP to Texas for 2013. Mick Doohan finished second to Schwantz in the fateful 1993 Italian GP, but crashed heavily into a haybale while battling with Schwantz for the lead of the next race in the US, and he missed the final ‘FIM’ race of 1993 at Jarama, Spain, with a broken collarbone. The next season, however, marked the beginning of Doohan’s dominant period after the earlier disappointment of 1992, where his championship progress had been ended by a career-threatening leg injury. Doohan took the 1994 title with nine victories on the Honda, and then four more titles in succession for HRC, with an astonishing 35 wins from 1995–98. A crash early in the 1999 season decided Doohan to announce his retirement then and there. His business interests are now mainly focused on aviation, and Doohan himself has a helicopter pilot’s licence.
Comments
Add a comment