Freddie Spencer was unable to ride through injury giving Eddie Lawson the chance to advance Yamaha over Honda. Although well supported by Yamaha team mate Rob McElnea, Honda had aces Wayne Gardner, Didier de Radigues and Raymond Roche. The highlight of this 500cc race was a superb fairing-clashing dice between Gardner and Mike Baldwin, depicted from every conceivable angle of the tortuous Nurburgring. Further back, Ron Haslam, Gustav Reiner and Dave Petersen raced skilfully. In the 250 class, Carlos Lavado and Toni Mang were never more than inches apart. Jacques Cornu and Pierre Bolle had a good day too and are shown close up as they scraped through the sweeping bends at staggering speed.