The Paul Ricard circuit, with it's 1.25 mile long Mistral straight, was the scene of the most fantastic race of an already incredible year of Grand Prix racing.

Practice gave no hint of the action that was to unfold. Christian Sarron (Yamaha) as usual, led qualifying for the fifth consecutive time. After his fine second place at the Yugoslav GP last week, was he psyched up enough to go for a home GP win? Not if Eddie Lawson or Wayne Gardner had their way! Gardner (Rothmans Honda) was on a strong charge, and Lawson (Marlboro Yamaha) was fighting injury problems (how things have changed round since the early GPs!) Kevin Schwantz (Pepsi Suzuki) was back in action, his shattered knee cap wired up, keen to reassert his position in the ranks of the front runners. Did the Suzuki have the speed to stay with the allegedly faster Honda and Yamaha runners.

Race action was the finest of any decade, Lawson, Sarron, Schwantz and Gardner swapping positions every lap, indeed alsmost every corner. The cut-and-thrust did get a touch physical on occasions, but this was competitive racing at its highest level. The last lap will go down in history as one of the most momentous, and the one which almost certainly decided the outcome of this year's championship.

Despite the memorable 500 race, the 250 show was not upstaged, with 2.5 seconds covering the first five home! Garriga on his 'relatively' slow Yamaha, was forced into desperate tactics in an effort to keep in touch with the superfast Honda's of Cornu, Pons, Sarron and Roth.

Finally Biland versus the rest in the sidecar race. Can he keep them all at bay again?"