This was the first motorcycle racing in Germany after the German reunification Mick Doohan was on pole, Wayne Rainey was 1 second back in 4th, with Eddie Lawson on the front row again on the ever-improving Cagiva.

Doohan and Rainey developed a small gap to Kevin Schwantz, Lawson and Wayne Gardner.

In the stadium section, Rainey tried to go through the inside of Doohan, but going off the racing line proved too slippery and he had to sit-up and got Schwantz on his back wheel.

It looked like Schwantz has made a tactical error, letting Rainey draft him on the last straight that leads into the stadium section.

Rainey draft passed and prepared for the right turn, but Schwantz swung out from behind and performs a spectacular late-braking pass—the RGV was squirming from side-to-side and the back tire was hopping up and down leaving a dashed black line of rubber.