Mick Doohan was still not ready to race due to his leg injury he sustained during qualifying at the Dutch round.

Wayne Rainey commented: "When Mick didn't show up people started to realize how bad his leg was.

[5][6] He won the World Championship in 1987 but a multitude of injuries, the emergence of American riders such as Eddie Lawson and Wayne Rainey, as well as fellow Australian Doohan, had stalled his career.

The second row consists of Kevin Schwantz in fifth, Juan Garriga in sixth, Niggi Schmassmann in seventh and Miguel Duhamel in eighth.

As the lights go out, it is Kocinski who gets the best start and moves up in the lead entering Redgate (Turn 1), followed by teammate Rainey who is a close second.

Fogarty then passes Gardner at the same corner to take fifth, now immediately behind Schwantz entering Starkey's Bridge (Turn 6).

At the end of Starkey's Straight, Gardner makes a move on Schwantz and takes third place entering The Esses.

Entering Coppice, the Australian is now right behind Lawson, then passes him easily thanks to his Honda power at the entrance of Starkey's Straight, promoting him to second place.

At Starkey's Straight, Gardner makes good use of the slipstream to go side-by-side and pass Rainey entering The Esses, taking over the lead as the British crowd explodes in cheers.

At the Melbourne Hairpin, Gardner then runs wide and goes side-by-side with Rainey again but keeps the lead entering Goddards (Turn 12).

Exiting the Old Hairpin, Schwantz closes right up, then dives down Gardner's inside to take over the lead at the entrance of Starkey's Bridge.

On lap thirteen, the top six is as follows: Gardner, Schwantz, Rainey, Lawson, Garriga and Kocinski - who has passed Fogarty.

Lap fourteen and Rainey is right behind Schwantz at Wheatcroft Straight, diving down his inside and passing him at Redgate for second place.

A trio has now formed, consisting of Rainey, Schwantz and Lawson, with Garriga a bit further back as he has lost touch with the three Americans.

Cees Doorakkers gets lapped by all the riders as he takes a very wide line at Goddards, allowing them all to pass without problems.

Further back, Kocinski is now coming under pressure from Niall Mackenzie, trying to make a pass on him at the Old Hairpin but failing and almost crashing into the American as a result.

Exiting the Craner Curves, Schwantz is right behind Rainey and lunges up his inside, surprising him and snatching second away from him at the Old Hairpin.

Schmassmann can't get out of the way in time, blocking Gardner in the middle of the Melbourne Hairpin but passing Graves without any problems.

As Lawson slows down for the hairpin, Garriga grabs his chance and dives down his inside, passing him for fourth as a result.

Schwantz gets blocked by Graves at Goddards, costing him vital time to leader Gardner and allowing Rainey to catch up.

However, furious that he got blocked, he sticks his arm out back and gives him the middle finger to show his discontent with him.

Gardner has opened up a relatively big gap thanks to all the passes, but Schwantz and Rainey catch up to the Australian at the exit of Starkey's Straight.

Lap twenty and the top six is now as follows: Gardner, Schwantz, Rainey, Garriga, Lawson and Kocinski - who has repassed Rudroff.

Rainey is closing up on Schwantz, but his teammate Kocinski blows his engine, spewing liquid onto the track at Redgate and parking up on the grass on the inside of the bend.

Lap twenty-six and entering Redgate, Schwantz slides out of contention and into the gravel trap from a strong second place.

He looks back at the track in anger, seeing three bikes all parked on the same bend, and making gestures of displeasure with his arms.

On lap twenty-seven, Schwantz is still on the grass at Redgate, dangerously close to the corner as he still instructs the marshall to use the flag.

Lap twenty-eight and Schwantz is kneeling next to Redgate, watching the riders pass at a dangerously close position.

At Starkey's Straight, Duhamel instructs Garder to go by with his hand and slows down, looking back to see the Australian blast past without a problem.

Kocinski's bike had broken a primary gear and that had come out the side of the cases, gas, oil and everything went everywhere.