Àlex Crivillé crashed out of his debut 500cc race; Wayne Gardner crashes out, as did Rainey at the Dunlop Corner.
Chandler took the lead of a 4-man group with Schwantz, Doohan and Kocinski. Kocinski crashed out.
Doohan and Chandler dropped Schwantz. Gardner had remounted and gotten to 5th before crashing out for good a second time and breaking his leg in two places.