Last lap battle: Eddie Lawson vs Randy Mamola Assen 1987

It’s no wonder motorcycle racers are considered the maddest and bravest of them all.

Just watch this  final lap battle between four time 500cc World Champion Eddie Lawson and the flamboyant Randy Mamola at the 1987 500cc Dutch Grand Prix.

Both riders are on Yamaha’s, its pissing with rain and Mamola is hanging it all out , sliding around like a lunatic in a desperate attempt to catch and pass Lawson for “the win”.

Then you realise that this is the second leg of a two-part rain interrupted race and Randy had no chance of taking the actual win (on aggregate) at all. However inside the mind of a racer lurks a steely determination and Mamola sure as hell wants to beat Lawson to the finish line, actual victory or not.

What a shame Mamola was never able to win the World Championship. He surely must rank as one of the best riders to have never been Champion..