Greatest Grands Prix of The Eighties

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The 1980s was a golden era for Grand Prix motorcycle racing, the 500cc World Championship producing legendary riders and unforgettable high-speed showdowns. Many of the most memorable battles have gone down in history as the greatest GPs of all time, the fast and furious racing ensuring the events are remembered decades later.

The experts at Duke, the home of motorcycle racing on DVD, have searched through the company�s extensive archives of Grand Prix footage to carefully select the very finest encounters to create an exceptional DVD collection.

Each DVD provides extensive coverage of a single race which has earned its place among the greatest bike GPs of the 1980s. Awesome race footage, early on-bike camerawork, interviews with the stars, informed commentary and, in many cases, coverage of the 125cc and 250cc GP races, make these DVDs must-see viewing for all bike fans.

The first four instalments of The Greatest Bike Grands Prix of the Eighties collection are released available now, with a further six planned for March.

The series starts with the dramatic Belgium Grand Prix from the legendary Spa Francorchamps on Sunday, July 7th, 1985. Championship-leader Freddie Spencer put on a masterful display to take his Rothmans Honda to another win, but behind his serene ride to victory there were dramatic battles throughout the field. Eddie Lawson and Christian Sarron traded blows as they battled for second, while Ron Haslam, Randy Mamola and Raymond Roche diced for lap after lap. Superb camera angles bring you all the action as the 500cc machines twitch and slide around the iconic 7km circuit, with incredible footage capturing the drama as the motorcycles negotiate the awesome track. Mamola brings viewers incredible pictures from his on-board camera, including edge-of-the-seat trips through Eau rouge from the rider�s eye view, high-speed racing just inches from rival riders and the spectacular spill which brought his battle with Roche and Haslam to an end.

There�s also interviews with many of the stars, including Lawson, Spencer, Sarron and Mamola, plus informed commentary from Chris Carter. Next up is the amazing West German Grand Prix from the Nurburgring on Sunday, May 24th, 1986. With double World Champion Spencer still out of action due to injury, all eyes were on Yamaha�s Lawson. The super-confident Californian was bidding to further increase his championship lead at the third round of the season, ably supported by Yamaha teammate Rob McElnea. Leading the Honda charge would be the fabulous Wayne Gardner. Superb camera angles bring you all the action as Lawson leads the way, chased throughout the 30-lap battle by Gardner. One of the undoubted highlights is the fairing-clashing dice between Gardner and Mike Baldwin as race unfolds.

There are interviews with stars including Lawson, Gardner, McElnea, Baldwin and Spencer, determined to end speculation of a rift with Honda and impending retirement. This exceptional record also includes coverage of the 250cc race, featuring Carlos Lavado and Aton Mang locked in battle, plus highlights from the opening round of the 1986 Sidecar World Championship.

The French Grand Prix from Circuit Paul Ricard on Sunday, July 24th, 1988, saw championship-leader Lawson nursing an injury and Sarron dominating practice. What unfolded was one of the most intense and captivating races ever. For lap after lap Sarron, Gardner and Kevin Schwantz traded the lead until, from nowhere, Lawson muscled his Marlboro Yamaha to the front. Superb camera angles bring you all the action as the drama unfolds in the blistering sun. With just three laps to go, World Champion Gardner looked certain to win, but cruel fate intervened on the very last lap � and our cameras were there to capture the heartbreaking moment. There are also interviews with Lawson and Gardner, plus coverage of the 250cc

race, which saw Sito Pons and Jacques Cornu locked in a duel while others, including Juan Garriga and Luca Cadalora, battled throughout the field. And there�s a short look at Jorge Martinez�s 125cc victory.

The fourth DVD features the inaugural Australian Grand Prix from Phillip Island on Sunday, April 9th, 1989. The first motorcycle Grand Prix to be held in Australia delivered one of the most memorable races of the 1980s, with the biggest names locked in a titanic battle for victory right down to the wire. Gardner shrugged off the pressure of racing at home to reel in Wayne Rainey, setting up an awesome race-long dice. And with Sarron and Kevin Magee getting involved, the lead seemed to change on every one of the 30 laps. Superb camera angles bring you all the action as the leading group use all the track � and a bit more � as they fly into corners three abreast in a desperate bid to snatch victory. On-bike cameras give you the rider�s-eye view from Magee�s machine as he races alongside the leaders and from Malcolm Campbell�s bike as it leaves the circuit at speed. There are also interviews with the stars and GP legends turned team bosses Kenny Roberts and Giacomo Agostini. Plus, the DVD includes highlights from the 125cc and 250cc races.

In March the collection will continue with the German and Dutch GPs from 1985, the Spanish and Italian races from 1987 and the USA and Belgian meetings from 1988.

The first four DVDs of the Greatest Bike Grands Prix of the Eighties collection are available now at �7.82 each and are available from leading video outlets or direct from Duke Video: Tel 01624 640000, fax 01624 640 001 or email mail@dukevideo.com. Visit www.dukevideo.com online.