1989 Individual Speedway World Championship

The 1989 Individual Speedway World Championship was the 45th Speedway World Championship held since it was first held in 1936. It was the second time the championship was held in West Germany after previously being held in Norden in 1983.

The World Final was held at the Olympic Stadium in Munich. Hans Nielsen made up for his 1988 run-off defeat to fellow Dane Erik Gundersen by scoring a 15-point maximum to take his 3rd World Championship. Neilsen joined Ove Fundin (Sweden), Barry Briggs and Ivan Mauger (New Zealand), Ole Olsen and Erik Gundersen (Denmark), as a three time Speedway World Champion.

Simon Wigg from England finished second with the slick, 400 metres (440 yards) track suiting his long track style. Wigg defeated fellow Englishman Jeremy Doncaster in a run-off for second and third places.

In what would prove to be his last World Final before his career ending crash in the World Team Cup Final at the Odsal Stadium in England just two weeks later, Erik Gundersen finished in fourth place. His chances of an outright second-place finish (after having finished second behind Nielsen in Heat 4) ended when his bike's engine seized while leading heat 9 causing him to not finish the race. In a sad twist, it was also seized engine in Heat 1 of the World Team Cup Final that would cause Gundersen's career ending crash.

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