Johann Zarco created history after MotoGP win in home event in French GP, from Marc Marquez and Fermin Aldeguer.
The start of MotoGP race in French GP at Le Mans was red-flagged after multiple riders pitted post the Warm Up lap to swap bike due to wet weather conditions. After a brief delay, the pitlane was was open for a sighting lap and another Warm Up lap, several dived in the pits again.
They went back to slick tyres and were awarded a double log lap penalty as per the new regulations. The mixed grid start saw Yamaha’s Fabio Quartararo lead the MotoGP race in French GP from Ducati’s Marc Marquez and Gresini Ducati pair of Alex Marquez & Fermin Aldeguer.
They were followed by KTM trio of Pedro Acosta, Brad Binder and Tech 3’s Maverick Vinales in fifth, sixth and seventh. VR46 Ducati’s Franco Morbidelli was eighth from Trackhouse Aprilia’s Raul Fernandez and Pramac Yamaha’s Jack Miller in the Top 10, with Trackhouse’s Ai Ogura in 11th.
Tech 3’s Enea Bastianini tried a move on Lap 1 but a kerb moment sent him towards Honda’s Joan Mir. The Spaniard disbalanced Ducati’s Francesco Bagnaia on his right, who touched LCR Honda’s Johann Zarco as well. While Bastianini and Bagnaia managed to ride back, Mir retired immediately.
Bastianini was handed a long gap penalty for the incident, as Bagnaia pitted to take the dry tyres. Several already changed to slick tyres to join the riders who pitted at the end of Warm Up lap to click tyres. Quartararo meanwhile, crashed out along with Binder in the final corner due to a wet patch.
The likes of Morbidelli, Miller, Aprilia’s Marco Bezzecchi had a fall along with Bastianini for the second time. Apart from Miller, everyone managed to continue on. Bastianini was handed another long gap penalty for speeding in pitlane to go with a penalty for bike swap after Warm Up lap.
That list had Vinales, A Marquez, M Marquez, Aldeguer, Morbidelli, Quartararo, Fernandez, Ogura, VR46’s Fabio di Giannantonio, Acosta, Yamaha’s Alex Rins and Binder. With rain falling, the slick runners were forced to change their bikes again, allowing Zarco to take French GP lead.
Pramac Yamaha’s Miguel Oliveira was second – another one to start on the wet tyre. Having swapped the second time, M Marquez was already third from A Marquez, Acosta, Vinales and Aldeguer. LCR’s Takaaki Nakagmi was up to eighth on the same strategy as his teammate.
Fernandez was ninth from di Giannantonio in the Top 10, as the other points places from 11th and 15th saw Aprilia’s Lorenzo Savadori leading the charge from Ogura, Honda’s Luca Marini, Rins and Bastianini. As Zarco had a good lead in the front, both M Marquez and A Marquez cleared Oliveira.
The Portuguese dropped behind Acosta, Aldeguer and Vinales as well as they ran fourth, fifth and sixth. Oliveira was seventh for a while but for his crash to rule him out. Nakagami was seventh then from Fernandez and di Giannantonio in the Top 10. There was a fight for fifth between Aldeguer and Vinales.
Despite a back and forth, Aldeguer managed to retain track position. They gained places after a fall for A Marquez from third. But he was able to rejoin in sixth due to large gaps in between. However, he had a larger crash a couple of laps later to eventually retire, as did Oliveira who crashed out few laps before.
His teammate Aldeguer raced himself in the podium fight after closing up on Acosta. He eventually got through to third. Up ahead of them, Zarco managed to beat the Ducati brigade to score a historic MotoGP win to become the first French rider to win a French GP since 1954.
It was Zarco’s first win since 2023 Australian GP, LCR’s first MotoGP win since 2023 Americas GP and first Honda win since 2021 Emilia Romagna GP. M Marquez was second to extend his points lead, as Aldeguer secured his first premier class podium after finishing third in sprint race on Saturday.
Acosta was fourth from Vinales to score handy points for KTM, as wildcard Nakagami added to Honda’s in sixth. Fernandez was seventh from di Giannantonio, Savadori and Ogura in the Top 10. The points places had Marini in 11th from Rins, Bastianini, Bezzecchi and Morbidelli in the Top 15. Bagnaia missed out in 16th to be the last classified finisher.
Result: https://x.com/MotoGP/status/1921558896084156526
UPDATE: The FIM MotoGP Stewards handed a Long Lap Penalty to MotoGP rider #23 Enea Bastianini for riding in a irresponsible manner causing a crash, involving rider #63 Francesco Bagnaia, to be served at the next Grand Prix.
The FIM MotoGP Stewards have imposed a suspension of the first 10 minutes in the BritishGP FP1 and a 2000€ fine to MotoGP rider #20 Fabio Quartararo for behaving in an irresponsible manner, disobeying direct instructions from marshals and causing potential danger.
Here’s how MotoGP sprint panned out in French GP
