More from a press release issued by Aprilia Racing:

Aprilia Racing in Le Mans for the fifth GP of the season. Marco Bezzecchi and Jorge Martin up to the challenge on the historic French track. 

Aprilia Racing makes a stop in Le Mans on the historic Bugatti Circuit for the Grand Prix of France – the fifth round of the Grand Prix Motorcycle Racing Championship season. 

Fresh from a streak of four consecutive podium finishes, Marco Bezzecchi is headed to France intent on improving his result from last season and confirming the competitiveness he has demonstrated during the start of this championship. After the intense weekend in Jerez, Jorge Martín is tackling the Le Mans round with the goal of further consolidating his feeling astride the RS-GP26.

The Bugatti Circuit in Le Mans stands out for its slow turns which alternate with fast sections featuring harsh braking and abrupt deceleration. The layout winds its way along 4,190 metres, with a total of 14 turns – 9 right-handers and 5 left-handers.

Marco Bezzecchi: “I’m extremely happy to be racing in Le Mans. It is a fantastic circuit and there are always a lot of fans. I’m quite keen to continue doing well, so we’ll try to put in a good weekend. We’ll be working with the team to be competitive throughout the weekend and to leave with a good race result.”

Jorge Martin: “I’m confident for this weekend. The Jerez tests were positive and now the goal is to confirm the progress made on different tracks as well. This will be highly important in order to validate the new technical solutions. I feel rather good physically, even better than in recent races, and I’m convinced that we’ll be able to take another step forward here.”

More from a press release issued by Ducati Lenovo Team:

The Ducati Lenovo Team traveling to Le Mans. 

The fifth round of the 2026 season is just around the corner for the Ducati Lenovo Team, on its way to Le Mans, the historic French track that is well-suited to the characteristics of the Desmosedici GP. The first triumph came in 2020 with Petrucci and the official team, followed by the victories from Miller (’21), Bastianini (’22), Bezzecchi (’23), and Martin (’24). The French track is the only one where all Ducati Teams have achieved the maximum result.

Excellent prospects to best face the weekend for Marc Márquez, winner of the Sprint in 2025 and second under the checkered flag on Sunday. Coming from a P1 in Saturday’s race in Jerez and satisfied with what was tested in the post-GP test, he wants to be a protagonist.

A positive test session also for Pecco Bagnaia, second in the Sprint in Andalusia, but unlucky in the race while he was recovering. The goal is to get closer to the strongest guys on this legendary track where he has climbed the podium only once in 2024 (third).

Marc Márquez (#93 Ducati Lenovo Team): “Le Mans is a track that I like and where I was already very fast with the Desmosedici GP last year. It will be a weekend with many unknowns: the weather might give us some surprises. In any case, at Jerez we worked well. Aside from the crash, we were competitive and also on Monday we made a good step forward”.

Francesco Bagnaia (#63 Ducati Lenovo Team): “I am happy to go to Le Mans; on paper, it’s the kind of track that can best enhance the character of the Desmosedici GP. After the test, I remained satisfied; we tried some convincing solutions that can give us a hand not only here but also on other types of tracks. We hope for good weather and continue to work to get closer to the strongest”.

More from a press release issued by Honda HRC:

Lead on to Le Mans – Honda HRC Castrol ready for French GP. 

Home of Honda’s most recent premier class victory, the Le Mans Bugatti Grand Prix circuit is already shaping up to be another memorable affair for the Honda HRC Castrol team as Luca Marini and Joan Mir arrive off the back of a productive test.

Sitting some 200 kilometres south-west of France’s capital city, Paris, the Le Mans circuit has been a regular on the MotoGP World Championship calendar since 2000 after a series of upgrades and improvements. Characterised by fervent fans and wild weather, every French GP is accompanied with a hearty serving of unpredictability.

27 points in hand, Luca Marini’s objective for the French GP is clear: maximise his performance on Friday to secure a direct pass to Q2. Qualifying inside the top ten will greatly improve his chances in the race, removing the hurdle of coming through the field as the #10 showed on multiple occasions last year – such as in Hungary and Indonesia. If a strong grid position can be achieved, the possibilities on Saturday and Sunday afternoons greatly increase.

Joan Mir is looking to put together a straightforward weekend and avoid the issues which limited his potential in Jerez. Time and time again, the 2020 World Champion has shown his raw speed and overall pace on the Honda RC213V is formidable and it is simply a matter of time before his results reflect this potential.

On track action starts on Friday, May 08 at 10:45 Local Time, everything building towards the 27-lap French Grand Prix on Sunday, May 10 at 14:00 Local Time.

Luca Marini:“I am looking forward to Le Mans after the positive test we had after Jerez, we have a few things to try during the race weekend to help us. Of course it’s a bit of a cliché to say, but a lot will depend on what happens with the weather. Our focus is really on getting into Q2 because this unlocks many more possibilities on Saturday and Sunday. We need to arrive quickly to our level and then work to make another step or two like our rivals.”

Joan Mir:  “We arrive in France with a lot of motivation after a weekend in Spain where I thought we could have achieved more. Testing on Monday helped us to get a few things clear as well as find some new ideas for this next GP. Recently Le Mans hasn’t been the best track for me, but I know we can change our fortunes and deliver on the potential we have shown.”

More from a press release issued by Monster Energy Yamaha:

Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP Ready for Le Mans Madness.

Following a productive Jerez Test a little more than a week ago, Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP teammates Fabio Quartararo and Álex Rins are looking forward to the fifth round of the 2026 MotoGP World Championship, held at the Le Mans Bugatti Circuit in France this weekend.

Recharged after the successful one-day Jerez Test, held immediately after the Spanish GP, the Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP Team are full of motivation to get the action started at the Le Mans Bugatti Circuit this weekend during the Grand Prix of France.

The French Grand Prix holds special significance for the team, as the fans will be rallying behind local hero Fabio Quartararo, who is eager to impress. El Diablo stood on the rostrum of the Bugatti track once before, having secured third place in 2021 with Yamaha. He is currently 16th in the championship standings and determined to build upon the findings from the Jerez Test.

Following that overall positive one-day IRTA test in Jerez, Álex Rins is keen to keep working on his Yamaha’s settings. Le Mans was a strong circuit for the Spaniard in the lower classes: he secured a third and two second places in the Moto3 class in 2012, 2013, and 2014 respectively as well as a victory in the Moto2 class in 2016. He is keen to score some MotoGP points on French soil this weekend to climb up from 19th place in the championship order.

The Bugatti Circuit was built in 1965, just a few kilometres from the city of Le Mans. MotoGP made its first visit to the iconic French track in the late sixties, and it remained a fixture until 1996. After some safety modifications, the 4.19km-long circuit was added back to the calendar in 2000. Its layout of five left and nine right corners places the emphasis on late braking, hard acceleration, and rear-end traction, which makes for some great battles.

Massimo Meregalli: “The Jerez Test gave us a welcome opportunity to evaluate several items in a structured way, and the riders’ feedback was encouraging. We now arrive in Le Mans with some possible updates that should help us continue this process, depending on the riders’ preferences. If the riders choose to use the new items, this Grand Prix will serve as a reference point for confirming our findings from the Jerez Test. We are looking forward to getting back to work. With a back-to-back schedule from Le Mans straight to Catalunya, followed by another IRTA test, we will have ample opportunity to collect data and cross-check our findings.”

Fabio Quartararo: “Le Mans is always one of the most special weekends of the year for me. The support from the fans is incredible and gives me extra motivation every time I ride here. After the work we did in Jerez, I’m curious to see how things feel on this track – and I also have something special in store for the fans this race weekend, so I’m looking forward to it.”

Alex Rins: “I really enjoy riding at Le Mans. It’s a circuit where I’ve made good memories in the past. The Jerez Test was positive and gave us new ideas, so this weekend is about continuing that work and seeing how the bike behaves here. I’m motivated to keep building step by step and push to be closer to the front.”

More from a press release issued by VR46 Racing Team:

Fabio Di Giannantonio and Franco Morbidelli are back on track for the French GP, always a special and historic event where last year the attendance record for a race weekend was broken. 

The Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team will race this weekend in the French GP, the fifth round of the 2026 MotoGP season. Fabio Di Giannantonio and Franco Morbidelli arrive at Le Mans – where the team secured victory in 2023 – with positive feelings following their podium finishes in Jerez (in the race and the Sprint respectively) and with the aim of confirming the progress made during the testing day two weeks ago.

Di Giannantonio heads to Le Mans with great optimism after securing a podium at the Spanish GP (his second of the season) and a solid test day in Jerez, concluded on a positive note. Fabio, who is third in the World Standings with 71 points, is determined to continue this positive momentum in France, where he won in 2017 (in Moto3) and has fought for the podium in recent editions.

Morbidelli is also ready to be back on track with renewed confidence after finishing third in the Jerez Sprint, his first Top3 of the season. Franco arrives at Le Mans aiming to consistently fight for top positions again. The Italo-Brazilian rider arrives at the circuit where he won in 2017 (in Moto2) in thirteenth place in the World Standing with 25 points.

The Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team will hit the track on Friday for free practice, while qualifying will take place on Saturday (10:50 local time). The Sprint race will start at 15:00 (local time) on Saturday, while the French GP will conclude on Sunday with the race, starting at 14:00 (local time).

FABIO DI GIANNANTONIO: “I’m very happy to be back to Le Mans, a unique track with an incredible atmosphere. We arrive in France with great enthusiasm after the excellent results in these first races of the season. In addition, the tests we did in Jerez two weeks ago were very positive, and we can’t wait to confirm the updates we tested in Spain also in race conditions and on another track. To this day, rain is forecast for the Le Mans weekend, but we proved that we can be very competitive in all conditions, so we’re ready in any case. The goal is to continue this positive momentum.”

FRANCO MORBIDELLI: “The Le Mans weekend will be very important for us. I like the track and I’ve had some great races and strong comebacks here. The first races of the season haven’t been easy, but the Sprint podium in Jerez gave us a lot of motivation. During the test day we worked a lot, and we arrive in France eager to do well and with the goal of consistently fighting for the top positions again. It looks like rain will play a key role this weekend, but we’ll adapt to any situation and we will work to take another step forward.”

More from a press release issued by Prima Pramac Yamaha:

Prima Pramac Yamaha MotoGP Heads to Le Mans for French Grand Prix. 

Prima Pramac Yamaha MotoGP arrive at the historic Le Mans circuit aiming to build on their ongoing development and return to the points in a notoriously unpredictable race.

Le Mans is one of the most iconic venues in motorsport and has been a regular presence on the MotoGP calendar since 2000, combining rich history with one of the most passionate atmospheres of the season. Regularly attracting record crowds, the French Grand Prix stands out not only for its energy but also for its highly unpredictable weather, where changing conditions can quickly transform the race and open the door to unexpected outcomes.

For Prima Pramac Yamaha MotoGP, the weekend represents another important step in the development phase of the Yamaha YZR-M1 project. The focus remains on continuing to refine the package and making further progress, with both riders targeting a return to the points as they work towards closing the gap to the front.

It will be a very different experience for the two riders. Jack Miller arrives with strong knowledge of the circuit and positive memories, including his victory here in 2021. His experience at Le Mans will be key in guiding the team through a track that often demands adaptability and precision.

For Toprak Razgatlıoğlu, the French Grand Prix will mark a completely new challenge, as he has never raced at Le Mans. The Turkish rider approaches the weekend with enthusiasm, seeing it as an opportunity to start fresh on a new circuit and continue adapting his riding style to the demands of MotoGP machinery.

Le Mans is a 4.19 km circuit featuring 14 corners (9 right and 5 left) and is traditionally considered a stop-and-go layout, with heavy braking zones and strong acceleration points. While top speed plays a role, stability under braking and traction on corner exit are key performance factors. Combined with frequently changing weather conditions, this makes Le Mans one of the most technically demanding and unpredictable rounds of the championship.

Gino Borsoi: “We‘re ready to face another demanding but exciting European track, coming off a very productive test in Jerez. It was an important session for both riders, and we came away with some clear indications and a direction that we hope will translate into improved performance.

We expect to start the weekend in a better position compared to the previous races. Jack was able to make a slightly bigger step during the test, but we gathered valuable information for both riders, which should help us move forward.

Le Mans is always unpredictable, especially because of the weather, but that can also play in our favour. So far we‘ve shown that we can be competitive in wet conditions, and if that scenario presents itself again, we‘ll be ready to make the most of it.” 

Toprak Razgatlıoğlu: “Finally I get to race in Le Mans, and I‘m really happy about it. It‘s a legendary circuit that I‘ve only watched until now, so it‘s exciting to experience it for the first time.

I‘m more excited than concerned. Of course it‘s a new track and another thing to learn, but at the same time I see it as an opportunity. On the circuits we‘ve raced at so far, I naturally went back to my Superbike riding style because they were familiar to me — it almost came instinctively.

Here, starting from zero, I‘m hoping to approach the track with the right mindset from the beginning and focus fully on adapting to the MotoGP riding style. That‘s something I‘ve been working on a lot, and this could be a good opportunity to make another step in that direction.”