Jorge Martin earned pole position during MotoGP World Championship qualifying on Saturday at the Bugatti Circuit, in Le Mans, France. Riding his Prima Pramac Racing Ducati Desmosedici, the Spaniard broke the All-Time Lap Record Of 1:30.388 he set Friday afternoon with a time of 1:29.919 around the 2.6-mile (4.2 km) circuit during Qualifying Two (Q2) on Saturday. Martin then crashed, but his time held up to earn him pole position.

Two-time and defending MotoGP World Champion Francesco Bagnaia did a 1:30.111 on his Lenovo Ducati and threatened to overtake Martin on the time sheet, but the Italian rider also crashed during his final qualifying run and had to settle for the second spot on the grid.

Maverick Vinales completed both of his runs during Q2, but his time of 1:30.313 was only good enough to claim the third and final spot on the front row of the grid.

Row-two qualifiers included Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Ducati’s Fabio Di Giannantonio (1:30.436) and Marco Bezzecchi (1:30.553) and Vinales’ teammate Aleix Espargaro (1:30.572).

More, from a press release issued by Dorna:

Martin beats Bagnaia to pole, Viñales third as Marquez fails to move through from Q1

Lap records, drama and surprise exits? The stage is set for fireworks in France

Saturday, 11 May 2024

Championship leader Jorge Martin (Prima Pramac Racing) will start from pole at the Michelin® Grand Prix de France, although the journey to the top, via a stunning new lap record in the 1:29s, was far from drama-free. But neither was it for his now closest-challenger in the standings either, reigning Champion Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team), as the #1 followed a tumble for Martin with one of his own. They’ll start 1-2 on the grid though, and they’ll have company from another fast, fast challenger: Maverick Viñales (Aprilia Racing) as the 2017 winner gears up for another shot at it.

Q1 TURNS THE TABLES

As ever, plenty of contenders were looking for a way through to Q2. As ever, nothing is ever as simple as it seems in motorcycle racing either. After a number of yellow flags and dramas, Enea Bastianini (Ducati Lenovo Team) managed to thread the needle to put in a fast, clean lap, leaving early leader Marc Marquez (Gresini Racing MotoGP™) in second.

But there was one last shot at the top left for Miguel Oliveira (Trackhouse Racing) and the Portuguese rider made it count, knocking the eight-time World Champion out of the top two and moving through along with Bastianini. MM93 is left to launch from P13, although that’s a little further forward than another rider who expected to fight at the front: Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) starts last after a nightmare weekend so far.

CALM FROM THE CHAOS

Despite one of the messiest ends to Q2 in recent memory, the front row is a fairly calm appraisal of who has seemed fastest so far in France. Martin put in a stunner to take over on top and then slid out when trying to better it again, leaving the baton with Bagnaia to respond. The reigning Champion was putting in the red sectors too, but he then slid out of contention, leaving it in Championship order at the front of the grid. Viñales, meanwhile, lurks in third and with some serious speed…

Bastianini looked like he could attack for pole late on, and for one sector so did Pedro Acosta (Red Bull GASGAS Tech3), but it faded and the Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team were on the charge. 

THE GRID

Behind that front row, it is indeed Fabio Di Giannantonio (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team) and teammate and 2023 Le Mans winner Marco Bezzecchi in fourth and fifth, ahead of Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing) who was another of those late crashers bringing out yellow flags.

Row 3 is headed by Acosta, with Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™) in P8 after a serious push on home turf. He starts just ahead of former teammate and now Prima Pramac Racing rider Franco Morbidelli. 

After not finding quite enough to improve, Bastianini lines up in P10 ahead of Jack Miller (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing), the final Q2 crasher, with Oliveira P12 just ahead of Marc Marquez in the first of those in Q1.

The stage is set for a stunning show in Sarthe, so first tune in for the Tissot Sprint at 15:00 today, before the Grand Prix at 14:00 tomorrow. See you there!

Jorge Martin finished a flawless Friday on the Bugatti Circuit, in Le Mans, France, by topping MotoGP World Championship Practice One. After leading Friday morning’s Free Practice, Martin topped Friday afternoon’s Practice One with a time of 1:30.388 on his Michelin-shod Prima Pramac Racing Ducati. Not only was that lap time good enough to lead the field of 22 riders, it also set a new All-Time Lap Record, eclipsing the 1:30.450 Francesco Bagnaia did in 2022.

Bagnaia, the two-time and defending MotoGP World Champion, was second Friday afternoon with a 1:30.533 on his Lenovo Ducati.

Rookie Pedro Acosta, the reigning Moto2 World Champion, continued his impressive form with a third-quickest 1:30.575 on his Red Bull GASGAS Tech3 machine.

Likewise, Maverick Vinales was fast again with a 1:30.657 on his factory Aprilia RS-GP, slotting him into fourth. 

Other riders finishing the session in the top 10 and advancing directly to Qualifying Two included: Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Ducati’s Fabio Di Giannantonio (1:30.683), Red Bull KTM’s Jack Miller (1:30.699), Vinales’ teammate Aleix Espargaro (1:30.714), Martin’s teammate Franco Morbidelli (1:30.763), Di Giannantonio’s teammate Marco Bezzecchi (1:30.785), and Monster Energy Yamaha’s home hero Fabio Quartararo  (1:30.788).

The best times of the top 17 riders in the session were separated by less than one second.

More, from a press release issued by Dorna:

Martin outpaces Pecco with new lap record as Marquez faces Q1

The stage is set for another super Saturday with key names split across Q1 and Q2 – and a home hero through

Friday, 10 May 2024

It was an intense shootout for direct entry into Q2 at the Michelin® Grand Prix de France, with the spots in the top 10 going down to the wire. At the end of Friday it was tight at the top too, with just 0.187s separating the top three. Thanks to a new lap record, however, Jorge Martin (Prima Pramac Racing) reigns supreme ahead of 2023 duelling partner Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team), with rookie Pedro Acosta (Red Bull GASGAS Tech3) making a statement in third and on team home turf.

For Martin it was a building session, with the #89 consistently running inside the top 10 before a fast lap with 10 minutes to go before improving to set a remarkable 1:30.388 on the Pramac rider’s final run. Bagnaia tried to fight back late, after briefly occupying the top spot with 20 minutes to go. However, Martin’s final sector was too good to match, leaving the reigning World Champion in second with Acosta finding time in the last 10 minutes of the the day to jump to third on the #31’s first time at Le Mans on a MotoGP™ bike.

In fourth after another cracking day was Aprilia Racing’s Maverick Viñales, who was a mere 0.269s from the top spot at the end of the opening day of action at the French GP. The Americas GP winner was ahead of Fabio Di Giannantonio (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing) in sixth who had a positive Friday after putting a fresh soft rear tyre in his final run.

Jack Miller (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) was sixth after a strong finish to the day – setting a 1:30.699. However, it was not smooth sailing for Miller after saving a crash after running through the gravel at turn two. However at the other side of the box, Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) had a tough day crashing for the third time on Friday, ending the day outside of the Q2 spots.

Aleix Espargaro ended a strong day for the Aprilia Racing squad, finishing the day in seventh, after briefly claiming the top spot. Behind Espargaro in eighth position after a great day was Prima Pramac Racing’s Franco Morbidelli who earned direct entry into Q2 onnce again after finding late time late in the session.

2023 winner Marco Bezzecchi (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing) was ninth clinching a Q2 spot and just 0.397 away from the top spot in the highly competitive field. And to the delight of the French crowd, home hero Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™) took the final spot inside the top 10 and by 0.010s, leaving some huge names to battle in Q1.

Most notably Marc Marquez (Gresini Racing MotoGP™) is now forced to go through Q1 on Saturday after ending the day in 13th. The #93 had a crash in the opening stage of the session, remounting, and then began to push in the last 10 minutes but he was unable to piece together a lap good enough for the top 10. Alex Marquez (Gresini Racing MotoGP™) will join him in Q1 tomorrow, after spending most of Practice outside the top 10 and crossing the line to end the day in 19th.

Binder and Alex Rins (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™) will also prepare for a Q1 appearance on Saturday, hoping to join their teammates in Q2. Further down the order, the French crowd will also be cheering on Johann Zarco (CASTROL Honda LCR), who was 20th with work to do to improve.

FP2: 10:10 (UTC +2)

Q1: 10:50

Q2: 11.15

Tissot Sprint: 15:00

 
Garcia grabs top honours from Lopez on Friday

It was an exciting Friday afternoon in Moto2™ with many key contenders beginning to show their cards at the Michelin® Grand Prix de France. It continues to be one of the most unpredictable Moto2™ seasons yet, but Sergio Garcia (MT Helmets – MSI) hit back to end Friday on top, claiming a new lap record at Le Mans with a 1:35.473 in the last five minutes of the session. Alonso Lopez (Folladore SpeedUp) was second despite losing the front at the end of the session while on a fast lap, rider ok, and third went the way of his teammate Fermin Aldeguer, who found time on a last fast lap to rocket up the order.

Manuel Gonzalez (QJMOTOR Gresini Moto2™) was fourth as he looks to fight for a maiden win this weekend, with Championship leader Joe Roberts (OnlyFans American Racing) completing the top five.

Check out the full results below and come back for more at 9:25 local time (UTC+2) for Practice 2 before qualifying at 13:45 local time.

Alonso obliterates the lap record to pull half a second on Esteban, Holgado

It was a quick afternoon for the Moto3™ field at the Michelin® Grand Prix de France with CFMOTO Gaviota Aspar Team’s David Alonso continuing to mark his ground in Le Mans. The Colombian smashed the lap record for the second time on Friday, setting a remarkable 1:40.470. The #80 was ahead of teammate Joel Esteban (CFMOTO Gaviota Aspar Team), who was the only other rider inside the 1:40 bracket – but 0.480s adrift from Alonso. In third place after briefly snatching the top spot with 10 minutes remaining was Daniel Holgado (Red Bull GASGAS Tech3) – continuing to look like a race contender.

It was a dramatic session throughout with riders pushing to the absolute limit as the top spot changed hands multiple times between Alonso, Esteban, and Holgado. There were also a number of crashers, riders ok.

Meanwhile, returning to racing this weekend was Jose Antonio Rueda (Red Bull KTM Ajo), ending Friday in fourth but a mere 0.014s faster than Jerez winner Collin Veijer (Liqui Moly Husqvarna Intact GP), who rounded out the top five despite suffering a crash in the closing stages of the session at turn 13.

Can Alonso convert his pace and bounce back from Spanish GP disappointment? The first mission is to head through to Q2 via P2 at 8:40 (UTC+ 2), before qualifying from 12:50… so come back for more on Saturday!

Jorge Martin was quickest during MotoGP World Championship Free Practice One (FP1) Friday morning on the Bugatti Circuit, in Le Mans, France. Riding his Prima Pramac Racing Ducati Desmosedici on Michelin control tires, the Spaniard lapped the 2.6-mile (4.2 km) circuit in 1:31.421 to lead the field of 22 riders.

Rookie sensation Pedro Acosta was the best of the rest with a 1:31.658 on his Red Bull GASGAS Tech3 machine.

Maverick Vinales made it three different brands in the top three positions with a time of 1:31.678 on his factory Aprilia RS-GP.

Less than one second covered the top 16 riders in FP1.

Sergio Garcia was quickest during Moto2 World Championship Practice One Friday afternoon on the Bugatti Circuit, in Le Mans, France. Riding his MT Helmets – MSI Boscoscuro on Pirelli control tires, the Spaniard covered the 2.6-mile (4.2 km) racetrack in 1:35.473. That time was good enough to lead the field of 28 riders and break the All-Time Lap Record of 1:35.556 set by Alonso Lopez Friday morning.

Lopez was second-best in the afternoon with a 1:35.549 on his Folladore SpeedUp Boscoscuro, just ahead of his teammate Fermin Aldeguer and his 1:35.765.

Manuel Gonzalez was the top non-Boscoscuro rider with a 1:35.780 on his QJMOTOR Gresini Kalex.

American Joe Roberts, the World Championship point leader coming into the event, was fifth in Practice One with a lap of 1:35.783 on his OnlyFans American Racing Team Kalex.

David Alonso led Moto3 World Championship Practice One Friday afternoon on the Bugatti Circuit, in Le Mans, France. On board his Pirelli-equipped Gaviota Aspar Team CFMOTO, Alonso navigated the 2.6-mile (4.2 km) track in 1:40.470, which broke the All-Time Lap Record of 1:40.792 he set just hours earlier. The record coming into the weekend was 1:41.399.

Alonso Lopez topped Moto2 World Championship Free Practice Friday morning at the Bugatti Circuit, in Le Mans, France. On board his Pirelli-shod Folladore SpeedUp Boscoscuro, the Spaniard covered the 2.6-mile (4.2 km) course in 1:35.556, which was not only good enough to lead the field of 28 riders but it was also good enough to eclipse the All-Time Lap Record of 1:35.791 set by Sam Lowes in 2023.

Lopez’s teammate Fermin Aldeguer was second-best with a 1:35.711, which was also under the old lap record.

American Joe Roberts, the current Moto2 World Championship point leader, was third in the session with a 1:35.940 on his OnlyFans American Racing Team Kalex.

David Alonso was fastest in Moto3 World Championship Free Practice Friday morning on the Bugatti Circuit, in Le Mans, France. Riding his Gaviota Aspar Team CFMOTO on Pirelli control tires, the young Colombian lapped the 2.6-mile (4.2 km) racetrack in 1:40.792, which led the 26-rider field and smashed Jaume Masia’s All-Time Lap Record of 1:41.399 from 2020.