MotoGP : M.Marquez Heads Opening Practice At Le Mans

Mathilde Gasnier

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May 9, 2025

MotoGP : M.Marquez Heads Opening Practice At Le Mans

Marc Marquez topped MotoGP World Championship practice Friday morning at Le Mans Bugatti Circuit, in Le Mans. Riding his Michelin-shod Lenovo Ducati Desmosedici GP25, the six-time World Champion turned a lap of 1:30.764 around the 2.6-mile (4.19 km) track and led the 22-rider field.

Brad Binder was second-best with a 1:31.340 on his Red Bull KTM Factory Racing RC16.

Alex Marquez was third with a lap of 1:31.384 on his BK8 Gresini Ducati Desmosedici GP24.

Classification fp1 motogp

More, from a press release issued by Dorna:

Marc Marquez tops Le Mans FP1 from Binder. The six-time MotoGP Champion makes a rapid start in France as Quartararo and Zarco enjoy a promising launch into the weekend on home turf.

Marc Marquez (Ducati Lenovo Team) was fastest out of the traps in FP1 at the Michelin Grand Prix of France thanks to a 1:30.764 time. That morning session best lap was enough for the six-time MotoGP Champion to beat second place Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) by a healthy 0.576s, while title race leader Alex Marquez (BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP) completed the top three, 0.620s shy of his elder brother’s pace.

Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) began the weekend with a P4, the Italian is also six tenths away from the #93’s impressive pace, with rookie Ai Ogura (Trackhouse MotoGP Team) enjoying FP1 having rounded out the top five.

The reigning Moto2 World Champion was a place ahead of home hero Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP), the French star was 0.678s away from top spot, with countryman Johann Zarco (LCR Honda Castrol) beginning his home GP in P8.

There were crashes for Raul Fernandez (Trackhouse MotoGP Team) and Franco Morbidelli (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team) in FP1, both riders were OK, with the latter ending the session in P7.

The all-important Friday afternoon Practice session bursts into life at 15:00 local time (UTC+2).

Moto2 : Gonzalez Tops Opening Practice In France

Mathilde Gasnier

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May 9, 2025

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Moto2 : Gonzalez Tops Opening Practice In France

Manuel Gonzalez was quickest during Moto2 World Championship Free Practice Friday morning at Le Mans Bugatti Circuit, in France. Riding his Pirelli-shod LIQUI MOLY Dynavolt Intact GP Kalex on the 2.6-mile (4.19 km) track, the Spaniard recorded a 1:34.916 to lead the field of 27 riders.

The Brit, Jake Dixon was the best of the rest with a 1:35.018 on his ELF Marc VDS Racing Team Boscoscuro.

Italian rider, Tony Arbolino was third-fastest with a 1:35.077 on his BLU CRU Pramac Yamaha Boscoscuro.

American Joe Roberts finished the opening session in 11th with a 1:35.813 on his American Racing Team Kalex.

Classification fP1 MOTO2

Moto3 : Fernandez Quickest In Opening Practice At Le Mans

Mathilde Gasnier

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May 9, 2025

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Moto3 : Fernandez Quickest In Opening Practice At Le Mans

Adrian Fernandez was quickest during Moto3 World Championship Free Practice One (FP1) Friday morning at Le Mans Bugatti Circuit, in France. Riding his Leopard Racing Honda on Pirelli control tires, the Spaniard covered the 2.6-mile (4.19 km) road course in 1:40.882, topping the field of 26 riders.

Ryusei Yamanaka was the best of the rest with a 1:41.000 on his FRINSA – MT Helmets – MSI and his teammate Angel Piqueras was third with a lap time of 1:41.243.

Classification moto3 FP1

UtahSBA: The Return Of Superbikes And Endurance Racing To Utah

Mathilde Gasnier

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May 8, 2025

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UtahSBA: The Return Of Superbikes And Endurance Racing To Utah

Road racing made its return to Utah last weekend in a big way! The highly anticipated 2025 season opener for the Utah Sport Bike Association took place May 3-4 at the world class Burt Brothers Motorpark (formerly known as Utah Motorsports Campus). The USBA raised the bar this season providing a race program that adds even more excitement and value for their racers by introducing Qualifying for all classes and Saturday’s premier event, the Endurance Race. Add this to the coveted Burt Brothers “King of the Mountain” race and a refined sprint race schedule and these are race weekends you won’t want to miss.

There was a buzz around the paddock Saturday morning beyond that of race engines warming up. Who was going to set the fastest laps for their respective classes and start from pole position in their races? Racers didn’t have to wait long to find out as the track went hot at 8:00 a.m. and the fast-qualifying laps started coming in! When KOM racers went out for their first qualifying session things picked up right where they left off as reigning #1 plate holder Anthony Norton and previous club champion Brian Childree topped the charts. In the second qualifying session, Norton bested his previous time and ripped off a 1:33.7 lap, solidifying p1, followed local legend Shane Turpin making his return to the grid who went 1:36.7 seating him 3rd behind Childree’s 1:36.5 in 2nd. The fastest Novice qualifier was new racer Alex Cantrell with a respectable 1:40.5 which was just the beginning of an epic weekend for him.

With the grids set, time to go racing!

The first “lights out” of the season was the Precision Fab Machinery Middleweight SBK Novice race! Racers were fighting for PFab purse money paid in both Saturday’s and Sunday’s races for the class. Fastest novice qualifier, Alex Cantrell went straight to work with the holeshot and put his head down for 7 laps to take the victory and a paycheck but the battle raged for the final podium spots where Landon Mattson lead Dakota Burford across the line for 2nd and 3rd both earning their piece of the purse money. Alex went on to win 8 novice races on the weekend and plans to join the expert ranks for Round 2 in just 3 weeks.

Alex Cantrell #225 battling with Isacc Loynd #609. Photo courtesy Richard Jellerson — Alex Cantrell (225) battling with Isaac Loynd (609). Photo by Richard Jellerson/courtesy USBA.

The action continued as Saturday sprint races rolled on with intense battles and non-stop racing action leading into the day’s Main Event, the return of Endurance racing to USBA.

Teams and solo riders took to the grid with a mix of strategies and bikes to start the race. Starting 1-2 for the race were heavy hitters Anthony “Lugnut” Norton aboard the Precision Fab Kawasaki ZX-10R and Shane “Tornado” Turpin piloting his Paradigm Racing Yamaha R6. The two rubbed elbows off the grid and leaning into Turn 1 where Norton secured the holeshot, but Turpin latched on, and they rode Dunlop to Dunlop for 4 laps. On lap 5, Turn 5, Turpin took a hard tumble from P2, bringing out a red-flag stop, and riders returned to hot pit. Unfortunately, Shane was unable to remount for the restart due to injuries sustained; we all wish him a speedy recovery and hope he returns to the grid soon. On the restart, Norton once again nailed the light and led for a 30-minute stint before handing the bike over to teammate Kohl Burmester, who rode the Racers Edge Dunlop-shod Kawaski for the remainder of the race and straight to victory lane! The top ironman solo rider, was Mark Taylor on his ultra lightweight entry; he finished just two laps down to the top overall finishers. Endurance racing is back!

On Sunday morning, sprint racing action continued. Norton showed some serious pace in the morning’s Open Superstock race, looking prepared to defend his KOM streak when the premier race was to take place just after lunch. With the threat of wet weather coming, all eyes were on the sky! Just 30 minutes before last call for the Burt Brothers King of the Mountain race, the skies opened up and down came the rain. Race Direction rightfully declared it a “wet race” and racers scrambled to mount their rain or DOT tires to then take their grid positions. Revs up, lights out, and Lou Saccoccio led the KOM racers into Turn 1 on the damp track, but Norton leaped into the lead through Turn 3. Brian Naylor aboard his ZX-6R found his way to P2 on Lap 1 with Lou in tow and a hard-charging Alex Zinaich lurking behind! On Lap 2, Zinaich exchanged places with Lou for 3rd and then on Lap 3 Alex overtook Naylor for 2nd. On the same lap Lou found his way past Naylor for 3rd and the top 3 were Norton, Zinaich, Saccoccio, with Brian Naylor 4th representing the top Middleweight rider in the running order. In tricky conditions with a drying track, Norton seemed to be managing his lead while Zinaich put in consistent laps attempting to close the gap but as the laps wound down and the checkered flag waved it was Norton taking 1st with Zinaich 2nd, and Lou Saccoccio bringing his R1 home in 3rd, all three claiming their piece of the hefty Burt Brothers Tire & Service Purse Money.

Anthony Norton trying to cool his rain tires on a drying track during the KOM Race. Photo courtesy Richard Jellerson — Anthony Norton trying to cool his rain tires on a drying track during the KOM Race. Photo by Richard Jellerson/courtesy USBA.

This was Alex Zinaich’s first KOM podium and when asked about his race he said “With the race declared wet, at first call I chose to run an old Q3+ and Q4 that I had. Turned out I pulled a ‘Jack Miller’ and got the tire choice right. By Lap 2 the track had dried out a bit and I watched everyone boil their rains off. I’m happy to get on the box this weekend. I would like to thank my fiancé Aubrey Credaroli and The Jojo for their relentless pit crew support. Also, thanks to Young Powersports of Centerville, Bison Track and azridingacademy.”

After a long weekend of racing, reigning club champion Norton was all smiles and when asked about his weekend he had this to say: “What a Blast. Awesome to have the entire Precision Fab Machinery team here supporting me and the USBA. The Endurance race was a blast, and their support made it even more fun. Thanks to my friend and teammate Kohl for riding his butt off to help us secure the win! Damon, with Legal Ride, came out to race and support me as well. Great to have him out and his help wrenching to get the bike ready for the weird conditions of KOM. So great having these people all in my corner. Great job by the club and Race Direction creating an exciting and safe weekend for us racers! Also, I want to wish a speedy recovery to Shane (Turpin), it’s an honor to share the racetrack with The Tornado and I hope to battle again soon.”

Round 1 is in the books and that was just a taste of the excitement this season has in store. We are just three short weeks away from Round 2 which will be held on the West course at Burt Brothers Motorpark, and we can’t wait! Join us for endurance and sign up early to save on your entry fees. The USBA would like to thank title sponsor Utah Motorcycle Law for all they do to help the show continue to grow here in Utah and of course we couldn’t do it without all our class sponsors, fans, and of course the race warriors on track! We will see you all May 25-26 for Round 2! Visit Utahsba.com for more details.

USBA 2025 Round 1 Results RRW

MotoGP: Acosta In, Chantra Out Of Michelin Grand Prix Of France

Michael Gougis

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May 8, 2025

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MotoGP: Acosta In, Chantra Out Of Michelin Grand Prix Of France

KTM Red Bull’s Pedro Acosta has been cleared to take part in this weekend’s Michelin Grand Prix of France. Acosta underwent surgery after the Jerez round for chronic compartment syndrome on his right forearm.

Somkiat Chantra. Photo by Michael Gougis.

However, IDEMITSU Honda LCR rider Somkiat Chantra, who also had surgery for arm pump on April 30, will not be on the track at Le Mans. Dr. Xavier Mir, who did the procedure, recommended more time off before returning to racing, and the team agreed.

Somkiat Chantra (35). Photo by Michael Gougis.

“The team fully supports Somkiat’s recovery process and looks forward to welcoming him back on track soon,” LCR Honda said.

MotoAmerica: Altus Motorsports Results from Road Atlanta

Mathilde Gasnier

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May 8, 2025

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MotoAmerica: Altus Motorsports Results from Road Atlanta

Lewis Earns Podium; Collins Achieves Season-Best Top 10; Nassaney Fights Through Injury; Williams Shows Determination Despite Crash.

(Braselton, GA) — The latest round of the 2025 MotoAmerica Supersport Championship took place at Road Atlanta, and Altus Motorsports continued to build momentum with standout performances from its four-rider lineup. With changing weather conditions and a deep field, the team showed both speed and resilience.

Supersport – Continued Progress Across the Board

Jake Lewis on his Yamaha YZF-R9 at Road Atlanta.

After qualifying 5th in Q2, Jake Lewis backed up his speed with two solid results in the races on his Yamaha YZF-R9. He led almost the entirety of Race 1 in mixed conditions but had to settle for 2nd. He followed it with 6th in Race 2, keeping himself well inside the top 10 in the championship standings

Jake Lewis: “It stings a bit to lead the entire race and lose a win on the last lap but I’m still really happy with that ride. We have made really good progress with the R9 since Barber and will hopefully be fighting for these podiums the rest of the season. I have to give a huge thank you to the whole Altus Motorsports Team for busting their butts for me. My Crew Chief, Jeremy McWilliams; my mechanic, Will; LJ; and Murph on the electronics.”

Torin Collins on his Suzuki GSX-R750 at Road Atlanta.

Torin Collins had his strongest weekend yet, qualifying 10th and finishing 13th in Race 1, before a season-best 8th in Race 2 on his Suzuki GSX-R750.

Torin Collins: “Great confidence booster in Atlanta. The bike and team were dialed in, and we found a solid direction in setup—it showed on track. A strong P10 in qualifying set the tone for the weekend. Race 1 was tricky with the 50/50 conditions, but I managed to bring it home with more points on the board. Race 2 was the highlight—rode hard and aggressive, battled throughout, and came away with a solid P8 and my first top 10 of the season. Even with a nagging thumb injury, my pace was right there with the front group, which is a great sign of what’s to come. We’re building momentum.”

Owen Williams on his Suzuki GSX-R750 at Road Atlanta.

Owen Williams qualified lower than he wanted in 17th aboard his Suzuki GSX-R750. After a great start in Race 1, he worked his way up to 10th, right behind teammate Jaret Nassaney, by lap 3. Unfortunately, Jaret crashed and Owen ran off track after taking avoiding action and was pushed to the back, but he fought his way back to 23rd. Attempting to move up quickly into Turn 1 in Race 2, he was a bit overaggressive and crashed out.

Owen Williams: “Atlanta was a roller coaster of conditions and unexpected challenges. However, I’m leaving the weekend feeling confident and ready to bring the fight for the top ten for round 3 at my favorite track in Wisconsin.”

Jaret Nassaney on his Yamaha YZF-R9 at Road Atlanta.

Jaret Nassaney had perhaps the most turbulent weekend of all. After losing a chain in Practice 1 that destroyed his swingarm and motor, the team rebuilt his YZF-R9 in time for Q1. He qualified 13th. He had an amazing start in Race 1 and, despite the challenging mixed conditions, he moved up to 9th place. He felt good and was pushing hard, confident in his top-5 pace. Unfortunately, he lost the rear on the exit of turn 1 and crashed out of the race. He took the Sunday start a bit battered and bruised, but toughed it out to finish in 14th.

Jaret Nassaney: “Yeah, a bit of a roller coaster weekend! Race 1 was wet but drying—I got an amazing start and was up to 9th by the first lap. I felt like I had the pace for the top 5, but the rear snapped coming out of Turn 1 and launched me off. Beat up my hand and elbow pretty good. Race 2, I was more beat up than I realized. My shoulder and elbow were hurting, plus I had some brake fade, but salvaged a few points in 14th. Not the weekend I was hoping for, but I’ll keep working and come back stronger.”

The Altus Motorsports squad showed fight, pace, and continued improvement at Road Atlanta. With confidence growing and Road America next on the calendar, the team is aiming to convert lessons learned into podium performances.

“The entire team is really starting to gel,” said George Nassaney, Team Owner. “It feels like a family which is the vibe we have always strived for at Altus. Despite the crashes, I am extremely proud of how all of our riders are doing and the way our crew is stepping up to support them. I am really looking forward to the rest of the season.”

Altus Motorsports team is supported by our great family of sponsors: Altus Motorsports, WPS, Firepower, Yamaha Motorsports, Buy A Jet From Steve Main, Barnett, HotBodies Racing, M4 Exhausts, Vortex EK, Motion Pro, SBS Brakes, BrakeTech USA, Inc., GP Racing, K-Tech, Maxima Racing Oils, Attack Racing, Team Hammer, RS Taichi, Arai, Core Moto, Pro Bolt, Chicken Hawk Tire Warmers, Law Tigers Oklahoma, and Altus Factory Racing.

MotoAmerica: Dr. Carl Price’s PS Squared Racing’s Tough Debut

Mathilde Gasnier

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May 8, 2025

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MotoAmerica: Dr. Carl Price’s PS Squared Racing’s Tough Debut

Road Atlanta, GA — PS Squared Racing made an inspiring and determined debut in the MotoAmerica Stock 1000 class this past weekend at Road Atlanta, fielding talented rider Cory Ventura on the Aprilia RSV4 1100. Backed by Crew Chief Brandon Cole of Powersport Supply and Lead Mechanic William Luce, the team faced and overcame adversity in what proved to be a memorable first outing.

Following a promising first qualifying session that showcased Ventura’s pace and the competitiveness of the RSV4 1100, the team encountered a mechanical issue heading into the drying second qualifying session. The issue ultimately led to a crash that caused significant damage to the motorcycle, rendering it unrepairable, missing Saturday’s opening race.

PS Squared Racing Team. Photo courtesy Brian J Nelson. — The new PS Squared (a.k.a. PS2) Racing Team, (from left) Lead Mechanic William Luce, Crew Chief Brandon Cole, rider Cory Ventura, and team owners Dr. Carl Price and Cathy Price. Photo by Brian J Nelson/courtesy PS2.

Undeterred, the PS Squared crew sprang into action. Working tirelessly through the night, Cole and Luce converted a demo bike—acquired from Aprilia and ridden on the street earlier that same day—into a fully prepared race machine. The effort not only demonstrated the exceptional versatility and capability of the Aprilia RSV4 1100 but also underscored its remarkable closeness to competition-spec motorcycles straight from the showroom floor.

Under clear skies Sunday morning, Ventura took to the track for warm-up, familiarizing himself with the hastily prepped machine. By race time, he confidently lined up on the grid for Race 2—an achievement that brought immense satisfaction to the entire team. A strong start saw Ventura quickly settle into a rhythm, clocking lap times several seconds faster than his qualifying efforts. His pace would have placed him in contention for a top-10 finish, affirming both the potential of the bike and the capabilities of the team. Unfortunately a minor mechanical gremlin led to his premature retirement from the race.

Reflecting on the weekend, Ventura remarked, “Now we have something to work with.”

PS Squared Racing would like to extend its sincere gratitude to Robem Engineering, without whom none of this would have been possible. The team also wishes to thank its supporters and partners whose backing made this effort a reality: Piaggio Group North America / Aprilia, Imperial Sportbikes, Infinity Fall Protection, and our technical partners Thermosman / Öhlins Suspension, Dunlop Tires, SC Project Exhaust / Motovation, Blud Lubricants, and Vesrah Brakes.

With valuable experience gained and momentum building, PS Squared is excited to continue developing the impressive Aprilia RSV4 1100 as they set their sights on the next round at Road America. The team is eager to carry forward the progress made at Road Atlanta and continue showcasing their determination and skill throughout the MotoAmerica season.

American Rossi Moor Scores Points In FIM JuniorGP Moto2

Mathilde Gasnier

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May 8, 2025

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American Rossi Moor Scores Points In FIM JuniorGP Moto2

Rossi Attila Moore, the Hungarian-American talent from the Révész Racing Next Generation Riders Team, representing Team MMR, competed on May 4 in Estoril, Portugal, to kick off his campaign in the FIM JuniorGP Moto2 category.

The first two days of the race weekend—Thursday and Friday—were spent on free practice sessions. The weather was unpredictable, and on Saturday morning, the track was completely wet for practice. Due to less-than–ideal bike settings, Rossi crashed twice, significantly reducing his track time. However, for Q1, the team made completely new adjustments, including a revised gear ratio, which had already shown promise during start simulations.

Despite minor bruises and pain from the morning crashes, Rossi gave it his all and finished the first qualifying session in 5th place—just 0.078-second behind 4th place but losing the chance to advance to Q2. As a result, he started Sunday’s race from 19th on the grid.

By the time the first race in the morning gridded up, around 80% of the track had dried. While no rain fell, the surface hadn’t fully dried yet. A slick tire would have been the logical choice, but Rossi’s lead engineer decided otherwise, opting for wet tires — a decision that unfortunately didn’t pay off. One of the biggest losses of the race was Eric Fernandez, who was leading but crashed on the penultimate lap. Rossi fought hard for a points-scoring position, but due to the poor tire choice and bike performance, he finished 17th. The race was won by Spain’s Unai Orradre, ahead of Francesco Mongiardo and fellow Italian Alberto Surra.

Rossi Moor on the grid before the race in Estoril, Portugal. Photo courtesy Rossi Attila Moor in Estoril, Portugal. Photo courtesy Revesz Racing NGRT. — Rossi Moor on the grid before the race in Estoril, Portugal. Photo courtesy MMR/Revesz Racing NGRT.

In the afternoon’s second race, Rossi had a great start, and the bike responded better on the racing lines. He continuously overtook his rivals and eventually finished in 13th place, earning 3 valuable championship points.

There’s a lot of work ahead before the next race. The team knows there were mistakes with the bike settings and understands what needs to be done to ensure that by June 1 in Jerez, the camera will be focused on bike number 92 for the entire race.

MotoAmerica & FIM USA Mini Cup Results From Perris

John Ulrich

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May 7, 2025

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MotoAmerica & FIM USA Mini Cup Results From Perris

FIM Mini Cup USA/MotoAmerica Mini Cup Qualifier

Round Two, May 3-4

Apex Motorsports Park, Perris, California

GP 190 (All Ohvale)

1. Anthony Lupo, Jr.

2. Kensei Matsudaira

3. Ulises Weyrauch

4. Seth Kemnitz

5. Williams Dalu

6. Parker Busse

7. Blake Sorrentino

GP 160 (All Ohvale)

1. Jase Dill

2. Zaal Farhand

3. Maverick Johnson

4. Gabriel Datis

5. Artur Pinol-Castellanos

6. Lambert Su

7. Kendall Leonard

8. Sierra Boll

9. Chase Jazikoff

10. Mason McIntire

GP 110 (All Ohvale)

1. Zaal Farhand

2. Lambert Su

3. Chase Jazikoff

Stock 110

1. Luke Shen (Honda)

Stock 50

1. Marcus Su (Honda)

2. Kyle Kang (Honda)

3. Camdyn Dill (Honda)

4. Cooper Jazikoff (Honda)

5. Rylee Raines (Honda)

6. Carter Blackner (Honda)

7. Thiago Pascual (Yamaha)

8. Ethan Banks (Honda)

MotoGP: Stats Ahead Of The Michelin Grand Prix Of France

Michael Gougis

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May 7, 2025

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MotoGP: Stats Ahead Of The Michelin Grand Prix Of France

Le Mans has hosted a Grand Prix on 37 previous occasions, including the Grand Prix “Vitesse du Mans” in 1991, which is the only year that two GPs have been held in France in the same year. Le Mans hosted its first GP in 1969, when the 500cc race was won by Giacomo Agostini, who lapped all the other riders in the race on his MV Agusta. 2019 was the 50th anniversary of the first GP in Le Mans and 2025 is the 60-year anniversary of Le Mans “Bugatti” circuit. It’s over a quarter of a century that Le Mans has hosted consecutive motorcycle Grands Prix, starting in 2000.

In addition to Le Mans, there have been seven other circuits that have hosted the French GP: Paul Ricard (13 times), ClermontFerrand (10), Nogaro (2), Reims (2), Rouen (2), Albi (1), Magny-Cours (1). Five French riders have won Grands Prix at Le Mans: Jean Auréal (125cc – 1969), Guy Bertin (125cc – 1979), Patrick Fernandez (350cc – 1979), Mike Di Meglio (125cc – 2008) and Louis Rossi (Moto3™ – 2012).

The best MotoGP result for a French rider at Le Mans is Johann Zarco who took second place in 2017 and 2021, and Raymond Roche’s second place in 1985. The other premier class podiums for French riders at Le Mans are: Zarco (P3 in 2023), Fabio Quartararo (P3 in 2021) and Christian Sarron (P3 in 1987). Of the 23 MotoGP™ races held at Le Mans in the modern era, 11 have either started in wet conditions or rain has started to fall during the race.

The years that the MotoGP™ race has been run under full dry conditions at Le Mans are 2004, 2010, 2011, 2014-2019 and from 2022 to 2024.

MOTOGP™ WINNERS AT LE MANS ON THE GRID

Marc Marquez 3 (2014, 2018, 2019)

Jorge Martin 1 (2024)

Maverick Viñales 1 (2017)

Jack Miller 1 (2021)

Enea Bastianini 1 (2022)

Marco Bezzecchi 1 (2023).

SPRINT WINNERS AT LE MANS

Jorge Martin 2 (2023, 2024)

FACTORIES AT LE MANS: BEST RESULTS

Honda’s last MotoGP win at Le Mans was Marc Marquez in 2019 from pole, which was Honda’s 300th win in the class. Marquez also won at the track in 2014 and in 2018. Yamaha’s last MotoGP at Le Mans was Viñales in 2017 from pole. Yamaha have had 10 wins at the track, including three consecutive wins with Jorge Lorenzo (2015 & 2016) and Maverick Viñales (2017), the latter of which marked the 500th win for a Yamaha rider in Grand Prix racing. Ducati have taken five premier class wins at the track, all in the last five years with five different riders: Danilo Petrucci (2020), Jack Miller (2021), Enea Bastianini (2022), Marco Bezzecchi (2023) and Jorge Martin (2024). Francesco Bagnaia qualified on pole in 2022 and 2023 and Martin in 2024, which are the only pole positions for Ducati in the class at this track. Martin won the two Sprints held at the track so far. Aleix Espargaro’s P3 in 2022 is Aprilia’s best MotoGP result in Le Mans. Pol Espargaro finished P3 at Le Mans in 2020, which is KTM’s best MotoGP result at the track.

EXTRA FACTS AND STATS 10 current riders have MotoGP podiums here: M. Marquez (5), Zarco (3), Viñales (2), Miller (2), Martin (2), Alex Marquez (1), Quartararo (1), Bastianini (1), Bezzecchi (1), Bagnaia (1). 6 have taken pole: M. Marquez (4), Quartararo (2), Bagnaia (2), Viñales (1), Zarco (1), Martin (1). 4 riders have scored points in all five of the MotoGP™ races so far this season: Francesco Bagnaia, Alex Marquez, Fabio Quartararo and Luca Marini. And four have scored points in all five Tissot Sprints: Marc Marquez, Alex Marquez, Morbidelli and Bagnaia. It means only A. Marquez and Bagnaia have scored points in both the five GP races and Sprints.

WHAT HAPPENS IF…

1954 Both Johann Zarco and Fabio Quartararo will be aiming to become the first French rider to take a MotoGP win on home soil since Pierre Monneret in Reims back in 1954. Jacques Collot finished P3 in that race, which was the first time two French riders shared a MotoGP podium.

115 If Marc Marquez finishes in the top three, it will be his 115th MotoGP podium, moving above MotoGP Legend Jorge Lorenzo in second on the list of riders with the most podiums.

86 If a Ducati qualifies in the top three, it will be the 86th consecutive GP that a Ducati rider starts on the front row, a run that stretches back to Valencia 2020.

72 Ducati are on a streak of 71 podiums in a row. Another will extend their own record to 72. The last manufacturer with more than 72 podiums in a row is Honda with 83 from the FIM GP 1993 to the Imola GP 1999.

23 A Ducati win would be their 23rd in a row, setting a record of the most MotoGP wins in a row.

20 Rookie Fermin Aldeguer will be 20 years and 36 days old on Sunday and can become the youngest MotoGP™ winner ahead of Marc Marquez (20 years and 63 days old in Austin, 2013).

7 If a rider other than M. Marquez (2019), Petrucci (2020), Miller (2021), Bastianini (2022), Bezzecchi (2023) and Martin (2024) wins the MotoGP™ race, they will be the seventh different winner in seven MotoGP races at Le Mans.

6 There are now six riders on the grid who could take their maiden MotoGP win this weekend: Raul Fernandez, Luca Marini, Pedro Acosta and rookies Ai Ogura, Somkiat Chantra and Fermin Aldeguer.

1 Aprilia and KTM riders could give their factory a maiden premier class win at Le Mans.

MotoGP : M.Marquez Heads Opening Practice At Le Mans

May 9, 2025

Marc Marquez was quickest this morning at Le Mans. Photo courtesy Ducati Corse Team.

Marc Marquez topped MotoGP World Championship practice Friday morning at Le Mans Bugatti Circuit, in Le Mans. Riding his Michelin-shod Lenovo Ducati Desmosedici GP25, the six-time World Champion turned a lap of 1:30.764 around the 2.6-mile (4.19 km) track and led the 22-rider field.

Brad Binder was second-best with a 1:31.340 on his Red Bull KTM Factory Racing RC16.

Alex Marquez was third with a lap of 1:31.384 on his BK8 Gresini Ducati Desmosedici GP24.

Classification fp1 motogp

More, from a press release issued by Dorna:

Marc Marquez tops Le Mans FP1 from Binder. The six-time MotoGP Champion makes a rapid start in France as Quartararo and Zarco enjoy a promising launch into the weekend on home turf.

Marc Marquez (Ducati Lenovo Team) was fastest out of the traps in FP1 at the Michelin Grand Prix of France thanks to a 1:30.764 time. That morning session best lap was enough for the six-time MotoGP Champion to beat second place Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) by a healthy 0.576s, while title race leader Alex Marquez (BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP) completed the top three, 0.620s shy of his elder brother’s pace.

Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) began the weekend with a P4, the Italian is also six tenths away from the #93’s impressive pace, with rookie Ai Ogura (Trackhouse MotoGP Team) enjoying FP1 having rounded out the top five.

The reigning Moto2 World Champion was a place ahead of home hero Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP), the French star was 0.678s away from top spot, with countryman Johann Zarco (LCR Honda Castrol) beginning his home GP in P8.

There were crashes for Raul Fernandez (Trackhouse MotoGP Team) and Franco Morbidelli (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team) in FP1, both riders were OK, with the latter ending the session in P7.

The all-important Friday afternoon Practice session bursts into life at 15:00 local time (UTC+2).

Moto2 : Gonzalez Tops Opening Practice In France

May 9, 2025

Manuel Gonzalez was quickest Friday morning at Le Mans. Photo courtesy Dynavolt Intact GP.

Manuel Gonzalez was quickest during Moto2 World Championship Free Practice Friday morning at Le Mans Bugatti Circuit, in France. Riding his Pirelli-shod LIQUI MOLY Dynavolt Intact GP Kalex on the 2.6-mile (4.19 km) track, the Spaniard recorded a 1:34.916 to lead the field of 27 riders.

The Brit, Jake Dixon was the best of the rest with a 1:35.018 on his ELF Marc VDS Racing Team Boscoscuro.

Italian rider, Tony Arbolino was third-fastest with a 1:35.077 on his BLU CRU Pramac Yamaha Boscoscuro.

American Joe Roberts finished the opening session in 11th with a 1:35.813 on his American Racing Team Kalex.

Classification fP1 MOTO2

Moto3 : Fernandez Quickest In Opening Practice At Le Mans

May 9, 2025

Adrian Fernandez was fastest this morning at Le Mans. Photo courtesy Leopard Racing Team.

Adrian Fernandez was quickest during Moto3 World Championship Free Practice One (FP1) Friday morning at Le Mans Bugatti Circuit, in France. Riding his Leopard Racing Honda on Pirelli control tires, the Spaniard covered the 2.6-mile (4.19 km) road course in 1:40.882, topping the field of 26 riders.

Ryusei Yamanaka was the best of the rest with a 1:41.000 on his FRINSA – MT Helmets – MSI and his teammate Angel Piqueras was third with a lap time of 1:41.243.

Classification moto3 FP1

UtahSBA: The Return Of Superbikes And Endurance Racing To Utah

May 8, 2025

Anthony Norton Wins 4/4 Including King of the Mountain Race and Rides with Team to Endurance victory during Round 1 USBA. Photo courtesy Richard Jellerson — Anthony Norton went 4/4 in USBA's opening round of 2025, including winning the King of the Mountain race and the featured Endurance race, riding with his team. Photo by Richard Jellerson/courtesy USBA.

Road racing made its return to Utah last weekend in a big way! The highly anticipated 2025 season opener for the Utah Sport Bike Association took place May 3-4 at the world class Burt Brothers Motorpark (formerly known as Utah Motorsports Campus). The USBA raised the bar this season providing a race program that adds even more excitement and value for their racers by introducing Qualifying for all classes and Saturday’s premier event, the Endurance Race. Add this to the coveted Burt Brothers “King of the Mountain” race and a refined sprint race schedule and these are race weekends you won’t want to miss.

There was a buzz around the paddock Saturday morning beyond that of race engines warming up. Who was going to set the fastest laps for their respective classes and start from pole position in their races? Racers didn’t have to wait long to find out as the track went hot at 8:00 a.m. and the fast-qualifying laps started coming in! When KOM racers went out for their first qualifying session things picked up right where they left off as reigning #1 plate holder Anthony Norton and previous club champion Brian Childree topped the charts. In the second qualifying session, Norton bested his previous time and ripped off a 1:33.7 lap, solidifying p1, followed local legend Shane Turpin making his return to the grid who went 1:36.7 seating him 3rd behind Childree’s 1:36.5 in 2nd. The fastest Novice qualifier was new racer Alex Cantrell with a respectable 1:40.5 which was just the beginning of an epic weekend for him.

With the grids set, time to go racing!

The first “lights out” of the season was the Precision Fab Machinery Middleweight SBK Novice race! Racers were fighting for PFab purse money paid in both Saturday’s and Sunday’s races for the class. Fastest novice qualifier, Alex Cantrell went straight to work with the holeshot and put his head down for 7 laps to take the victory and a paycheck but the battle raged for the final podium spots where Landon Mattson lead Dakota Burford across the line for 2nd and 3rd both earning their piece of the purse money. Alex went on to win 8 novice races on the weekend and plans to join the expert ranks for Round 2 in just 3 weeks.

The action continued as Saturday sprint races rolled on with intense battles and non-stop racing action leading into the day’s Main Event, the return of Endurance racing to USBA.

Teams and solo riders took to the grid with a mix of strategies and bikes to start the race. Starting 1-2 for the race were heavy hitters Anthony “Lugnut” Norton aboard the Precision Fab Kawasaki ZX-10R and Shane “Tornado” Turpin piloting his Paradigm Racing Yamaha R6. The two rubbed elbows off the grid and leaning into Turn 1 where Norton secured the holeshot, but Turpin latched on, and they rode Dunlop to Dunlop for 4 laps. On lap 5, Turn 5, Turpin took a hard tumble from P2, bringing out a red-flag stop, and riders returned to hot pit. Unfortunately, Shane was unable to remount for the restart due to injuries sustained; we all wish him a speedy recovery and hope he returns to the grid soon. On the restart, Norton once again nailed the light and led for a 30-minute stint before handing the bike over to teammate Kohl Burmester, who rode the Racers Edge Dunlop-shod Kawaski for the remainder of the race and straight to victory lane! The top ironman solo rider, was Mark Taylor on his ultra lightweight entry; he finished just two laps down to the top overall finishers. Endurance racing is back!

On Sunday morning, sprint racing action continued. Norton showed some serious pace in the morning’s Open Superstock race, looking prepared to defend his KOM streak when the premier race was to take place just after lunch. With the threat of wet weather coming, all eyes were on the sky! Just 30 minutes before last call for the Burt Brothers King of the Mountain race, the skies opened up and down came the rain. Race Direction rightfully declared it a “wet race” and racers scrambled to mount their rain or DOT tires to then take their grid positions. Revs up, lights out, and Lou Saccoccio led the KOM racers into Turn 1 on the damp track, but Norton leaped into the lead through Turn 3. Brian Naylor aboard his ZX-6R found his way to P2 on Lap 1 with Lou in tow and a hard-charging Alex Zinaich lurking behind! On Lap 2, Zinaich exchanged places with Lou for 3rd and then on Lap 3 Alex overtook Naylor for 2nd. On the same lap Lou found his way past Naylor for 3rd and the top 3 were Norton, Zinaich, Saccoccio, with Brian Naylor 4th representing the top Middleweight rider in the running order. In tricky conditions with a drying track, Norton seemed to be managing his lead while Zinaich put in consistent laps attempting to close the gap but as the laps wound down and the checkered flag waved it was Norton taking 1st with Zinaich 2nd, and Lou Saccoccio bringing his R1 home in 3rd, all three claiming their piece of the hefty Burt Brothers Tire & Service Purse Money.

This was Alex Zinaich’s first KOM podium and when asked about his race he said “With the race declared wet, at first call I chose to run an old Q3+ and Q4 that I had. Turned out I pulled a ‘Jack Miller’ and got the tire choice right. By Lap 2 the track had dried out a bit and I watched everyone boil their rains off. I’m happy to get on the box this weekend. I would like to thank my fiancé Aubrey Credaroli and The Jojo for their relentless pit crew support. Also, thanks to Young Powersports of Centerville, Bison Track and azridingacademy.”

After a long weekend of racing, reigning club champion Norton was all smiles and when asked about his weekend he had this to say: “What a Blast. Awesome to have the entire Precision Fab Machinery team here supporting me and the USBA. The Endurance race was a blast, and their support made it even more fun. Thanks to my friend and teammate Kohl for riding his butt off to help us secure the win! Damon, with Legal Ride, came out to race and support me as well. Great to have him out and his help wrenching to get the bike ready for the weird conditions of KOM. So great having these people all in my corner. Great job by the club and Race Direction creating an exciting and safe weekend for us racers! Also, I want to wish a speedy recovery to Shane (Turpin), it’s an honor to share the racetrack with The Tornado and I hope to battle again soon.”

Round 1 is in the books and that was just a taste of the excitement this season has in store. We are just three short weeks away from Round 2 which will be held on the West course at Burt Brothers Motorpark, and we can’t wait! Join us for endurance and sign up early to save on your entry fees. The USBA would like to thank title sponsor Utah Motorcycle Law for all they do to help the show continue to grow here in Utah and of course we couldn’t do it without all our class sponsors, fans, and of course the race warriors on track! We will see you all May 25-26 for Round 2! Visit Utahsba.com for more details.

USBA 2025 Round 1 Results RRW

MotoGP: Acosta In, Chantra Out Of Michelin Grand Prix Of France

May 8, 2025

Acosta action COTA gougis DSC_0653 — Pedro Acosta (37). Photo by Michael Gougis.

KTM Red Bull’s Pedro Acosta has been cleared to take part in this weekend’s Michelin Grand Prix of France. Acosta underwent surgery after the Jerez round for chronic compartment syndrome on his right forearm.

However, IDEMITSU Honda LCR rider Somkiat Chantra, who also had surgery for arm pump on April 30, will not be on the track at Le Mans. Dr. Xavier Mir, who did the procedure, recommended more time off before returning to racing, and the team agreed.

“The team fully supports Somkiat’s recovery process and looks forward to welcoming him back on track soon,” LCR Honda said.

MotoAmerica: Altus Motorsports Results from Road Atlanta

May 8, 2025

Teammates Owen Williams (13) and Torin Collins (71) at Road Atlanta. Photo courtesy Brian J Nelson. — Teammates Owen Williams (13) and Torin Collins (71) at Road Atlanta. Photo by Brian J. Nelson.