MotoGP: Last year’s winner was straight on the pace whilst the #93 had a far from ideal Friday as we witness the closest top ten in a Friday Practice ever.
We promised you excitement and that’s certainly a promise we weren’t going to break. P1 like he finished last year’s weekend, Johann Zarco (Castrol Honda LCR) started his 2026 home Grand Prix where he left off as he topped Friday action. The Frenchman was in mighty form in the dry running on day one of the French Grand Prix to give the home crowd what they wanted to see, whilst Fabio Di Giannantonio (Pertamina Enduro VR4 Racing Team) was just 0.010s behind in second. Double World Champion Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) clinched third despite a late crash.
EARLY FALLERS IN FRANCE
It wasn’t the best start to Practice for Jorge Martin (Aprilia Racing), with the 2024 World Champion and French GP winner crashing at Turn 9 just over five minutes into the session. He wasn’t the only one though, as 15 minutes later, Fermin Aldeguer (BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP) likewise tucked the front, this time at Turn 3 – despite his best efforts to save it. With less than half an hour to go, Raul Fernandez (Trackhouse MotoGP Team) suffered a big blow up with his RS-GP in flames, temporarily pausing his Friday afternoon.
CALM BEFORE THE STORM
Out front and it was Di Giannantonio who was looking like the rider who had got dialled in the quickest. The #49 was flying, having been P2 in FP1 earlier in the day and now leading the charge in the afternoon. That wasn’t before a big push from last year’s home winner though; Zarco didn’t just go top on one lap but he made it back-to-back fastest laps of the session as we approached the final ten minutes.
THE FINAL 15 MINUTES
Whilst Zarco was doing the business and fellow home-hero Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) had gone up inside the provisional top ten, Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) was on the charge but folded the front at the penultimate corner. On his feet and quickly running back to the pits for a spare bike, ‘The Shark’ hoped to still be able to consolidate his Q2 spot.
Meanwhile, another Honda had hit the front, this time Joan Mir – the Spaniard topped the morning session and with seven minutes on the clock, he was doing it again. That was until double World Champion Bagnaia fired in a 1’30.045 to edge ahead. It made for a tantalising final role of the dice with five minutes to go.
A late surprise in the session came courtesy of Alex Rins (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) who rocketed up into the top ten, along with improvements from Martin and Marco Bezzecchi (Aprilia Racing), the Championship leader struggling throughout the session and leaving it late to get into the top ten. Alex Marquez (BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP) and Ai Ogura (Trackhouse MotoGP Team) both moved into the top ten too, bumping Marc Marquez out of the top ten. Teammate Bagnaia crashed on his final flying lap, whilst the #93 couldn’t improve as he makes a first Q1 appearance since Indonesia last season as he finished in 13th.
YOUR FRIDAY TOP 10
Zarco on top at Le Mans – a dream start to the weekend for those packing out the grandstands. ‘Diggia’ was P2 again and found himself behind a different Honda in comparison to FP1, whilst Bagnaia, Alex Marquez and Mir complete the top five. Martin, Bezzecchi, Rins, Ogura and Acosta in P10 ensure all manufacturers are represented in Q2 directly after Practice. Less than three tenths cover the top ten, it’s unbelievably close in MotoGP.
Q1 CONTENDERS
Missing the cut, Enea Bastianini (Red Bull KTM Tech 3) and fellow KTM star Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing), as well as Marc Marquez in 13th. 2025 polesitter Quartararo was only 17th whilst double podium finisher from last year Aldeguer was 21st. Only two spots are for grabs on Saturday morning…
SPRINT SATURDAY AWAITS
MotoGP qualifying kicks off at 10:50 local time, with the Tissot Sprint alive at 15:00. With rain in the air, who knows what happens? The French GP at Le Mans: may contain nuts.
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