Sunday MotoGP, Moto2 and Moto3 race recaps from Le Mans

2024 MotoGP World Championship
Round Five – Michelin Grand Prix de France
Le Mans – Sunday

Jorge Martin (Prima Pramac Racing) came out on top in a three-way fight for glory against Marc Marquez (Gresini Racing MotoGP) and Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) that rocked and rolled all the way to the final lap.

Nearly 300,000 fans streamed into the event over the weekend, and they were treated to a proper show as Martin shadowed Bagnaia, passed him, and then shut every door in Le Mans to pull off a seriously impressive 25-point haul. And just behind him, Marc Marquez did find an open door—or managed to create one. Marquez pulled off a last-lap divebomb on Bagnaia that got the job done for second, perfectly crafted to demote the reigning Champion to third.

MotoGP Race Report

Martin made a good start from pole but Bagnaia bettered it, the defending champ taking the holeshot from second on the grid. Behind, Maverick Viñales (Aprilia Racing) was threatening but ran in hot at the chicane, leaving team-mate Aleix Espargaro to challenge Martin for second on the exit as Vinales then slotted in just behind Fabio Di Giannantonio (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team) in fourth. Marc Marquez, meanwhile, was up to eighth almost immediately, slicing up from his P13 grid slot.

At the front, Bagnaia had the hammer down, but Martin was absolutely glued to him at the front. The two pulled a small gap on the chasing pack led by Espargaro, with Diggia in fourth and rookie Pedro Acosta (Red Bull GASGAS Tech3) looking to attack Viñales. He did so not long after, setting the fastest lap second time around, before another shuffle as DiGiannantonio briefly diced with Espargaro just ahead. However, when looking for a way through on that duel ahead, Acosta overcooked it into Turn 8, going for a move on the VR46 machine ahead, and then only just avoided bringing both down as he slid out.

More drama then hit nearly immediately after as Marco Bezzecchi (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team) slid out as he pushed to try and duel with Enea Bastianini (Ducati Lenovo Team).

At the front, Bagnaia pounded on. Martin shadowed, equally pitch-perfect until one small mistake from both with 19 laps to go, heading ever so slightly wide. But they gathered it back up as the podium fight behind started to light up, the race split between a duel and a melee.

Diggia was homing in on Espargaro, but Viñales, Marquez and Bastianini lurked. The next move came there as Marquez attacked Viñales but was repelled, and Diggia then had a shot at Espargaro before also being forced to hold station. But a lap later, Diggia was through into third, and Viñales then began to line up his team-mate. He needed no second invite after the door was left ajar, with Marquez then striking straight away too.

Next was Bastianini. The Beast came from a long way back and also went in hot, gathering it back up, but Espargaro then took to the run-off before rejoining. Bastianini didn’t make the apex either, but his was a shortcut and he was then given a Long Lap for the time not lost.

Meanwhile, Marquez had picked Viñales’ pocket after the Aprilia rider was slightly wide, and the eight-time World Champion was homing in on Diggia. By Lap 16, Marc Marquez made his first attack through Turn 3. The Italian responded, and in the shuffle, Viñales nearly made his way through, too. But it was as you were until a lap later as Marquez went for it again, and this time, Diggia ran wide, trying to take it back. Marquez and Viñales were both past, and the Diggia then got a Long Lap for the time he didn’t lose as he tried to rejoin.

With just under ten laps to go, Bagnaia led Martin. The two were still absolutely glued together, but now it was Marquez on the chase. Soon, the gloves would come off…

At Turn 3, Martin attacked. And he got through, but on the cutback Bagnaia judged it to the absolutely millimetre to nudge back ahead. They then held station, until the next lap. Same move, different result as this time Martin was able to hold it. There was a new race leader, but there was also a new fastest lap… from Marc Marquez… and he was on the tail of the factory machine of Bagnaia in what seemed like a flash, the duo had become a trio…

It seemed Martin was starting to pull out the centimetres as he dug in, but then he got a fraction too deep into the chicane with three to go, and the trio was now locked together once again. Bagnaia showed a wheel but couldn’t barge the door open.

Over the line for the last lap, Martin and Bagnaia were almost one machine around the first two turns, but a big move under brakes from Marquez on Bagnaia gave Martin a little breathing room. Bagnaia was harrying, impatient and looking for any inch of space to make a move on Martin, but there was none – so Marquez made some instead, squeezing past Bagnaia and up into second.

Would Bagnaia be able to respond at the final corner? As Martin gained some breathing space thanks to the duel behind him, the focus shifted to that one final opportunity. But if Marquez had opened the door for himself corners prior, this time, he kept it firmly closed.

Up ahead, Martin crossed the line to take one of his most impressive wins to date, soaking up the pressure and making it a serious statement. And with that victory Martin’s lead goes out to an incredible 38 points – enough to guarantee he leaves the next GP as Championship leader too – and it’s Bagnaia and Marquez on his tail in that order.

Marquez’ back-to-back podiums are his first since 2021 and he’s 40 points off the top, but Bagnaia remains second despite that 0 score from the Sprint on Saturday.

Behind the podium battle, Bastianini charged back from his Long Lap penalty to get past Viñales late on, with the Aprilia rider forced to settle for fifth.

Fabio Di Giannantonio took sixth ahead of Franco Morbidelli (Prima Pramac Racing), who pipped Aleix Espargaro late in the race.  Between the two was Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing), whose tough French GP had a much sweeter conclusion on Sunday. From the back of the grid, Binder charged through to P8.

An honourable mention also goes to a savage ride from Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha) in an awesome home GP livery, with the Frenchman making it as far up as sixth before a crash out of contention. Alex Marquez (Gresini Racing) completed the top ten.

Next up it’s Barcelona in two weeks’ time. Bring it on…

MotoGP Le Mans Race Results

Le Mans MotoGP Top Speeds Across Weekend

MotoGP Championship Standings

Moto2

Sergio Garcia (MT Helmets – MSI) returned to winning ways in France after a stunning ride to victory, taking back the Championship lead in the process. It was an MT Helmets – MSI 1-2 after serious charge from Ai Ogura, who carved through the field from P17 on the grid, with Alonso Lopez (Folladore SpeedUp) perfectly defending from Joe Roberts (OnlyFans American Racing) on the last lap to take third from the American.

Garcia pulled off the perfect start, pulling out a steady gap on the opening lap as the rest of the field battled behind hard behind. Polesitter Aron Canet (Fantic Racing) was swallowed by the pack in the opening stage of the race after a big mistake on the first lap, dropping to eighth in a fight with Fermin Aldeguer (Folladore SpeedUp).

A number of crashers, including Manuel Gonzalez (QJMOTO Gresin), saw the order chop and change, but the rider on the move was Canet. After setting a fastest lap, the #44 attacked Roberts for second in a brilliant three-way fight joined by Lopez, with the American bumped to the back of the trio – for now.

At the front, Garcia charged on to keep the gap consistent, with all attention turning to the battle for second between Canet and Lopez. It was gloves off with three laps remaining, with Lopez slipping into second before making a mistake at turn four, allowing Canet to show his front wheel. The battle for second then bunched up even more with Ogura fancying a podium – charging into third on the last lap.

Garcia crossed the line to win the French GP with Ogura finding a gap to pass Lopez for second, holding onto it to make it a historic 1-2. Lopez was then left to fend off a final corner move from Roberts, with contact but no drama and the Spaniard holding on to the line.

Behind Roberts to cross the line in fifth was Somkiat Chantra (IDEMITSU Honda Team Asia) a further 0.171s behind. The #35 held off Canet to the line, who dropped to sixth after battling with Roberts on the last lap. Aldeguer found time late in the race to comfortably finish ahead of Tony Arbolino (Elf Marc VDS Racing Team) and Albert Arenas (QJMOTO Gresini), with CFMOTO Inde Aspar Team’s Izan Guevara taking the final spot inside the top 10.

After his best qualifying performance to date, Senna Agius started the 22-lap race in eighth place. The Australian got away well from the start and found himself in fifth position in the heated starting scrum. The Moto2 rookie was able to keep up with the high race pace at the front for a while, but then slipped out of the top 10 after a mistake, but continued to fight tirelessly for every point position, sometimes even in a direct duel against his team-mate Darryn Binder.

The 18-year-old, who also had to deal with a clash with Jake Dixon, before finally finishing the race in thirteenth place with three championship points in his pocket, which put him back into the top 19 of the world championship standings.

Senna Agius

“After a good start, things went well until about halfway through the race, but then I made a mistake and had to push hard to attack again in the last ten laps and get as far forward as possible. We took home three points, but we went in the wrong direction for the race. I was quite fast this weekend, but I was also missing something at a crucial point, and we only realised that after 22 laps! I also think we played with the tyres a bit, which didn’t pay off, and we need to analyse why. We lack a certain rhythm, so we will attack again in Barcelona with some changes.”

Moto2 Le Mans Race Results

Moto2 Le Mans Top Speeds Across Weekend

Moto2 Championship Standings

Moto3

David Alonso (CFMoto Gaviota Aspar Team) put in a masterclass at Le Mans to bounce back from heartbreak in Jerez, attacking early on the final lap and then keeping the door firmly shut to deny Dani Holgado (Red Bull GASGAS Tech3) the top step. Collin Veijer (Liqui Moly Husqvarna Intact GP) completed the podium as three key contenders went toe-to-toe at the front.

Alonso got the launch and initial lead, but through the chicane Holgado struck for first and took it. The Championship leader headed his closest rival as fellow front row starter Jose Antonio Rueda (Red Bull KTM Ajo) harried the duo, but in no time at all it became the classic Moto3 freight train.

The first key drama saw Riccardo Rossi (CIP Green Power) pipped out of contention by David Muñoz (BOE Motorsports), for which the #64 then got a double Long Lap. That dropped him out the group before he than also crashed and rejoined, leaving his fellow podium finishers from Jerez to fight it out at the front with the top two in the title fight.

Alonso, Holgado, Veijer and Ivan Ortola (MT Helmets – MSI) duked it out at the front, with close company from rookie Joel Esteban (CFMoto Gaviota Aspar Team) and Ortola’s teammate Ryusei Yamanaka.

Onto the final lap it bubbled up to a three-way fight between the top three in the title fight as Holgado led Alonso led Veijer. But not for long, as the Colombian hit quick to edge out the 96, leading into and through the 3-4 chicane. And he kept leading, with Holgado just not able to find a way through through 9 and 10, nor into 12 as he looked tempted to try.

That left Alonso to complete his bounce-back mission from Jerez in style, back on the top step, and with it, closing the gap to Holgado at the top of the Championship to a single point. Veijer was likewise not able to nudge open the door to attack on the final lap, but third to follow up his victory at Jerez makes it the second time he’s taken back-to-back GP podiums.

Esteban nabbed fourth from Ortola on the final lap, taking his best Grand Prix result yet as his rookie year continues to impress. Ortola completed the top five though, with Adrian Fernandez (Leopard Racing) coming back to P6 from two Long Laps given for slow riding in practice.

Yamanaka, Rueda, Tatsuki Suzuki (Liqui Moly Husqvarna Intact GP) and rookie Angel Piqueras (Leopard Racing) completed the top ten.

Australian rookie Jacob Roulstone started from 11th on the grid and he then got off to a decent start in eighth as the aim was to stick with the front group, to benefit from their slipstreams. After everyone settled into their paces, Jacob was in tenth. The rookie kept his place for a while, learning from the others, but a small mistake saw him going down to P13. The rookie finished twelfth of the French Grand Prix and scored another four points, meaning that he will head to Barcelona thirteenth in the championship.

Jacob Roulstone

“I am quite happy with our weekend overall, even if I am a bit disappointed with how the race finished today, but we learnt a lot and I felt good all race. We took a good start, the first laps were decent, but later I got pushed by another rider and lost some ground. Anyway, great weekend, many learnings, see you in Barcelona!”

Joel Kelso finished one position behind Roulstone in the race but still holds a strong fifth place in the championship after was has been a great start to the season for the Aussie.

Moto3 Le Mans Race Results

Moto3 Le Mans Top Speeds Across Weekend

Moto3 Championship Standings

2024 FIM MotoGP World Championship calendar (Updated)

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