What’s better than one MotoGP race weekend? Two! We begin the first of the back-to-back weekends in Europe with the Michelin Grand Prix of France at Le Mans.
Looking back at last year, it was a race for the ages. It’s also one that begs to be rewatched in the lead-up to this weekend. Johann Zarco stormed nearly 20 seconds ahead of the rest of the grid, amid red flags and wet conditions, to win on home soil. The Castrol LCR Honda rider became the first French rider to win the French GP since Pierre Monneret in 1954. It could have been a different French native taking the checkered flag, though. Fabio Quartararo crashed, much to the heartbreak of fans, after he had qualified on pole.
Both Marc Márquez and Álex Márquez were making good ground. However, Á. Márquez found himself in the gravel one too many times. The #73 first crashed at Turn 3 and then again with a handful of laps remaining. That left M.Marquez to keep upright to claim second, while Fermín Aldeguer passed Pedro Acosta to claim his debut podium.
There was plenty of action before the feature race got underway in Jerez. Manuel González may have started on pole, but the #18 had to fight for the lead. The Spaniard was battling with Barry Baltus until the final lap. In the end, González finished nearly two seconds ahead and claimed his third win of the season. José Antonio Rueda added another win to his streak in Moto3, though it was a struggle. The #99 had to come up from P8 to do so. Then, the Red Bull KTM Ajo rider got lucky with last-lap drama. At Raccordement, David Muñoz went wide, forcing Joel Kelso to do the same. This left the lead open for Rueda to take.
Le Mans
For nearly 60 years, the Le Mans Bugatti Grand Prix race circuit has been deeply rooted in MotoGP history. Built in 1965, the circuit held a steady run of Grand Prix from the late 60s. However, there was a minor hiatus from the calendar after a severe accident involving Spanish rider Alberto Puig. After a major emphasis on safety improvements, Le Mans has become a staple of MotoGP since 2000. Those necessary precautions have been in the riders’ best interest as they tackle the tight track.
To navigate all 14 corners, riders need to maintain balance and control. Late breaking and hard acceleration out of first gear, all while looking after the rear, is the strategy. It’s a dominant circuit, which is why it hosts countless other motorsport races. This includes the most famous: the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
Of course, when it comes to who has ruled Le Mans in MotoGP, Jorge Lorenzo is the undisputed King of the French GP. The Spaniard holds the most wins on record, five in MotoGP and one in the 250cc Grand Prix class (now Moto2). While Enea Bastianini has the best race lap in 2024 with 1:31.107 around the 4.19km circuit, it’s Quartararo who holds the all-time lap record nearly two seconds faster. Let’s not forget the record-breaking crowd attendance, with 311,797 spectators over the entire weekend.
Second Stop on the European Leg
After winning at Jerez for the second year in a row, Á. Márquez effectively ended Aprilia Racing’s winning run on Sundays. However, Marco Bezzecchi and Jorge Martin still finished second and fourth, respectively, to maintain the leads in the championship standings. Meanwhile, M.Márquez secured his second Tissot Sprint victory of the 2026 MotoGP season. Even so, this weekend at Le Mans looks like it could have conditions similar to last year’s, if the weather forecast is to be believed. We already had a taste of rain in Jerez, with some of the stronger wet-weather riders scoring points. One who won’t be present again, though, is Maverick Viñales, as he continues to focus on recovery. In his place this time will be Jonas Folger.
In Moto2, a dominant team has risen in the face of tragedy following the loss of a valued team member. LIQUI MOLY Dynavolt Intact GP are currently on top in the team standings, with González just nine and a half points ahead of his teammate, Senna Agius, after the Australian claimed his second consecutive win in Jerez. However, there have been many stellar performances from others in the paddock that could unsettle this lead.
Máximo Quiles continues to control the Moto3 Riders’ Championship leaderboard, extending his lead to 90 points after winning in Jerez. The #28 rider is certainly living up to the hype, ending up on the podium in every race so far. But some contenders are coming up with him, including both Leopard Racing riders and the Red Bull KTM pack. CFMOTO Aspar Team will certainly be keeping an eye on them for this weekend in Le Mans.
Schedule
The schedule for the weekend is as follows. Please note that all times are in CEST.
With Ducati back on the rise, Aprilia Racing will be doing what they can to pull some stronger results in Le Mans and maintain their lead. While it is still only the fifth round of the year, gaining an early advantage has proved effective in the past. That said, there are always unpredictable factors beyond the rider’s control. This is especially true with a challenging track like Le Mans.
Could it all go in Zarco’s favour once again to do what no other French rider has done before and win their home race for a second time? Or, could it finally be Quartararo’s turn? Slowly, the Yamaha V4 engine is improving, and it was said that Le Mans would be the point at which we could start to see its full potential. The hero’s story would be a grand one if it goes that way. But until it has been written, all we can do is tune in this weekend for all the unscripted action.