Marc Marquez equals Casey Stoner as Valentino Rossi gets back on the podium

Le Mans, 20 May 2018: Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) took a record breaking victory at the HJC Helmets Grand Prix de France here on Sunday, which sees the reigning World Champion equal Casey Stoner’s 38 premier class wins, while also surpassing Mike Hailwood’s win record. Alma Pramac Racing’s Danilo Petrucci was a superb second to take his first podium of the season, with Valentino Rossi (Movistar Yamaha MotoGP) returning to rostrum in third place.

The French fairytale was unfortunately not to be for Johann Zarco (Monster Yamaha Tech 3) as  the home hero crashed out at Turn 8, on lap eight, after re-passing Marquez for second. Andrea Iannone (Team Suzuki Ecstar) was another rider to crash, falling out of contention on lap one at la Chapelle after making a good start.

Then, Championship contender Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati Team) made a rare error at the same corner four laps later. The number 04 had just passed teammate Jorge Lorenzo – who once again got a magnificent start – for the lead, with the Ducati man leaving with no points for the second consecutive race. All three were ok, but it proved to be another pivotal race in the Championship.

Meanwhile, Lorenzo held firm at the front, Marquez was close for company with Petrucci, Rossi and Jack Miller (Alma Pramac Racing) chasing them both. On lap 10 though, the number 93 made his move on Lorezno, before Petrucci followed the Honda rider through a lap later. Rossi and Miller soon carved their way past the five-time World Champion with Dani Pedrosa (Repsol Honda Team) waiting in the wings.

The gap between Marquez, Petrucci, Rossi and Miller stayed consistent, with all four exchanging quickest laps. That was until the six-time World Champion pulled the pin on lap 16, setting the fastest lap of the race to bridge to gap to a second over the chasing GP18. From there, Marquez was able to stretch the gap tenth by tenth, with Petrucci also keeping the nine-time World Champion Rossi at bay. Pedrosa was later able to pass Lorenzo for fifth, with the Ducati rider having to settle for sixth.

Further down the order, after failing to get the start he was looking for, last year’s winner Maverick Viñales (Movistar Yamaha MotoGP) made his way back up to seventh after being outside the top ten for the first half of the race. Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing Team Gresini) had a great ride, holding onto eighth until the last lap to earn his best result of the season. Passing him on the last lap was walking wounded Cal Crutchlow (LCR Honda Castrol), who had a magnificent ride battling to P8 from 13th on the grid.

It was a quiet but important race for Alex Rins (Team Suzuki Ecstar) after three DNF’s this season, the Spaniard battled with Viñales and Espargaro throughout the race, eventually rounding out the top ten. Pol Espargaro (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) picked up another solid result in P11, with Hafizh Syahrin (Monster Yamaha Tech 3) eventually getting the better of Franco Morbidelli (EG 0,0 Marc VDS) to finish as top rookie.

Alvaro Bautista (Angel Nieto Team) and Tito Rabat (Reale Avintia Racing) were both early fallers, with Scott Redding (Aprilia Racing Team Gresini) also crashing out – riders ok.

In the end, there was no stopping Marquez as he claimed his third successive victory on a track that he hasn’t won at since 2014. The Spaniard extends his Championship lead to 36 points, with Mugello up next.

Arenas victorious in drama filled Moto3™ race

Albert Arenas (Angel Nieto Team Moto3) claimed his first lightweight class win in a spectacular Moto3™ race. Team-mate Andrea Migno claimed second to make it a perfect day for the Angel Nieto Team, with Marcos Ramirez (Bester Capital Dubai) standing on the third step of the podium for the second race in a row.

And that’s just the start, with all the drama coming in the final laps of the race. One of the biggest headlines was Championship leaders Marco Bezzecchi (Redox PrustelGP) and Jorge Martin (Del Conca Gresini Moto3), the two leaders for most of the race, crashing with just one corner to go. Bezzecchi, after passed by Fabio Di Giannanotonio (Del Conca Gresini Moto3), highsided trying to cut back through on his compatriot. Martin, right behind Bezzecchi in third, had nowhere to go and the Spaniard crashed out of a podium position. That’s not all. Di Giannantonio went on take the checkered flag with the Italian elated to have claimed what he thought was his first ever Moto3™ race win. However, a three-second time penalty for running over the chicane at Turns 10 and 11 midway through the race took that victory away from him, handing Arenas the race win.

Niccolo Antonelli (SIC58 Squadra Corse) thought he had claimed his first podium of the season. However, the Italian was also penalised for running straight over the first chicane. This promoted Marcos Ramirez (Bester Capital Dubai), who crossed the line in P5, to third, the second consecutive race the Spaniard stands on the podium after crossing the line outside the top three. Di Giannantonio was demoted to fourth, leaving him second in the World Championship, with Antonelli finishing fifth after his penalty.

Franceso Bagnaia reigns supreme in Moto2™

Sky Racing Team VR46 rider Franceso Bagnaia was simply unstoppable in the Moto2™ race, converting pole position into a commanding victory to take his third win of 2018 – the first winner from pole in Moto2™ at the venue. Alex Marquez (EG 0,0 Marc VDS) was the Italian’s closest challenger in second, with teammate 2017 Moto3™ World Champion Joan Mir securing his maiden intermediate class podium, crossing the line third.