In very difficult weather conditions, Frenchman Fabio Quartararo did not have an easy Grand Prix at home. The last French victory at home in the premier class dates back to 1954, so it will take a little longer to wait.
A Grand Prix at Le Mans in the rain, what could be more logical at this time of year! Yet most of the starting grid was surprised when taking to the track. A heavy downpour just minutes before the start disrupted the riders’ routine to the point of delaying the race start by 10 minutes to allow teams to change tires.
In the battle with the Ducatis of Miller, Petrucci, and Dovizioso, the Nice-native Fabio Quartararo, who started from pole position, lost three places at the start. Cautious at the beginning of the race, the championship leader quickly fell back in these very unusual conditions. After three laps, he found himself in 7th position. Fortunately, his rivals in the title race found themselves at the back of the field.
The Ducatis in Front, Yamaha Behind
No need to panic then, but it is still not reassuring when looking at the performance of the Yamahas. Quartararo, with his 11th place a little before the midpoint of the race, is still the best representative of the Japanese brand. Ahead, the one making the most of the situation is Andrea Dovizioso, who, with his podium finish, retakes the second place in the championship, just nine points behind Fabio.
In the second part of the race, Dovizioso fought for victory, even finding himself momentarily within four points of Quartararo. But the crashes of Crutchlow, Rins, and Miller’s retirement due to mechanical problems allowed the Nice-native to climb back to 8th position. A cautious race that allowed him to gain valuable points in the overall standings.
Ultimately, it was Danilo Petrucci who won ahead of Alex Marquez (the first Moto GP podium for the brother of the eight-time world champion) and Pol Espargaro. Dovizioso made the best move by finishing 4th ahead of an energized Johan Zarco at the end of the race. Overtaken in the last lap by Bradl, Fabio Quartararo finished in 9th place ahead of two championship rivals, Viñales and Mir.
In the standings, Quartararo maintains his lead by 10 points over Mir, and 12 points over Dovizioso.
