French MotoGP, Le Mans - Free Practice (1) Results

* Rookie

Official Le Mans MotoGP records:
Best lap:
Johann Zarco FRA Ducati 1m 31.185s (2018)
Fastest race lap:
Maverick Vinales SPA Yamaha 1m 32.309s (2017)

Pol Espargaro put recent rumours surrounding his Honda future firmly behind him by starting the French MotoGP weekend on top of the timesheets in Free Practice 1 at Le Mans.

Completing his first MotoGP laps since being given the shock news that Suzuki is leaving MotoGP at the end of this season, and determined to prove the factory has made the 'wrong decision', Alex Rins put the GSX-RR fastest during the opening ten minutes.

Rins was pushed to fifth by the midway stage of the 45-minutes - when Jack Miller was quickest from home star Fabio Quartararo - before Rins fought his way back to the front in the final five minutes.

Miller and then Quartararo swiftly retaliated, but the times continued to tumble with Rins and then Pol Espargaro snatching P1 in the final minute, as Jerez winner Francesco Bagnaia sealed a late third.

Reigning champion Quartararo settled for fourth ahead of Aleix Espargaro, Joan Mir, Miller and Maverick Vinales.

Marc Marquez spent the early stages behind Aleix Espargaro's Aprilia, and later made a big save when he ran wide and lost the front over the kerb at Turn 8, on his way to 13th.

A nightmare session for KTM included two falls for Miguel Oliveira as well as accidents for factory team-mate Brad Binder and Tech3's Raul Fernandez, as the orange machines were left outside the top 17.

Double 2022 race winner Enea Bastianini (Gresini Ducati) and Franco Morbidelli (Monster Yamaha) were also caught out this morning.

Dry weather is predicted for Friday and Saturday, but rain is a threat for Sunday.

Fernandez is returning to action this weekend after being ruled out of the Portimao and Jerez rounds due to a right-hand injury.

Jack Miller won last year’s French Grand Prix, after a flag-to-flag race caused by a heavy rain shower. The Australian was joined on the podium by home heroes Fabio Quartararo and Johann Zarco.

Quartararo returns to Le Mans holding a 7-point title lead over Aleix Espargaro with Enea Bastianini in third (20 points).

Jerez winner Francesco Bagnaia is 33 points adrift, in fifth.

French MotoGP schedule – UK Time

Friday May 13

8.00-8.40am - Moto3 Free Practice 1

8.55-9.40am - MotoGP Free Practice 1

9.55-10.35am - Moto2 Free Practice 1

12.15-12.55pm - Moto3 Free Practice 2

1.10-1.55pm - MotoGP Free Practice 2

2.10pm-2.50pm - Moto2 Free Practice 2

Saturday May 14

8.00-8.40am - Moto3 Free Practice 3

8.55-9.40am - MotoGP Free Practice 3

9.55am-10.35am - Moto2 Free Practice 3

11.35am-11.50am - Moto3 Qualifying 1

12-12.15pm - Moto3 Qualifying 2

12.30-1pm - MotoGP Free Practice 4

1.10-1.25pm - MotoGP Qualifying 1

1.35-1.50pm - MotoGP Qualifying 2

2.10-2.25pm - Moto2 Qualifying 1

2.35pm-2.50pm - Moto2 Qualifying 2

Sunday May 15

8.00-8.10am - Moto3 warm-up

8.20-8.30am - Moto2 warm-up

8.40-9am - MotoGP warm-up

10am - Moto3 race

11.20am - Moto2 race

1pm - MotoGP race