HJC Helmets Grand Prix De France

FIM MotoGP World Championship

Bugatti Circuit, Le Mans, France

May 21, 2017

Race Results (all on Michelin tires):

1. Maverick VIÑALES, Spain (YAMAHA), 28 laps, Total Race Time 43:29.793

2. Johann ZARCO, France (YAMAHA), -3.134 seconds

3. Dani PEDROSA, Spain (HONDA), -7.717

4. Andrea DOVIZIOSO, Italy (DUCATI), -11.223

5. Cal CRUTCHLOW, UK (HONDA), -13.519

6. Jorge LORENZO, Spain (DUCATI), -24.002

7. Jonas FOLGER, Germany (YAMAHA), -25.733

8. Jack MILLER, Australia (HONDA), -32.603

9. Loris BAZ, France (DUCATI), -45.784

10. Andrea IANNONE, Italy (SUZUKI), -48.332

11. Tito RABAT, Spain (HONDA), -50.036

12. Pol ESPARGARO, Spain (KTM), -52.661

13. Bradley SMITH, UK (KTM), -53.179

14. Sam LOWES, UK (APRILIA), -55.432

15. Sylvain GUINTOLI, France (SUZUKI), -66.878

16. Valentino ROSSI, Italy (YAMAHA), -1 lap, DNF, crash

17. Aleix ESPARGARO, Spain (APRILIA), -5 laps, DNF, retired

18. Marc MARQUEZ, Spain (HONDA), -11 laps, DNF, crash

19. Danilo PETRUCCI, Italy (DUCATI), -11 laps, DNF, retired

20. Scott REDDING, UK (DUCATI), -21 laps, DNF, retired

21. Karel ABRAHAM, Czech Republic (DUCATI), -23 laps, DNF, retired

22. Hector BARBERA, Spain (DUCATI), -25 laps, DNF, retired

23. Alvaro BAUTISTA, Spain (DUCATI), -28 laps, DNF, crash

World Championship Point Standings (after 5 of 18 races):

1. Vinales, 85 points

2. Pedrosa, 68

3. Rossi, 62

4. Marquez, 58

5. Zarco, 55

6. Dovizioso, 54

7. Crutchlow, 40

8. TIE, Lorenzo/Folger, 38

10. Miller, 29

11. TIE, Petrucci/Redding, 26

13. Baz, 19

14. Aleix Espargaro, 17

15. Iannone, 15

16. Bautista, 14

17. Rabat, 13

18. Barbera, 12

19. Abraham, 9

20. Alex Rins, 7

21. TIE, Pol Espargaro/Smith, 6

23. Lowes, 2

24. Guintoli, 1

25. Takuya Tsuda, 0

More, from a press release issued by Team Estrella Galicia 0,0 Marc VDS:

Superb double points finish for Miller and Rabat in France

Jack Miller led home a double points finish for Team Estrella Galicia 0,0 Marc VDS at Le Mans today, with a superb but pain-filled performance in the French Grand Prix.

A battered and bruised Miller, who limped away from a monumental 180km/h crash on Saturday, finished eighth for his fourth top ten finish out of five races so far this season.

In an equally impressive performance Tito Rabat finished 11th with a brilliant ride from 22nd on the grid in a physically demanding race before a near capacity crowd of 104,000 spectators.

Miller was not 100% fit for the race and lacked power in his right hand but used his trademark robust start as a platform for a top finish.

It was gritty performance from the Australian rider who was up to eighth position on lap seven in an early battle with Jorge Lorenzo. After briefly slipping to tenth Miller was positioned for his late race push to claim eighth.

The sunny and warm race day was a bonus for Rabat who started calmly from the last row of the grid and executed a patient race plan to score his best result of the season so far. Rabat finished just 1.7s out of tenth place behind Andrea Iannone.

Miller is now tenth in the championship standings with 29 points with Rabat on 13 points in advance of the next race, the Italian Grand Prix at Mugello.

Jack Miller: 8th

“I was a little fortunate today with some other riders having problems but in racing you have to be in it at the finish to get the best result and that’s what we did. Considering my physical condition I think I rode a good race despite struggling to pick the bike up on corner exit. I’m happy to be back in the top ten both in the race and the points but it’s only early in the season so there’s still a lot of work to do. I had a good weekend going until my crash in FP4 so now I’ll go home and rest my body and get ready to come back stronger in Mugello.”

Tito Rabat: 11th

“This is a good result for me, the best of the season so far especially because qualifying was a disaster and the struggle I had to adapt to the bike in the variable weather conditions. What I learned today was that it is better to stay calm in the race and be in a position to see things more clearly. At the end the race I was able to be ahead of the Aprilias and KTMs and close to Andrea Iannone. Now I am looking forward to the test this week in Barcelona and then to Mugello for the race”

Marc van der Straten: President, Marc VDS Racing Team

“My team of felines has proved exceptional once again. Tito rode a good race today in difficult conditions and we can see that things are coming for him. Jack showed today just how strong he his mentally, jumping back on the bike and racing hard after his huge crash yesterday. Before the race I told him that he had nothing to prove and could stop whenever he wanted. But he’s Jack, so he went to the end and secured us another great result, showing both his talent and his value once again. We can be proud of both of our riders today.”

More, from a press release issued by Aprilia Gresini:

ESPARGARÓ FORCED TO RETIRE WHILE MAKING ONE OF THE BEST COMEBACK RIDES OF THE SEASON

POSITIVE RACE FOR SAM LOWES WHO EARNS HIS FIRST CHAMPIONSHIP POINTS

In the midst of an exciting comeback ride that had taken him from the 18th spot on the starting grid all the way to eighth place, Aleix Espargaró was forced to throw in the towel just five laps from the end due to a breakdown – currently being investigated by the team – that shut down the V4 on his RS-GP.

It was a race that, even with the unlucky outcome, confirms all of his value and that of his Aprilia that had never had a similar problem in two seasons and that had served him so well, allowing him to catch up position by position and lap at increasingly interesting times. As has happened in the past, the second half of the race was becoming the hunting grounds for Aleix, motivated to reap those results that had seemed to be within reach on several occasions in this first part of the season. Even in the morning Warm Up session, Espargaró had ridden an RS-GP that seemed more and more convincing just behind the leaders.

And so it was Sam Lowes who brought home points for Aprilia Racing Team Gresini, finishing thirteenth after a race that fully confirmed the progress the English rider had demonstrated throughout the French weekend.

ALEIX ESPARGARO’

“It was a difficult race. Starting so far back does not make things easy. Battling for the top 10 demands maximum concentration. I have to give 100% the entire weekend. In the race I was competitive. After overtaking Miller I was making up ground on Lorenzo and lapping very fast but unfortunately the engine failed just a few laps from the end. A real disappointment. We are working much better than our position in the standings would lead to believe. Unfortunately, this is part of racing. The team and I will continue to give 100% and to work nonstop as we have up to now.”

SAM LOWES

“Besides the position today, the gap from the top 10 is important, as it has narrowed compared to the last races. Obviously we need to keep improving. The difficulties were foreseeable because we are in MotoGP, but things are moving in the right direction. I felt good in the race. Only toward the end did I feel the tyre wear since I had to stress it more that some of the other riders who were ahead of me. With the tests next week, where we will have a lot to try, I hope that I’ll be able to take another step forward before Mugello, a home race for Aprilia.”

ROMANO ALBESIANO – APRILIA RACING MANAGER

“The performance was definitely positive. Aleix was catching up steadily even if we paid the price in the race for less than brilliant qualifying. We need to improve this aspect as well as performance in the first part of the race. Overall, we had good performance here too and now we need to solidify that with results that are clearly within our potential. Sam did well, riding a good race this time in the mix with the others, demonstrating consistent progress throughout the weekend.”

FAUSTO GRESINI – TEAM MANAGER

“Aleix was really riding a great race, decidedly solid. Unfortunately, he started too far back because of practice being conditioned so much by the weather and that kept us from being out front straight away. But he was doing a really important comeback ride. We have never had a problem like this, but these things happen in racing. Now we need to react because we are truly not far at all from the leaders.”

More, from a press release issued by Pull&Bear Aspar Team:

Pull&Bear Aspar riders out of luck in France

Álvaro Bautista crashes and Karel Abraham retires from fruitless Grand Prix

The Grand Prix de France saw the arrival of a new local hero in the shape of Johann Zarco, who took his first MotoGP podium in his home race, although the victor was some three seconds up the road from the Frenchman as Maverick Viñales sealed the win and the championship lead as both Valentino Rossi and Marc Márquez crashed out. The Spaniard now holds a 17-point advantage over Dani Pedrosa, who clinched third place at Le Mans to move up to second overall.

The hopes of the Pull&Bear Aspar Team were dashed by a crash for Álvaro Bautista on the first lap and a technical issue for Karel Abraham that saw him retire after five laps. The Czech rider was already suffering from illness when he encountered a gearbox problem that put paid to his hopes of at least finishing the race. Abraham, who had sealed his second best grid position of the season after qualifying ninth fastest yesterday, was finally forced to stop when his bike got stuck in second gear. Worse luck for his team-mate, Bautista was unable to continue past the sixth corner of the race when, whilst running in the middle of the pack, he was forced wide and lost the front end, causing him to crash. Both Pull&Bear Aspar riders will be back on track for two days of testing in Barcelona from Tuesday.

Karel Abraham (DNF): “It was a really great weekend that finished up in a really disappointing way. Our pace in practice was great, we qualified ninth, which was amazing, but I’ve been ill all through the night. I didn’t sleep, I had a fever and pain in my joints, I just felt horrible. I went straight to the Clinica Mobile this morning to get some treatment but then in the warm-up I had a small crash. I wanted to start the race but I still didn’t feel well. It was really hard. Actually the start was really good and over the first couple of laps I settled myself and I felt comfortable running with Lorenzo, Petrucci and those guys. Unfortunately I had a little technical problem with the gearbox. I thought I would be able to finish the race but the bike started to jump, I had a big one on the straight and three or four riders overtook me. I still wanted to try and finish but later that lap the bike got stuck in second gear so I had to stop.”

Álvaro Bautista (DNF):“It shouldn’t be possible that for three races now we can work well all weekend and then in the race… I don’t know what’s going on. I got a normal start, I was in the group and on the way into turn six I was a little wide. It is normal to be off line on the first lap because there are so many riders together and sometimes you’re side by side. But on the way into the turn I lost the front and there was nothing I could do. We are doing a good job but we need to finish it off in the race. It is proving a difficult time for us.”

More, from a press release issued by Octo Pramac Racing:

 Grand Prix de France – Le Mans – The Race

Following a great race, Petrux and Scott are forced to retire due to technical problems

The Grand Prix de France has a bitter taste for Octo Pramac Racing. Scott Redding and Danilo Petrucci are protagonists of a big race but both are forced to retire due to technical problems with their Ducati Desmosedici GP.

After superb Saturday’s qualifying and an excellent warm-ups (6th quickest) Scott started well from the seventh position and from the first laps he managed to find a good race pace. Unfortunately his race ended on the seventh lap due to failure at the gearshift.

Danilo Petrucci’s comeback is spectacular. Following a positive warm up (5th quickest) The Italian rider starts from P19 and at the end of the first lap he is already in 11th. The race pace allows Petrux to stay easily behind Jorge Lorenzo. On lap 16 Danilo is ready to attack Jorge but a leak of oil forces him to retire when he was in 8th position.

DNF – Danilo Petrucci

“I was unlucky this weekend. The qualifying did not go well and I had to start from P19 but I managed to start very fast. I was behind Lorenzo and I felt I had a good feeling with the bike. I tried to push and felt I could overtake him. Unfortunately I had a problem with the bike and I had to stop to save the engine. It’s the second time this year and I’m very disappointed. I want to make a great race at Mugello”.

DNF – Scott Redding

“It’s a shame. Feeling were very good. It was a great weekend. I had so much confidence after Jerez tests and in free practice and qualifying I’ve done very well. The race start was good although in the first laps I had some grip problems. But I managed to keep my position as the race pace was very positive. It may seem strange but if I have to be honest I’m glad with this weekend because I found a great feeling. See you at Mugello!”.

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More, from a press release issued by LCR Honda:

CRUTCHLOW CLAIMS FIFTH PLACE AT LE MANS

LCR Honda rider Cal Crutchlow secured a creditable fifth place finish at the French Grand Prix on Sunday following a dramatic climax to the MotoGP race at Le Mans. Spaniard Maverick Vinales took victory, but only after factory Yamaha team-mate Valentino Rossi crashed out when leading on the last lap, ensuring Crutchlow was able to climb a position.

Starting from fourth on the grid, Crutchlow battled hard throughout and clashed fairing with fellow Honda rider Dani Pedrosa at one point. In the closing stages he pushed hard to try and pass Ducati’s Andrea Dovizioso, but had to settle for fifth position.

The Briton admitted his RC213V struggled to adapt to the French circuit, but declared himself satisfied after bettering his target for the weekend.

Cal Crutchlow – 5th

“I was struggling today to turn the bike with the harder front tyre, it was really difficult and I was losing a lot of time in the mid-turn. But I felt quite good in the braking zone and I’m happy enough to finish in the top five”.

“At least we finished and that was important after not doing so in the last race. My target today was the top six and we finished in the top five, so I’m pleased enough. At Mugello I’ll be aiming for the top six again, although there are a lot of guys riding fast at the moment, and I’m hoping the new tyre might suit me a bit better.”

More, from a press release issued by Monster Yamaha Tech 3:

History made as Zarco superbly clinches 2nd at home Grand Prix

Johann Zarco delivered a sublime performance today at the legendary Le Mans circuit to storm to a maiden premier class podium in the memorable round 5 fight. The home hero began the sprint from 3rd on the grid and quickly surged to the front of the highly competitive field for the opening six laps. After fearlessly dicing with the leaders, the MotoGP rookie met the chequered flag in 2nd to sweeten Yamaha’s 500th Grand Prix win, with the race being won by Maverick Vinales.

Meanwhile, Jonas Folger powered to 7th at the Monster Yamaha Tech3 home GP where he delivered a solid comeback charge after a tricky start. The young German fell back to 17th at the beginning, but stuck into a formidable pace and posted lap times which were comparable to his teammate at the end of the Grand Prix. The solid finish leaves Folger confident ahead of the next round at Mugello.

Johann ZARCO

Position: 2nd – Championship: 5th – Points: 55

“The result feels so good and there are many words that I could use, but today has been just great. The conditions were perfect for me in the race with the soft tyres and it was fantastic that I was able to run the pace that I did and to also lead a GP again. I had one flashback of Qatar in my mind, yet, everything was better here than there! Vinales passed me on the 7th lap and from that moment I was just happy to stay with him, and he was fast, but I think that this was the key for me to getting the podium. Rossi was also strong, but it’s a bit complicated to fight in Le Mans because the track is tight, so I was thinking that even though 3rd at the time was fantastic, if they fight like that, maybe something will happen and I can get a better position, and this came true. My result is super and it was so much fun today. The crowd made a lot of noise and there was positive energy. I didn’t feel it at the time, but now I realise that they brought me to the top and now I need to enjoy this moment. I’m a rookie and I am not looking at the Championship and the most important thing is to finish races and collect points, and today I got 20, which is fantastic. I am living in the present and enjoying every round, so if this 2nd place gives me a good advantage in the standing, then I will take it.”

Jonas FOLGER

Position: 7th – Championship: 9th – Points: 38

“In the end, it was a positive day, but especially for Johann who finished in 2nd and I am really happy for him. As for my side of the garage, we struggled yesterday and I qualified on the fifth row. However, we knew that my pace was good and better than 15th. The race was hard at the beginning because I was further back than where I wanted to be and it was not easy to overtake or build up a rhythm quickly. Yet, once I started running a good rhythm, I posted some really solid lap times. Now, I need to work on myself and analyse what I can do differently to avoid making mistakes like this, where I start from the middle of the field. I have to be stronger throughout the weekend and improve my pace in the first part of the Grand Prix, but overall I am pleased, we took some important points and the weekend ended in a positive way.”

Hervé PONCHARAL

Team Manager

“Finally the French GP is over and like anyone can imagine, I was emotional as well as a bit nervous, but I’m sure that Johann was too! In the end, the race went better than anything we could have dreamed of. Johann had an unreal start, as usual, and ran an superb pace in the first six laps. He was running at the front and on his own, and that is a feeling that much be incredible for a rider. I must admit that we were slightly worried because we decided to use the soft front and rear tyres for both riders, and our main opponents, Factory Yamaha, used the medium compounds. We didn’t experience a high track temperature throughout the whole weekend until today, so we were going into the unknown for the second part of the GP. When Maverick passed Johann, I was a bit relieved, because I thought that our rider would follow Maverick to see where he was quicker, how the tyres compare and whether he could stay with him or let him go. After two-thirds of the distance was completed, things were looking good because the gap back to 4th was increasing and even though Valentino was close to Johann, the possibility of a podium was really increasing with every lap. Valentino, who was very fast in the second part of the sprint, passed Johann and our man didn’t try to challenge him as he just wanted to bring the bike home and get his maiden podium. As everyone knows, there was an incredible battle at the front and it was very unfortunate that Valentino crashed because it would have been a dream to have an all-Yamaha podium for their 500th Grand Prix win. Tonight we are happy because we have the celebration of the Yamaha milestone and there will be an extra nice feeling because of Johann’s podium, but I am sorry for Valentino’s outcome. On Jonas’ side, he recovered well but I have to admit that I am a little bit disappointed. In the second half of the fight, he was posting really solid times as he matched Johann’s pace, plus he was even a bit quicker at some points. Yet, at the beginning, he lost too much time and we have seen this in a few races already. However, the speed is there but we now have to work to find solutions for him. Thanks to both riders and the whole Monster Yamaha Tech3 crew, but especially to the fans who were amazing and it will be a weekend that we will never forget.”

More, from a press release issued by Movistar Yamaha:

VIÑALES IS VICTORIOUS IN TENSE THRILLER IN LE MANS

Movistar Yamaha MotoGP’s Maverick Viñales delivered a stunning performance at the Grand Prix de France, taking his third victory of the season and the 500th Grand Prix win for Yamaha. Teammate Valentino Rossi also rode a brilliant race at the Le Mans Bugatti Grand Prix race circuit and had the crowds on their feet as he stormed to the front, but an unfortunate crash on the last lap meant an end to his challenge.

Le Mans (France), 21st May 2017

Movistar Yamaha MotoGP rider Maverick Viñales came out fighting, dominating the MotoGP field to take a sensational victory at the Grand Prix de France, sealing Yamaha‘s 500th Grand Prix win. Valentino Rossi also showed a blistering pace in the French sunshine at the Le Mans Bugatti Grand Prix race circuit. He was scrapping with his teammate in an epic podium battle for the win, but suffered an unlucky fall on the last lap.

Viñales was strong right from the beginning of the 28-lap French round. Starting from pole, he flew off the line to take the holeshot and slotted into second as he dived into turn 3, behind Johann Zarco. The Spaniard was on the case, shadowed by his teammate. With 22 laps Viñales made a textbook move on the satellite Yamaha rookie to take over the lead.

Now at the front, the Spaniard put the hammer down. He did everything in his power to escape from Zarco. He managed his pace to perfection and made sure he held on to his P1 position until he got in a fierce battle with a rapidly approaching Rossi, but the number 25 rider held firm. He was leading on the last lap, when the Doctor crashed out of the race, allowing him to bring his YZR-M1 over the finish line, 3.134s ahead of his closest rival.

Teammate Rossi had a good start from second on the grid and put his Yamaha in fourth position behind Marc Marquez after the first couple of corners, only to pass the Spaniard a few turns later. With Viñales in front of him, the Movistar Yamaha men rode in tandem as they chased the leader of the race.

Outbraking himself with 16 laps to go, the Italian lost some time, which left him within the grasp of Marquez. The Doctor responded quickly to the situation and upped his pace as the Spaniard crashed out of the race, allowing Rossi to focus on the battle in front. With five laps to go, he overtook Zarco for second place, making it a perfect Movistar Yamaha 1-2, but the nine-time World Champion was hungry for more.

He planned an attack on Viñales on lap 26 and had the fans cheer when he hit the front, but it wasn‘t to last. His teammate slipped back past him as the scrap continued and with the pace as hot as today‘s, a small mistake from Rossi on the last lap prohibited him from reaching the finish line after a hard-fought battle.

Viñales’ first place earns him 25 points. This puts him on 85 points and in the lead in the championship standings, 23 points ahead of Rossi in third place. The 500th Grand Prix win also sees the Movistar Yamaha MotoGP Team hold the lead in the Team standings by 21 points, with a total of 147 points, whilst Yamaha remains the top manufacturer in the Constructor’s Championship by a 13 point margin, with 108 points.

The MotoGP paddock will next hit the Gran Premio d’Italia at the Autodromo del Mugello in two weeks‘ time.

MASSIMO MEREGALLI

TEAM DIRECTOR

Today it looked like we were going to have a dream scenario with a Yamaha 1-2-3, but unfortunately it wasn‘t to be. Still, we take great pride in this Grand Prix weekend’s performances. Yamaha has reached the 500th Grand Prix milestone, which is a very special occasion, and the manner in which it was done further underlines how successful Yamaha is in Grand Prix racing. Maverick‘s incredible focus, dedication and speed prevailed in a tension-filled race, leading to his third Grand Prix victory of the season. For sure it would be nice to have had Vale on the podium, but the tiny mistake on the last lap robbed him of that moment. Even so, it‘s been a proud day for the ’Yamaha family‘: the way Vale fought today made the French Grand Prix a great show and made it a race to remember. We hope many more exciting races like today‘s are in our future as we continue to strive for top results over the rest of the season.

MAVERICK VIÑALES

Keeping up with Johann in the early laps of the race was hard, he was really fast and with the full tank we were not so strong as him. He was exiting from the corners really good and really fast. Then his tyre started to drop a little bit and our tyre started to work good on the rear, and lap by lap I was feeling better. Until the end, in the last lap, I gave everything I had here in the French GP and, honestly, I’m so happy and so pleased. The team was working on an incredible level this weekend, I hope we can continue like that. For sure the tyres were working really good here, we hope we can work like this also in Mugello.

VALENTINO ROSSI

It was a great shame, because for my team it was the best weekend of the season, where I was more competitive on the track, also in the wet, but especially in the race. For sure, for me this could have been the best result of the season. It was very difficult because the pace was always very high, but at the end I felt comfortable on the bike, I had a good feeling, so I tried to attack. Unfortunately, on the last lap I made a mistake in turn 6 and I fell back a little, so Maverick could overtake me. I knew I had another chance, because we were very close and I tried to remain there, because in sector 4 I was good. Sincerely, what happened during the crash, we don’t understand. Usually you have to pay attention to the front, but I lost the rear when I crashed. Anyway, I made a mistake, and it’s li ke this. It is a great shame to go back home with zero points. First of all, I’m very sorry for missing out on the probable victory and also for losing the lead in the championship, because I lost points. For me, it still has been a good weekend, I was strong. Now we have to start thinking about the next race track, I hope to ride there like I did this weekend. We hope to continue like this.

More, from a press release issued by Ducati Corse:

Fourth and sixth place for Andrea Dovizioso and Jorge Lorenzo respectively in French GP at Le Mans

Andrea Dovizioso finished the French GP at the Le Mans Bugatti circuit in fourth place today. The Ducati Team’s Italian rider, who started from row 2 after notching up the sixth-fastest time in Saturday qualifying, fought for sixth place with Pedrosa and then Crutchlow and with two laps remaining, he passed the British rider to cross the line in fourth place, 11 seconds away from winner Viñales after Rossi crashed out on the final lap.

Jorge Lorenzo, who started from the sixth row in sixteenth place, was thirteenth by the end of the opening lap and he then made a good recovery which took him to seventh by lap 18. The Spanish rider then gained one more place on the final lap to finish sixth.

The overall riders’ standings after five rounds see Dovizioso in sixth with 54 points and Lorenzo in eighth with 38.

Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati Team #04) – 4th

“In the end today’s fourth place was a good result, and maybe I could even have tried to fight for the podium with Pedrosa, but I can’t be fully satisfied. We probably took home the best result possible because towards the mid-race point I had to slow my pace: as I was pushing hard in several points of the track I was losing strength in my right forearm and I wasn’t able to keep up the same intensity for the whole race. In the final stages my pace was quite good and I managed to lap quite easily in the low 1’33s and stay ahead of Crutchlow until the flag.”

Jorge Lorenzo (Ducati Team #99) – 6th

“Considering my position on the grid and the result of the warm-up, we have to say that it was quite a positive race for us. It’s true that the gap to the winner was pretty big and in some parts of the circuit I was losing a lot, but in general my pace was quite consistent and I didn’t make any errors. In the end we scored a good sixth place, my best result this year after the podium at Jerez, but we must continue to work hard. On Tuesday we’ll be out on track again at Montmeló for a couple of days to try and improve the bike more.”

More, from a press release issued by Team Suzuki ECSTAR:

CHAMPIONSHIP POINTS FOR BOTH IANNONE AND GUINTOLI AT THE FRENCH GP

The French GP brought with it some sun over the track during the race and also some positive Championship points to both Team SUZUKI ECSTAR riders. Andrea Iannone finished in P10 and Sylvain Guintoli in P15.

At the start, Iannone was able to hold his position during the early corners, then managed to recover some positions and then fought to get as many points as possible. His confidence with the setup was not at its best, so he raced wisely until the chequered flag.

Guintoli enjoyed his debut with the GSX-RR, managing to improve his pace and be consistent in his performance. His contribution was particularly appreciated by Suzuki engineers for his precise and witty feedback about the machine.

Ken Kawauchi – Technical Manager

“It’s been a tough weekend for us. I have the feeling we needed more time to adjust the bike, compared to our competitors. Both on Friday and Saturday the weather has been very unstable, and this affected our work, not being able to improve the settings. We did our very best right up until Sunday morning to find some effective solutions, but we couldn’t deliver a setup that made the riders feel comfortable enough for a better performance. This is the reason why we had poor results today. Sylvain did a great job, his comments and feeling for the machine are very precise, and they will be helpful in its development. Sylvain will arrive at the next race with more experience, and Mugello is Andrea’s home track. I therefore feel really hopeful the Italian GP will be a totally different story for us.”

Davide Brivio – Team Manager

“Sadly this weekend we encountered some troubles in adapting quickly to the variable weather conditions, which did indeed affect our work and performance more than it did others. We couldn’t deliver a good package for the race to Andrea, which prevented him from being able to push as much as he would like. We have to be positive and look ahead. I hope the next races will take place in more stable weather conditions. Right now we have to work hard on the data to find the problem, and hopefully some solutions. For sure this is not demonstrating the potential that the rider and the machine can reach. We need to find away to make them work better together. Sylvain had a positive debut. Also for him, the conditions weren’t very friendly since he could only complete one dry session before the race, but he will continue to race with us in Mugello, so I believe that this experience will pay off in the near future.”

Andrea Iannone

“This race has been difficult and we are not in an easy situation, but we are a great and strong group, and we are managing to improve in every race and in every session. In each race this year we have improved on our time from the previous year, but we still need to improve more as the competitors have made even bigger steps forward. In today’s race I had some difficulties feeling confident enough to push the limits, but my priority was finishing the race and getting some points, so I settled for 10th place. We are encountering troubles with braking. We cannot reduce the speed effectively, and we need to focus on this aspect because it prevents me from overtaking at the braking points, as well as struggling with the traction when I the bike picks up. Also when the bike is loaded with full tank, it is more difficult to control. I don’t feel confident. We now have a considerable amount of data to verify. Hopefully it will help for Mugello.”

Sylvain Guintoli

“It’s a nice feeling to score a point in my home race. We didn’t have too much dry time to work here, and at the end I think we did a good job under the circumstances. I really enjoyed riding the GSX-RR around the Le Mans circuit. The public was fantastic. I ended the race not too far off of Andrea, which is a positive thing. My goal was to end within one minute from the winner and I almost achieved it. We have to continue working and adapting to the MotoGP riding style, but I really liked working with this team and also racing the Suzuki machine in Le Mans. It’s like a dream come true for me.”

More, from a press release issued by KTM:

BEST MOTOGP FINISH FOR ESPARGARO AND SMITH ON THE KTM RC16 WITH MOST POINTS SCORED SO FAR

RACE 5th Rd. MotoGP 2017 – Le Mans (ESP)

Following the team’s best qualifying yesterday, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing took their best MotoGP finish today with 12th for Pol Espargaro and 13th for Bradley Smith in front of 104,020 fans watching the French MotoGP. The Moto2 race for Red Bull KTM Ajo was very difficult as track conditions differed throughout the weekend leaving set up to be chased. However, Ricard Cardus fought hard for his 13th place. The Moto3 race was interrupted after oil on the race track caused nearly half the field to crash, but upon the restart Niccolo Antonelli unfortunately fell while battling for the lead leaving Marcos Ramirez as the first KTM over the line in fourth, a tantalising 0.1 seconds from the podium.

MotoGP

It was a hugely brave effort from Pol Espargaro as he felt a little ill before the race that was held in the warmest conditions of the weekend. Bradley Smith added to the tally of seven points that the team take away from Le Mans – the most the team has taken in the new-for-2017 MotoGP project with the KTM RC16 bike.

Espargaro: “We didn’t make the race we should today so I’m not happy because I thought we could’ve done a bit better. This time it was my fault as I wasn’t at 100% physically and after 15 laps I was starting to feel a little bit weak so I lost a little bit of time every lap. It’s a shame but I am sorry for the team as we are making big improvements, the bike is getting better and better but still we need to show it and I was not able today so I will try harder at the next race.”

Smith: “First of all I have to apologise to the team as my start wasn’t the best one and I ran off track three times so I definitely left a few seconds out on track, but the bike felt good considering the limited dry track time we had. Over the weekend as a whole we took the opportunities with both hands going straight through to QP2 which was obviously the highlight. In the race we settled a bit further back but we stayed focused and finished with points – which is the target. We will keep on moving forward and scoring these points every weekend and picking up on improvements, learning a lot and learning from my team mate as I battled with him over the last few laps so I can see what he has with his package and what I have with mine. Overall we must be proud of ourselves this weekend and we will keep on improving like always.”

Mike Leitner (Team Manager MotoGP): “From the result, we have to be happy after 8th and 10th on the grid as you already have the feeling that maybe something more would be possible in the race, but it’s the reality we can now fight for points and between 10th and 15th. It’s the best result we have achieved this year. It’s great to see this. With Pol in 12th and Bradley in 13th, it means the whole weekend was very positive with the steps we have made, but of course we’ve never done a Le Mans race so of course it would’ve helped to have had four dry sessions to maybe lead to our race pace being a bit better but this is how it positively finished with points for both riders.”

Moto2

The Moto2 race was a difficult hunting ground as Ricard Cardus battled through the ever warming conditions on his KTM Moto2 bike to get 13th position as he continues to stand in for Brad Binder. Podium man from Argentina, Miguel Oliveira, struggled to score today due to set up problems but he is realistic about this brand new for 2017 project and knows that he’ll be back in the points soon.

Cardus: “We’re not leaving Le Mans as happy as we could be. We’ve taken a bit of a back seat over the weekend -not like at Austin where we regularly entered the Top 10- but we’ve done a great job and we’ve drawn some good conclusions. At the start we had some problems with the bike and we were overtaken by other riders. I waited for the fuel tank to empty a little and for my nerves to calm, and then I improved my pace and rode with better times than some of the Top 10. I can take that from this race: We had pace and we were fast enough to fight with Top 8, but it wasn’t to be. We will continue working with the Test team so that the official riders can improve. I want to thank this wonderful team, the partners, Aki (Ajo) and my mechanics for these three races we have ridden together. I congratulate them for the group of people they have and I wish a speedy recovery to Brad (Binder).”

Moto3

In one of the most bizarre sights of recent times, nearly half the Moto3 field crashed out when oil was spilt on the track following a rider recovering from an earlier crash. The race was stopped and restarted over a shortened distance but come the flag, Bo Bendsneyder took his best finish of the season in 9th on the KTM RC250 GP bike and former Moto3 World Champion Danny Kent who was a wildcard rider for Red Bull KTM Ajo right behind him in 10th.

Aki Ajo (Team Manager Moto3): “In Moto3 this weekend had been quite positive. Although it has been tough, we are happy with the feeling we had and it seems that we are back on the path to fighting for the top positions. The race was difficult after oil fell on the track in the first start, causing the red flag. Unfortunately, Niccolo (Antonelli) crashed when he was in a good position, after making a good start and having a good first lap. Bo (Bendsneyder) and Danny (Kent) – despite not starting too well – moved into the group that was fighting for the front positions and I’m happy about that. We must continue to work hard and the results will come.”

More, from a press release issued by Dorna:

Showdown at Le Mans: Viñales vs Rossi for the #FrenchGP

Last lap drama and a huge Championship shake up as Viñales pushes the ‘Doctor’ to his limits

The first Movistar Yamaha duel of the season saw Maverick Viñales the man to take the stunning 500th win for Yamaha after a clash of the titans at Le Mans – with the tremors from the French GP felt throughout the Championship standings. With both Yamahas dueling on the last lap, the number 46 dramatically slid out of contention from behind his teammate to lose the Championship lead – and join Repsol Honda Team’s Marc Marquez on the list of those leaving Le Mans empty handed.

The headlines came thick and fast, with Johann Zarco (Monster Yamaha Tech 3) taking the lead off Viñales off the line and the two factory Yamaha machines slotting in behind. The Frenchman held firm at the front in style until Viñales made his move and once past, the rider from Roses pushed to make a gap and leave the Frenchman to duel it out with his teammate. Zarco? The rookie held on with some stunning pace in his home race.

As the gap finally began to grow, Rossi pulled the pin from third to overtake the Frenchman and go on the charge. The ‘Doctor’ reeled his teammate in at the front, passed him, and then looked to escape – but the two blue machines were set for a spectacular last lap duel.

It was the ‘Doctor’ ahead as that last lap dawned, before an uncharacteristic mistake let Viñales back through and the number 46 pushed hard to close back in. Close in he did, before the final stroke of drama for the day suddenly found the nine-time World Champion sliding out, watching his teammate disappear into the distance.

The Championship leader was points leader no more, with Viñales crossing the line for 25 points to overtake Rossi and gain big ground over Marquez.

Home hero Zarco kept it calm under the huge pressures of the incredible home crowd to then cross the line in second for his first ever podium – with Dani Pedrosa (Repsol Honda Team) completing the rostrum after an awesome slice through the field.

Pedrosa began the race in P13, was seventh after the first few laps and then pushed his way past Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati Team) and Cal Crutchlow (LCR Honda) to set off after the frontrunners – closing in on Marquez before watching his teammate slide out.

Pushing to close in on the podium fight, the number 93 had pushed too hard and Pedrosa, after a magnificent win in Jerez and the drama in Le Mans, is now the man second in the title standings – only 17 off Viñales’ lead.

‘DesmoDovi’ fought off Crutchlow to take fourth from the Brit and then gain a gap, with the rider from Coventry completing the top five. Jorge Lorenzo (Ducati Team) took a top six finish to gain an impressive ten places from his difficult grid position, with Jonas Folger (Monster Yamaha Tech 3) in seventh.

Jack Miller (EG 0,0 Marc VDS) again hit his 2017 target despite a huge crash on Saturday to cross the line in the top ten in eighth, ahead of a fantastic home showing for Frenchman Loris Baz (Reale Avintia Racing) in ninth.

Andrea Iannone (Team Suzukia Ecstar) completed the top ten after a more difficult race but took good points, with Tito Rabat (EG 0,0 Marc VDS) in P11 ahead of both Red Bull KTM Factory Racing machines in the points once again. Pol Espargaro bested the second ‘Bull’ of Bradley Smith by only half a second over the line, with the double points finish the perfect finish to a French GP that also saw the Austrian factory move through to Q2 for the first time with both riders.

Sam Lowes (Aprilia Racing Team Gresini) took his first points in P14, with Alex Rins’ injury replacement Sylvain Guintoli (Team Suzuki Ecstar) scoring a point in fifteenth as the 2014 WorldSBK Champion had a solid ride back in MotoGP™.

The paddock now heads for Mugello, where the yellow smoke will rise at the perfect venue for Rossi to take try and take some revenge.

Morbidelli bests Bagnaia in cat-and-mouse contest in France

Four out of five for ‘Fast Franky’ as he holds firm under pressure

Franco Morbidelli (EG 0,0 Marc VDS) took another incredible win at Le Mans in Moto2™, extending his points lead after crashing out last time out in Jerez. First dueling Tom Lüthi (CarXpert Interwetten) and then holding firm under incredible pressure from rookie superstar Francesco Bagnaia (Sky Racing Team VR46), Morbidelli’s win upholds the EG 0,0 Marc VDS team’s 100% win rate in 2017. Bagnaia pushed hard to keep his compatriot close in another awesome rookie ride for second, with Swiss veteran and multiple Le Mans winner Lüthi taking third.

Lüthi got the best launch off the line, with Morbidelli moving up past Bagnaia as the two fought it out through the first corners and it looked like the Swiss rider could escape. An early crasher was Luca Marini (Forward Racing Team), with Alex Marquez (Estrella Galicia 0,0 Marc VDS) slotting into the chase behind the top three as another to make a good start.

Morbidelli didn’t leave it long to pounce for the lead up front, with a stunning duel then unfolding between the Champion leader and his Swiss challenger before Lüthi ran wide as Morbidelli moved up the inside – and the number 12 found himself pushed back to fourth.

That left Bagnaia and Marquez chasing the Championship leader out front and Lüthi regrouping, with Mattia Pasini (Italtrans Racing Team) lurking in fifth.

Bagnaia held firm closely behind Morbidelli in the lead, with a small gap appearing back to Lüthi as he tried to attack Marquez – but the rider from Cervera was holding firm. With a handful of laps to go the Swiss rider made it stick, leaving Marquez to bring it home in P4 after an impressive display despite a small fracture in his foot sustained on Saturday.

Lorenzo Baldassarri (Forward Racing Team) was a high profile crasher out of the top ten in a difficult day for the team, with Dominique Aegerter (Kiefer Racing) then left in a gap behind Pasini to fly the flag as fastest Suter once again in sixth. Takaaki Nakagami (Idemitsu Honda Team Asia) took a solid seventh ahead of Simone Corsi (Speed Up Racing) after passing the Italian late on, with Xavi Vierge (Tech 3 Racing) in ninth ahead of more good form from Yonny Hernandez (AGR Team) to complete the top ten.

Hafizh Syahrin (Petronas Raceline Malaysia) took P11 in a solid points scoring finish, ahead of Marcel Schrötter (Dynavolt Intact GP) and Red Bull KTM Ajo’s Ricky Cardus. Sandro Cortese (Dynavolt Intact GP) took points in P14, with Axel Pons (RW Racing GP) locking out the fastest fifteen.

Now, the Championship leader heads home as the Italian GP awaits.

Imperious Mir conquers Le Mans as drama hits Moto3™

Championship leader extends his advantage in incident-filled French GP

Championship leader Joan Mir (Leopard Racing) took an imperious win in the French GP, extending his points lead once again in a race marred by drama, red-flagged and then restarted. Aron Canet (Estrella Galicia 0,0) and Fabio Di Giannantonio (Del Conca Gresini Moto3) completed the podium over four seconds back on Mir, pulling clear of a classic Moto3™ freight train to take the honours.

Polesitter Jorge Martin (Del Conca Gresini Moto3) got a stunning launch in the original start before there was drama at the front with something down on track catching out almost half the field, creating a huge pile up into the gravel trap. The red flag came out and operation clean up began – with riders all given the ok and declared able to line up for the restart – and the grid headed back out for a shortened 16 lap race.

Off the line for the second time, Martin again got an incredible start to take off at the front, before Romano Fenati (Marinelli Rivacold Snipers) struck back to take over. The biggest loser off the line was Nicolo Bulega (Sky Racing Team VR46), who plummeted from second on the grid to outside the top twenty by the end of Lap 1.

Bulega had been one of those caught worst in the initial incident, as well as Niccolo Antonelli (Red Bull KTM Ajo), who then slid off – before a highside crash for Martin took the polesitter out of the hunt. Albert Arenas (Aspar Mahindra Moto3) then also suffered a crash, with some of those highest on the grid falling out of contention early on.

Fenati was out front trying to pull away from Championship rival Mir in second, before drama struck again and the Italian suddenly found himself sliding out at Turn 7 – leaving Mir out front and clear by over two seconds; an advantage that would only grow as the laps ticked on.

The chasers battled it out behind, with the deficit to Mir untouchable. The Platinum Bay Real Estate duo of Marcos Ramirez and Darryn Binder followed up their impressive races in Jerez again in Le Mans to get in the thick of it at the front, with Canet, Di Giannantonio, Juanfran Guevara (RBA BOE Racing Team), Enea Bastianini (Estrella Galicia 0,0), Jules Danilo (Marinelli Rivacold Snipers), wildcard Danny Kent (Red Bull KTM Ajo), Andrea Migno (Sky Racing Team VR46) and Jakub Kornfeil (Peugeot MC Saxoprint) on the chase – as Bo Bendsneyder (Red Bull KTM Ajo) and John McPhee (British Talent Team) pushed on to catch the group.

Over the line Canet moved to the front of the group to cross the line cleanly ahead of Di Giannantonio, with Ramirez taking another P4 to equal his career best from Jerez. Teammate Darryn Binder crashed out late on – but again showed impressive pace in an impressive race for the team.

Guevara took a career best in p5, ahead of a solid finish for Bastianini and an incredible showing at home for Frenchman Jules Danilo in seventh. Migno took eighth and Bo Bendsneyder beat wildcard new teammate Danny Kent to ninth, with the 2015 Moto3™ World Champion completing the top ten.

Kornfeil took a solid points finish for the Peugeot MC Saxoprint squad in P11, ahead of an impressive comeback for BTT rider McPhee from outside the top twenty on the grid. Nakarin Atiratphuvapat (Honda Team Asia) scored his first points in P13, as Lorenzo Dalla Porta (Aspar Mahindra Moto3) and Marco Bezzecchi (CIP) completed the top fifteen.

Next stop Mugello – with Mir sitting on an impressive 34 point lead heading into Fenati’s home race.

More, from a press release issued by Repsol Honda:

Mixed fortunes for Repsol Honda Team in Le Mans with Pedrosa 3rd, Marquez DNF

Today Dani Pedrosa scored his third consecutive podium finish after starting the French GP from the 13th spot on the grid and making a great comeback to finish third in front of over 104,000 spectators, a new record for the Le Mans event. The last time Dani was in the top three for three consecutive races was in 2014 (Catalunya, Assen, Sachsenring). He is now third on the list of most career podium finishes with 147, behind Agostini (159) and Rossi (224).

Dani got away well and completed the first lap in seventh place. He pushed his way past Dovizioso on lap 10 and passed Crutchlow on the next lap. He soon began closing in on his teammate before Marc Marquez slid out from fourth place. Rossi’s last-lap crash allowed Dani to gain 16 important points and move up to second in the World Championship standings, 17 points off the lead.

Marc had a good start and was keeping a fast pace in fourth position when he lost the front and crashed out of the race in the first corner on lap 18. Despite today’s DNF, Marc is fourth in the Championship, 27 points down on Viñales.

The Repsol Honda Team will take part in a test in Catalunya this week.

Dani Pedrosa 26

3RD

“I’m super happy about this podium because I knew it would be quite tough to manage the race well starting from the fifth row on the grid. The thought of getting through that first chicane at the back of the pack meant a lot of pressure. It was a demanding mental exercise to try and be fast but not crash, being aggressive but calm! But in the end I got a good start, entered the first corner quite well, and quickly settled into a good rhythm. I recovered some positions and also touched with Cal along the way. I’m sorry for that but really it wasn’t intentional. I had just moved past Dovi and wasn’t going to pass Cal in that corner, but he made a little mistake that opened the line slightly, so I got trough on the inside and we touched. I’m happy nothing really happened there. After Marc crashed, I kept pushing but I was two seconds behind the Yamahas. I was starting to feel some chattering, and I decided to stay calm as I didn’t want to make a mistake. I think we had a good race and a very good result for the Championship. It’s just a shame that this weekend we couldn’t do well in qualifying, but we’re working with the team very well and the feeling with the bike is improving little by little. We just have to continue on this path for the next races.”

Marc Marquez 93

DNF

“Of course today wasn’t the best for us. It’s a shame as I was really focused on trying to finish the race. Since yesterday, I haven’t felt totally comfortable with the front and and it seems like the first sector of the track wasn’t ‘my’ sector this weekend! I knew what my pace was and that the Yamaha riders were stronger today, but my target was to fight for four or fifth place and just be competitive until the end. I tried to be careful but then for some reason I lost the front very quickly. I didn’t expect this mistake but the good thing is that we’re not very far back, only 27 off the lead. I hope that I’ll have more confidence in the front with the new tyre Michelin is bringing. We have to work hard and try to recover but I look forward to doing better in the next races.” 

More, from a press release issued by Reale Avintia Racing:

Fantastic ninth place for Loris Baz at Le Mans, Hector Barbera forced to retire after three laps

Reale Avintia Racing riders had mixed fortunes today at the French Grand Prix on the legendary Le Mans circuit. Loris Baz finished his home race in a fantastic ninth place after a really tough race in which only 15 of 23 MotoGP riders crossed the chequered flag. The local hero knew before the start that it would be crucial to finish the race today and even though he didn’t find a solution for the issues with the front end feeling on his Ducati Desmosedici GP15, he got the best out of his package to achieve a top 10 finish.

Following a successful warm-up session, Hector Barbera did a great start from the seventh row of the grid, with the Reale Avintia Spanish rider gaining several places. He was in 15th place after three laps, but his Ducati stopped at the beginning of lap four due to a mechanical issue. But despite this bad luck, the most important thing today is that the feeling with the front end definitely has improved.

Barbera and Baz will now head to Barcelona for a two-day test, where they will work with the new front tyres that Michelin will include in their allocation from the next race. They will also concentrate on refining their Ducati’s set-up in order to get strong ahead of Mugello, one of the most favourable tracks for the Italian bikes.

Loris Baz | P9

“We knew before the start that the key today was to bring the bike back to the garage. We were not able to solve the front end issues during the warm-up. But I made a good start and I tried to keep the best possible pace without making mistakes. I lost some time at the beginning trying to overtake Pol (Espargaro) because he was slower than me, but he was strong on the brakes and the KTM is quite good in acceleration. Once I passed him, I concentrated on keeping my pace and I was able to catch Iannone. We overtook each other several times and at the last pass, we both went wide. I’m happy with these seven points because we scored them on a circuit that is difficult for us. I leave this race satisfied; you can always do better, but today it was important to finish the race and score points.”

Hector Barbera | Retired

“We were unlucky today. We think that something broke inside the engine. I only was able to complete three laps, so it is hard to get conclusions from this race. On the bright side, I was a little bit more aggressive at the start and I was able to gain some places, which is something we can’t do very often. After that I could pass some more riders, but in the fourth lap my engine stopped on the main straight. I also confirmed during the warm-up and during the few laps in the race that my feeling in dry conditions is much better now. During the test at Jerez we made a big step and now I can push the front. It’s just a shame that the results don’t reflect our progress yet. Now we head to Barcelona where I hope to improve my feeling with the front even more and where I want to get ready for Mugello.”