The MotoGP™ stars relax ahead of the #FrenchGP by exploring Paris the best way possible: by Bateaux Mouches
It is well known that Paris is even more beautiful when seen from the River Seine, so Pol Espargaro, Loris Baz, Johann Zarco, Tito Rabat and Fabio Quartararo have chosen this method to get to know the City of Light ahead of the upcoming GP in Le Mans this weekend.
The riders went on a boat cruise in one of the traditional ‘Bateaux Mouches’ from the Champs-Elysées, with the Eiffel Tower in the background, all the way across the city to the incredible Notre Dame cathedral.
The ‘Bateaux Mouches’ are open river boats have provided visitors to Paris with tours of the city since 1867, but the boat tours really flourished after World War II and nowadays on a summer afternoon in Paris, the Bateaux Mouches are a constant sight on the banks of the Seine.
French riders Johann Zarco & Loris Baz are understandably excited about racing in front of a home crowd this weekend. Zarco said: “It’s a unique feeling. I am sure there will be many people, Le Mans will be full and my friends, family and fan club will be out in force. I hope to be able to make them happy with every lap. It’s great to feel their support.”
Baz added: “I haven’t ridden a lot in France, it will be only the second time for me in Le Mans, but it’s really nice to be in front of your fans riding in your country, I like it, it will make a nice memory”. The only French rookie in the premier class will be riding on the Le Mans tarmac for the first time on a MotoGP bike.
His fellow countryman Quartararo will also be visiting a familiar track but on an entirely new bike, as he will stroll through the Le Mans corners on board a World Championship bike as opposed to his ride from last year as a FIM CEV REPSOL Championship entry, in an accident-filled race won by him. “Le Mans is a ‘stop and go’ kind of track, but there are also chicanes in which you really have to work hard on the cornering.”
Tito Rabat, fresh from a podium finish in Jerez – the first one this season – and Pol Espargaró are also eager to get underway in the Pays de la Loire track. For Espagaró, riding in a French squad, it almost feels like a second home circuit, as he can perceive the immense warmth of the followers of the Tech3 team.
The Monster Energy Grand Prix de France gets under way on Thursday at 16:15 with a Moto3 press conference (with the top 4 riders on the Championship Classification) before the official pre-event press conference at 17:00. The action starts in earnest on Friday 15th May at 9:00 local time with Moto3™ Free Practice 1.