Sunday MotoGP Race
Marco Bezzecchi (Aprilia Racing) grabbed the holeshot from the front row at Circuit Bugatti, while home favorite Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) climbed to second after an early scrap with Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing). Pole-sitter Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) slipped to fourth, while Fabio Di Giannantonio (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team) made a strong launch into fifth.
Early drama saw Alex Marquez (BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP) crash out, as Acosta passed Quartararo before Bagnaia carved his way into second and began hunting Bezzecchi. Behind them, Jorge Martin (Aprilia Racing) fought through Di Giannantonio to move into fourth, although the leaders had already escaped.
The race turned on Lap 16 when Bagnaia crashed out of second at Turn 3, promoting Martin onto the podium and back into contention for victory. Two laps later, Martin overtook Acosta, setting up a straight fight with teammate Bezzecchi at the front.
Meanwhile, Ai Ogura (Trackhouse MotoGP Team) charged into the battle, passing Acosta for third with four laps remaining as Aprilia locked out the top three positions. Martin then made his decisive move on Bezzecchi at Turn 3 with three laps to go and immediately pulled clear.
Martin sealed his first Grand Prix victory since Indonesia 2024, while Bezzecchi resisted Ogura for second as the Japanese rookie claimed a maiden MotoGP podium. Di Giannantonio snatched fourth from Acosta on the final lap, with Quartararo taking sixth on home soil.
Enea Bastianini (Red Bull KTM Tech3) finished seventh ahead of Raul Fernandez (Trackhouse MotoGP Team), Fermin Aldeguer (BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP) and Luca Marini (Honda HRC Castrol) in the top 10. Home rider Johann Zarco (Castrol Honda LCR) recovered to 11th after being forced wide on the opening lap.
2026 French MotoGP Results—Sunday MotoGP Race
| 1 | Jorge Martin | SPA | Aprilia Racing (RS-GP26) | 41m 18.001s |
| 2 | Marco Bezzecchi | ITA | Aprilia Racing (RS-GP26) | +0.477s |
| 3 | Ai Ogura | JPN | Trackhouse Aprilia (RS-GP26) | +0.874s |
| 4 | Fabio Di Giannantonio | ITA | Pertamina VR46 Ducati (GP26) | +2.851s |
| 5 | Pedro Acosta | SPA | Red Bull KTM (RC16) | +2.991s |
| 6 | Fabio Quartararo | FRA | Monster Yamaha (YZR-M1) | +7.756s |
| 7 | Enea Bastianini | ITA | Red Bull KTM Tech3 (RC16) | +8.615s |
| 8 | Raul Fernandez | SPA | Trackhouse Aprilia (RS-GP26) | +12.497s |
| 9 | Fermin Aldeguer | SPA | BK8 Gresini Ducati (GP25) | +14.903s |
| 10 | Luca Marini | ITA | Honda HRC Castrol (RC213V) | +15.016s |
Moto2 Race
Izan Guevara (BLU CRU Pramac Yamaha Moto2) converted pole position into victory at Circuit Bugatti, holding off Manuel Gonzalez (Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP) in a red-flagged and shortened Moto2 race. Ivan Ortola (QJMOTOR – El Motorista – MSI) completed the podium after charging from 14th on the grid.
All riders started on slicks as the circuit dried, with Guevara grabbing the holeshot and Gonzalez immediately moving into second. Daniel Holgado (CFMOTO Inde Aspar Team) crashed out on the opening lap after a highside at Turn 7, while Guevara led from Gonzalez and Filip Salač (OnlyFans American Racing Team).
The race was then stopped following Jorge Navarro’s (KLINT Racing Team) crash at the final corner, setting up a nine-lap restart using the original grid. Holgado’s bike was repaired in time for the restart, but more chaos followed as Barry Baltus (REDS Fantic Racing) crashed out and Celestino Vietti (Folladore SpeedRS Team) received a Long Lap penalty.
Out front, Guevara stayed clear of trouble and steadily built an advantage as Gonzalez and Ortola gave chase. Gonzalez briefly closed the gap, but Guevara responded to secure his first win of the season and Boscoscuro’s first victory over Kalex in 2026. Gonzalez finished second to retain the championship lead, while Ortola celebrated a first podium of the year.
Alonso Lopez (ITALJET Gresini Moto2) and David Alonso (CFMOTO Inde Aspar Team) completed the top five, while Senna Agius (Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP) finished seventh to end his winning streak.
2026 French MotoGP Results—Moto2 Race
| 1 | Izan Guevara | SPA | BLU CRU Pramac Yamaha Moto2 (Boscoscuro) | 14m 14.987s |
| 2 | Manuel Gonzalez | SPA | LIQUI MOLY Dynavolt Intact GP (Kalex) | +0.566s |
| 3 | Ivan Ortola | SPA | QJMOTOR – El Motorista – MSI (Kalex) | +2.969s |
| 4 | Alonso Lopez | SPA | ITALJET Gresini Moto2 (Kalex) | +3.949s |
| 5 | David Alonso | COL | CFMOTO Inde Aspar Team (Kalex) | +5.165s |
| 6 | Celestino Vietti | ITA | Folladore SpeedRS Team (Boscoscuro) | +6.011s |
| 7 | Senna Agius | AUS | LIQUI MOLY Dynavolt Intact GP (Kalex) | +6.673s |
| 8 | Joe Roberts | USA | OnlyFans American Racing Team (Kalex) | +6.848s |
| 9 | Filip Salac | CZE | OnlyFans American Racing Team (Kalex) | +9.112s |
| 10 | Aron Canet | SPA | ELF Marc VDS Racing Team (Boscoscuro) | +10.306s |
Moto3 Race
Maximo Quiles (CIP GreenPower) produced a dominant lights-to-flag victory in the Moto3 Grand Prix at Circuit Bugatti, extending his championship lead to 46 points. Adrian Fernandez (Leopard Racing) finished second to move into the runner-up spot in the standings, while also claiming his first podium in over a year.
Quiles grabbed the holeshot from the start as chaos erupted behind him. Brian Uriarte (Red Bull KTM Ajo), David Muñoz (LIQUI MOLY Dynavolt Intact GP) and Cormac Buchanan (CODE Motorsports) were early crashers, while Casey O’Gorman, Valentin Perrone and Joel Kelso also failed to finish in a dramatic opening phase.
More contenders dropped out as Alvaro Carpe (Red Bull KTM Ajo) crashed at Turn 10, while Marco Morelli (CFMOTO Gaviota Aspar Team) fell moments after reaching second place. That promoted Fernandez and Matteo Bertelle (LEVELUP-MTA), although the latter later received a Long Lap penalty.
Out front, Quiles remained untouchable and cruised to a second straight Moto3 victory. Fernandez secured second, while Bertelle held onto third for his first podium since COTA 2025. Veda Pratama (Honda Team Asia) finished fourth, with Joel Esteban (LEVELUP-MTA) storming from 20th on the grid to fifth.
2026 French MotoGP Results—Moto3 Race
| 1 | Maximo Quiles | SPA | CFMOTO Gaviota Aspar Team (KTM) | 24m 41.640s |
| 2 | Adrian Fernandez | SPA | Leopard Racing (Honda) | +1.888s |
| 3 | Matteo Bertelle | ITA | LEVEL UP – MTA (KTM) | +4.227s |
| 4 | Veda Pratama | INA | Honda Team Asia (Honda) | +7.659s |
| 5 | Joel Esteban | SPA | LEVEL UP – MTA (KTM) | +10.916s |
| 6 | Guido Pini | ITA | Leopard Racing (Honda) | +17.707s |
| 7 | Adrian Cruces | SPA | CIP Green Power (KTM) | +20.164s |
| 8 | David Almansa | SPA | Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP (KTM) | +20.893s |
| 9 | Eddie O’Shea | GBR | GRYD – MLav Racing (Honda) | +21.075s |
| 10 | Hakim Danish | MAL | AEON Credit- MT Helmets – MSI (KTM) | +21.847s |
2026 French MotoGP News—Saturday
Marquez facing yet more surgery
Marc Marquez is facing another spell on the sidelines after fracturing the fifth metatarsal in his right foot. Bizarrely, the reigning World Champion said the injury “arrived at the correct time” as he was already planning surgery on the right shoulder he injured last year.
“It arrived in the correct time,” said Marquez after crashing out of seventh in the Sprint at the penultimate turn. “Before here we planned to have a surgery after Catalunya on my right shoulder. After Jerez I realized that something was not working well.
“I went to the doctors and I said, something is going on here, because I’m riding motocross and feeling OK, and I’m arriving there and riding a MotoGP bike, and I feel the right arm is destroyed. Then with a deep analysis, they understood that after the Indonesia crash, they fix everything, but another injury I had with the screw was broken and the position was a bit different.
“And then that makes that in a MotoGP [riding] position, that screw is touching the radial nerve. I can have a stupid mistake without knowing what’s going on, because when something is touching the nerve, the arm is not following what you want it to.” Neil Morrison
Race Direction pushing to ban start devices
Race Direction was pushing to ban start devices at Le Mans after riders in the Safety Commission requested it for Le Mans, Silverstone and Phillip Island—three tracks with fast first corners, where it’s difficult to disengage and bring the bike back to its normal height.
“It was a proposal, an idea. But it’s OK like this. Nothing happened,” said Pecco Bagnaia of their rejected proposal. Cycle News understands the proposal was vetoed by one manufacturer, but Race Direction will continue pushing for the ban to be implemented at the other two tracks.
“In my opinion it just made sense,” said Jack Miller. “I know it’s the last year (of the devices) but we’re just waiting for something to happen before we make it mandatory. Other than pre-empting the situation at racetracks like here, everybody has the ride height device. Everybody’s pretty good, nobody really has a massive advantage when it comes to the start. So, it was just an idea, but nobody went for it so that’s cool.”
He also wasn’t confident the ban will happen for England or Australia. “Here is the worst of them all. So, if they can’t pass it for here, that’s just slim pickings for them to try and pass it at Phillip Island or Silverstone.” Neil Morrison
Aspar pushes back on CFMOTO rumors
Jorge Martinez Aspar pushed back on rumors linking his team with a sensational CFMOTO-backed MotoGP switch in 2027 with rebranded KTMs, as had been suggested by the Italian media.
“What’s been published isn’t true,” he said. “The truth is, fortunately, CFMOTO is delighted with our years together in the MotoGP World Championship, and obviously, CFMOTO wants to reach MotoGP, but there’s no date set. The report that we’ll be in MotoGP in 2027 is absolutely false. Absolutely not.”
But he does foresee the Chinese brand expanding its presence in elite racing paddocks soon.
“I’m very happy that CFMOTO has already created the minibikes for the future project with the schools. They’re with us in Moto3 and Moto2, and they’re very interested in Superbike and MotoGP, but there’s no date set. I wish I could say, “Don’t worry, we’ll be in MotoGP next year.” It’s crazy. In 2027, with what bike? With what engine? With what team? No. With KTM? That’s absurd. Why and for what purpose? It doesn’t make sense.” Neil Morrison
MotoGP Sprint Race
It was a dream start for French GP Tissot Sprint winner Jorge Martin, as the Aprilia Racing star delivered a flawless performance during a chaotic Saturday afternoon in front of packed grandstands at Circuit Bugatti. The #89 never put a wheel wrong on his way to a commanding 12-point victory, while Francesco Bagnaia secured a third straight Saturday podium for Ducati Lenovo Team with second place. Just over a second separated the former title rivals at the flag, with championship leader Marco Bezzecchi taking third for Aprilia. Meanwhile, reigning World Champion Marc Marquez suffered a heavy late-race crash.
Starting from eighth on the grid, Martin launched brilliantly and swept around the outside of Bezzecchi, Bagnaia and Marc Marquez through Turn 3 before grabbing the lead into Turn 4. Pole-sitter Bagnaia settled into third in the early stages, while home favorite Fabio Quartararo climbed to fourth after a strong getaway for the Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP rider. Marc Marquez, however, slipped from the middle of the front row to fifth by the end of the opening lap.
Things quickly became more difficult for the #93. On Lap 2, Pedro Acosta muscled past the Ducati rider, before Joan Mir also found a way through at Turn 3 on Lap 3. Suddenly, Marc Marquez had fallen to seventh position.
That same lap saw Bezzecchi run wide at Turn 7, allowing Bagnaia through into second place. By then, however, Martin was already checking out at the front. The 2024 World Champion had stretched his advantage beyond a second, while Acosta continued his charge by pushing Quartararo back another place to move into fourth.
After a poor launch from fourth on the grid, Fabio Di Giannantonio endured a miserable Sprint that ended in the gravel at Turn 3 on Lap 5 while circulating down in 14th.
At the front, Martin continued to control the race with Bagnaia hovering around a second behind. Bezzecchi remained close to the factory Ducati rider in third, while Acosta sat another second adrift in fourth. Behind them, Quartararo, Mir and Marc Marquez were locked in an entertaining scrap for fifth, separated by only a handful of tenths.
By Lap 9 of 13, Martin had extended his lead to 1.3 seconds. One lap later it became 1.4, then 1.5, while Bagnaia had also pulled comfortably clear of Bezzecchi. The podium positions appeared settled heading into the closing laps.
The fight behind them was not. Major drama struck on the penultimate lap when Marc Marquez crashed heavily at Turn 13. The Spaniard initially saved the front-end collapse by forcing his knee into the asphalt, but the violent recovery pitched the rear out of line and ultimately launched the Ducati rider over the top of the bike. Thankfully, Marquez was able to walk away, although clearly sore as he slowly returned to the garage before later heading to the medical center for checks.
Out front, Martin cruised to his second Sprint victory of the season, with Bagnaia and Bezzecchi completing the podium. Acosta’s aggressive opening laps paid off with fourth place, while Quartararo delighted the French crowd with a determined fifth.
Mir crossed the line just 0.2 seconds behind Quartararo in sixth, with Ai Ogura taking seventh for the Trackhouse MotoGP Team. Alex Marquez claimed eighth, while rookie Diogo Moreira secured ninth to collect his first Sprint point and best MotoGP finish so far.
2026 French MotoGP Results—MotoGP Sprint Race
| 1 | Jorge Martin | SPA | Aprilia Racing (RS-GP26) | 19m 46.83s |
| 2 | Francesco Bagnaia | ITA | Ducati Lenovo (GP26) | +1.107s |
| 3 | Marco Bezzecchi | ITA | Aprilia Racing (RS-GP26) | +2.786s |
| 4 | Pedro Acosta | SPA | Red Bull KTM (RC16) | +3.808s |
| 5 | Fabio Quartararo | FRA | Monster Yamaha (YZR-M1) | +4.402s |
| 6 | Joan Mir | SPA | Honda HRC Castrol (RC213V) | +4.630s |
| 7 | Ai Ogura | JPN | Trackhouse Aprilia (RS-GP26) | +5.670s |
| 8 | Alex Marquez | SPA | BK8 Gresini Ducati (GP26) | +6.608s |
| 9 | Diogo Moreira | BRA | Pro Honda LCR (RC213V) | +10.368s |
| 10 | Johann Zarco | FRA | Castrol Honda LCR (RC213V) | +11.771s |
MotoGP Qualifying
Qualifying at Circuit Bugatti delivered the drama everyone expected, with Francesco Bagnaia and the Ducati Lenovo Team claiming a first pole position of the season at the death. The Italian denied teammate Marc Marquez a stunning Q1-to-pole charge, while championship leader Marco Bezzecchi put the Aprilia Racing machine on the front row in third.
Q1 was packed with heavy hitters, and home favourite Fabio Quartararo looked set to top the session for Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP after producing a string of rapid laps. But Marc Marquez responded with a lap-record effort to take top spot, with both riders progressing into Q2.
The pole fight intensified in Q2. Early runs saw Bezzecchi lead the way ahead of Fabio Di Giannantonio on the Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team Ducati and teammate Jorge Martin, while Marc Marquez sat sixth after his first attempt.
On the final runs, Marc Marquez stormed to provisional pole before Alex Marquez crashed his BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP Ducati at Turn 3, ending his hopes. Just when the session appeared settled, Bagnaia delivered a superb final lap to snatch pole position away from his teammate.
Di Giannantonio narrowly missed the front row and starts fourth, while Pedro Acosta recovered from a trip through the gravel on the Red Bull KTM Factory Racing machine to secure fifth. Quartararo completed the second row in sixth.
Joan Mir was the leading Honda rider in seventh for Honda HRC Castrol, with Martin eighth and Ai Ogura ninth for the Trackhouse MotoGP Team. Alex Marquez rounded out the top 10 ahead of home hero Johann Zarco and Alex Rins on the second Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP entry.
2026 French MotoGP Results—MotoGP Qualifying
| 1 | Francesco Bagnaia | ITA | Ducati Lenovo (GP26) | 01:29.634 |
| 2 | Marc Marquez | SPA | Ducati Lenovo (GP26) | +0.012s |
| 3 | Marco Bezzecchi | ITA | Aprilia Racing (RS-GP26) | +0.023s |
| 4 | Fabio Di Giannantonio | ITA | Pertamina VR46 Ducati (GP26) | +0.065s |
| 5 | Pedro Acosta | SPA | Red Bull KTM (RC16) | +0.183s |
| 6 | Fabio Quartararo | FRA | Monster Yamaha (YZR-M1) | +0.197s |
| 7 | Joan Mir | SPA | Honda HRC Castrol (RC213V) | +0.203s |
| 8 | Jorge Martin | SPA | Aprilia Racing (RS-GP26) | +0.213s |
| 9 | Ai Ogura | JPN | Trackhouse Aprilia (RS-GP26) | +0.254s |
| 10 | Alex Marquez | SPA | BK8 Gresini Ducati (GP26) | +0.297s |
Moto2 Qualifying
A stunning 1:33.910 lap — a new Moto2 all-time record at Circuit Bugatti — handed Izan Guevara and the BLU CRU Pramac Yamaha Moto2 squad a maiden pole position in the intermediate class. The Spaniard edged out Daniel Holgado of the CFMOTO Inde Aspar Team by just 0.086s, while Filip Salač completed the front row in third for the OnlyFans American Racing Team after overcoming a difficult Friday that included technical problems and a heavy crash.
Leading the second row is Barry Baltus on the REDS Fantic Racing machine, although the Belgian crashed at Turn 6 during Q2 and was taken to the medical centre for precautionary checks. Championship leader Manuel Gonzalez hauled himself from outside the top 10 to fifth late in the session aboard the Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP Kalex, while teammate Joe Roberts claimed his best qualifying result of the season in sixth for the OnlyFans American Racing Team.
Despite carrying injuries throughout the weekend, David Alonso fought through Q1 to secure seventh for the CFMOTO Inde Aspar Team. Meanwhile, double Moto2 race winner Senna Agius could only manage 11th for Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP, despite ending the session just 0.283s shy of pole.
2026 French MotoGP Results—Moto2 Qualifying
| 1 | Izan Guevara | SPA | BLU CRU Pramac Yamaha Moto2 (Boscoscuro) | 1:33.910s |
| 2 | Daniel Holgado | SPA | CFMOTO Inde Aspar Team (Kalex) | +0.086s |
| 3 | Filip Salac | CZE | OnlyFans American Racing Team (Kalex) | +0.110s |
| 4 | Barry Baltus | BEL | REDS Fantic Racing (Kalex) | +0.166s |
| 5 | Manuel Gonzalez | SPA | LIQUI MOLY Dynavolt Intact GP (Kalex) | +0.166s |
| 6 | Joe Roberts | USA | OnlyFans American Racing Team (Kalex) | +0.180s |
| 7 | David Alonso | COL | CFMOTO Inde Aspar Team (Kalex) | +0.229s |
| 8 | Alonso Lopez | SPA | ITALJET Gresini Moto2 (Kalex) | +0.235s |
| 9 | Celestino Vietti | ITA | Folladore SpeedRS Team (Boscoscuro) | +0.236s |
| 10 | Collin Veijer | NED | Red Bull KTM Ajo (Kalex) | +0.261s |
Moto3 Qualifying
Adrian Fernandez (Leopard Racing) produced a late charge to snatch pole position at Circuit Bugatti, firing in a 1:40.044 to edge out Maximo Quiles (CFMoto Gaviota Aspar Team) by just under a tenth and a half. Joel Kelso (GRYD – MLav Racing) completed the front row in third for the French Grand Prix.
Q1 was also settled in the closing moments as Alvaro Carpe (Red Bull KTM Ajo) topped the session to progress alongside Adrian Cruces (CIP Green Power), Cormac Buchanan (CODE Motorsports) and Guido Pini (Leopard Racing).
Once Q2 began, Quiles appeared destined for pole after a late lap cancellation dropped Brian Uriarte (Red Bull KTM Ajo) down the order, but Fernandez delivered a superb final lap to steal top spot away from the Spaniard. Kelso secured third at the flag.
Marco Morelli (CFMoto Gaviota Aspar Team) leads the second row ahead of David Muñoz (Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP) and Indonesian rider Veda Pratama (Honda Team Asia). Uriarte eventually finished seventh, just ahead of teammate Carpe, while Matteo Bertelle (LEVEL UP-MTA) claimed ninth to complete Row 3. Eddie O’Shea (GRYD – MLav Racing) rounded out the top 10.
2026 French MotoGP Results—Moto3 Qualifying
| 1 | Adrian Fernandez | SPA | Leopard Racing (Honda) | 1m 40.044s |
| 2 | Maximo Quiles | SPA | CFMOTO Gaviota Aspar Team (KTM) | +0.140s |
| 3 | Joel Kelso | AUS | GRYD – MLav Racing (Honda) | +0.160s |
| 4 | Marco Morelli | ARG | CFMOTO Gaviota Aspar Team (KTM) | +0.216s |
| 5 | David Munoz | SPA | Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP (KTM) | +0.236s |
| 6 | Veda Pratama | INA | Honda Team Asia (Honda) | +0.260s |
| 7 | Brian Uriarte | SPA | Red Bull KTM Ajo (KTM) | +0.297s |
| 8 | Alvaro Carpe | SPA | Red Bull KTM Ajo (KTM) | +0.275s |
| 9 | Matteo Bertelle | ITA | LEVEL UP – MTA (KTM) | +0.483s |
| 10 | Eddie O’Shea | GBR | GRYD – MLav Racing (Honda) | +0.639s |
2026 French MotoGP News—Friday
Pit lane entry rules revised
After the controversial Sprint race at Jerez, Race Direction has tweaked the rules to ensure riders must enter pit lane at the official entry point, indicated by a dotted line.
“In all track sessions including races, the only permitted pit lane entry is by using the designated entry point and route, defined by the broken white line – following the pit lane entry road and crossing the designated pit lane entry timing point,” an official statement read.
This would have ruled out the chance of Marc Marquez cutting across the grass at Jerez’s final turn and entering pit lane from there. Should that happen, “where the broken white line is not crossed or the full pit lane entry road is not used by a rider, the FIM MotoGP Stewards may penalize as appropriate for practice sessions or races.” Neil Morrison
Tech3 to stay with KTM?
After weeks of speculation Tech3 is poised to stay with KTM for 2027 and beyond after heavily considering a switch to Honda machinery.
Team CEO Guenther Steiner was non-committal over the decision. “At the moment we’re still talking. We want to make sure we’re in a good place in the next years. We want to make sure we take the right decision. We don’t need a quick decision; we need a right one.
“Speaking with the teams, it’s very difficult to decide because no one knows what the bikes will be like next year. Completely new regulations. Whatever you do, you take a gamble. Being new here, it takes longer to understand. I want to make sure I don’t take a decision and regret in 2 or 3 weeks. I’m speaking to a few people. Hopefully in the next few weeks we can confirm.”
But Cycle News understands a switch to Honda is unlikely after KTM offered some recent financial incentives for the French team to stay. Neil Morrison
Marquez running different aero
Marc Marquez’s struggles continued on Friday in France, as he failed to make the Q2 cut in Practice for the first time this year. “I’m struggling with the front feeling,” he admitted. “but I think it’s more my riding style, I need to change some things to improve.”
It was also notable how Marquez had adopted last year’s side fairing – the three other GP26s remain with this year’s side aero – to combat his current problems.
“It’s a technical decision together with Ducati,” he explained. “In the end it’s the same direction as the fairing that they homologated, but the technicians believe I have a different size of body, with respect to Diggia, Pecco and Alex. They are much taller. And for my position of the body they believe that this is the correct fairing for me, made with the same direction as the others. So in the end the direction on the bike is the same.” Neil Morrison
Friday MotoGP
Johann Zarco (Castrol Honda LCR) began his 2026 home Grand Prix in perfect fashion by ending Friday at the summit. The French rider looked superb in the dry conditions throughout day one of the French Grand Prix, delighting the home supporters, while Fabio Di Giannantonio (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team) sat only 0.010s adrift in second. Two-time World Champion Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) secured third place despite suffering a late tumble.
It proved a difficult opening to Practice for Jorge Martin (Aprilia Racing), as the reigning 2024 World Champion and French GP victor crashed at Turn 9 little more than five minutes into the session. He was far from alone, however, because 15 minutes later Fermin Aldeguer (BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP) also lost the front end, this occasion occurring at Turn 3 despite his efforts to rescue the bike. With under 30 minutes remaining, Raul Fernandez (Trackhouse MotoGP Team) endured a major mechanical issue as his RS-GP burst into flames, briefly interrupting his Friday afternoon.
At the sharp end, it was Di Giannantonio who appeared to have found his rhythm quickest. The #49 rider was flying after claiming P2 during FP1 earlier in the day and now spearheading the pace in the afternoon. Yet that came only after a strong attack from last year’s home winner; Zarco not only climbed to P1 once, but then immediately improved again with consecutive fastest laps as the final ten minutes approached.
While Zarco continued to impress and fellow French favorite Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) climbed into the provisional top ten, Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) was charging hard before losing the front at the penultimate corner. Back on his feet quickly and sprinting to the pits for his spare machine, ‘The Shark’ still hoped to cement a direct Q2 place.
Meanwhile, another Honda moved to the top as Joan Mir set the pace once more. The Spaniard had topped the morning session and, with seven minutes left, repeated the feat again. That remained the case until double World Champion Bagnaia delivered a 1:30.045 to move ahead. It created a thrilling final shootout with only five minutes remaining.
One of the session’s late surprises arrived courtesy of Alex Rins (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP), who surged into the top ten alongside improvements from Martin and Marco Bezzecchi (Aprilia Racing). The Championship leader struggled for much of the session and only narrowly secured a top ten place at the end. Alex Marquez (BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP) and Ai Ogura (Trackhouse MotoGP Team) also jumped into the top ten, pushing Marc Marquez outside it. Teammate Bagnaia crashed on his final flying lap, while the #93 failed to improve and faces his first Q1 appearance since Indonesia last season after finishing 13th.
Zarco ended Friday fastest at Le Mans, delivering a dream beginning to the weekend for the packed grandstands. ‘Diggia’ finished P2 once again and this time found himself behind a different Honda compared to FP1, while Bagnaia, Alex Marquez and Mir rounded out the top five. Martin, Bezzecchi, Rins, Ogura and Acosta in P10 ensured every manufacturer advanced directly into Q2 after Practice. Less than three tenths separated the top ten in another astonishingly close MotoGP session.
Among those missing the cut were Enea Bastianini (Red Bull KTM Tech 3), fellow KTM contender Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing), and Marc Marquez in 13th. 2025 polesitter Quartararo could manage only 17th, while last year’s double podium finisher Aldeguer finished down in 21st. Just two remaining Q2 places will be decided on Saturday morning.
2026 French MotoGP Results—Friday MotoGP
| 1 | Johann Zarco | FRA | Castrol Honda LCR (RC213V) | 1:29.907s |
| 2 | Fabio Di Giannantonio | ITA | Pertamina VR46 Ducati (GP26) | +0.010s |
| 3 | Francesco Bagnaia | ITA | Ducati Lenovo (GP26) | +0.138s |
| 4 | Alex Marquez | SPA | BK8 Gresini Ducati (GP26) | +0.138s |
| 5 | Joan Mir | SPA | Honda HRC Castrol (RC213V) | +0.185s |
| 6 | Jorge Martin | SPA | Aprilia Racing (RS-GP26) | +0.221s |
| 7 | Marco Bezzecchi | ITA | Aprilia Racing (RS-GP26) | +0.270s |
| 8 | Alex Rins | SPA | Monster Yamaha (YZR-M1) | +0.288s |
| 9 | Ai Ogura | JPN | Trackhouse Aprilia (RS-GP26) | +0.289s |
| 10 | Pedro Acosta | SPA | Red Bull KTM (RC16) | +0.289s |
Friday Moto2
A blistering and very early 1:34.348 from Izan Guevara (BLU CRU Pramac Yamaha Moto2) ensured the Spaniard ended Friday atop the Moto2 standings on an ultra-close opening day. Just 0.002s shy of P1 was second-placed Celestino Vietti (Folladore SpeedRS Team) as Boscoscuro launched the weekend with a 1-2 finish, while another 0.001s further back sat third-placed Barry Baltus (REDS Fantic Racing). A mere 0.003s covering the top three – and there should be plenty more of that all weekend long.
Fourth position belonged to Ivan Ortola (QJMOTOR – El Motorista – MSI), with the Spaniard only 0.044s away from the summit, while fellow countryman Alonso Lopez (ITALJET Gresini Moto2) was another 0.088s behind in fifth place.
It proved a positive day for Daniel Holgado (CFMOTO Inde Aspar Team) following difficult outings in Austin and Jerez, as the former championship leader finished just over a tenth away from P1 in sixth. However, on the opposite side of the garage, it wasn’t the Friday David Alonso had been hoping for. The Colombian rider ended Practice in P18, 0.664s adrift of Guevara, and failed to feature inside the top 14 throughout the session. Plenty of work remains for the #80 in France.
The top two riders in the World Championship, Manuel Gonzalez and Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP teammate Senna Agius, completed Friday in P8 and P9 respectively. Most importantly, both safely secured their places in Q2.
2026 French MotoGP Results—Friday Moto2
| 1 | Izan Guevara | SPA | BLU CRU Pramac Yamaha Moto2 (Boscoscuro) | 1:34.348s |
| 2 | Celestino Vietti | ITA | Folladore SpeedRS Team (Boscoscuro) | +0.002s |
| 3 | Barry Baltus | BEL | REDS Fantic Racing (Kalex) | +0.003s |
| 4 | Ivan Ortola | SPA | QJMOTOR – El Motorista – MSI (Kalex) | +0.044s |
| 5 | Alonso Lopez | SPA | ITALJET Gresini Moto2 (Kalex) | +0.088s |
| 6 | Daniel Holgado | SPA | CFMOTO Inde Aspar Team (Kalex) | +0.104s |
| 7 | Collin Veijer | NED | Red Bull KTM Ajo (Kalex) | +0.149s |
| 8 | Manuel Gonzalez | SPA | LIQUI MOLY Dynavolt Intact GP (Kalex) | +0.161s |
| 9 | Senna Agius | AUS | LIQUI MOLY Dynavolt Intact GP (Kalex) | +0.185s |
| 10 | Ayumu Sasaki | JPN | Momoven Idrofoglia RW Racing Team (Kalex) | +0.288s |
Friday Moto3
David Muñoz (Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP) delivered an impressive performance to finish fastest on the opening day of Moto3 action at Le Mans, France. The French Grand Prix rarely disappoints and Muñoz, who challenged for victory here last season, will now be aiming to secure the first win of his 2026 campaign after throwing down the marker on Friday.
The #64 spent much of the session circulating near the front before snatching top spot away from teammate David Almansa in the closing minutes. Almansa had occupied P1 for the majority of Practice before Muñoz surged to the summit late in the session; Almansa then crashed on his final flying lap at Turn 8 but escaped unharmed. Completing the top three was Argentine talent Marco Morelli (CFMOTO Gaviota Aspar Team), who also displayed strong pace throughout Friday.
Directly behind the leading trio, Hakim Danish (AEON Credit – MT Helmets – MSI) claimed an impressive fourth ahead of late improver Brian Uriarte (Red Bull KTM Ajo) and Jerez podium finisher Adrian Fernandez (Leopard Racing). Elsewhere inside the top ten, Scott Ogden (CIP GreenPower) secured seventh at his squad’s home GP while Championship leader Maximo Quiles (CFMOTO Gaviota Aspar Team) grabbed P8 despite an early tumble at Turn 6. It was also a productive Friday for the Gryd – MLav Racing team, with both Joel Kelso and Eddie O’Shea advancing directly into Q2.
Several big names ended the day outside the top 14 at the chequered flag and therefore face a trip through Q1. COTA winner Guido Pini (Leopard Racing) could only manage 15th following a crash, while Alvaro Carpe (Red Bull KTM Ajo), second in the standings and leader of the opening FP1 session at Le Mans, ended the day down in P17 after his own fall. Joel Esteban (LEVELUP-MTA) has started from the front two rows in each of the last three Grands Prix but must now battle through Q1 to continue that streak.
2026 French MotoGP Results—Friday Moto3
| 1 | David Munoz | SPA | Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP (KTM) | 1:40.211s |
| 2 | David Almansa | SPA | Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP (KTM) | +0.014s |
| 3 | Marco Morelli | ARG | CFMOTO Gaviota Aspar Team (KTM) | +0.085s |
| 4 | Hakim Danish | MAL | AEON Credit- MT Helmets – MSI (KTM) | +0.232s |
| 5 | Brian Uriarte | SPA | Red Bull KTM Ajo (KTM) | +0.387s |
| 6 | Adrian Fernandez | SPA | Leopard Racing (Honda) | +0.425s |
| 7 | Scott Ogden | GBR | CIP Green Power (KTM) | +0.535s |
| 8 | Maximo Quiles | SPA | CFMOTO Gaviota Aspar Team (KTM) | +0.543s |
| 9 | Veda Pratama | INA | Honda Team Asia (Honda) | +0.568s |
| 10 | Valentin Perrone | ARG | Red Bull KTM Tech3 (KTM) | +0.622s |
