Marc Marquez (Ducati) is already at ease in Le Mans. The Spaniard was the fastest of the qualifying tests of the French MotoGP Grand Prix in front of the local hero Fabio Quartararo (Yamaha), Friday on the Bugatti circuit. The MotoGP world Champion even offered the luxury of establishing a new record for the Sarthois route, improving the time made last year by his compatriot Jorge Martin with a Ducati-Pramac.
The reigning world champion, heavily injured in Qatar last month (Hémopneumothorax, fractures of several coasts) after a fall on the handlebars of his Aprilia, is still convalescent and will still miss several races.
In the moment of its superb weekend in Jerez (Spain) two weeks ago (pole position and second place during the GP), Quartararo won a promising second place at 177 thousandths of Marquez, to the delight of tens of thousands of French fans massaged around the Manceau circuit.
-Zarco off the top 10
The Niçois has ahead of the other official Ducati of the Italian Francesco Bagnaia and the Ducati-Gresini of the Spanish rookie Fermin Aldeguer and his compatriot Alex Marquez, leader of the world championship in front of his big brother since his victory in Andalusia during the previous race.
Australian Jack Miller (Yamaha-Pramac) made the sixth time, in front of the Spaniards Pedro Acosta (KTM) and Maverick Vinales (KTM-Tech3). The Top 10 is completed by the Italians Franco Morbidelli (Ducati-VR46) and Marco Bezzecchi (Aprilia). Johann Zarco (Honda LCR) will have to go through the Q1 after finishing 12th.
- Classification of qualifying tests
1. Marc Marquez (ESP/Ducati) 1:29.855 (Q)
2. Fabio Quartararo (fra / yamaha) to 0.177 (Q)
3. Francesco Bagnaia (ITA/Ducati) 0.184 (Q)
4. Aldeguer Farm (ESP/Docaats-Gresine) 0.366 (Q)
5. Alex Marquez (ESP / Ducati-Gresini) 0.401 (Q)
6. Jack Miller (from/Yamaha-Pramac) 0.422 (Q)
7. Pedro Acosta (ESP/KTM) 0.453 (Q)
8. Maverick Vinales (Esp/Ktm-Tech3) 0.635 (Q)
9. Franco Morbidelli (ITA/Ducati-Vr46) 0.654 (Q)
10. Marco Bezzecchi (ITA/Aprilia) 0.767 (q)
11. Luca Marini (Ita/Honda) 0.820
12. Johann Zarco (FRA/Honda-LCR) 0.899
13. Enea Bastianini (ITA/KTM-Tech3) 0.946
14. Joan Mir (Esp/Honda) 0.966
15. Raul Fernandez (ESP/Aprilia-Trackhouse) 1.087
16. AI Ogura (JPN/Aprilia-Trackhouse) 1,310
17. Alex Rins (ESP/Yamaha) 1.399
18. Fabio Di Giannantonio (ITA/Ducati-Vr46) 1.402
19. Brad Binder (RSA/KTM) 1.562
20. Takaaki Nakagami (JPN/Team HRC) 1,700
21. Miguel Oliveira (by/yamaha-pramac) 2.470
22. Lorenzo Savadori (ITA/Aprilia) 2,570
 Deviance Fabio Quartararo (Yamaha) on qualifying tests and signs the track record){kind=link}