The 2025 Michelin® Grand Prix of France promises to live up to expectations as a titanic title race continues to see the pendulum swing from one side to the other. However, if you thought that it would calm down this weekend, you’re wrong. Le Mans has shown time and time again that the only thing predictable in MotoGP™ is that it’s completely unpredictable, so we take a trip down memory lane at some of the classic French GPs – and there’s a common theme: the weather.
2003: Gibernau gets one over Rossi
The weather is always a talking point at Le Mans and 22 years ago, it was the same; midway through the original start, a red flag due to rain meant a 13-lap dash. It was Rossi vs Gibernau all the way in the closing stages and ‘The Doctor’ led the #15 into the last lap but at Turn 7, Gibernau hit the front. Rossi responded into Turn 11 but went wide, allowing Gibernau back through before he tried again at Turn 13 but couldn’t hold the racing line. One of many great battles between the two of them, Gibernau came out on top for a third career victory.
2007: Vermeulen dances in the rain
A crazy race, once again impacted by some rain but gone are the days of red flags – this time, a flag-to-flag Grand Prix. In the early stages, it was a French 1-2 with Sylvain Guintoli and Randy de Puniet out front. Both fell off from podium positions and in de Puniet’s case, from the lead due to the weather, triggering a plethora of riders to come down pitlane and change bikes. The rain poured down but Chris Vermeulen had no issues at all, finding his way into the lead, staying there to take the chequered flag and take his only victory, ahead of Marco Melandri and Casey Stoner P3.
2009: Lorenzo’s Land is marked
A chaotic 2009 French GP saw another flag to flag but this time, the other way around; it started on wets but then after a few laps, it was time for slick tyres. Valentino Rossi was the first to blink but paid the price as he fell at Turn 7; he came back in pitlane, changed back on to his original bike but with slick tyres before getting a ride through penalty for speeding in pitlane. At the front, Jorge Lorenzo came in on Lap 12 and had timed it perfectly. He took the win by some 17s ahead of a heroic Marco Melandri on the Hayate with Dani Pedrosa in P3.
2017: Viñales vs Rossi in last lap belter
For once, no rain interfered in what was a corking Grand Prix at Le Mans; Valentino Rossi was once again a protagonist but once again, his luck at Le Mans was out. He led onto the last lap ahead of teammate Maverick Viñales but a mistake at Turn 8 saw him relinquish the lead. Into Turn 11 and in his desperation, he fell from P2, leaving the coast clear for Viñales to win the Grand Prix without pressure in the final corners, ahead of home-hero Johann Zarco and Dani Pedrosa in third.
2021: Miller takes victory in a modern flag-to-flag classic
A dry(ish) start to 2021’s French GP was soon interrupted by a downpour on Lap 5, which saw Jack Miller – who led on the opening lap – run off at Turn 11 but keep it upright. Everyone piled into the pits and it was Marc Marquez who took over at the front before he fell at the end of Lap 8, ending his hopes a first victory since injury. Miller was now in P2 behind home-hero Quartararo but was given a double Long Lap Penalty for speeding in pitlane. Despite this, on Lap 12, he passed the #20 and then cleared off into the distance for a second win on the spin. Behind though, the home crowd got what they wanted with Johann Zarco in P2 and new Championship leader Quartararo in third.
