MotoGP, 2024 marks a first in eight years for the French

Since 2019, France can boast of having two Frenchmen in MotoGP. A statistic which is rare in a championship where the seats are largely occupied by the Spaniards and Italians. But the two Tricolores are not in the premier category to make up the numbers, and have each distinguished themselves on multiple occasions.

Fabio Quartararo became world champion at the end of the 2021 season, while Johann Zarco scored his first victory in the class in 2023, during the Australian Grand Prix. Despite everything, the two French representatives are experiencing difficult times with their respective brands, Honda and Yamaha.

Two factories which have experienced success, and which are today looking for solutions to return to their former level of competitiveness. In 2024, things haven't been easy, and neither brand has made it onto the podium. A first in the modern era of Grands Prix, but also for France since the arrival of Zarco and Quartararo in MotoGP.

Indeed, since Cannes' promotion to MotoGP in 2017, each season had seen at least one Frenchman get on a podium. Seven seasons had passed without a French driver missing the top-3. 2024 will not have allowed this series to be extended.

The strengths of Yamaha and Honda for 2025

Despite everything, we must remain hopeful for 2025. A season that each of the two manufacturers is approaching with the hope of making further progress. To do this, Honda will be able to count on a brand new test team, which will spare no effort between the Grands Prix. Yamaha, for its part, will rely on data from two additional motorcycles on track. Pramac having divorced with Ducati to complete the workforce of the Iwata factory.

Despite everything, each of the manufacturers will need to start 2025 at least at the same level as during the final stages of the previous season, to hope to obtain anything from this campaign. A question to which Sepang's first winter tests will partly answer.