MotoGP: Quartararo wants to relaunch at the Grand Prix of Le Mans, Bagnaia wants to continue its momentum


Struggling in Spain two weeks ago, Fabio Quartararo (Yamaha) will try to revive at home at the French Grand Prix, while reigning world champion Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati) will want to confirm his superiority this weekend. at Le Mans. “I was hoping for better results when I got to Jerez so I hope to get my revenge at Le Mans this weekend. the goals we want to achieve. I’m at home so I can’t wait to see and hear from my fans. I want to keep a positive mindset, give my best, and I hope achieve good results,” explained the 24-year-old from Nice.

The Frenchman, world champion 2021, will be eagerly awaited by French fans on the Bugatti circuit which will host the 1000th Grand Prix in the history of Moto GP but which, usually, does not succeed him too much in the race. Indeed, in eight participations, all categories combined, ‘El Diablo’ has only obtained one podium, with a third place in 2021 in the queen category. However, he won three pole positions there, including two in Moto GP (2020, 2021).

Bagnaia also hopes

Bagnaia is also not successful in MotoGP at Le Mans where he did not do better than fourth in four participations. Last year, he crashed after starting from pole position. But the superiority of his ‘Desmosedici’ should help him win his first podium on the land of his great French rival. “It could be raining so the conditions could be difficult. The potential of our bike is really interesting so we could do a good result here but the competition will be tough,” said the Turinese on Thursday.

In Jerez, the Italian, who remained on two crashes, set the record straight by winning the race and finishing second in the sprint. Thus, he escaped the championship standings where he now totals 87 points and is ahead of the Italian Marco Bezzecchi (Ducati-VR46) and the South African Brad Binder (RSA / KTM) by 22 and 25 points respectively. Quartararo is only in 11th position with 40 points on the clock.

mark back

The other Frenchman, Johann Zarco, who fell to ninth place in the championship after crashing in Jerez when he was in fifth position, will also try to bounce back at home. “It’s a circuit that I love and I hope I can fight for victory in both races. In Jerez I was more competitive than in the previous weekends but unfortunately I didn’t manage to get good results. I hope to do it here, even if the conditions could be difficult. But I will be able to adapt if necessary”, explained the Avignonnais, who twice won second place at Le Mans in the premier category ( 2017, 2021).

The French Grand Prix will also be marked by the return of Spaniard Marc Marquez (Honda), who injured his right hand at the start of the season in Portimao. Starting from pole position in the Portuguese GP on March 26, the Catalan fell on the second lap by dragging the Portuguese Miguel Oliveira (Aprilia) to the ground after hitting his compatriot Jorge Martin (Ducati). For this accident, Marquez had received a penalty of two “long laps”, a detour to take twice.

This penalty was in principle to apply during the next event contested by Marquez, but Honda had appealed this sanction and won the case this week. The MotoGP Court of Appeal has indeed considered that he had served his sanction by not participating in the next race, in Argentina.



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