The Frenchman Johann Zarco (Honda-LCR) won, in the rain, a Grand Prix de France de MotoGP completely crazy and makes the tens of thousands of tricolor supporters roar around the legendary Bugatti circuit, Sunday in Le Mans. It is the first time since 1954 and Pierre Monneret’s victory in Reims that a French pilot won the French Motorcycle Grand Prix in the Queen category.
The veteran of the grid (34 years old), who had rushed into 11th position, was ahead of the six-time world champion Marc Marquez (Ducati) and the Spanish rookie Fermin Aldeguer (Ducati-Gresini). Johann Zarco offered himself the second victory of his career in MotoGP, after that obtained in Australia in October 2023, on the occasion of his 150th Grand Prix in the Queen category.
Paid strategy
The race, disputed under a threatening and then rainy sky, was marked by several passages to the pilots of the pilots to change motorcycles, but Zarco had decided to put on the rain tires from the start of the race and keep them when the track has partially dried.
This strategy was paying since the rain returned after a few laps and allowed it to take orders. The Frenchman then mastered his motorcycle to perfection in very slippery conditions and finally won with almost 20 seconds ahead of Marquez.
Folle celebration with the public
In tears before even going down from his motorcycle, the Avignonnais allowed himself the luxury of letting his joy burst before the finish line and then to celebrate his victory with the members of his LCR team along the Stands Muret.
The boiling public Manceau spontaneously sang like a single man a moving Marseille while Zarco went to the stands to make a rear salto, his favorite celebration since his two world titles in Moto2 in 2015 and 2016.
The other Frenchman of the grid, Fabio Quartararo (Yamaha), who had rushed into pole position, is very well started but dropped on the wet track from the 5th round while he was in 2nd position.
