Drama, clashes, glory and a title twist: #GP1000 had it all

Take a minute to catch your breath after what was an unimaginable SHARK Grand Prix de! Marco Bezzecchi (Mooney VR46 Racing Crew) takes a particular place in historical past because the race winner on the a thousandth FIM Grand Prix after a shocking break for glory in entrance of a report crowd at Le Mans, and there was drama, drama, drama all through the sphere.

First, Bezzecchi is now only one level behind Championship chief Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Crew) after the Italian crashed out of the race in a dramatic conflict with Aprilia Racing’s Maverick Viñales… gravel lure shouting match included, however each riders okay. Then, Jorge Martin (Prima Pramac Racing) vs Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Crew) lit up the struggle for second in a troublesome however truthful tussle, however that then resulted in late-race heartbreak for the quantity 93 as he slid out. Nevertheless, for the French followers it did imply Johann Zarco (Prima Pramac Racing) was then promoted to a wonderful house podium after some spectacular Sunday tempo, giving the 278,805 report crowd much more to cheer about.

The grid shaped in entrance of the most important crowd MotoGP™ has ever seen and it was Marc Marquez who shot into the lead as Bagnaia dropped down the order to P5. Jack Miller (Pink Bull KTM Manufacturing unit Racing) slotted himself into P2 with Bezzecchi placing his VR46 Ducati into P3. Bagnaia then rapidly snapped again at Martin because the Ducati riders duked it out on lap 1.

It was Marquez, Miller, Luca Marini (Mooney VR46 Racing Crew), Bagnaia, after which Martin as they got here throughout the road for the primary time, and we had a race on our fingers in MotoGP™. Miller wasn’t intimated by the eight-time World Champion by any means because the Aussie tried to pressure his means by on Marquez, however the Spaniard wouldn’t give in and hit straight again in true Marquez vogue.

Miller hit the entrance on the Dunlop chicane, in the meantime, the reigning World Champion was on the transfer as Bagnaia had now climbed his means again up right into a podium place with 25 laps remaining…

The laps ticked away as a seven-bike battle for victory shaped with Viñales carving his means into the third place, the Aprilia severely on the transfer. However then got here the drama: the Spaniard collided with Bagnaia as each riders competed for a similar piece of tarmac, each careening off into the gravel. Riders okay and to their toes… after which a good few yells exchanged.

Half a lap later, there was extra drama within the Le Mans gravel traps as Marini suffered a giant crash popping out of the Dunlop chicane, simply slicing the kerb. Alex Marquez (Gresini Racing MotoGP™) then obtained caught within the Italian’s crash as the sphere behind averted the incident, riders once more okay however one other large second of adrenaline shaking the race up. Marquez was, to return to an incident on the race begin, later given a 3-position grid penalty for his subsequent GP race too – after forcing Brad Binder (Pink Bull KTM Manufacturing unit Racing) huge earlier within the race and inflicting a domino impact with various riders shuffled.

Because the chaos subsided, we had a race on our fingers. A four-rider battle for victory had shaped as Miller now discovered himself with Marquez, Bezzecchi, and Martin for firm, earlier than Bezzecchi pushed his means by on Marc Marquez – and dropped the Spaniard from 2nd to 4th. The quantity 93 was despatched into one other postcode though no hurt accomplished, with each regrouping and Bezzecchi then informed to drop a place for the transfer: a penalty he anticipated, and a penalty he additionally served properly as he selected his second to let Martin again by. After which took it again, with Marquez following swimsuit too.

With 15 laps to go, Bezzecchi had 1.2s in his pocket to Marquez behind, who was 0.5s up the highway from Martin, who had discovered his means by on Miller. The Aussie was beginning to fall into the clutches of Zarco and Augusto Fernandez (GASGAS Manufacturing unit Racing Tech3). It didn’t take lengthy for Zarco to push his means by both because the Frenchman moved up into P4 and Fernandez adopted, leaving Miller in sixth.

With six to go, Martin thought it was time to pounce on Marc Marquez. The Spaniard tried to push his means by on the eight-time World Champion, however the Repsol Honda man was not giving in straightforward and bit again on the Prima Pramac Racing rider at each alternative. That allowed Zarco to edge nearer and nearer… and the group had positively seen.

Martin lastly pushed his means by with one and a half laps remaining, and this time the drama was for the quantity 93. Attempting to hold in there, the returning Repsol Honda rider tucked the entrance and ended his French Grand Prix within the gravel lure, however after fairly a return to the higher echelons of the timesheets.

That meant one factor to a partisan crown: Zarco was on the rostrum. The grandstands erupted across the French circuit as Bezzecchi crossed the road for a primary dry climate win, Martin ensured he’s the highest scorer at Le Mans this 12 months, after which the house hero reached the flag. The noise made for a powerful welcome.

Fourth place was additionally one thing to shout about as Tech3’s Fernandez took a powerful consequence after a powerful weekend. First time in Q2, the GASGAS rider had had the velocity all weekend and made it pay to perfection on Sunday to bounce again.

Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing) rounded out the highest 5 as Binder recovered from being battered down the order on the primary lap to struggle his means again by the pack, take an extended penalty for a shortcut, and nonetheless handle to take sixth.

Fabio Quartararo (Monster Power Yamaha MotoGP™) had a more durable house Grand Prix however took a piece of factors on Sunday because the 2021 World Champion ended his weekend in Le Mans with a P7, with Fabio Di Giannantonio (Gresini Racing MotoGP™), Takaaki Nakagami (IDEMITSU Honda Crew Asia), and Franco Morbidelli taking eighth, ninth, and tenth – simply forward of Danilo Petrucci (Ducati Lenovo Crew) on his MotoGP™ return deputising for the injured Enea Bastianini.

Early race chief Miller crashed out with three laps remaining after the Aussie had been dropping down the order on his KTM machine, making it a weekend to overlook when it comes to outcomes however one to recollect for velocity. Can he bounce again at Mugello? Many will likely be seeking to be a part of him in doing so…With the championship plot ever-changing in MotoGP™, there is not any telling what the chapter holds because the paddock strikes to the Gran Premio d’Italia Oakley on the ninth to eleventh of June. Be sure that to maintain updated with the entire motion because it unfolds on motogp.com!

1. Marco Bezzecchi (Mooney VR46 Racing Crew)2. Jorge Martin (Prima Pramac Racing) +4.2563. Johann Zarco (Prima Pramac Racing) +4.7954. Augusto Fernandez (GASGAS Manufacturing unit Racing Tech3) +6.2815. Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing) +6.7266. Brad Binder (Pink Bull KTM Manufacturing unit Racing) +13.6387. Fabio Quartararo (Monster Power Yamaha MotoGP™) +15.0238. Fabio Di Giannantonio (Gresini Racing MotoGP™) +15.8269. Takaaki Nakagami (LCR Honda IDEMITSU) +16.37010. Franco Morbidelli (Monster Power Yamaha MotoGP™) +17.828