French veteran surprised all by a row

French motorcycle ace Johann Zarco (Honda LCR), surprisingly in his favor, decided the race for the France Grand Prize in the MotoGP World Cup. In a test, full of confusion with tire changes, prolonged penalty circles and rain, he eventually won with almost 20 seconds of jumping in front of the Spaniards Marco Marquez (Ducati) and Fermin Aldeguer (Ducati Gresini).

Although Zarco started in the background, he did the best with many cherms. He celebrated his second victory in the royal category, the first after the venture at the Australia Grand Prize 2023 at Phillip Island. An experienced Frenchman, who will be 35 in July, was looking for the first place in Le Mans after 1954.

Marc Marquez, the fastest on yesterday’s sprint, increased the lead in the overall ranking with second place; In front of a second -ranked brother Alexom Marquez (Gresini Ducati), who did not finish this race after two falls, now has 22 points of stock. There were two more Spaniards under the winning stage, Pedro Acosta (Ktm) and Maverick Viñales (KTM Tech3).

Initially, it was good to show another Frenchman

After the heating circuit, most racers turned into boxes for wet paths due to the rain. After a short break and a new heating circuit, about half of the motorcyclists replaced the tires again, and some remained on those for the wet line. Everyone who wrapped the second tires for the second time also received a penalty of two extended laps.

Marquez has started perfectly and overtook the home trump card Fabia Quartararoja (Yamaha). But the French qualifying winner returned only a few turns later. The problems in the introduction had an Italian behind Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati), which after a collision with Joan Miro (Honda) found on the ground.

Quartararo quickly brought a second of a break in front of Marc, who was then overtaken by the younger brother Alex. Quartararo was the first to serve the penalty of the first long round and declined to fifth. In the fourth, Aldeguer also drove past March to second place, and then, along with Alex, served his sentence, so Marc still temporarily took the lead. But there was a shock to home fans, as he drove Quartararo to a slightly more wet part of the track and finished the race in the sand.

Marc Marquez had to deal with another place. Photo: Stephane Mahe/Reuters

After the new penalties, Aldeguer took the lead before Marc and Alex, followed by more confusion when the Spanish brothers drove new rain tires. This was later done by Aldeguer and some others at that time, so that the leadership after all this chaos inherited Zarco with a nice advantage before Miguel Oliveiro (Yamaha), Marc and Alex.

Marquez then came past Oliveira, and the race finally calmed down. Zarco drove nine seconds ahead of Marc, Alex and Acosta, who also came past Oliveira.

He continued Zarco at an excellent rhythm, and until the end only escalated his advantage. Marc had a good two seconds ahead of Alex, which safely drove in third place. But it didn’t go smoothly for the latter, he found himself on the ground five rounds before the end and fell to sixth place.

Acosta drove third, and Alex was on the ground again and no longer continued the race before the end. Two rounds ahead of the finish line, the last place on the Acosti winners was a Aldeguer. The newcomer thus afforded the first classic podium in the royal class.

The next trial in the MotoGP World Cup will be 25th. Maja Grand Britain’s Grand Prix in Silverston.