The fabled motor racing city of Le Mans, in northwestern France, is the scene for the latest round of the MotoGP World Championship. Of course, the motorcycles do not use the full Circuit de la Sarthe as the cars do for the 24 Hours of Le Mans. They, for this race, and for their own 24 Hours of Le Mans race, utilize the shorter Bugatti circuit, and that is the track that will play host to today's MotoGP action, which is coming at you, right now. It's live, and it's next!
Fabio Quartararo is still leading the MotoGP World Championship as he lines up here on the grid at Le Mans. It is going to be a wet race today at Le Mans that we have to look forward to. Quartararo is leading the championship ahead of Joan Mir. It's the Yamaha rider vs. the Suzuki rider in the points fight. Quartararo's bike is squatted and he's ready to go, along with the other MotoGP contenders. Right lights, on. Red lights, out! Away we go in the French motorcycle Grand Prix at Le Mans! A good start for Jack Miller and here comes Cal Crutchlow as we climb the hill towards the first turn at the Dunlop chicane for the first time of asking in this 26 lap race.
Crutchlow, the British rider on the LCR Honda with Castrol oil sponsorship, he rockets out of the starting gate and leads this motorcycle race right from the off. Maverick Vinales on the first of the factory Yamaha's has been swallowed up as they approach the Dunlop curves for the first time, on a damp, wet track here at Le Mans. Quartararo and Crutchlow are scrapping and oh dear! Valentino Rossi is down. He's planted his motorcycle just within the first couple corners!
"The Doctor" can't find a cure for his ailments as far as results in 2020. It is a third successive DNF for Rossi! Heartbreaking stuff. Really heartbreaking, for a guy who used to dominate and rule Grand Prix motorcycle racing in the past, but not this year. Jack Miller was shot out of a cannon and leads into La Chapelle for the first time, but he runs wide, and will give that lead up as Fabio Quartararo is going to fight on the outside. Quartararo is second on the #20 Yamaha YZR M1 for Petronas Yamaha SRT. Pol Espargaro is also running well aboard the #44 factory Red Bull backed KTM.
He is fifth. Even better is Andrea Dovizioso, the factory Ducati rider, who is now in second place. Danilo Petrucci, his Ducati team mate is making a move on the inside line past Quartararo too, look. Quartararo is learning how to be brave in the rain, but he is being monstered by the Ducati's at the moment. No pun intended, as Monster Energy is of course the sponsor of the Yamaha factory team. Alex Rins, the Spaniard is also moving up and he's gained at last ten spots within the span of the first couple corners here at Le Mans.
Rins of course is Joan Mir's Suzuki team mate. For Valentino Rossi, as we've said, it is his third successive retirement. What a shame. It is a Ducati 1-2-3 right now, in the wet. Jack Miller leading Danilo Petrucci and Andrea Dovizioso. #43 leads #9 leads #04. Bradley Smith is showing his prowess in the rain as well, going inside of Johann Zarco. Zarco on the #5 Reale Avintia Racing Ducati, being passed by the #38 bike, the Brit on the factory Aprilia for Team Gresini. Petrucci and Miller are wheel to wheel, and Petrucci, the winner of the Mugello race, takes the lead away.
Now, Ducati have never won here at Le Mans, nor have they locked out the podium at a MotoGP race. It's early doors yet, but, could the bikes from Bologna spring a surprise before this motorcycle race is done and dusted? We'll see. Quartararo is not running to his expected form today. Lap three and he's being monstered by the KTM there, of Miguel Oliveira. Alex Marquez on the #73 Repsol Honda has also fallen victim to the wrath of his fellow Spaniard. Takaaki Nakagami and Aleix Espargaro are also ready to pounce. You have the Idemitsu LCR Honda of Nakagami, bike #30, and Aleix Espargaro on the #41, the second Team Gresini Aprilia, absolutely going for it.
As of now (and I know, the points as they run thing is silly because it's during the race and not after), we can see Fabio Quartararo would have his lead cut down to just ten points over Andrea Dovizioso, 114-110. Joan Mir on the Suzuki would be third, 14 markers behind at 100 points even, and Jack Miller, 23 points behind Quartararo, on 91. We can see now, a battle between two Yamaha's. One factory bike and one SRT Petronas bike. Maverick Vinales is about to be passed by Franco Morbidelli. Vinales, Morbidelli, and Mir, are nearly caboose on the field in 18th, 19th, and 20th, respectively.
That action was on lap five. We move ahead now to lap seven and at the top of the shop, it's getting heavy. The three Ducati's are still scrapping away for the lead of this motorcycle race. It is Danilo Petrucci leading, Andrea Dovizioso in second, and Jack Miller in third. Alex Rins on the Suzuki, he is catching these blokes on the Ducati's, and uncorks yet another 1:45.8, another consistent lap time from the rapid Spaniard. Petrucci runs wide through turn two, and so, this opens the door for Andrea Dovizioso.
Rain has come to Le Mans on lap nine. It is tipping down with rain now. Ouch! Bradley Smith, down and out, off the Aprilia, so the Gresini Aprilia effort has been halved here at Le Mans. After a bruising high side crash, Bradley Smith, the Briton, crawls away. He alsohad a mega sized high side on Friday. So it is his second giant wallop of the weekend. He goes down at Recordements corner. Lap 11 and we are almost to halfway as the Ducati riders continue to dominate. We are watching Joan Mir, down in 17th place aboard the factory Ecstar Suzuki, bike #36. The points tables, meanwhile, are still chopping and changing. Quatararo, at this juncture, would lead by nine points over Dovizioso 113-104, a gap of nine points.
Joan Mir would be 13 markers back, still on 100 points, and on these calculations, just like the earlier ones, we would see Maverick Vinales and Yamaha on 91 points. Mir is cooking having put in a 1:45 dead, 1:45.0, much quicker than Senore Petrucci on the Ducati as we are a lap away from the halfway mark here at Le Mans. Halfway home officially now, as we watch from the onboard camera as Alex Rins is reeling in Jack Miller. The Suzuki vs. Ducati scrap continues. The Ducati will have the legs on the straightaway, but as we move into the twists and turns of sector four on the circuit, that's where Rins and the Suzuki will make up time.
Pol Espargaro is running even quicker than Alex Rins. 1:44.734 for Pol Espargaro on the KTM. Petrucci, too, on the Ducati, is running extremely well, for a rider, who, well, to say the least and put it bluntly, he's either really hot or really cold with his performances. He might be on a hot streak, as we cross the halfway mark here at Le Mans. 13 laps on the board. 13 laps left to race. A crash has been reported, and it's Tito Rabat. The Spaniard is down, and hopefully not out, aboard the #53 Ducati Desmosedici 19 for Hublot Real Avinita/ESponsorama Racing. He is the first man to ditch the motorcycle in these tricky, wet conditions, at turn four, La Chapelle. Pol Espargaro seems to be moving up, as we move past the fan wall, the spectators watching this race, from home, and clearly enjoying it.
Joan Mir is working his way through the field, trying to move into the points paying spots. Lap 16, just ten laps remaining, here at Le Mans in MotoGP. Alex Marquez is the rider with the fastest lap at 1:44.224. Compare that, in wet conditions, to a dry lap by Maverick Vinales here at Le Mans in 2017 at 1:32.309. Pol Espargaro and Alex Marquez, are catching the leading quartet, and fast. Two more riders finding an extra turn of speed at this point are Cal Crutchlow and Miguel Oliveira. Rins wants by Miller. Miller is reluctant and does not want to give it up, and so, once again, he slams the door in Rins' face.
Oh dear. Someone else has fallen off their motorcycle. That is a sure bet, if you hear scraping noises on the pavement, someone has ditched their motorcycle, someplace. It looks like Franco Morbidelli has crashed out, but, the Italian won't roll over and play dead. He's going to get back in the saddle and keep on trucking. He crashed at turn four, at La Chapelle, which has been calamity corner all day. He is going to keep going in the race, but his championship hopes have all but evaporated. The Ducati trio continues to lead, but no one has been willing to show each other a wheel and say, "hey, you want a piece of me?" That's not come yet. Not yet. But it might.
We continue to watch the Ducati battle and points are back on the screen. As of this moment, Fabio Quartararo, has a very slim, four point margin over Andrea Dovizioso. 113-109. Joan Mir is shown 11 points back in third at 102. Maverick Vinales 91 point total, is 22 behind the points leader. Meantime, Andrea Dovizioso has shown a front wheel to Danilo Petrucci, and has gone around his Ducati team mate for the factory team. Dovizioso leads, but not for long! He runs wide, and now, Petrucci, his team mate, and fellow Italian, is bearing down on him.
Jack Miller now makes it a Ducati 1-2-3 once again, making his move on Alex Rins' Suzuki. Dovizioso and Petrucci almost touch. Just eight laps left. Oh dear! Cal Crutchlow, over and out! Cal Crutchlow was in seventh, looking for a few more places to be on the podium. That's not going to happen today. Danilo Petrucci runs deep into the corner. This is a proper ding dong between the Ducati boys, but it is playing right into the hands of both Pol Espargaro and Alex Marquez. Four wide into the Dunlop Curve! Oh dear! Something has to give here!
There's argy bargy everywhere! Miller has to surrender. He has to put his arm up to signal, "I'm going to give that position back to you, mate." Dovizioso was picked off by Miller and Rins on the inside. Pol Espargaro, meanwhile, along with Alex Rins, have attached themselves to this lead group. So this has become something like a six way battle for position. Seven laps left, and Jack Miller might have a mechanical issue with his Pramac Ducati! Miller bails for the pit lane! He has smoke spewing out the back of the bike! This malfunction with the motorcycle might ruin his world championship hopes! Spare a thought for the Aussie on his way to retirement.
Alex Marquez moves inside of Pol Espargaro. Juse eight laps left to run here at Le Mans before this race is over. Again, we spare a thought for Jack Miller. He could have very well won this race had the bike not let him down. Joan Mir on the Suzuki has worked his way to 12th spot. Oh! Oh no! The other Suzuki! Alex Rins is down, from second spot! Suzuki's dreams of winning at Le Mans are dashed! Chris Vermuellen won here at Le Mans 13 years ago in 2007. Rins made a classic mistake and has crashed out at turn three, the second part of the Dunlop chicane.
There must be a curse of running in second spot here at Le Mans. Now, just one lap remains in the motorcycle race. Everything is laid down on the table now, as a peace offering, or, as a chance for someone to steal the loot and say, "you're mine now, suckers!" We start the final lap of the most bizarre French Grand Prix in some time as Johann Zarco moves past Takaaki Nakagami. It's Reale Avintia Ducati passing Idemitsu LCR Honda. The gap is 1.2 seconds between Danilo Petrucci and Alex Marquez is constant. It's KTM in third spot, on the podium, with Pol Espargaro. So, we shall perhaps see three different makes on the podium here at Le Mans.
Somehow or other, Andrea Dovizioso is fending off the challenge of Miguel Oliveira. That battle sees Ducati and KTM as well. Alex Marquez, until now, had never ridden a MotoGP top class motorcycle in wet conditions, but he is doing so now, and putting on a clinic. Dovizioso and Oliveira are both experiencing fading rear tires. It's the final lap at Le Mans and is Petrucci's race to lose. Stefan Bradl leads a group that includes a couple of cotenders. Mir is going to try Quartararo here, look. He sticks the pass as Quartararo goes in hot at Garage Vert. Just don't park it in the green garage yet, mate.
Danilo Petrucci though, he's going to experience sweet relief. He hasn't had a top six placing since the German Grand Prix at the Sachsenring in 2019. Engine engine number nine, brings it to the finish line! Tip your hat! Danilo Petrucci wins MotoGP at Le Mans! Alex Marquez and Pol Espargaro complete the podium. Dovizioso fourth, and Johann Zarco fifth. The rest of the top ten is Miguel Oliveira, Takaaki Nakagami, Stefan Bradl (in at Repsol Honda for the injured Marc Marquez), Fabio Quartararo, and Maverick Vinales.
#9 Danilo Petrucci ITA. Ducati Team Ducati Desmosedici GP20
The next MotoGP race, is the tenth round of 14, back in Spain, in the autonomous community of Aragon at Motorland Aragon, or Ciudad del Motor de Aragon Alcaniz, in Aragon, Spain, next weekend. Looking forward to bringing you all the action. Au revoir for now, from Le Mans, in France.
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