Despite scoring just six out of a possible 50 points in the last two MotoGP races, Johann Zarco remains the top satellite rider and only eight points from second in the standings Valentino Rossi.
Andrea Iannone has confirmed he will leave the factory Suzuki MotoGP team at the end of this season. The Italian made the announcement, expected given the growing rumours that Joan Mir is to join the team, on the eve of his home Grand Prix at Mugello.
Antonio Fuoco and Lando Norris have both recieved time penalties for breaching Virtual Safety Car regulations during the Formula 2 sprint race in Monaco.
Daniel Ricciardo produced a new track record to lead Red Bull to a one-two finish in the first Formula 1 practice session of the Monaco Grand Prix weekend, edging out teammate Max Verstappen at the top of the timesheets.
It's no secret that Danilo Petrucci and Pramac team-mate Jack Miller lead the list of riders ready to replace Jorge Lorenzo, if the triple MotoGP champion does not renew his contract with Ducati for 2019.
Steve McQueen's character famously jumped a motorcycle over a fence, but Jakub Kornfeil pulled off his own Great Escape with a real-life Hollywood stunt in Sunday's French Moto3 Grand Prix.
Ongoing medical tests mean it is currently still uncertain if Cal Crutchlow will be declared fit to take part in Sunday's French MotoGP. The LCR Honda rider suffered a vicious highside crash on the exit of Turn Nine in qualifying, rotating through the air before landing on his hip.
Defending Le Mans winner Maverick Vinales felt helpless to prevent himself slipping from first to eighth on the Saturday MotoGP timesheets. Air and track temperatures were 13 and 22 degrees respectively when the Movistar Yamaha topped the morning FP3 session.
Suzuki MotoGP team manager Davide Brivio has confirmed that Suzuki could sign a 'young rider' in 2019, amid rumours that Moto2 rookie Joan Mir is in contention for a GSX-RR ride.
Maverick Vinales put Yamaha on top of the timesheets with a new Le Mans lap record of 1m 31.619s during Saturday morning's FP3 session. At one stage M1 riders were filling the top three places courtesy of Vinales, Valentino Rossi and Monster Yamaha Tech3's Johann Zarco.
Valentino Rossi arrived at the French MotoGP after a miserable weekend in Jerez, tenth place in the post-race test and then a 'quite slow' private test at Mugello.
The completion of Andrea Dovizioso's new Ducati deal means the factory will now turn its attention to filling the remaining free places in its 2019 MotoGP line-up.
'I've got no desire to go back to MotoGP and have a year like last year…. My priority is to stay here, improve over this year, win some races and have a full go at [the Moto2 title] next year' - Sam Lowes.
Having discovered that the 2018 Yamaha suffers some of the same grip problems as last season at Jerez, Valentino Rossi and Maverick Vinales will be hoping the current bike can also be just as strong as last season at Le Mans.
Aprilia's new carbon fibre swingarm is due to make its debut 'in one of the next races', following a promising private test with the MotoGP team at Mugello. That probably means either this weekend's Le Mans round, or the factory's home event at the same Mugello circuit from June 1-3.
Fresh from a 400th premier-class victory at Jerez, MotoGP tyre supplier Michelin is turning its focus on new lap records during its home round at Le Mans this weekend.