As it happened: Friday Free Practice - MotoGP Le Mans
Round seven of the 2022 MotoGP World Championship heads to Le Mans, France
Update: Pol Espargaro finished a competitive FP1 fastest ahead of Suzuki rider Alex Rins and winner last time out Francesco Bagnaia.
On the eve of the event Suzuki released news of their intention to pull out of MotoGP at the end of 2022.
It means Joan Mir and Alex Rins are officially looking for a seat in 2023, and thus will want to perform as speculation of where they could be riding intensifies.
Fabio Quartararo heads into his home round as the outright championship leader after finishing second in Jerez.
The Monster Energy Yamaha rider is yet to win at Le Mans in any class, as is the case for fellow Frenchman Johann Zarco.
The Pramac Ducati rider has stood on the podium three times at Le Mans (twice in MotoGP), with the last of those coming in 2021.
Jack Miller, who is coming under intense pressure as it relates to his factory Ducati seat won last season’s French MotoGP.
The Australian took advantage of wet conditions and Marc Marquez crashing from the lead to win his third race in the premier class.
Should Ducati win this weekend it will mark the third consecutive year they’ve won at Le Mans, after MotoAmerica rider Danilo Petrucci won in 2020.
Ducati’s best hope could be in the form of Francesco Bagnaia as the Italian appeared back to his best in Jerez. Winner of the Spanish GP, Bagnaia has climbed up to fifth in the championship standings.
Second in the championship is Aprilia rider Aleix Espargaro, who outside of Quartararo has been as consistent as one through the opening six races.
Of the current crop of premier class riders, eight-time world champion Marc Marquez has taken the most victories at Le Mans (3), while Miller and Maverick Vinales are the other two that have won at the Bugatti circuit in MotoGP.
Reporting by RobertJones
Key Moments
14:02
MotoGP FP2 - CLICK HERE for the full results
14:00
Bastianini finishes fastest from Espargaro, Rins, Zarco and Bagnaia.
13:58
Le Mans is once again proving to be a crash-heavy circuit as Alex Marquez...
13:57
Franco Morbidelli has crashed at turn 10, his second fall of the day.
As it happened: Friday Free Practice - MotoGP Le Mans
Round seven of the 2022 MotoGP World Championship heads to Le Mans, France
Update: Pol Espargaro finished a competitive FP1 fastest ahead of Suzuki rider Alex Rins and winner last time out Francesco Bagnaia.
On the eve of the event Suzuki released news of their intention to pull out of MotoGP at the end of 2022.
It means Joan Mir and Alex Rins are officially looking for a seat in 2023, and thus will want to perform as speculation of where they could be riding intensifies.
Fabio Quartararo heads into his home round as the outright championship leader after finishing second in Jerez.
The Monster Energy Yamaha rider is yet to win at Le Mans in any class, as is the case for fellow Frenchman Johann Zarco.
The Pramac Ducati rider has stood on the podium three times at Le Mans (twice in MotoGP), with the last of those coming in 2021.
Jack Miller, who is coming under intense pressure as it relates to his factory Ducati seat won last season’s French MotoGP.
The Australian took advantage of wet conditions and Marc Marquez crashing from the lead to win his third race in the premier class.
Should Ducati win this weekend it will mark the third consecutive year they’ve won at Le Mans, after MotoAmerica rider Danilo Petrucci won in 2020.
Ducati’s best hope could be in the form of Francesco Bagnaia as the Italian appeared back to his best in Jerez. Winner of the Spanish GP, Bagnaia has climbed up to fifth in the championship standings.
Second in the championship is Aprilia rider Aleix Espargaro, who outside of Quartararo has been as consistent as one through the opening six races.
Of the current crop of premier class riders, eight-time world champion Marc Marquez has taken the most victories at Le Mans (3), while Miller and Maverick Vinales are the other two that have won at the Bugatti circuit in MotoGP.
Moto2 FP2 - CLICK HERE for the full results
MotoGP FP2 - CLICK HERE for the full results
Bastianini finishes fastest from Espargaro, Rins, Zarco and Bagnaia.
And Marc Marquez produced a second 'save' late on. Stunning stuff from the Spaniard.
Le Mans is once again proving to be a crash-heavy circuit as Alex Marquez also went down at turn seven.
Franco Morbidelli has crashed at turn 10, his second fall of the day.
And Bastianini has now crashed at turn 3.
WOW! Enea Bastianini sets a new lap record to go fastest.
Luca Marini has now gone down for Ducati (turn 3). What a strange session for the Italian manufacturer.
Espargaro goes quickest for Aprilia.
Marco Bezzecchi is down at turn seven, same corner that caught out Mir early on.
Miller's off again but it's not a crash this time. The Australian ran into the gravel at 'Garage Vert' (turn seven).
There's just over ten minutes to go as time attacks are set to begin.
Darryn Binder has become the latest rider to crash.
That's an unahppy Rins as he just got blocked by a slow moving Pol Espargaro.
Jack Miller has crashed at turn 11.
Huge moment for Zarco as the French rider ran off-track at turn one and bunny-hopped his way back across the track.
The top three remain unchanged as riders are now completing long runs.
Pol Espargaro is again showing speed as he's fourth on combined times.
Bagnaia, Quartararo and Aleix Espargaro are within +0.039s of one-another.