14:47
LCR Honda had Zarco pulling Moreira along to fourth. KTM is now doing the same with Acosta and Binder.
Johann Zarco, LCR Honda, 2026 French MotoGP
© Gold and Goose
MotoGP France LIVE: Friday practice reaction at Le Mans
Live text coverage of Friday practice at the 2026 MotoGP French Grand Prix
KEY MOMENTS
- Johann Zarco tops Practice, Marc Marquez in Q1
- Ducati brings new aero, but Marquez on '25-spec
- Luca Marini tops FP1
The fifth round of the 2026 MotoGP season takes place at the French Grand Prix and the iconic Le Mans Bugatti circuit.
Famous for its 24-hour endurance race, Le Mans welcomes back MotoGP to its Bugatti circuit, for an event that has seen record attendance in recent years.
Aprilia and Marco Bezzecchi come to the French Grand Prix leading the championship, after the Italian was second at the recent Spanish Grand Prix.
Bezzecchi has good memories from Le Mans, having won at the circuit in 2023 when he was with VR46 Ducati.
He leads the championship by 11 points from team-mate Jorge Martin, who is also a previous winner at Le Mans.
Ducati will be hoping for bigger things in France, after winning the Spanish Grand Prix with Alex Marquez. A good test on the Monday at Jerez has the Italian marque confident of being more competitive.
Marc Marquez will hope that rings true, after a crash at the Spanish Grand Prix further complicated his championship defence.
French fans will have their eyes fixed on the skies again, in the hopes that rain could open the door for another victory for Johann Zarco, following his triumph last year.
Maverick Vinales remains out for Tech3's home race, with Jonas Folger making a surprise return to action in his place.
2026 French MotoGP: Friday schedule
FP1: 9:45am BST - 10:30am BST
Practice: 2pm BSt-3pm BST
08 May 2026
14:46
Zarco improves to a 1m30.197s with 15 minutes to go, as the crowd erupts in cheer.
14:44
Zarco goes top with a 1m30.5s.
14:43
Alex Rins has gone early for a soft tyre time attack and is up to eighth. A few are out there doing the same.
14:38
Scary situation for Fernandez a few moments ago.
14:34
Fernandez is safely off the bike at Turn 8 and the fire has been extinguished. But he's got a long way to get back to the pits for his second bike.
14:34
Fire - Raul Fernandez
Raul Fernandez's Trackhouse Aprilia is on fire!
14:31
Standings after 30 minutes:
- Di Giannantonio
- Acosta
- Bagnaia
- Mir
- Bezzecchi
- Marini
- Zarco
- M.Marquez
- Martin
- Fernandez
14:26
Di Giannantonio has gone to the top of the times with a 1m30.739s. That lap was on a 10-lap-old soft rear.
14:25
Aldeguer tried his best to save that!
14:22
Crash - Fermin Aldeguer
Fermin Aldeguer has crashed at Turn 4. He's getting up, but limps away.
14:20
Martin moves into 15th with a lap just now.
Most have moved over to race running.
14:15
Standings after 15 minutes:
- Acosta
- Bagnaia
- Mir
- Bezzecchi
- Di Giannantonio
- Marini
- M.Marquez
- Zarco
- Moreira
- A.Marquez
14:12
Martin has got some fresh kit on and is ready to head out again after that early crash.
14:12
Honda has made another good start to a session at Le Mans, with Mir, Marini, Zarco and Moreira inside the top 10 at this early stage.
14:10
Acosta improves again to a 1m30.760s. That KTM is looking decent so far.
14:09
The aftermath of Martin's crash.
14:06
Acosta improves to a 1m30.792s.
14:06
Pedro Acosta is now fastest with a 1m31.152s. Most have gone out on the soft rear for now.
14:05
Crash - Jorge Martin
Jorge Martin has gone down into Turn 9. He's back up and riding his bike to pitlane.
14:04
Marco Bezzecchi sets the early pace with a 1m31.841s.
14:01
Obviously, if Marquez has homologated that 2025-spec aero, that means he has no updates he can use for the rest of the season.
14:01
Ducati aero
Alex Marquez and Fabio Di Giannantonio are on the latest Ducati aero.
Interestingly, Marc Marquez has gone to the 2025-spec. He hasn't been using it this year because he felt it was too physical. So, perhaps, he's feeling much better on it now.
14:00
Green flag
The hour-long Practice has begun.
13:50
Just 10 minutes to go until Practice begins.