13:59
Tyre choice
Some late information from Michelin that Zarco and Rins have gone to the soft front.
Marc Marquez, Ducati Corse, 2026 French MotoGP
© Gold and Goose
MotoGP France sprint as it happened: Jorge Martin wins, Marc Marquez out after big crash
Live coverage of qualifying and the sprint for the 2026 MotoGP French Grand Prix
KEY MOMENTS
- Jorge Martin wins sprint, Marc Marquez crashes
- Pecco Bagnaia takes first pole of 2026
- Marc Marquez fastest in Q1 with lap record
- Fabio Quartararo goes into Q2
The 2026 MotoGP French Grand Prix continues on Saturday 9 May with qualifying and the sprint from Le Mans, with home hero Johann Zarco hoping to delight the crowd once again.
The LCR Honda rider made history in 2025 with his win in wet conditions at Le Mans, and has faced numerous questions about repeating this coming into the weekend amid grim forecasts for Sunday.
But Johann Zarco showed he and his Honda have pace in the dry, too, on Friday, after he topped Practice by just 0.010s from VR46 Ducati's Fabio Di Giannantonio.
In what was a tight Practice, Honda looked solid over one lap as well as race pace, while Ducati continued its strong form from the Spanish Grand Prix, with Di Giannantonio leading Pecco Bagnaia and Alex Marquez.
Marc Marquez was the big casualty of the top 10 shootout on Friday afternoon, as the reigning world champion failed to make it directly into Q2. Though the Ducati has made a step since the Jerez test, the seven-time world champion appears to still be struggling to get the most out of his bike.
Aprilia had a mixed day at Le Mans on Friday, but Marco Bezzecchi was fast over long-run pace, while both he and team-mate Jorge Martin made it directly into Q2.
KTM's Pedro Acosta was second at the end of Friday's running, as he comes into Saturday at Le Mans looking for his second sprint win of the season.
Following qualifying, Pecco Bagnaia claimed a first pole of the season ahead of Marc Marquez.
2026 MotoGP French Grand Prix: Saturday schedule
FP2 - 9:10am BST-9:40am BST
Q1 - 9:50am BST-10:05am BST
Q2 - 10:15am BST-10:30am BST
Sprint - 2pm BST
09 May 2026
14:00
Warm-up lap
The warm-up lap is underway.
13:56
Five minutes until lights out.
13:52
Tyre choice
Quartararo has now switched to the hard front.
13:51
Yamaha says it is still to decide on Quartararo's front tyre choice. Only a few minutes left to make that decision.
13:49
The last time Pecco Bagnaia started from pole, he won the sprint. Can history repeat itself today?
13:44
Sprint tyre choice
Everyone has gone to the grid on the soft rear. Quartararo is the only rider not on the hard front - he's gone soft.
13:40
Pitlane has opened for the sighting lap and the French crowd has erupted into cheers.
13:33
2026 French MotoGP: Sprint grid
The starting grid for the 13-lap sprint:
| Pos | Rider | Nat | Team |
| 1 | Francesco Bagnaia | ITA | Ducati Lenovo (GP26) |
| 2 | Marc Marquez | SPA | Ducati Lenovo (GP26) |
| 3 | Marco Bezzecchi | ITA | Aprilia Racing (RS-GP26) |
| 4 | Fabio Di Giannantonio | ITA | Pertamina VR46 Ducati (GP26) |
| 5 | Pedro Acosta | SPA | Red Bull KTM (RC16) |
| 6 | Fabio Quartararo | FRA | Monster Yamaha (YZR-M1) |
| 7 | Joan Mir | SPA | Honda HRC Castrol (RC213V) |
| 8 | Jorge Martin | SPA | Aprilia Racing (RS-GP26) |
| 9 | Ai Ogura | JPN | Trackhouse Aprilia (RS-GP26) |
| 10 | Alex Marquez | SPA | BK8 Gresini Ducati (GP26) |
| 11 | Johann Zarco | FRA | Castrol Honda LCR (RC213V) |
| 12 | Alex Rins | SPA | Monster Yamaha (YZR-M1) |
| 13 | Raul Fernandez | SPA | Trackhouse Aprilia (RS-GP26) |
| 14 | Enea Bastianini | ITA | Red Bull KTM Tech3 (RC16) |
| 15 | Luca Marini | ITA | Honda HRC Castrol (RC213V) |
| 16 | Franco Morbidelli | ITA | Pertamina VR46 Ducati (GP25) |
| 17 | Toprak Razgatlioglu | TUR | Pramac Yamaha (YZR-M1)* |
| 18 | Diogo Moreira | BRA | Pro Honda LCR (RC213V)* |
| 19 | Jack Miller | AUS | Pramac Yamaha (YZR-M1) |
| 20 | Fermin Aldeguer | SPA | BK8 Gresini Ducati (GP25) |
| 21 | Brad Binder | RSA | Red Bull KTM (RC16) |
| 22 | Jonas Folger | GER | Red Bull KTM Tech3 (RC16) |
13:27
Conditions are still perfect at Le Mans ahead of the sprint.
Air temp is up at 24C, while the track is now at 37C.
13:22
We've got lots of bike racing today. Over in Northern Ireland, it's the North West 200.
Keep up to date with the results below ⬇️
2026 North West 200: Full race results (Saturday)
Glenn Irwin, 2026 North West 200. Credit: Pacemaker Press.
© Pacemaker Press
13:20
MotoGP France - Sprint build-up
Good afternoon and welcome back to our live coverage of the sprint at the 2026 MotoGP French Grand Prix.
The sprint begins at 2pm BST.
12:46
An unwanted passenger joins Le Mans MotoGP qualifying
“A bee got into my helmet” - Ducati star misses front row at Le Mans MotoGP
Fabio di Giannantonio, 2026 French MotoGP.
© Gold and Goose
12:02
Will there be six Hondas on the MotoGP grid in 2027?
“It's complicated”: Honda talks over six-bike MotoGP expansion for 2027
Joan Mir, Luca Marini, HRC Castrol.
© Gold and Goose
11:45
Marc Marquez warning
The FIM stewards have issued Marc Marquez with a warning for setting a personal best sector under yellow flags in FP2 this morning.
11:42
Aprilia made “very good start” with first 2027 MotoGP bike test
Aprilia debuted its 850cc 2027 MotoGP bike at Jerez last week
Aprilia made “very good start” with first 2027 MotoGP bike test
Lorenzo Savadori tests Aprilia's 2027 MotoGP bike at Jerez
© Gold and Goose
11:22
“I don’t understand”: Marc Marquez’s worrying French MotoGP qualifying claim
Marc Marquez admits he can’t understand how he is riding right now, after France MotoGP qualifying
“I don’t understand”: Marc Marquez’s worrying French MotoGP qualifying claim
Marc Marquez, Ducati Corse, 2026 French MotoGP
© Gold and Goose
10:56
A ban on holeshot devices was proposed for this weekend’s French MotoGP
Holeshot device ban proposed at Le Mans MotoGP
Fabio Quartararo, practice start, 2026 French MotoGP.
© Gold and Goose
10:47
Report: Pecco Bagnaia snatches pole from Marc Marquez in tight French MotoGP qualifying
Pecco Bagnaia took a first pole of the season in a Ducati 1-2
Pecco Bagnaia snatches pole from Marc Marquez in tight French MotoGP qualifying
Pecco Bagnaia, Ducati Corse, 2026 French MotoGP
© Gold and Goose
10:34
And, no further action.
10:34
Le Mans MotoGP: Qualifying Results
2026 French MotoGP, Le Mans - Full Qualifying Results
Pecco Bagnaia, 2026 French MotoGP.
© Gold and Goose
10:34
Bagnaia is being investigated for potentially baulking DiGia on his final lap.
10:32
Pecco Bagnaia takes a first pole of the season by 0.012s as he leads a Ducati 1-2 ahead of Marc Marquez!
Bezzecchi is third ahead of DiGia, Acosta, Quartararo, Mir, Martin, Ogura, A.Marquez, Zarco, Rins.
10:31
It's gone for DiGia.
10:30
Nothing going for Marquez on this lap. His hopes are over. DiGia could deny Bagnaia here, as could Quartararo!