2025 French MotoGP: Johann Zarco wins dramatic flag-to-flag Le Mans race
Johann Zarco first Frenchman to win French GP since 1954
LCR Honda’s Johann Zarco won a dramatic flag-to-flag race at the MotoGP French Grand Prix, marking HRC’s first in over two years and ending Ducati’s unbeaten run.
Constant rainfall prior to the start of the grand prix at Le Mans on Sunday led to everyone coming into pitlane to swap to wet tyres at the end of the warm-up lap, leading to the start being delayed.
When it restarted, it had dried enough for a number of riders to come back in at the end of the warm-up lap for slick tyres - though Johann Zarco was one of a few to remain on wets.
Surviving a collision on the opening lap at Turn 3, Zarco’s gamble proved a masterstroke as rain soon returned and forced another swap for the slick runners.
Zarco took the lead on lap eight through the chaos and would not be headed, getting to the chequered flag by 19.9s over Marc Marquez for his second career MotoGP victory.
It marks an end to Ducati’s unbeaten run dating back to last year’s Spanish GP, 22 grands prix ago, and heralds Honda’s first since Austin 2023 - when LCR and Alex Rins won.
Marc Marquez finished second to extend his championship lead to 22 points, after nearest title rivals Alex Marquez and Pecco Bagnaia crashed.
Polesitter Fabio Quartararo was dealt cruel heartbreak early on when he crashed as the rain came down harder while he was on slicks.
When the race started properly, Quartararo took the lead on his Yamaha after the first few corners from Marc Marquez - though both, as well as the likes of Alex Marquez, all the KTMs and Fermin Aldeguer, had two long laps to serve for changing bikes on the warm-up lap.
Bagnaia’s miserable weekend got worse on the opening lap. Electing to stay on wets, he was collected by Tech3 KTM’s Enea Bastianini at Turn 3 and crashed into Joan Mir.
Zarco was tagged in the same incident, having also taken the start on wets, and dropped towards the back of the field.
Quartararo was the first to serve his long lap penalties, doing so by the third lap, which would have put him in a good position had he made it to the pits to change bikes when the rain fell heavier.
But he, along with KTM’s Brad Binder, crashed out at the last corner at the end of the fourth tour.
Marc Marquez stayed out to serve his penalties and boxed on lap six along with Alex Marquez, which released Fermin Aldeguer into the lead before he stopped next time around.
Through all of this, Zarco was carving his way through the field and ended up in a lead of almost seven seconds at the start of lap eight on his wet tyres.
He would continue to swell this, getting it up to over 20 seconds before taking the chequered flag 19.907s clear of the field for an emotional home victory.
He is the first French rider since 1954 to win a premier class race on home soil.
After the pitstop phase, Marc Marquez was second and had Alex Marquez close behind, before dropping the Gresini Ducati rider.
His second position was safeguarded when Alex Marquez crashed at Turn 3 lap 21 of 26. He rejoined in sixth, such was the field spread, but fell again on lap 24.
With Bagnaia rejoining after his lap one spill and going a lap down in 16th, Marc Marquez is 22 points clear of Alex Marquez in the standings and 51 ahead of Bagnaia.
Aldeguer came through to third in the closing stages to score his first grand prix podium as a rookie, besting KTM’s Pedro Acosta.
Maverick Vinales was fifth on the Tech3 KTM, while Honda wildcard Takaaki Nakagami was sixth.
Raul Fernandez was seventh for Trackhouse Aprilia, while Fabio Di Giannantonio (VR46), Lorenzo Savadori (Aprilia) and Ai Ogura (Trackhouse) completed the top 10.
The final points went to Honda’s Luca Marini, Yamaha’s Alex Rins, Tech3’s Enea Bastianini - who served four long laps for causing the Bagnaia crash and speeding in pitlane - Aprilia’s Marco Bezzecchi and VR46’s Franco Morbidelli.
Bagnaia was the last classified runner in 16th.
Pramac Yamaha’s Miguel Oliveira crashed out of the top eight on his grand prix return, while team-mate Jack Miller fell early on having been the leading rider on wets at the time.
