Things were looking good for French local hero Fabio Quartararo, as he, once again put his Petronas Yamaha on pole for the Le Mans race.
Having tackled a damp and sketchy Friday, Saturday was dry and Fabio was on form. Jack Miller took P2 and Danilo Petrucci P3.
The Race:
On Sunday the race had a schedule change from the usual, taking the mid slot between a moto3 and moto2 sandwich. The riders were on the grid when suddenly the sky darkened and the rain came pouring down. The “rain on grid procedure” was posted and they all went scurrying back to the box. Fabio looked particularly forlorn, memories of Friday coming back.
Declared a wet race the Riders gathered again on the grid and hit the reset button. Cal Crutchlow had a good start but Miller and Fabio Quartararo soon took first and second, in the first twisty bits. Soon we were to see flashes of yellow skimming the tarmac, it was Rossi, flat on the tarmac, the bike threading its way through the pack. One of our staffers was most likely at this moment throwing stuff around or crawling under the nearest table, his hero, on the ground and out. It was not a good vista.
This left a Ducati 123, with Jack Miller, Danilo Petrucci and Andrea Dovizioso ahead of a flailing Fabio, having his own private tussle with Pol Espargaro. Petrucci was soon to be the lead Ducati of three, inexorably pulling away from the rest.
17 laps to go and the next drama was Bradley Smith crashing out, and looking hurt, his already sore ankles taking more punishment on the slippery tarmac.
Meanwhile, it was Petrucci Dovizioso and Miller painting the LeMans track Ducati red as they kept their distance from a feisty looking Alex Rins.
Things settled until with 9 laps to go Rins, who had been threatening, slotted into second, very forceful with late-breaking that nearly went very wrong. Dovi first and Miller third. Critchlow crashed out, not to recover. One lap to go later and Miller came to a stop, a mechanical.
Seven laps to go and Rins crashed out. Danilo Petrucci was now leading, Dovi second and Alex Marquez emerging into third.
Three laps to go and Marquez found the grip to take second behind Petrucci. Pol Espargaro slipped past Dovizioso (perhaps cautious not to lose points)
The positions were the same over the line with the win for Danilo Petrucci Ducati Team, 2nd Alex Marquez Repsol Honda Team 3rd Pol Espargaro Red Bull KTM Factory Racing. A Danilo win is always a good day, it’s been a hard season for him, let’s hope this is a good boost for his confidence.
Alex had the best day for Honda and himself this season, a good omen perhaps. Fabio carried out damage limitation, still leading the championship, it is sometimes easy to forget he is still inexperienced, especially in the rain.
Photo:@MotoGP
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Author: Martin Northern
Founder of Bike Directory
