A Saturday to Remember at the 2025 Michelin® Grand Prix of France
Saturday at Le Mans delivered everything MotoGP fans could have hoped for — raw emotion, adrenaline, and breathtaking racing from the moment the lights went out. With the Grand Prix race still to come, the Sprint already set the weekend alight, serving up a long-awaited clash between local hero Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) and six-time champion Marc Marquez (Ducati Lenovo Team).
Marquez emerged victorious after a thrilling dogfight, making it six Sprint wins in a row and rewriting the history books once more. But the win was far from straightforward — as the battle unfolded, it was more than just a two-horse race. Alex Marquez and rookie sensation Fermin Aldeguer ensured that BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP celebrated a double podium on French soil.
Early Drama: Quartararo Leads the Charge for the Home Crowd
As the lights went out, it was Marc Marquez who snatched the holeshot into Turn 1 and appeared to have the early edge. However, a wide moment at the fast Turn 2 handed the lead straight to polesitter Quartararo, who needed no second invitation in front of his adoring home fans.
While the Frenchman pulled away, chaos unfolded behind. Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team), third in the Championship standings heading into the weekend, crashed out at Turn 3 on only the second lap after a lightning start from sixth on the grid. That crash dealt a huge blow to his title hopes.
It wasn’t a much better start for Marco Bezzecchi (Aprilia Racing), who went off into the gravel early. Though he managed to rejoin, he was far outside the points and never recovered.
As the race settled into a rhythm by Lap 4, Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) became the next casualty, losing the front at Turn 9. Though the South African remounted, he soon pulled into the pits, ending any hopes of salvaging points.
The Lead Battle: Marquez vs Quartararo Lights Up Le Mans
Quartararo continued to lead deep into the race, but Marquez was closing in. On Lap 6, the Spaniard made his first real move, lunging down the inside at Turn 3. The Yamaha star cut back immediately, but the pressure was mounting.
Moments later, at Turn 8, Marquez struck again — and this time, it stuck. With a forceful but clean move, the #93 dove through and denied Quartararo any chance to respond. From that moment on, Marquez was on the charge, looking to stamp his authority on the Sprint once more.
Momentum Shifts: Alex Marquez and Rookie Aldeguer Make Their Move
As the Sprint reached its final third, the attention shifted behind the lead duo. Alex Marquez, in brilliant form all weekend, breezed past Quartararo into second on the run to Turn 2 at the start of Lap 8. It was a calculated move that opened the door for yet more change.
Quartararo then had to contend with a rapidly advancing Fermin Aldeguer. The rookie, continuing his impressive debut season, forced his way into third at Turn 3. But the Frenchman wasn’t about to give up a home podium without a fight. He dived back past at Turn 6, the two bikes making contact in a fierce exchange.
That battle didn’t last long. At Turn 7, Aldeguer came back with even more force, muscling his way into the final podium spot and demoting Quartararo to fourth. It was a stunning show of aggression and confidence from the youngster — a real statement of intent in just his fifth MotoGP Sprint.
Final Lap Chaos: Acosta Falls as Marquez Clinches Victory
As the final lap began, all eyes were on a separate duel between Red Bull KTM teammates Pedro Acosta and Maverick Viñales for fifth. Viñales launched a move into Turn 3, but Acosta held firm. Unfortunately for the young Spaniard, a heartbreaking error at Turn 13 saw him crash out on his own, robbing him of what would’ve been his first top five Sprint finish.
Out front, there were no such issues for Marc Marquez. The eight-time World Champion crossed the line in dominant fashion to claim his sixth consecutive Sprint victory, reclaiming the Championship lead from his brother Alex by two points.
Alex Marquez secured second to cap off a perfect day for the Marquez family, while Aldeguer rounded out the podium — his first in MotoGP and richly deserved.
Quartararo, though disappointed not to feature in the top three at home, took a gritty fourth. Viñales benefited from Acosta’s fall to complete the top five.
Points Finishers: Zarco and Di Giannantonio Impress
Johann Zarco (CASTROL Honda LCR) gave the home crowd more reason to cheer, fighting from 11th on the grid to finish sixth. Behind him, Fabio Di Giannantonio (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team) produced a standout ride, charging through from 17th to take seventh.
Alex Rins (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) collected his first Sprint points since the 2023 COTA round, finishing eighth. Joan Mir (Honda HRC Castrol) took the final point in ninth, just ahead of Raul Fernandez (Trackhouse MotoGP Team), who completed the top ten.
As Saturday’s Sprint fades into memory, Sunday’s Grand Prix promises to deliver even more fireworks. Will it rain? Will the momentum shift again? Tune in at 2pm local time (UTC+2) to find out.
Moto2: Gonzalez Dominates Once Again as Baltus and Moreira Shine
Manuel Gonzalez (Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP) continued his incredible run of qualifying form by locking down yet another pole position in Moto2. The current Championship leader set multiple lap times that could have secured pole on their own, showing outright dominance in Q2.
Barry Baltus (Fantic Racing Lino Sonego) secured second place after a strong effort in both Q1 and Q2. The Belgian impressed early on, booking his spot in Q2 with a near-perfect lap before going on to outpace many seasoned names.
Diogo Moreira (Italtrans Racing Team) completed the front row with a late flyer that pushed him ahead of several more experienced riders.
Albert Arenas (ITALJET Gresini Moto2) took a strong fourth, while Aron Canet (Fantic Racing) made a last-gasp move to fifth, demoting Jake Dixon (ELF Marc VDS Racing Team) to sixth after the Brit had initially set a new lap record.
Filip Salač (ELF Marc VDS Racing Team) will head up Row 3, followed by Alonso Lopez (Folladore SpeedRS Team) and Celestino Vietti. Ivan Ortola, making his Q2 debut via Q1, rounded out the top ten in a breakout qualifying session.
Moto3: Quiles Takes Pole on Return, Leads Rookie Lockout
Back from injury and wasting no time making his presence known, Maximo Quiles (CFMoto Gaviota Aspar Team) stunned the field with a blistering qualifying performance. The rookie snatched pole position in only his second Grand Prix appearance, building on the momentum from his COTA debut.
Guido Pini (Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP) ensured a rookie 1-2 on the grid with a superb lap of his own, while Joel Kelso (LEVELUP-MTA) added experience to the front row in third.
Q1 was no less dramatic. Jacob Roulstone (Red Bull KTM Ajo) led the session but suffered a crash in the final minutes. Fortunately, his earlier time held up, allowing him to advance alongside Luca Lunetta (SIC58 Squadra Corse), Vicente Perez (LEVELUP-MTA), and Nicola Carraro (Rivacold Snipers Team), who narrowly knocked out Cormac Buchanan by just 0.015s.
Once Q2 was underway, Quiles immediately set the pace. None of his rivals could match the rookie’s benchmark as he wrapped up pole with authority.
Angel Piqueras (FRINSA – MT Helmets – MSI) leads the second row, ahead of Adrian Fernandez (Leopard Racing), who enjoyed his best qualifying of the season. David Muñoz (Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP) joins them in sixth.
Rounding out the top ten are Valentin Perrone (Red Bull KTM Tech 3), current points leader Jose Antonio Rueda (Red Bull KTM Ajo), David Almansa (Leopard Racing), and Carraro.
Japanese hopefuls Taiyo Furusato (Honda Team Asia) and Ryusei Yamanaka (FRINSA – MT Helmets – MSI) missed the top ten, settling for 11th and 12th respectively.
With an all-rookie front row and plenty of talent throughout the grid, Sunday’s Moto3 race is set up for a thriller. Can Quiles convert pole into victory? Or will Pini and Rueda respond? All will be revealed when the lights go out.
Official MotoGP Press Release
