2019 MotoGP
Round Five – Le Mans
Friday Times / Report
It was a high-stakes Friday in the Shark Helmets Grand Prix de France, with the weather fine on Day 1 but rain and worsening conditions expected on Saturday – meaning the end of FP2 became a frantic dash to ensure a provisional place in Q2.
As the dust settled it was Monster Energy Yamaha’s Maverick Viñales at the top of the pile, with the 2017 race winner fast all day and deposing reigning Champion Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) by 0.190 seconds. Home hero Fabio Quartararo (Petronas Yamaha SRT) completed the top three after topping FP1, with the Frenchman’s pace showing no sign of abating.
The day started sunny before the Le Mans clouds loomed at the start of FP2 to serve as a reminder of the weather warnings for Saturday…not that anyone needed one.
After some drama that saw Danilo Petrucci (Ducati Team) take a tumble and then Pramac Racing’s Jack Miller, it was Honda at the top with Marquez, followed by Cal Crutchlow (LCR Honda Castrol), but the timing screens were about to be painted red. With just under ten minutes to go to get that fast lap in, Repsol Honda Team’s Jorge Lorenzo bolted first and went fastest overall. It was game on.
Then Crutchlow crashed, Aprilia Racing Team Gresini’s Aleix Espargaro capitalised to push the British rider out the provisional top ten, and Viñales moved the goal posts again to go top.
Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati Team) then seemed on to go faster still but lost time near the end of the lap, before there was more drama as Aleix Espargaro crashed, Pol Espargaro (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) crashed for a second time and then Miller followed his lead.
Meanwhile, Viñales was busy at the top going quicker again and that was, then, how it would stay. Marquez jumped from fifth to second across the two sessions, with Quartararo slotting into third and remaining ominous.
Maverick Viñales – P1
“It’s been a very positive start to the weekend for me. I think we found our set-up very fast, so I was able to make many laps and I felt quite good with the bike. I have good feeling, also with the tyres, but anyway we need to keep working. There are still some places where I need to improve, also concerning my riding style, so tomorrow I have a lot of work to do. Let’s see what the weather will be like, because it seems to be uncertain. We will have to pay close attention in qualifying, because it will play an important role in being able to be in front during the race. For sure, we’ll have to make quick decisions. I haven’t ridden the bike in full wet yet, but in Austin I felt great on the wet tyres. So, I think tomorrow it will be important to understand in which direction to work and how to improve.”
Marc Marquez – P2
“The feeling is great today and I’m very happy because we were able to work in a good way, like always. The only change we made was a new tyre at the end of FP2 where normally we use the same tyres. With the weather looking unstable tomorrow it was best to do this. Also today I made a big save in FP1, it was my second run and I was able to save it but it took me by surprise a little bit because it’s so bumpy. Another nice video for the collection! There are many fast people and with the changing weather we will maintain our focus.”
Fabio Quartararo – P3
“Today has been a very positive day. At first it was a bit difficult, because the braking reference in FP1 was somewhat tricky, but that was something that went a little better in FP2. I’m happy overall. We worked on our pace today, and while we still have to improve things, I feel good on the bike and I’m satisfied. Tomorrow we will continue working on what will be an important day, and we’ll see what the weather is like. I think this track is good for the Yamaha; we saw Viñales go really fast today. I’m enjoying my home GP; I don’t feel like I’m under pressure and I’m having fun with the fans. I also would like to send all my support to the friends and family of the marshal who passed away today at Le Mans. It has been very sad news for everybody.”
Lorenzo remained fourth overall as the Spaniard found some impressive pace in the afternoon, recovering from an FP1 crash to find some top form in France – a venue where he has six wins across all classes, five of which are in MotoGP.
Jorge Lorenzo – P4
“Today didn’t start in the ideal way with the crash this morning. I was running with too much lean over the curbs and wasn’t able to save it. We came back stronger, in Free Practice 2 we made one change to the bike and I was able to feel much better on corner entry. It has helped a lot and we will keep trying different bits to become more and more confident. Conditions look like they could change tomorrow, but for today it was positive.”
Dovizioso stayed safely inside the top ten and ended Friday in fifth, just ahead of teammate Petrucci after ‘Petrux’ bounced back from his crash.
Andrea Dovizioso – P5
“We’ve just started the weekend, but my sensations on the bike are quite good. Compared to last year, however, there are more competitive riders so there’s quite a pack fighting for top positions, but we’re part of that. We still need to improve some details to be able to keep the pace we have in mind. We tried different setups and evaluated several tyre options, making a step forward during FP2, but we still have room for improvement and we’ll need to be smart and put together all the data we gathered to be even more competitive tomorrow and prepare for the race in the best possible way.”
Danilo Petrucci – P6
“This morning we started off on the right foot, while the crash at the beginning of FP2 forced us to slightly modify our program. The feeling with my Desmosedici GP was slightly better during FP1, but I think this is due to the trickier conditions of the tarmac in the afternoon, as the multiple crashes seem to indicate. We’ve made a comparison between different setups and now we’ll look for the best possible compromise to make another step forward tomorrow. I want to try to be more competitive during qualifying and then play our cards right during the race.”
Pol Espargaro, despite his eventful day, is seventh overall in yet another impressive performance from the 2013 Moto2 Champion to put KTM on course for an automatic place in Q2, likewise brother Aleix, who puts Aprilia in P8.
Takaaki Nakagami (LCR Honda Idemitsu) was another with something to smile about after FP2, with the Japanese rider improving vastly upon his FP1 to end the day in ninth – just ahead of Miller. The Australian didn’t improve in FP2 but had done enough to edge out Franco Morbidelli (Petronas Yamaha SRT) by just 0.001 – something that could prove crucial.
Jack Miller – P10
“It was a very strange crash. I honestly didn’t really understand what happened. After the crash the feeling with the bike was not the same as I started to feel some vibrations. We still managed to take the Top 10 and this could be important in view of qualifying.”
That’s a phrase that two men will likely be repeating and regretting after a tough first day in France, chiefly Crutchlow down in P12 and nine-time World Champion Valentino Rossi (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP).
Cal Crutchlow – P11
“I crashed going into turn four. We still don’t have a great feeling with the front end and it seemed that with the new rear tyre, it pushed the front and I went down. I didn’t do anything I hadn’t done there before, but the situation is what it is. I felt quite good with the hard rear tyre in the session, I was able to do a lap time when I needed. Anyway, I’m outside the top 10 which is never good on a Friday at Le Mans as it’s probably going to rain at some point. We just have to bite the bullet tomorrow morning and hopefully it stays dry.”
The ‘Doctor’ is P14 overall heading into FP3 and couldn’t crack the top ten, although he was another suffering some drama on Friday as one run in FP1 was interrupted by his chain coming off.
Valentino Rossi – P14
“We had some problems during the day and, sincerely, I expected to be stronger, but unfortunately I wasn’t very fast, so we have to work this evening to try to find something better. In the end I did just one lap with the soft tyre and I’m outside the top-10, so now we have to hope that tomorrow morning I can ride in dry conditions to try to improve, and we have to try to work on the bike to have better pace.”
Second placed man in the Championship Alex Rins (Team Suzuki Ecstar) also had a tough day. He’s down in P16 and could well face another fight through the pack on Sunday although it’s not stopped the Spaniard hitting the front yet.
Alex Rins – P16
“We tried a lot of things today, some different tyre combinations and some adjustments with the set-up. But this track always produces tight lap times, with many riders running very close together. I’m not so far off but I’m down in 16th place, I’m just a tenth of a second from 10th position, so I still feel that things are going in a good way. I’m not too concerned about riding in Q1 if I have to.”
That’s it from Day 1 at Le Mans and, come rain or shine on Saturday, we look set for a thriller of a qualifying day. Will FP3 stay dry and let the field improve? Or could Q1 even prove an advantage for those who are forced to fight it out and let them check out the conditions ahead of Q2? And, if the fight for pole in France sees rain shuffle the pack, who can master the classic venue in the wet?
2019 Le Mans MotoGP
Friday Combined Times
| MotoGP 2019 Le Mans Friday Combined times | |||||
| Pos | Rider | Motorcycle | FP1 | FP2 | Gap |
| 1 | M.Viñales | Yamaha | 1’32.203 | 1’31.428 | 0.000 |
| 2 | M.Marquez | Honda | 1’32.233 | 1’31.618 | 0.190 |
| 3 | F.Quartararo | Yamaha | 1’31.986 | 1’31.713 | 0.285 |
| 4 | J.Lorenzo | Honda | 1’33.091 | 1’31.716 | 0.288 |
| 5 | A.Dovizioso | Ducati | 1’32.113 | 1’31.736 | 0.308 |
| 6 | D.Petrucci | Ducati | 1’32.193 | 1’31.899 | 0.471 |
| 7 | P.Espargaro | KTM | 1’32.237 | 1’31.923 | 0.495 |
| 8 | A.Espargaro | Aprilia | 1’33.259 | 1’32.132 | 0.704 |
| 9 | T.Nakagami | Honda | 1’33.123 | 1’32.203 | 0.775 |
| 10 | J.Miller | Ducati | 1’32.238 | 1’32.573 | 0.810 |
| 11 | F.Morbidelli | Yamaha | 1’32.887 | 1’32.239 | 0.811 |
| 12 | C.Crutchlow | Honda | 1’32.831 | 1’32.270 | 0.842 |
| 13 | F.Bagnaia | Ducati | 1’32.982 | 1’32.285 | 0.857 |
| 14 | V.Rossi | Yamaha | 1’32.760 | 1’32.320 | 0.892 |
| 15 | J.Mir | Suzuki | 1’32.626 | 1’32.322 | 0.894 |
| 16 | A.Rins | Suzuki | 1’33.357 | 1’32.385 | 0.957 |
| 17 | J.Zarco | KTM | 1’32.724 | 1’32.574 | 1.146 |
| 18 | K.Abraham | Ducati | 1’34.481 | 1’32.999 | 1.571 |
| 19 | A.Iannone | Aprilia | 1’34.135 | 1’33.141 | 1.713 |
| 20 | M.Oliveira | KTM | 1’34.229 | 1’33.401 | 1.973 |
| 21 | T.Rabat | Ducati | 1’34.113 | 1’33.431 | 2.003 |
| 22 | H.Syahrin | Ktm | 1’35.479 | 1’33.903 | 2.475 |
Moto2
Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Ajo) shot to the top late on Friday at the Shark Helmets Grand Prix de France, taking over as fastest from Remy Gardner (ONEXOX TKKR SAG Team) late in FP2 – but not by much. A mere 0.049 split the two men by the end of play, with Championship leader Lorenzo Baldassarri (Flexbox HP40) in third only 0.117 off the top.
Augusto Fernandez, fresh from his first Grand Prix podium at Jerez, was just behind teammate Baldassarri by 0.019 and took P4 overall, with replacement rider Mattia Pasini (Petronas Sprinta Racing) completing the top five just 0.007 in further arrears. Marcel Schrötter (Dynavolt Intact GP) ended Day 1 in sixth.
Andrea Locatelli (Italtrans Racing Team) had an impressive first day in France as he topped FP1 and ended the day seventh overall despite a crash, edging out compatriot Simone Corsi (Tasca Racing Scuderia Moto2), whose good form at Le Mans continued in 2019. Alex Marquez (EG 0,0 Marc VDS) was ninth by the end of Day 1, with Enea Bastianini (Italtrans Racing Team) locking out the top ten as top rookie on Friday. Nicolo Bulega (Sky Racing Team VR46) was just behind him, however, and fellow rookie Jorge Martin (Red Bull KTM Ajo) was close behind in P13. Bo Bendsneyder (NTS RW Racing GP) put the sophomore amongst the debutants in P12.
Xavi Vierge (EG 0,0 Marc VDS) will be the final man moving straight through to Q2 if the weather switches on Saturday and laptimes can’t be improved in FP3, with the Spaniard just ahead of Sam Lowes (Federal Oil Gresini Moto2). Lowes suffered a crash in FP2 and was the only rider who failed to improve on his morning’s laptime, making him a surprise name outside the graduation zone on Friday. That’s also true of the two men who trail him: Jorge Navarro (Lightech Speed Up), who’s been on the podium in both the last two races, and Le Mans master Tom Lüthi (Dynavolt Intact GP), who crashed on Friday.
| Moto2 2019 Le Mans Friday Combined times | |||||
| Pos | Rider | Motorcycle | FP1 | FP2 | Gap |
| 1 | B.Binder | KTM | 1’37.110 | 1’36.551 | 0.000 |
| 2 | R.Gardner | KALEX | 1’37.166 | 1’36.600 | 0.049 |
| 3 | L.Baldassarri Ita | KALEX | 1’37.352 | 1’36.668 | 0.117 |
| 4 | A.Fernandez Spa | KALEX | 1’37.629 | 1’36.687 | 0.136 |
| 5 | M.Pasini | KALEX | 1’37.305 | 1’36.694 | 0.143 |
| 6 | M.Schrotter Ger | KALEX | 1’37.029 | 1’36.754 | 0.203 |
| 7 | A.Locatelli | KALEX | 1’36.894 | 1’36.762 | 0.211 |
| 8 | S.Corsi | KALEX | 1’37.589 | 1’36.834 | 0.283 |
| 9 | A.Marquez | KALEX | 1’37.365 | 1’36.841 | 0.290 |
| 10 | E.Bastianini | KALEX | 1’37.578 | 1’36.858 | 0.307 |
| 11 | N.Bulega | KALEX | 1’37.230 | 1’36.972 | 0.421 |
| 12 | B.Bendsneyde Ned | NTS | 1’37.412 | 1’37.101 | 0.550 |
| 13 | J.Martin | KTM | 1’37.450 | 1’37.140 | 0.589 |
| 14 | X.Vierge | KALEX | 1’38.201 | 1’37.141 | 0.590 |
| 15 | S.Lowes | KALEX | 1’37.150 | 1’37.861 | 0.599 |
| 16 | J.Navarro | SPEED UP | 1’37.521 | 1’37.232 | 0.681 |
| 17 | T.Luthi | KALEX | 1’37.346 | 1’37.247 | 0.696 |
| 18 | L.Marini | KALEX | 1’38.250 | 1’37.315 | 0.764 |
| 19 | I.Lecuona | KTM | 1’37.501 | 1’37.319 | 0.768 |
| 20 | S.Chantra | KALEX | 1’38.148 | 1’37.381 | 0.830 |
| 21 | F.Di Giannanto Ita | SPEED UP | 1’37.676 | 1’37.488 | 0.937 |
| 22 | T.Nagashima | KALEX | 1’38.097 | 1’37.653 | 1.102 |
| 23 | S.Odendaal | NTS | 1’38.449 | 1’37.713 | 1.162 |
| 24 | P.Oettl | KTM | 1’39.271 | 1’37.730 | 1.179 |
| 25 | J.Roberts | KTM | 1’38.551 | 1’37.836 | 1.285 |
| 26 | S.Manzi | MV Agusta | 1’38.594 | 1’38.148 | 1.597 |
| 27 | D.Aegerter | MV Agusta | 1’38.397 | 1’38.205 | 1.654 |
| 28 | M.Bezzecchi | KTM | 1’38.987 | 1’38.529 | 1.978 |
| 29 | J.Dixon | KTM | 1’39.319 | 1’38.839 | 2.288 |
| 30 | L.Tulovic | KTM | 1’39.616 | 1’38.845 | 2.294 |
| 31 | D.Ekky Pratam | KALEX | 1’40.747 | 1’39.772 | 3.221 |
| 32 | X.Cardelus | KTM | 1’40.894 | 1’40.437 | 3.886 |
Moto3
Rookie Ai Ogura (Honda Team Asia) flew to the top of the timesheets on Friday in the Shark Helmets Grand Prix de France, a tenth clear of Jerez winner Niccolo Antonelli (SIC58 Squadra Corse) despite the Italian crashing on Day 1. The afternoon saw all but one improve their laptimes, with Tatsuki Suzuki (SIC58 Squadra Corse) completing the top three after another top showing of pace from the Japanese rider.
The gaps all the way down the timesheets were better measured in hundredths than tenths and Suzuki was only 0.005 ahead of last year’s podium finisher Andrea Migno (Bester Capital Dubai) by the end of the day. It stayed close to complete the top five, too: 2018 winner Albert Arenas (Sama Qatar Angel Nieto Team) was just 0.017 further back, 0.011 ahead of Tony Arbolino (VNE Snipers) in P6. The Italian, in turn, bested COTA winner and Championship leader Aron Canet (Sterilgarda Max Racing Team) by only 0.015. Canet suffered a crash on Day 1.
Gabriel Rodrigo (Kömmerling Gresini Moto3) ended the day eighth overall after topping FP1, ahead of an impressive day’s work from rookie Raul Fernandez (Sama Qatar Angel Nieto Team), who had to be passed fit to ride after a foot fracture in Jerez. Dennis Foggia (Sky Racing Team VR46) completed the top ten.
Kazuki Masaki (BOE Skull Rider Mugen Race) was pushed down to P11 by just 0.002, 0.003 ahead of Lorenzo Dalla Porta (Leopard Racing) as the Jerez polesitter crashed twice on Day 1. Kaito Toba (Honda Team Asia) was 13th, with Romano Fenati (VNE Snipers) down in P14 by the end of play and as it stands, the last rider provisionally on course for a place in Q2. Fenati had a highside on Friday and headed to the medical centre but was declared fit, as was Jaume Masia (Bester Capital Dubai) after the Spaniard crashed too. He ended the day in P16, just behind Ayumu Sasaki (Petronas Sprinta Racing).
| Moto3 2019 Le Mans Friday Combined times | |||||
| Pos | Rider | Motorcycle | FP1 | FP2 | Gap |
| 1 | A.Ogura | Honda | 1’43.409 | 1’42.147 | 0.000 |
| 2 | N.Antonelli | Honda | 1’44.039 | 1’42.263 | 0.116 |
| 3 | T.Suzuki | Honda | 1’43.221 | 1’42.460 | 0.313 |
| 4 | A.Migno | KTM | 1’43.700 | 1’42.465 | 0.318 |
| 5 | A.Arenas | KTM | 1’43.813 | 1’42.482 | 0.335 |
| 6 | T.Arbolino | Honda | 1’43.042 | 1’42.493 | 0.346 |
| 7 | A.Canet | KTM | 1’43.870 | 1’42.508 | 0.361 |
| 8 | G.Rodrigo | Honda | 1’42.954 | 1’42.554 | 0.407 |
| 9 | R.Fernandez | KTM | 1’43.412 | 1’42.620 | 0.473 |
| 10 | D.Foggia | KTM | 1’43.362 | 1’42.686 | 0.539 |
| 11 | K.Masaki | KTM | 1’43.120 | 1’42.688 | 0.541 |
| 12 | L.Dalla Porta Ita | Honda | 1’43.099 | 1’42.691 | 0.544 |
| 13 | K.Toba | Honda | 1’43.992 | 1’42.797 | 0.650 |
| 14 | R.Fenati | Honda | 1’43.938 | 1’42.835 | 0.688 |
| 15 | A.Sasaki | Honda | 1’44.589 | 1’42.919 | 0.772 |
| 16 | J.Masia | KTM | 1’43.765 | 1’42.934 | 0.787 |
| 17 | M.Ramirez | Honda | 1’43.230 | 1’42.940 | 0.793 |
| 18 | F.Salac | KTM | 1’44.025 | 1’43.005 | 0.858 |
| 19 | D.Binder | KTM | 1’44.101 | 1’43.060 | 0.913 |
| 20 | J.Mcphee | Honda | 1’43.643 | 1’43.084 | 0.937 |
| 21 | C.Vietti | KTM | 1’44.718 | 1’43.134 | 0.987 |
| 22 | A.Lopez | Honda | 1’43.517 | 1’43.172 | 1.025 |
| 23 | J.Kornfeil | KTM | 1’43.641 | 1’43.212 | 1.065 |
| 24 | V.Perez | KTM | 1’43.307 | 1’43.411 | 1.160 |
| 25 | S.Garcia | Honda | 1’43.663 | 1’43.389 | 1.242 |
| 26 | R.Rossi | Honda | 1’44.263 | 1’43.459 | 1.312 |
| 27 | M.Yurchenko | KTM | 1’45.081 | 1’43.557 | 1.410 |
| 28 | C.Oncu | KTM | 1’44.973 | 1’44.039 | 1.892 |
| 29 | T.Booth-Amos | KTM | 1’46.577 | 1’44.374 | 2.227 |
Source: MCNews.com.au