VR46 Racing’s Marco Bezzecchi claimed the top honours at Le Mans as MotoGP hosted its milestone 1,000th event recording highest-ever attendance over a MotoGP weekend. The high-voltage 27-lap race saw only 13 riders crossing the finishing line as a slew of riders including the likes of championship leader Bagnaia, Maverick Vinales, Jack Miller, and Marc Marquez all crashed out.
Ducati’s reigning champion Bagnaia, who started on pole after having won the Sprint race on Saturday, had an awful start as Jack Miller’s KTM advanced to take an early lead as a hungry Marquez, VR46’s Luca Marini and Pramac’s Jorge Martin followed the Australian’s trail. Miller and Marquez quickly exchanged positions multiple times in the starting laps to debate the lead.
Bagnaia had dropped to fifth position early in the race and just as he appeared to make a comeback by gaining positions, the Italian had a collision with the Aprilia of Vinales, sending both into the gravel. The riders immediately had a heated exchange as they blamed each other for the crash.
Moments later, Marini was trying to save a crash after he had dragged his elbow but Gresini Racing’s Alex Marquez couldn’t avoid him as both crashed out of the race in what seemed to be a frightening collision.
Amid the drama, Bezzecchi had forced Marc Marquez out of the track on turn 8 as they locked horns for second place, allowing Martin into third. By Lap 11, Bezzecchi had taken the lead and went on to dominate the entire race after that as the rest played catch-up.
Martin bested Miller for third as Marquez was trying to hold off his compatriot for the second position. On the penultimate lap of the race, Marquez’ fantastic return turned into a heartbreak as a turn 7 wobble braking incident meant that the Spaniard had thrown away his podium as he crashed out.
As Bezzecchi claimed his second win of the season, Martin finished second as Pramac’s local hero Johann Zarco rounded off the podium. KTM’s Augusto Fernandez saw the chequered flag in fourth ahead of Aleix Espargaro’s Aprilia. Brad Binder finished sixth ahead Yamaha’s Fabio Quartararo, who was struggling with his arm.
Gersini’s Giannantonio finished in eighth, followed by Nakagami in ninth, who was ahead of the Italian trio of Morbidelli, Petrucci, and Savadori.
Bezzecchi now sits in second in the riders’ championship, just 1 point behind the leader Bagnaia. Binder and Martin follow in third and fourth position, just 13 and 14 points behind the leader.
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