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Written by Nina Rogerson
Marco Bezzecchi was back to winning ways in France after a dramatic 27 laps to celebrate the 1000th Grand Prix.
Image via @motogp on Twitter
It was returning Marc Marquez who shot into the lead as the lights went out in Le Mans. Poleman Francesco Bagnaia didn’t have a great start off the line as he was bumped down to P5. The KTM of Jack Miller was quick off the line as he put himself between race leader Marquez, and the Ducati of Marco Bezzecchi.
Marquez led the race ahead of Miller for several laps, but the Aussie wasn’t afraid of the 8-time world champion as he forced his way through on Marquez. In true Marquez style, he hit back at Miller straight away and the pair were battling for the lead. Into the Dunlop chicane, it was Miller who took the lead and was able to hold off Marquez.
Whilst all this was happening at the front, Bagnaia was working hard to put himself back in contention. Maverick Vinales was also putting himself in the fight for victory until he collided with Bagnaia on lap 5 and sent them both tumbling into the gravel. Both riders were okay, partaking in a heated exchange before burying the hatchet and sharing a scooter back to the garages.
Not long after the Vinales Bagnaia incident, there was more drama involving the Ducatis of Luca Marini and Alex Marquez. Marini suffered a crash out of the Dunlop chicane and Alex Marquez was unable to avoid the VR46 rider, so the pair were both down and out on lap 5. Alex Marquez was involved with an earlier incident when he forced Brad Binder wide causing him to lose several places. Marquez has since been given a 3-place grid penalty for the next race.
Image via @MotoGP on Twitter
After all the drama had subsided, it was a 4-rider battle for the lead with Miller leading Marquez, Bezzecchi and Martin. Bezzecchi began to push his way to the front with a move sending Marquez way out wide, Bezzecchi was then penalised and told to drop 1 position which he expected. After serving his penalty, Bezzecchi was back on the hunt and quickly managed to take the lead from Miller.
Bezzecchi was quickly starting to gap Marquez and Martin, while Miller was dropping down the field to P6. Johann Zarco pushed his way into P4, with rookie Augusto Fernandez following in P5.
With six laps to go, Martin made his move on Marquez, but the Repsol Honda man wasn’t giving up P2 without a fight. Whilst the two Spaniards were fighting it out for P2, Zarco was gaining on them.
Image via @motogp on Twitter
It was a sorry end to the French Grand Prix for Jack Miller as on lap 25 he slid out of 6th place and landed in the gravel trap.
There was more drama to follow on the second last lap when Marquez tucked the front of his Repsol Honda machine and crashed out of P2.
Marco Bezzecchi crossed the line for his second win of the season with sprint winner Martin following behind him. The late crash from Marquez meant that it was joy for home hero Johann Zarco who was able to put his Pramac Ducati on the third step of the podium.
It was an impressive end to an impressive weekend for Augusto Fernandez after appearing in Q2 for the first time on Saturday followed by his outstanding P4 finish on Sunday.
Aleix Espargaro on the Aprilia rounded out the top 5 with Binder recovering from his earlier incident and taking a long lap penalty for taking a shortcut to bring it home in P6.
Home hero Fabio Quartararo had less to shout about this weekend as he crossed the line in P7 after a tough race that was hindered by arm pump problems he said were caused by an ‘aggressive’ massage from the physio on Sunday morning.
Fabio Di Giannantonio on the Gresini Ducati crossed the line in 8th ahead of the lone Honda finisher Takaaki Nakagami after Joan Mir crashed on lap 14 and Alex Rins crashed on lap 15.
The grand prix finishers were rounded off by Franco Morbidelli on the Yamaha, and the injury stand ins of Danilo Petrucci, Lorenzo Savadori and Jonas Folger.
With the championship fight being blown wide open, MotoGP kicks off again at Mugello in just under 3 weeks!
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