Marco Bezzecchi claims French MotoGP win after Marc Marquez comeback ends in disappointment
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Updated 14/05/2023 at 14:56 GMT+1
Maverick Vinales, Francesco Bagnaia - who started the race at the top of the leaderboard - Luca Marini and Alex Marquez all dropped out in a frenetic early section of the full-length French MotoGP on Sunday afternoon. KTM driver Jack Miller led for much of the race, but Marco Bezzecchi moved into the front with around half the race remaining and took the win, as Marc Marquez crashed out late.
Marco Bezzecchi of Italy and Mooney VR46 Racing Team with his trophy on the podium after his race win during the Race of the MotoGP SHARK Grand Prix de France at Bugatti Circuit on May 14, 2023 in Le Mans, France
Image credit: Getty Images
Team VR 46’s Marco Bezzecchi produced a stunning ride to take his second MotoGP victory of the season in a chaotic French Grand Prix at Le Mans to move to within one point of the championship lead.
It was a great day for the Pramac Racing Team as they secured a double podium finish. Jorge Martin took second place, and home favourite Johann Zarco rounded off the top three riders in front of a record-breaking French crowd of over 278,000 spectators.
Bezzecchi started the race in third place behind the returning Marc Marquez and championship leader Francesco Bagnaia, who was on pole position.
A poor start for the Ducati of Bagnaia saw him relinquish his advantage into the first corner, as Marquez took an early lead. The KTM of Jack Miller then got past the Honda on Lap 4 to move to the front of the pack.
On Lap 5 there was drama, as Bagnaia had a collision with the Aprilia of Maverick Vinales to send the pair of them into the gravel trap and out of the race.
A lap later, Alex Marquez had a near miss after a frightening crash with Luca Marini which saw him land in the middle of the track. Luckily, both riders came away unscathed.
With both Miller and Marquez unable to pull away, Bezzecchi took the lead of the Grand Prix on Lap 10, and never looked back. He was able to create a comfortable gap to Marquez behind him, as the Honda rider tried to fend off Martin in the closing stages of the race to hang onto second place.
The Spaniard, who was competing in his first race since the opening round in Portugal following recovery from hand surgery, looked on track to deliver a masterful result on his comeback to action.
Then, with just two laps remaining, it all went wrong for Marquez. He crashed out at the Le Musee hairpin to gift second place to Martin as the Honda team looked on with anguish in the garage. Zarco was the rider to benefit, as he inherited third place and remained there until the end to secure a double podium finish for the Pramac Team.
Bezzecchi crossed the line 4.2 seconds clear of Martin to take the chequered flag.
Bagnaia still leads the championship with 94 points heading into the next round in Mugello in a month's time, but Bezzecchi is now just one point behind the defending champion.
RIDER OF THE DAY - Augusto Fernandez
The defending Moto2 champion and GasGas Factory Tech3 rider produced a fantastic performance in just his fifth race in MotoGP to take fourth place and some valuable points for his team.
The Spaniard, who started all the way down in 12th on his KTM machine, made the most of multiple riders crashing out ahead of him to move up the order and secure his best finish in the Premier Class to date.
It will give the team hope moving ahead into the rest of the season, as their best race finish so far in 2023 has been 10th place, which Fernandez achieved at the Circuit of the Americas in Austin.
WHERE THE RACE WAS WON AND LOST
LAP 1/27: MARQUEZ LEADS - We are underway here in Le Mans! Bagnaia gets off the line well but he loses out at the beginning! Marquez leads into the first corner, and Miller is up to 2nd. Bagnaia has dropped to P4!
LAP 3/27: MILLER GETS PAST MARQUEZ - Miller makes the move stick down into La Chapelle corner for the lead! The KTM has more pace than the Repsol Honda of Marquez so let's see if he can pull away. Bagnaia has moved past Marini and into P3.
LAP 5/27: BAGNAIA IS OUT! - The world championship leader is down! Vinales tries to get past Bagnaia one too many times! The pair cross each other's paths and both of them are in the gravel trap! Initially, Vinales gets the move done down the inside but runs wide. Bagnaia tries to move back past down the inside gap, but the pair hit each other.
LAP 10/27: BEZZECCHI TAKES THE LEAD - The young Italian gets past Jack Miller! He has already pulled a gap of over four tenths over the KTM rider. Marquez also gets past the Australian, and it looks like the KTM has some issues because the pace is no longer there. Martin in P4 is fighting Miller for the final podium position.
LAP 25/27: MARQUEZ THROWS AWAY THE PODIUM! - Marquez crashes out from P2! He has a lowside into the Le Musee hairpin and is in the gravel trap! What a shame for the Honda rider. Martin inherits P2, and Zarco moves up into the final podium place.
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