The Spaniard dominated the sprint race from start to finish ahead of Marc Marquez.
The Spaniard Jorge Martin, leader in the MotoGP World Championship, won the French Grand Prix sprint from pole position on Saturday, while the first Frenchman on the grid, Fabio Quartararo, finished 10th at Le Mans.
Untouchable from start to finish, Martin (Ducati-Pramac) beat Spanish star Marc Marquez, second. Starting from a distant 13th place on the grid, the six-time MotoGP world champion, who arrived this season at Ducati-Gresini, was already 4th at the end of the first lap.
“The goal was to be in the Top 7-8”recognized Marquez in front of the packed stands of the Bugatti circuit. “The pace was there but (…) we were a little unlucky today”during the qualifications played earlier in the day. “Tomorrow it will be difficult to do the same thing again” during the GP, the highlight of the weekend, the Catalan also conceded. Riding his Aprilia, Maverick Vinales completes a 100% Spanish podium in Le Mans.
Overall, thanks to this victory, Martin takes a breath of fresh air and is now 28 points ahead of his new runner-up, the Italian Enea Bastianini (Ducati), 4th at the finish of this race of only 13 laps ( against 27 for the GP on Sunday), which allows more points to be collected in the championship.
The other official Ducati, that of double reigning world champion Francesco Bagnaia, second in the championship before the sprint race, retired.
The Italian, second on the grid, seemed out of contention from the start, losing numerous positions before throwing in the towel.
In front of their audience – and the French pole vault star Renaud Lavillenie who waved the checkered flag – the French Fabio Quartararo (Yamaha) and Johann Zarco (Honda-LCR) respectively finished 10th and 13th, out of the points therefore since only the top nine are rewarded.
