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Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) took a record-breaking victory at the HJC Helmets Grand Prix de France, which sees the reigning World Champion equal Casey Stoner’s 38 premier class wins - and surpass Mike Hailwood's win record. Alma Pramac Racing’s Danilo Petrucci was a superb second to take his first podium of the season - and from the front row - with Valentino Rossi (Movistar Yamaha MotoGP) returning to rostrum in third place after a more difficult run of races for the 'Doctor'.

Sadly, however, the French fairytale wasn't to be for Johann Zarco (Monster Yamaha Tech 3), as the home hero crashed out at Turn 8 on lap eight after re-passing Marquez for second in the fight at the front. Andrea Iannone (Team Suzuki Ecstar) was another rider to crash, falling out of contention on lap one at la Chapelle after making a good start. In yet more drama for the standings, Championship contender Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati Team) made a rare error at the same corner four laps later, making Le Mans another pivotal race in the Championship.

At the start, it was Jorge Lorenzo (Ducati Team) who got the holeshot from the second row, repeating his incredible launch of the Spanish GP to take off in the lead – and hold onto it. Zarco dropped from pole but then struck back almost immediately into the chicane to take second, with Petrucci, Dovizioso, Marquez and Rossi all close at the front until Iannone crashed out – leaving a gap back to Marquez as the two Ducatis and Zarco stayed close together at the front.

The Frenchman then headed slightly wide and Dovizioso struck, honing in on teammate Lorenzo in the lead and not leaving long before trying an attack. Getting the job done quickly, it seemed the Italian was then going to unleash his pace shown in practice – but he suddenly slid out of the lead and into the gravel, leaving the number 99 of Lorenzo’s Ducati out front.

Zarco and Marquez closed in before the reigning Champion shot past the Frenchman for second – but Zarco, in signature style, was quick to respond. The second bolt of drama was about to hit the race, however, as the Monster Yamaha Tech 3 rider then slid off at Turn 8 – leaving Marquez vs Lorenzo in the lead.

On Lap 10, the number 93 made his move before Petrucci followed the Honda rider through a lap later. Rossi and Miller soon carved their way past the five-time World Champion, who started the race on softer rubber, with Dani Pedrosa (Repsol Honda Team) waiting in the wings.

The gap between Marquez, Petrucci, Rossi and Miller stayed consistent, with all four exchanging quickest laps. That was until six-time World Champion Marquez pulled the pin on Lap 16, setting the fastest lap of the race to bridge to gap to a second over the chasing GP18. From there, Marquez was able to stretch the gap tenth by tenth, with Petrucci also keeping nine-time World Champion Rossi at bay. Pedrosa was later able to pass Lorenzo for fifth, with the Ducati rider having to settle for sixth.

Further down the order, after failing to get the start he was looking for, last year’s winner Maverick Viñales (Movistar Yamaha MotoGP) made his way back up to seventh after being outside the top ten for the first half of the race. Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing Team Gresini) had a great ride, holding onto eighth until the last lap but then coming home ninth. Passing him on the last lap was a superhuman Cal Crutchlow (LCR Honda Castrol), who had a magnificent ride battling to P8 from 13th on the grid – riding through the pain barrier after a huge highside on Saturday.

Alex Rins (Team Suzuki Ecstar) battled with Viñales and Espargaro throughout the race, eventually rounding out the top ten in his first ride at the track in the premier class, having missed the event in 2017 due to injury. Pol Espargaro (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) picked up another solid result in P11 for some more good points for KTM, with Bradley Smith adding to the total in P14. Hafizh Syahrin (Monster Yamaha Tech 3) eventually got the better of Franco Morbidelli (EG 0,0 Marc VDS) to finish as top rookie in twelfth, with Takaaki Nakagami (LCR Honda Idemitsu) rounding the points scorers.

That’s it for Le Mans, and it’s now time to gear up for Mugello. Marquez extends his Championship lead to 36 points but the Italians will be out in force to try and stop him – can his momentum be stalled?

IN THE POINTS

1. Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda)
2. Danilo Petrucci (Alma Pramac) +2.310 seconds
3. Valentino Rossi (Movistar Yamaha) +5.350
4. Jack Miller (Alma Pramac) +6.314
5. Dani Pedrosa (Repsol Honda) +7.419
6. Jorge Lorenzo (Ducati) +10.355
7. Maverick Vinales (Monster Yamaha) +23.758
8. Cal Crutchlow (LCR Honda) +25.795
9. Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia) +26.206
10. Alex Rins (Suzuki Ecstar) +27.937
11. Pol Espargaro (KTM) +32.304
12. Hafizh Syahrin (Monster Yamaha Tech 3) +34.962
13. Franco Morbidelli (EG 0,0 Marc VDS) +37.881
14. Bradley Smith (KTM) +38.299
15. Takaaki Nakagami (LCR Honda) +41.986

TITLE STANDINGS

1. Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda) 95
2. Maverick Vinales (Monster Yamaha) 59
3. Johann Zarco (Monster Yamaha Tech 3) 58
4. Valentino Rossi (Movistar Yamaha) 56
5. Danilo Petrucci (Alma Pramac) 54

1. Repsol Honda 124
2. Movistar Yamaha 115
3. Alma Pramac Racing 103
4. Monster Yamaha Tech 3 71
5. Suzuki Ecstar 69

Moto2

SKY Racing VR46 Team rider Franceso Bagnaia was simply unstoppable in the Moto2™ race at the HJC Helmets Grand Prix de France, converting pole position into a commanding victory to take his third win of 2018. Alex Marquez (EG 0,0 Marc VDS) was the Italian’s closest challenger in second, with 2017 Moto3™ World Champion Joan Mir (EG 0,0 Marc VDS) securing his maiden intermediate class podium, crossing the line third.

There was drama before the race began for the man who qualified second, with Xavi Vierge (Dynavolt Intact GP) having to start from the back of the grid, after fuel pump failure on the bike before the Spaniard went to the grid.

As the lights went out, Bagnaia made the perfect launch from pole, and took the holeshot into Turn 2, with Marquez moving straight into P2. Third on the grid and World Championship contender Lorenzo Baldassarri (Pons HP40) didn’t get the start he would have wanted, and when pushing to make up positions on lap seven, the Italian crashed at Turn 2 – rider ok.

Back at the front, Bagnaia and Marquez had created a gap back to Marcel Schroetter (Dynavolt Intact GP) and Mir. Schroetter would finish the race fourth, his best ever Moto2™ result. Further down the field, Isaac Viñales (SAG Team), Iker Lecuona (Swiss Innovative Investors), Eric Granado (Forward Racing Team) and Jorge Navarro (Federal Oil Gresini Moto2) all crashed, riders okay. As too did Championship protagonist Mattia Pasini (Italtrans Racing Team), he leaves Le Mans with no points for the first time this year.

Meanwhile, Vierge was a man on a charge, he caught and passed Miguel Oliveira (Red Bull KTM Ajo) by lap 14, and then reeled in rookie Remano Fenati (Marinelli Snipers Team) to get up into fifth. The Spaniard held off a late charge from Oliveira to finish a phenomenal P5.

Joe Roberts (NTS RW Racing GP), after passing Sam Lowes (Swiss Innovative Investors) for P14, crashed from a first point scoring finish, with Hector Garzo (Tech 3 Racing), wildcard Federico Fuligni (Tasca Racing Scuderia Moto2) and Tetsuta Nagashima (Idemitsu Honda Team Asia) – also challenging for the points – crashed out. Riders ok!

Fenati was a season best seventh, with Fabio Quartararo (MB Conveyors – Speed Up Racing) giving the French fans something to cheer about in P8 – his best result of the year. The Frenchman was locked in a battle with Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Ajo) in the latter stages of the race, the South African was P9. Stefano Manzi (Forward Racing Team) produced a great ride to round out the top ten, he came from 23rd on the grid, with Hector Barbera (Pons HP40) and Andrea Locatelli (Italtrans Racing Team) close behind in P11 and P12.

Despite Marquez' best efforts, closing the gap to less than a second with four laps to go, there was no stopping Bagnaia. He heads to the Tuscan hills leading the World Championship by a healthy 25 points. The Italian has made a blistering start to 2018, can anyone stop him on home soil next time out?

Moto3

Albert Arenas (Angel Nieto Team Moto3) claimed his first lightweight class win at the HJC Helmets Grand Prix de France in what was nothing short of a spectacular Moto3™ race. Teammate Andrea Migno claimed second to make it a perfect day for the Angel Nieto Team, with Marcos Ramirez (Bester Capital Dubai) standing on the third step of the podium for the second race in a row.

And that's just the start, with all the drama coming in the final laps of the race. One of the biggest headlines was Championship leaders Marco Bezzecchi (Redox PrustelGP) and Jorge Martin (Del Conca Gresini Moto3) – the two leaders for most of the race – crashing with just one corner to go. Bezzecchi, after being passed by Fabio Di Giannanotonio (Del Conca Gresini Moto3), highsided trying to cut back through on his compatriot. Martin, right behind Bezzecchi in third, had nowhere to go – the Spaniard crashed out of a podium position.

That's not all... Di Giannantonio went on take the checkered flag, with the Italian elated to have claimed what he thought was his first ever Moto3™ race win. However, a three second time penalty for running over the chicane at Turns 10 and 11 midway through the race took that victory away from him – handing Arenas the race win.

Niccolo Antonelli (SIC58 Squadra Corse) thought he’d claimed his first podium of the season, however the Italian was also penalised for running straight over the first chicane. This promoted Marcos Ramirez (Bester Capital Dubai), who crossed the line in P5, to third – the second consecutive race the Spaniard stands on the podium after crossing the line outside the top three. Di Giannantonio was demoted to fourth, leaving him second in the World Championship, with Antonelli finishing fifth after his penalty.

Jakub Kornfeil (Redox PrustelGP), battling for the lead throughout, showed off some outrageous motocross skills when he unavoidably hit Enea Bastianini’s Leopard Racing bike after the Italian fell on the final corner with a lap to go. The Czech rider was launched into the air, but spectacularly managed to land upright in the gravel – Kornfeil crossed the line sixth.

Tony Arbolino (Marinelli Snipers Team) had a strong showing in P7, with Aron Canet (Estrella Galicia 0,0) brilliantly carving his way from the back of the grid to finish in the top ten. The Spaniard will leave Le Mans third in the Championship, ahead of Martin and only seven points off Bezzecchi.

Tatsuki Suzuki (SIC58 Squadra Corse) came home ninth, with rookie Jaume Masia (Bester Capital Dubai) rounding out the top ten. The injured Darryn Binder (Red Bull KTM Ajo) had a great ride to finish P11, with John McPhee (CIP – Green Power) also coming from the back of the grid to finish in the points – the Scot came home P12.  

Gabriel Rodrigo (RBA BOE Skull Rider) and Nakarin Atiratphuvapat (Honda Team Asia) were both fallers – riders ok. Meanwhile, Livio Loi (Reale Avintia Academy) jumped the start and was given a ride through penalty while battling for points.

The penalties and crashes mean the Championship standings have closed right up, with Bezzecchi still leading the Championship heading to his home round at Mugello.