Jack Miller secured his first MotoGP race win in five years last time out at Jerez but was slightly fortunate to see long-time leader Fabio Quartararo fade badly suffering with severe arm pump.
Miller led home a Ducati 1-2 in Spain with team-mate Francesco Bagnaia taking the runner-up spot which meant he became the new MotoGP world championship leader by two points, as Quartararo battled to 13th place at the end of the Jerez race.
PLUS: How a Crutchlow helped Miller to Jerez MotoGP redemption
Franco Morbidelli maintained his strong run of form on the older specification Yamaha with third place in Spain, ahead of LCR Honda’s Takaaki Nakagami who once again narrowly missed out on a maiden MotoGP podium.
With defending MotoGP world champion Joan Mir in fifth for Suzuki at Jerez, Aprilia’s Aleix Espargaro kept up his impressive run with sixth place ahead of Yamaha’s Maverick Vinales and Pramac Ducati’s Johann Zarco.
Marc Marquez continued his return to MotoGP action with ninth place for Repsol Honda, having been shaken up by a heavy crash in practice at Jerez.
Valentino Rossi’s problems also remain a talking point, with the nine-time world champion finishing the Jerez race in 17th place for Petronas SRT Yamaha.
The MotoGP paddock moves on to Le Mans this weekend with some wet and wild conditions forecast to add another unpredictable element to the 2021 campaign.
Fabio Quartararo, Yamaha Factory Racing
Photo by: Dorna
2021 French MotoGP session timings
MotoGP will run its standard schedule across the French GP weekend, with two practice sessions on Friday that will run for 45 minutes each. On Saturday third practice will also run for 45 minutes, with the top 10 on the combined FP1-2-3 timesheet automatically entering into Q2 of qualifying. A final 30-minute FP4 session is held on Saturday afternoon ahead of qualifying.
Q1 of qualifying sees all riders who did not finish in the top 10 of the combined practice times take part, with the top two finishers progressing into Q2 alongside the top 10 who gained an automatic spot via their practice times.
Q2 is the pole position shootout which decides the order of the front four rows, with the rest of the grid organised on Q1 times, for the French GP on Sunday.
Moto2, Moto3 and MotoE are also in action during the French GP.
Alex Rins, Team Suzuki MotoGP
Photo by: MotoGP
Friday 14th May 2021
Free Practice 1: 8:55am-09:40am BST (9:55am-10:40am local)
Free Practice 2: 1:10pm-1:55pm BST (2:10pm-2:55pm local)
Saturday 15th May 2021
Free Practice 3: 8:55am-9:40am BST (9:55am-10:40am local)
Free Practice 4: 12:30pm-1:00pm BST (1:30pm-2:00pm local)
Qualifying: 1:10pm-1:50pm BST (2:10pm-2:50pm local)
Sunday 16th May 2021
Warm Up: 8:20am-8:40am BST (9:20am-9:40am local)
Race: 1:00pm BST (2:00pm local)
Johann Zarco, Pramac Racing
Photo by: MotoGP
How can I watch the French MotoGP?
Channel: ITV4
Channel numbers: Freeview – 25
Channel numbers: Sky – 120 HD, 818 SD
Channel numbers: Virgin Media – 178 HD, 118 SD
Channel numbers: Freesat – 117
For the first time since 2013, MotoGP will be shown live on free-to-air television in the UK, with the French MotoGP race day broadcast on ITV4.
ITV4, which currently shows highlights of each grand prix weekend on the Monday after a race, will broadcast MotoGP’s live world feed on Sunday covering the MotoGP, Moto2 and Moto3 races. Coverage will start from 9:45am UK time.
Channel: BT Sport 2
Channel numbers: Sky – 414 (BT Sport 2)
Channel numbers: Virgin Media – 528 (BT Sport 2)
BT Sport’s live coverage of Sunday’s action starts with the warm-up sessions at 7:15am, taken from the world feed, before switching to its own broadcast at 9:00am for the pre-race show ahead of the MotoE race.
The build-up to the MotoGP race starts from 12:30pm, or when the Moto2 race finishes, ahead of lights out at 1:00pm.
Marc Marquez, Repsol Honda Team
Photo by: Circuito de Jerez
Can I stream the French MotoGP?
Viewers in the United Kingdom can also stream the French GP by purchasing a video pass from MotoGP.com. A one-off video pass, the remainder of the 2021 MotoGP season, costs £172.02p.
The video pass gives access to every live session, qualifying and race, plus world feed content and the chance to watch previous races.
Weather forecast for the French MotoGP
Le Mans is set for rainy and cloudy conditions throughout the weekend, but with a chance of sunshine at times. Highs of 17 degrees Celsius are forecast on race day, which is around six degrees cooler than the Spanish GP.
Most French MotoGP winners (premier class only)
Jorge Lorenzo: 5 wins (MotoGP – 2009, 2010, 2012, 2015, 2016)
Mick Doohan: 4 wins (500cc – 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997)
Giacomo Agostini: 4 wins (500c – 1969, 1970, 1972, 1975)
Marc Marquez: 3 wins (MotoGP – 2014, 2018, 2019)
Valentino Rossi: 3 wins (MotoGP – 2002, 2005, 2008)
Alex Criville: 3 wins (500cc – 1998, 1999, 2000)
Eddie Lawson: 3 wins (500c – 1986, 1988, 1989)
Barry Sheene: 3 wins (500c – 1976, 1977, 1979)
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