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French GP: Quartararo grabs Le Mans pole after qualifying barnstormer

A mostly dry Le Mans track saw the Frenchman set a 1:32.600 on his final flying lap to beat team-mate Maverick Vinales by 0.081sec.

Fabio Quartararo

Bengaluru, May 15: Fabio Quartararo of Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP was France's hero as he grabbed the pole position after a phenomenal couple of qualifying sessions at the French MotoGP (SHARK Grand Prix de France).

A mostly dry Le Mans track saw the Frenchman set a 1:32.600 on his final flying lap to beat team-mate Maverick Vinales by 0.081sec.

Spanish GP winner Jack Miller (Ducati Lenovo Team) is on the front row, his team-mate and 2021 FIM MotoGP World Championship leader Francesco Bagnaia is forced to start 16th.

Allez Les Bleus! Zarco, Quartararo lead French 1-2 in Le Mans practice Allez Les Bleus! Zarco, Quartararo lead French 1-2 in Le Mans practice

Right at the end of FP4, the clouds rolled in and the rain started to fall, meaning MotoGP qualifying was going to begin in the wet.

Franco Morbidelli and Johann Zarco's final flying laps ensured they have solid grid positions for the French GP,.

Marc Marquez's first pole position of the season went begging in dramatic fashion. But still it is another good day for the six-time MotoGP world champion though, but it is the first time Honda are not in the top four in qualifying at Le Mans since 1982.

Valentino Rossi was able to better his time on the last lap too to earn P9, Miguel Oliveira (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) completed the top 10 at the famed Le Mans circuit.

A French GP qualifying session for the ages, with a Frenchman on pole again. What will Sunday bring? 2pm local time (5.30pm IST) is when we will find out.

The Indian audience can catch all the live action on EUROSPORT/EUROSPORT HD channels and the same will be live streamed on discovery + app.

Top 10 qualifying results:

1. Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) - 1:32.600
2. Maverick Viñales (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) + 0.081
3. Jack Miller (Ducati Lenovo Team) + 0.104
4. Franco Morbidelli (Petronas Yamaha SRT) + 0.166
5. Johann Zarco (Pramac Racing) + 0.277
6. Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) + 0.437
7. Takaaki Nakagami (LCR Honda Idemitsu) + 0.520
8. Pol Espargaro (Repsol Honda Team) + 0.550
9. Valentino Rossi (Petronas Yamaha SRT) + 0.791

10. Miguel Oliveira (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) + 1.276

(By a special arrangement with Dorna Sports)

Story first published: Saturday, May 15, 2021, 22:25 [IST]
Other articles published on May 15, 2021