MotoGP: Petrucci victorious in Le Mans wet race stunner

A quick Championship check with 18 laps to go saw Quartararo in P11 and Mir sitting P19, with Viñales and Franco Morbidelli (Petronas Yamaha SRT) also outside the points – a golden opportunity for Dovizioso and Miller, as well as the rest to get themselves right back in the 2020 title hunt. The rain was starting to fall again and now, fifth place Pol Espargaro was the fastest man on track. The KTM star was 2.4 seconds behind Rins who in turn was 1.5 seconds off the Ducatis, with Espargaro then setting another fastest lap of the race, but it was only a couple of tenths quicker than race leader Petrucci.

On Lap 11, Rins was then into the 1:44s for the first time. A 1:44.959 was eight tenths quicker than Petrucci and the GSX-RR rider was within touching distance of Miller’s rear wheel. Lap 13 – half race distance – and Rins made his move, Turn 7 was the place but he was slightly wide to allow Miller through. The latter had a look over his shoulder, saw a face full of Suzuki blue and it was now a four-rider fight for victory with 13 laps to go. Further back, Mir was finding pace and was in a battle with Morbidelli, Viñales and Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing Team Gresini), with Quartararo not far up to the road from Mir in P11.

With 12 to go, Rins made a move on Miller stick. Turn 3 was the place but Miller was back up to P3 at Turn 8, with Pol Espargaro and Marquez closing in – the reigning Moto2™ World Champion the fastest man on the circuit. The 73 was 1.2 seconds faster than race leader Petrucci and with 11 laps to go, the top eight were split by 4.3 seconds, Crutchlow and Oliveira gaining pace too. With 10 to go, Oliveira was then the fastest man in the top eight – four seconds exactly covering the fastest riders on track.

A change of the lead. Dovizioso picked up the baton to lead in France heading into Turn 3. Petrucci was back at Turn 8 but Dovizioso dived underneath. Breathless stuff at Le Mans and at Turn 9, it was chaos. Rins was late on the brakes and was up the inside of all the Ducatis, Dovi lost out and dropped to P4, Miller was wide, Rins was P2 and Petrucci was back into P1. On the next lap at Turn 10 again, cruel luck for Miller as his Ducati started blowing smoke – the Aussie was out with eight laps to go. Moments later at Turn 3, Rins was then down at the notorious Turn 3 as Suzuki’s dreams of a win at Le Mans ended.

The drama, which also saw Crutchlow crash, left Petrucci with a healthy advantage and with six to go, the Italian was quicker than anybody on track. Petrucci’s lead had risen to 2.5 seconds with Dovizioso second, but he was getting hounded by Marquez – the rookie was now P3! Pol Espargaro and Oliveira were also right with Dovizioso and Marquez, as seventh place Johann Zarco (Esponsorama Racing) set the fastest lap of the race. Unbelievable scenes at Le Mans and with five laps to go, Dovizioso started to reel in teammate Petrucci.

Four to go, the gap was 1.7 and that was soon 1.3 seconds. Dovizioso, Marquez, Pol Espargaro and Oliveira were all catching the number 9 Bologna bullet. Three to go, Marquez was up to P2 as Dovizioso left a small gap down into Turn 6, Petrucci’s gap up to 1.7 seconds and it looked like Dovizioso was seemingly out of grip – Espargaro was through at Turn 3 with two to go and Oliveira was swarming. Dovi was a sitting duck and Oliveira was through, Dovi defenceless and all this was aiding 8th place Quartararo in terms of the title race. Dovi was back through though as the riders headed onto the final lap of a magnificent French GP.

Marquez was hunting Petrucci, the gap 1.2 seconds. Pol Espargaro was eying P2 and Dovi was somehow holding off Oliveira. Halfway round, Petrucci was holding strong and it was his to lose. ‘Petrux’ made no mistake to take his second MotoGP™ victory, silencing his critics after a tough year. The first Ducati rider to win at Le Mans and his third successive podium at the layout, making it seven winners in nine races. Marquez held off Espargaro as the Spaniards completed the podium, Marquez’ ride was simply stunning in his first wet MotoGP™ race. It was his 39th career podium and first in the premier class, with Espargaro more than chuffed to claim his fourth premier class rostrum – number three of the season.

Dovizioso just didn’t have the rear grip to hold onto a podium place in the latter stages. However, Dovi gains ground in the Championship chase to move above Viñales and into P3 – 18 points off Quartararo. Zarco showed awesome late race pace to get the better of Oliveira on the final lap, P5 for the Frenchman is a great result, Oliveira’s P6 also a very solid ride. Takaaki Nakagami (LCR Honda Idemitsu) took P7 to keep his 100% 2020 top 10 record intact, the Japanese rider is now fifth in the World Champion and by no means out of the equation – 34 points separate the Honda rider and Quartararo.