This MotoGP qualifying of a French Grand Prix which offered a wet Saturday was both a lottery and courage. Valentino Rossi has no shortage of them and he also has some experience. With also success, he was able to reverse a situation that had gotten off to a bad start under the radiant sun of Friday at Le Mans. The rain which was to give him the final blow, in fact, put him back on the right path after a daring choice which leaves one admiring Aleix Espargaró.
The latter didn't do badly either, bringing his Aprilia to ninth place while his teammate Andrea Iannone is simply last… But before summarizing his own journey, the RS-GP driver pays tribute to the Doctor… “ I have to applaud Valentino. In Q1 there was less water on the track, but what he showed with the slicks was remarkable. It's not just about taking the tires dry. You also have to drive in 1'37,667 min... It was very dangerous. Because there was only 15 degrees of temperature on the track. It was very difficult with a 300 hp motorcycle taking at 260 km/h ».
On his case, he specifies: “ the coating wasn't really wet at first. Then it started to rain heavily. I saw it coming too, so I risked a lot in my first timed lap. It was worth it. My first round was the best. I stopped in the box and got a new tire. But he was skating too much. I was constantly losing the front wheel and slowing down by 0,1 seconds. Luckily we started with a used rear tire. Because we didn't want to waste time getting it ready. With slicks it was useless. Impossible ».
« It was like driving on ice. It was impossible to create a feeling between the tires and the asphalt. We know that in light rain we have less grip than in heavy rain. And the track only had a temperature of 15 degrees. These were the worst conditions for the tires and for the drivers. This qualification was extremely difficult ».
« The third row suits me well. The ninth starting place is more than good. At this point, my life on Sunday will be a little easier” Aleix said. “ I am confident that when it is dry we will be able to fight for the top ten again. In the wet, I have doubts. I do not feel very good. I feel a significant lack of grip. Acceleration is difficult. I had to risk a lot by qualifying for this fast lap. I felt too little supported by the rear tire. This is even more noticeable in the wet. We have to improve, we know that. But for now we have to accept this situation. I pray for a dry run ».
French Grand Prix Le Mans MotoGP J2: times
| 1 | 93 | Marc MÁRQUEZ | Honda | 1'40.952 | ||
| 2 | 9 | Danilo PETRUCCI | Ducati | 1'41.312 | 0.360 | 0.360 |
| 3 | 43 | Jack Miller | Ducati | 1'41.366 | 0.414 | 0.054 |
| 4 | 4 | Andrea Dovizioso | Ducati | 1'41.552 | 0.600 | 0.186 |
| 5 | 46 | Valentino ROSSI | Yamaha | 1'41.655 | 0.703 | 0.103 |
| 6 | 21 | Frank MORBIDELLI | Yamaha | 1'41.681 | 0.729 | 0.026 |
| 7 | 30 | Takaaki NAKAGAMI | Honda | 1'42.059 | 1.107 | 0.378 |
| 8 | 99 | Jorge Lorenzo | Honda | 1'42.067 | 1.115 | 0.008 |
| 9 | 41 | Aleix ESPARGARÓ | Aprilia | 1'42.450 | 1.498 | 0.383 |
| 10 | 20 | Fabio QUARTARARO | Yamaha | 1'42.509 | 1.557 | 0.059 |
| 11 | 12 | Maverick VIÑALES | Yamaha | 1'42.555 | 1.603 | 0.046 |
| 44 | Pol ESPARGARÓ | KTM | ||||
| Q1 Results: | ||||||
| Q2 | 46 | Valentino ROSSI | Yamaha | 1'37.667 | ||
| Q2 | 21 | Frank MORBIDELLI | Yamaha | 1'39.262 | 1.595 | 1.595 |
| 13 | 63 | Francesco Bagnaia | Ducati | 1'39.982 | 2.315 | 0.720 |
| 14 | 5 | johann zarco | KTM | 1'40.029 | 2.362 | 0.047 |
| 15 | 35 | Cal Crutchlow | Honda | 1'40.114 | 2.447 | 0.085 |
| 16 | 88 | Miguel OLIVEIRA | KTM | 1'40.385 | 2.718 | 0.271 |
| 17 | 17 | Karel ABRAHAM | Ducati | 1'40.482 | 2.815 | 0.097 |
| 18 | 36 | Joan Mir | Suzuki | 1'40.606 | 2.939 | 0.124 |
| 19 | 42 | Alex RINS | Suzuki | 1'40.706 | 3.039 | 0.100 |
| 20 | 53 | Tito RABAT | Ducati | 1'41.351 | 3.684 | 0.645 |
| 21 | 55 | Hafiz Syahrin | KTM | 1'41.717 | 4.050 | 0.366 |
| 22 | 29 | Andrea Iannone | Aprilia | 1'41.786 | 4.119 | 0.069 |
French Grand Prix Le Mans MotoGP J2: times
| 1 | 93 | Marc MÁRQUEZ | Honda | 1'40.952 | ||
| 2 | 9 | Danilo PETRUCCI | Ducati | 1'41.312 | 0.360 | 0.360 |
| 3 | 43 | Jack Miller | Ducati | 1'41.366 | 0.414 | 0.054 |
| 4 | 4 | Andrea Dovizioso | Ducati | 1'41.552 | 0.600 | 0.186 |
| 5 | 46 | Valentino ROSSI | Yamaha | 1'41.655 | 0.703 | 0.103 |
| 6 | 21 | Frank MORBIDELLI | Yamaha | 1'41.681 | 0.729 | 0.026 |
| 7 | 30 | Takaaki NAKAGAMI | Honda | 1'42.059 | 1.107 | 0.378 |
| 8 | 99 | Jorge Lorenzo | Honda | 1'42.067 | 1.115 | 0.008 |
| 9 | 41 | Aleix ESPARGARÓ | Aprilia | 1'42.450 | 1.498 | 0.383 |
| 10 | 20 | Fabio QUARTARARO | Yamaha | 1'42.509 | 1.557 | 0.059 |
| 11 | 12 | Maverick VIÑALES | Yamaha | 1'42.555 | 1.603 | 0.046 |
| 44 | Pol ESPARGARÓ | KTM | ||||
| Q1 Results: | ||||||
| Q2 | 46 | Valentino ROSSI | Yamaha | 1'37.667 | ||
| Q2 | 21 | Frank MORBIDELLI | Yamaha | 1'39.262 | 1.595 | 1.595 |
| 13 | 63 | Francesco Bagnaia | Ducati | 1'39.982 | 2.315 | 0.720 |
| 14 | 5 | johann zarco | KTM | 1'40.029 | 2.362 | 0.047 |
| 15 | 35 | Cal Crutchlow | Honda | 1'40.114 | 2.447 | 0.085 |
| 16 | 88 | Miguel OLIVEIRA | KTM | 1'40.385 | 2.718 | 0.271 |
| 17 | 17 | Karel ABRAHAM | Ducati | 1'40.482 | 2.815 | 0.097 |
| 18 | 36 | Joan Mir | Suzuki | 1'40.606 | 2.939 | 0.124 |
| 19 | 42 | Alex RINS | Suzuki | 1'40.706 | 3.039 | 0.100 |
| 20 | 53 | Tito RABAT | Ducati | 1'41.351 | 3.684 | 0.645 |
| 21 | 55 | Hafiz Syahrin | KTM | 1'41.717 | 4.050 | 0.366 |
| 22 | 29 | Andrea Iannone | Aprilia | 1'41.786 | 4.119 | 0.069 |
