In this poker game that this was qualification MotoGP of the 50th French Grand Prix, there is one who seemed to have more assets than the others in his game. It is a Maverick Vinales which showed itself during the test sessions as fast on the dry track as on the wet track. But he was fooled by the ace buried in Madame Weather's sleeve who redistributed the cards. Overall, an eleventh place which is also the last of the four Yamahas in the running.
In fact, so much Casa Particular in Viñales which Quarterly followed the strategy of Red who had done so well in Q1. Unfortunately, the sky was torn at the fateful moment of the laps completed on slicks while the others were already in the rain, taking advantage of a track which was already less efficient when the trio returned to the fight with the correct shoes.
Valentino Rossi still saved a fifth place, ahead of Morbidely who played the rains, while Quarterly is tenth. Just in front of Casa Particular in Viñales who grumbles: “ we made a big mistake in Q2. But we took the risk and paid the price. Now we no longer need to think whether it was good or bad. The good thing is that the sensations are there both on wet and dry tracks. We have a good rhythm. Our mission is a podium so we will attack for thathas ".
The Spaniard adds: “ if I drive on a wet track like in FP3, we can definitely be very competitive. We didn't even know if we should go out with a set of slicks or wets. We then tried with the slicks. We lost two or three laps, but it was the window for a good time. I could have been much faster here than in the last laps ».
The feel on the Yamaha M1 is also good in the rain. “ The bike has changed a lot in terms of settings in the rain. I feel much better entering the corner » rejoices the 24-year-old pilot. “ We had everything to stay ahead. But the mission now must be to finish the best Yamaha. The potential is good, but I am very disappointed with our position for the race ».
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 |
