Danilo Petrucci can leave the Bugatti track this Saturday with a feeling of accomplishment. Despite difficult conditions, he actually registered second in the starting grid of a French Grand Prix which he can approach in two ways. Either by looking ahead by going to annoy a Marc Marquez rival of his leader Dovizioso in the championship. Or by keeping his back from a Jack Miller who wants his place. So much so that, ultimately, his position is not so easy…
We will see what this Sunday brings for Petrux. But for this Saturday, satisfaction is the watchword: “ It was really difficult today, we didn't know if we should use dry or wet tyres. We went out with the rains and actually the downpour came down at that time, the best times came out at the start. My team was good at this strategy, I came out first and was able to seize the right moment. I'm happy, my goal was to get a good qualification. Until now, I had never managed one in 2019 ».
Obviously, Danilo hopes to be able to participate in a race as the protagonist. By starting from the front, he does not have to fear comebacks, but he must be careful at the start so as not to lose positions. He has the pace to do well, but he is not the only one: “ Marquez will try to start in front, he is very fast. Then come Viñales, Dovizioso and Rossi. For me it is important to start at the front and not lose positions. Last year I tried to follow Marc and it was a good tactic, I finished second. Yesterday I had a problem and we are trying to resolve it, it was a strange fall » warns Petrux, however.
At 360 thousandths from pole position, he adds: “ the Ducati is a good motorcycle on wet tracks. Marc perhaps dared a little more, the conditions were difficult and we didn't know how far we could push ". The Honda official realized this when he fell…
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 |
