Moto3 Le Mans France FP1: In the end, John McPhee in a festival of falls on a wet track!

Albert Arenas (KTM, Aspar Team Gaviota), who had firmly dominated the start of the Moto3 championship, saw the tide turn since Misano, with two falls, in Italy and in Barcelona. And even if the latter is the entire responsibility of John McPhee (Honda, Petronas Sprinta Racing), winner in the Bugatti last year after passing through Q1, the facts are there: The Spanish driver had to concede the leadership of the category to the Japanese driver Ai Ogura (Honda, Honda Team Asia), for 3 small points.

But nothing is over yet, especially as the Spaniard arrives at Le Mans on the land of his first victory, acquired in 2018, the year from which all the track records date.

Behind, we find less than 5 points from this trio which is playing for the title Tony Arbolino (Honda, Rivacold Snipers Team) and Celestine Vietti (KTM, Sky Racing Team VR46) while Tatsuki suzuki (Honda, SIC58 Squadra Corse), already 47 points behind the leader, was unable to defend his chances in Catalonia because of his fractured left wrist.

Without real chances of winning the title but in full rise, we will also follow the qualification of Darryn Binder (KTM, CIP–Green Power), the latest winner.

On the news side, two announcements were made yesterday:
- Jaume Masia, who currently races on a Honda from the Leopard Racing team, will ride in 2021 on a KTM from the Red Bull KTM Ajo team alongside the reconfirmed Raúl Fernández.
- Andrea Migno will leave his Sky Racing Team VR46 KTM in favor of a Rivacold Snipers Team Honda to replace Tony Arbolino.

It's 16° in the air and 14° on the asphalt, and for the first time this year, the track is really wet as the 31 drivers prepare for this 40-minute session of which here are the past references :

Moto3™ Le Mans	2019	2020
FP1	1'42.954 Gabriel Rodrigo	1'54.810 Andrea Migno
FP2	1'42.147 Ai Ogura
FP3	1'53.429 Tatsuki Suzuki
Q1	1'43.994 John McPhee
Q2	1'42.277 John McPhee
Warm up	1'42.841 John McPhee
Course	McPhee, Dalla Porta, Canet
All time lap record	1'41.754 Jorge Martin (2018)

As soon as the track opens, Roman Fenati (Husqvarna, Sterilgarda Max Racing Team) was surprised by the precarious conditions, followed a few seconds later by Jason dupasquier (KTM, PrüstlGP) at the Dunlop chicane, Deniz Oncu (KTM, Red Bull KTM Tech3) at the connection and Niccolo Antonelli (Honda, SIC58 Squadra Corse) also at the Dunlop chicane.

Meanwhile, Yukii Kuni (Honda, Honda Team Asia) sets the first provisional benchmark in 2'00.461.

Khairul Idham Pawi (Honda, Petronas Sprinta Racing) is also trapped without seriousness when Andrea Migno (KTM, Sky Racing Team VR46) lowers the benchmark to 1'57.159.

Alonso lopez (Husqvarna, Sterilgarda Max Racing Team) also comes out at the chicane, but this time the Spanish driver seems to suffer from shoulder pain. It is then the turns of Tony Arbolino (Honda, Rivacold Snipers Team) and Carlos Tatay (KTM, Reale Avintia Arizona 77) to make a mistake.

Raul Fernandez (KTM, Red Bull KTM Ajo) then takes the lead in 1'56.349 while Celestine Vietti (KTM, Sky Racing Team VR46) tastes the bitumen of the Dunlop chicane.

Andrea Migno (KTM, Sky Racing Team VR46) seems particularly comfortable in these very precarious conditions and takes the lead in 1'55.432 while Ai Ogura (Honda, Honda Team Asia) crashes at the Dunlop chicane.

10 minutes from the checkered flag, John mcphee (Honda, Petronas Sprinta Racing) climbs to the top of the standings in 1'55.274.

Sergio Garcia (Honda, Estrella Galicia 0,0) loses control of his machine when connecting while Celestine Vietti (KTM, Sky Racing Team VR46) suffered his second fall at the entrance to the chapel.

It is then the turn of Raul Fernandez (KTM, Red Bull KTM Ajo) and gabriel rodrigo (Honda, Kömmerling Gresini Moto3) to make a mistake.

Stefano Nepa (KTM, Aspar Team Gaviota) was hot…

For the third time, Andrea Migno regains command in 1'54.810.

Update: After the fact, Andrea Migno's best time seems to have been canceled, without a reason having been provided at the moment...

 

FP1 classification of the French Moto3 Grand Prix:

Classification credit: MotoGP.com