MotoGP, France: Johann Zarco stops Ducati's hegemony and preserves Honda's record for consecutive victories

It was a page of history that Ducati hoped to make at Le Mans, but Honda came to shatter the dream, on home soil... and in style. LCR rider Johann Zarco won a chaotic French Grand Prix in spectacular fashion, ending Ducati's legendary run of consecutive MotoGP victories.

Until Sunday, Ducati had chained 22 consecutive victories, equaling Honda's legendary record established between 1997 and 1998, during the 500cc era. A victory for any rider Ducati at Le Mans – Marc or Alex Marquez, Bagnaia, Aldeguer or Di Giannantonio – would have been enough to establish a new absolute benchmark in the modern era.

But it's zarco, on a Private Honda, which ended this series, in a race completely crazy marked by rain, tire changes, strategic errors and accidents on the first lap.

At Ducati, an armada was ready to do anything to break this old Honda record

From a symbolic point of view, the scenario is almost ironic: a victory Honda, expected since the GP of the Americas 2023 with alex rins - already at LCR –, comes to stop the infernal machine of Borgo Panigale. And this, in front of a delirious French public, carried by a zarco intrepid, staying on rain tires when others tried the slick bet.

As for Ducati, the frustration is palpable: the opportunity was golden, with an armada ready to do anything to break this old Japanese record. But in this sport, records are made to be challenged... and sometimes broken in unexpected ways.

The results: 22 consecutive victories for Ducati, as much as Honda. The story therefore remains shared, until the next series. There is nothing left to do Ducati than to relaunch the series...

Course MotoGP French GP

MotoGP general classification