MotoGP LIVE Le Mans France FP2: Jack Miller, the ballsiest!

Article updated until the end of the session

8 points between leader Fabio Quartararo and his immediate pursuer Joan Mir, 6 races to go, this is the situation which clearly shows that, barely halfway through the season, everything is in place to offer us a most captivating end to the championship !

fabio quartararo arrives at Le Mans with full confidence, after his recent victory in Barcelona and on his home territory. As he explained yesterday at a press conference, his result last year in the Bugatti (8th) does not reflect the good race pace he had.

The fact remains that, like this morning, the V4s had monopolized the first four places during the last edition in Sarthe, Marc Marquez taking the victory ahead of the three Ducatis of Andrea Dovizioso, Danilo Petrucci and Jack Miller.

This year, however, at least four elements must be taken into account, obviously with the absence of Marc Marquez, the resulting tightening of the championship, the new Michelin slick rear tires which do not make the task easy for the official drivers of Borgo Panigale, and of course the postponement of the French Grand Prix to October, with the temperatures which arise.

For the time being, Bradley Smith, Johann Zarco, Danilo Petrucci, Jack Miller, Andrea Dovizioso, Maverick Viñales, Franco Morbidelli, Valentino Rossi, Cal Crutchlow and Pol Espargaró are pre-qualified for Q2, but given the track which was drying during FP2 of Moto3 but which now receives a fine drizzle, all this could be largely modified during this FP2 which will take place with temperatures of 16° in the air and 16° on the ground when the 22 drivers prepare for this second 45-minute session of which here are the past references :

MotoGP™ Le Mans	2019	2020
FP1	1'31.986 Fabio Quartararo (See here)	1'43.804 Bradley Smith (See here)
FP2	1'31.428 Maverick Viñales (See here)	1'34.133 Jack Miller (See here)
FP3	1'42.498 Maverick Viñales (See here)
FP4	1'39.777 Marc Márquez (See here)
Q1	1'37.667 Valentino Rossi (See here)
Q2	1'40.952 Marc Márquez (See here)
Warm up	1'32.483 Fabio Quartararo (See here)
Course	Marquez, Dovizioso, Petrucci (See here)
All time lap record	1'31.185 Johann Zarco (2018)

When the red lights go out... Valentino Rossi sets off first on the track like this morning, followed by Joan Mir.

Despite the fine drizzle that has just fallen on the Bugatti circuit, the Yamaha rider is on slicks while the few reckless drivers who followed him are on rain tires.

The majority of drivers prefer to wait in the box car in these very mixed conditions, where Johann zarco usually excels, it is very difficult to know which tires to use.

After his first flying lap, Valentino Rossi turns out to be more than three seconds slower than Joan Mir who runs in 1'43.515: a valuable indication for the other drivers in the boxes...

Incidentally, let's salute the quality of the Michelin tires in the wet since the MotoGP session did not experience any crashes this morning, which is very far from being the case for the Moto3 and Moto2 equipped with Dunlop...

Logically, Valentino Rossi returns to his box while Fabio Quartararo and Francesco Bagnaia are now also on track on slicks.

After less than 10 minutes, the “grip change” flag is waved while John Zarco, equipped with medium/medium rain, achieved the best time in 1'41.811. The Frenchman continued his effort in 1'41.247, then 1'40.943 in the following passages.

Meanwhile fabio quartararo swapped his slicks for soft rain.

Jack Miller is not shy and persists with the soft slicks. The Australian first sets the third time, which seems to indicate that the track is drying out in the second part of the circuit... On the next pass, he takes the lead in 1'39.629.

Another lap and the Pramac driver sets the new benchmark in 1'37.738: This time, the slicks are sure to take the advantage and the wheel changes begin in the boxes...

It is also indicated to Johann zarco to return home to change tires.

An overview of the very contrasting situation before mid-session…

A few moments later, we already found five drivers on slicks in the first four places, still under the command of Jack Miller this time in 1'36.432.

Just after mid-session, Johann zarco experienced a technical problem at the entrance to the Dunlop chicane and had to return to his box using the safety lane.

Meanwhile, Iker Lecuona hoists his KTM into second position.

A quarter of an hour from the end of the session, everyone is now on slick tires and the serious things are about to begin and it starts with Miguel Oliveira who dislodges his Red Bull KTM Tech3 teammate from second place.

Takaaki Nakagami then took command in 1'36.320 before conceding it to Alex Rins in 1'36.173. But the Honda driver doesn't see things that way and regains his lead in 1'35.924 on the next pass.

Woe for Aprilia, Aleix Espargaró makes a minor mistake when braking at the Dunlop chicane, at the same time as Bradley Smith loses control of his bike at turn 11 following a strong highside. The British pilot got up limping heavily.

Less than 10 minutes from the checkered flag, Andrea Dovizioso The Dunlop chicane also makes a mistake, without the slightest seriousness.

Cal Crutchlow then achieved the best time in 1'35.561 even though he had only done 6 flying laps, but the Briton was immediately overtaken by Franco Morbidelli in 1'35.369 then Jack Miller in 1'34.566.

With only three minutes left, Maverick Vinales et Johann zarco enter the top 5…. the last minutes in pictures!



The Yamaha rider then pulls straight ahead and enters the track in front Joan mir...

Danilo Petrucci does the same while Brad Binder makes a mistake at turn 7.

In the last minute, more than 10 drivers lit the first sectors in red but in the end it was still Jack Miller which turns out to be the fastest, in 1'34.133, ahead of Takaaki Nakagami (which falls just after), Johann Zarco and Valentino Rossi.

In extremis, Maverick Vinales places his Yamaha in second position.

FP2 classification of the French MotoGP Grand Prix:

Classification credit: MotoGP.com