Jack Miller lead the race in the early stages but received a double long-lap penalty for speeding in the pit lane during their bike swaps but recovered to win the French MotoGP in grand style.
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Australian racer Jack Miller defied all the odds and overcame a double long-lap penalty in the French MotoGP. Miller also survived a push for the first place by Pramac Ducati’s Johann Zarco at the end. Thus, Miller made it two wins on the trot in a dramatic dry-wet-dry flag-to-flag French MotoGP at the iconic Le Mans circuit. Jack Miller lead the race in the early stages. But he and Ducati team-mate Francesco Bagnaia both received a double long-lap penalty for speeding in the pit lane. However, the Australian overcame the penalties and took the lead from Yamaha’s Fabio Quartararo with 16 laps to go. The race was the first flag-to-flag since Brno 2017.
The weather was unpredictable to say the least. The sun came out and the track dried quickly. This meant that those with a least one soft wet – including race leaders Miller and Quartararo – needed to pit again for slicks.
Zarco, on the medium wets, was swept by countryman Quartararo for second place with six laps to go. But Miller remained out of reach for victory over the French racers. After a wet warm-up, the race began on a dry track but conditions were overcast.
Rain arrived after three laps and poured from lap five of 27. The leaders all pulled in to switch from soft slicks to wets.
Marc Marquez took the lead of a MotoGP race for the first time since Valencia 2019 by overtaking Quartararo after the Frenchman pulled into team-mate Vinales’ pit area. However, the Spaniard’s lead lasted just a few laps before being high-sided at the final corners. He rejoined in the 18th position. But, he crashed out for a final time while holding eleventh with 10 laps to go.
Quartararo later received a long-lap penalty for his bike swap error. However, he had already lost the lead to Miller. A double disaster for Suzuki saw Mir fall just before swapping bikes and Alex Rins just after, with only the number 42 able to continue, before crashing for a second time.
Veteran racer and Moto GP legend Valentino Rossi had a dismal performance as he could only manage to finish in 11th place, over 42 seconds behind first-placed Miller.
