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MotoGP race at Le Mans 2022: Bastianini triumphs, Bagnaia crashes

Lesley Summerville

In France, Enea Bastianini takes his third win of the season – Francesco Bagnaia crashes in duel for the lead – Jack Miller and Aleix Espargaro on the podium

Enea Bastianini (Gresini-Ducati) celebrated his third win of the 2022 MotoGP season at the French Grand Prix. Bastianini fought a close duel with Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati) for the lead. When Bastianini was in front, Bagnaia made the decisive mistake and retired by crashing.

Ducati celebrated a double victory as Jack Miller was second on the podium. Aprilia factory rider Aleix Espargaro continued his run of podium finishes in third. Local hero Fabio Quartararo (Yamaha) finished fourth in his home race (race result).

A record crowd of 110,000 fans had gathered around the Bugatti Circuit on Sunday. At the start of the 27-lap race, Miller won the holeshot ahead of Bastianini and Bagnaia. Local hero Quartararo didn’t get off to a good start and dropped back in the first few corners.

After the first lap Miller led ahead of Bagnaia, Alex Rins (Suzuki), Bastianini, Joan Mir (Suzuki), Aleix Espargaro, Marc Marquez (Honda) and Takaaki Nakagami (LCR-Honda). Frenchmen Quartararo and Johann Zarco (Pramac-Ducati) were only ninth and tenth respectively.

It was a hectic opening period. At the start of the third lap, Rins failed to catch the right-hand bend after the home straight and ploughed straight through the gravel at high speed. When he arrived at the Dunlop chicane, the Suzuki rider crashed. All the riders were able to avoid him.

In the early stages, the Ducati duo of Miller and Bagnaia built up a one-second lead at the front. Then the trio Bastianini, Mir and Aleix Espargaro followed. A close second behind, Quartararo and Marc Marquez dueled for sixth place.

On lap four, Bagnaia overtook his team-mate and led the race for the first time. As a result, the leading group closed ranks. Bastianini found his way back to his teammates. Mir, Aleix Espargaro and Quartararo followed close behind the Ducati trio.

On lap twelve Bastianini overtook Miller and was the new second. The chasing trio also got much closer to the Ducati trio again. Mir closed the gap and pulled Aleix Espargaro and Quartararo along.

At the halfway point of the race, the second Suzuki also crashed out. Mir’s GSX-RR was in the gravel on the outside of the finish bend. The Spaniard’s front wheel had slipped off while he was in fourth place. Aleix Espargaro was the new fourth rider, followed by Quartararo.

Bagnaia makes the decisive mistakes in the duel

In the last ten laps it was a duel between Bagnaia and Bastianini for the win. At the start of lap 21 Bastianini attacked in the Dunlop chicane, but then missed the racing line in “La Chapelle” and Bagnaia slipped through on the inside.

Bagnaia then made the decisive mistakes! On the brake in front of “Garage Vert”, Bagnaia braked too late. Bastianini slipped past on the inside and took a one-second lead over Bagnaia in one fell swoop. Moments later it got even worse for Bagnaia.

In turn 13, his front wheel slipped off as he turned into the right-hand corner and the Ducati factory rider was out! With five laps to go, Bastianini led by two seconds from Miller. Aleix Espargaro was third and under pressure from Quartararo.

That was the decider for the win. Bastianini rode to his third triumph of the year in commanding fashion. “After I got close to ‘Pecco’, I tried to overtake him in turn 2 and make him nervous,” described “LA Bestia”. “In the end it worked out and I won the race. It’s incredible!”

Three riders close in the World Championship

Nothing changed behind them in the other positions. With this race result Quartararo defended his WRC lead, but his advantage over Aleix Espargaro shrank to four points. Bastianini is eight points back in third.

Zarco saw the chequered flag in fifth place at his home race. Marc Marquez finished sixth, 15 seconds behind as the best Honda rider. Takaaki Nakagami followed in seventh. Brad Binder was the only KTM rider to finish in eighth.

Luca Marini (VR46-Ducati) and Maverick Vinales (Aprilia) completed the top 10, with Pol Espargaro (Honda), Marco Bezzecchi (VR46-Honda), Fabio di Giannantonio (Gresini-Ducati), Alex Marquez (LCR-Honda) and Franco Morbidelli (Yamaha) taking the other World Championship points.

For the Tech 3 team it was a home race to forget. Remy Gardner and Raul Fernandez were eliminated early on due to crashes. KTM factory rider Miguel Oliveira also said goodbye with a crash. Jorge Martin (Pramac-Ducati) also continued his series of crashes this year.

The next Grand Prix will take place on 29 May in Mugello (Italy).

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