Honda HRC wins again amid dramatic French GP
Le MansThe Honda RC213V was back on the top step of the podium thanks to Johann Zarco with Luca Marini close to the top ten in a dramatic race. Joan Mir heads for further checks after a heavy fall.
Rain just before the start of the 27-lap French GP once again sent much of the MotoGP World Championship into a last-minute flurry as riders and teams assessed the possibilities of wets or slicks. Having shown strong pace in a wet Warm Up, both Honda HRC Castrol riders were eager to start and show their speed.
With the rain coming and going, the entire MotoGP field dove into the pits after the warm up lap and triggered a red flag and quick restart. Beginning on wets, Marini would switch to slicks on the second lap of the now 26 lap French GP. But continually changing conditions meant the #10 would be back in on lap eight to return to wets. From here, Marini matched the pace of the top five as he picked his way through the field. Crossing the line in 11th, he collected yet more points and sits 13th in the World Championship standings, just a single point behind Bezzecchi.
Joan Mir was utterly luckless in the race, caught up at the first chicane with Bagnaia, Zarco and Bastianini. Falling heavily, the 2020 MotoGP World Champion was taken to local hospital for further checks. Suffering a fracture in his right hand and neck pain, his condition will be updated in the following days.
It was home hero Johann Zarco who stole the day as he returned the Honda RC213V to the top step of the podium for the first time since the 2023 Americas GP. The Honda LCR rider sent the record-breaking French crowd into a frenzy and has written an unforgettable moment in the history of Honda HRC.
With the weekend’s results, Honda now move to second in the Constructor World Championship, nine points clear of KTM.
First of all congratulations to Honda HRC and to Zarco for the result, we have all been working very hard to achieve this. Today was a big opportunity and I am honestly really frustrated because I made almost every decision in the opposite way. It’s a big pity, of course after the race it’s easy to say ‘staying on wets would have been the best’ but I made a really good start off the line and we were fast, but the weather changed back and forth. I had a good feeling once it all settled down and I was able to be quite fast, but we lost too much time with the changes. Without these mistakes Zarco showed what was possible.
First of all congratulations to Honda HRC and to Zarco for the result, we have all been working very hard to achieve this. Today was a big opportunity and I am honestly really frustrated because I made almost every decision in the opposite way. It’s a big pity, of course after the race it’s easy to say ‘staying on wets would have been the best’ but I made a really good start off the line and we were fast, but the weather changed back and forth. I had a good feeling once it all settled down and I was able to be quite fast, but we lost too much time with the changes. Without these mistakes Zarco showed what was possible.
I’m really happy for Zarco, doing this at your home GP is a dream! He was really fast on track today. He and I made the same decision to stay out on the rain tyre, from my side I just tried to stay focused on my job – don’t crash and don’t override. It was pretty chaotic at the start with the pitting and many people changing their bikes, quite difficult to understand. I really enjoyed the race, even if it was really long! Top six is an incredible result, nothing we were expecting, but it’s a great reward for the Test Team who have been working to their maximum not just this year, but for many years. Thanks to Honda HRC for this opportunity.
I’m really happy for Zarco, doing this at your home GP is a dream! He was really fast on track today. He and I made the same decision to stay out on the rain tyre, from my side I just tried to stay focused on my job – don’t crash and don’t override. It was pretty chaotic at the start with the pitting and many people changing their bikes, quite difficult to understand. I really enjoyed the race, even if it was really long! Top six is an incredible result, nothing we were expecting, but it’s a great reward for the Test Team who have been working to their maximum not just this year, but for many years. Thanks to Honda HRC for this opportunity.
