The French Grand Prix at Le Mans started with a tabloid format, featuring a trio of drivers eager to make their mark after the previous race in Jerez. Despite his crash in the Spanish GP, Jorge Martin, the current championship leader, set the pace for Pramac Ducati with a lap time of 1m31.421s. He was one of the few drivers to opt for a soft tire towards the end of the session, which may have contributed to his quick lap. However, he missed out on a potentially faster lap due to a front-end slide, from which he skillfully recovered.
Pedro Acosta, who had a relatively calm race in Jerez, returned to his usual pace during Friday morning’s session. He briefly held the top spot and ended up in second place. He had a breathtaking moment when he had a big wobble at Chapelle corner, but managed to navigate through the gravel trap without incident.
Maverick Vinales and Aprilia had a good start in Le Mans after their winning streak was halted in Jerez. Vinales finished in third place, while his teammate Aleix Espargaro secured seventh place. They were sandwiched between the official Ducati duo of Enea Bastianini and Pecco Bagnaia, who finished fourth and sixth respectively, and Alex Marquez from Gresini, who finished fifth.
Marc Marquez, a familiar figure in MotoGP, initially set the fastest time in the session but ended up settling for ninth place. The only morning crash came from KTM rider Brad Binder, who lost control of his bike entering Garage Blue. Fortunately, the crash had no consequences and Binder’s bike rolled through the gravel trap on its own.
