Reigning Champion Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) went quickest in MotoGP™ Warm Up, from Monster Yamaha Tech 3 duo Jonas Folger and home hero teammate Johann Zarco. Karel Abraham (Pull&Bear Aspar Team) was a crasher. So what's to know before lights out?
For full Warm Up results, click here!
Sunday Guide
- Maverick Viñales (Movistar Yamaha MotoGP) starts from pole for the second time this season at the circuit where he took his first ever podium in the MotoGP™ class last year. He scored his first Grand Prix victory at Le Mans in the 125cc class in 2011.
- Valentino Rossi (Movistar Yamaha MotoGP) is in second place on the grid, which is his best qualifying result so far in 2017. Rossi has been second at Le Mans in the last three years, but last stood on the top step of the podium at this circuit in 2008.
- Johann Zarco is in third place on the grid for his home Grand Prix. It’s the first front row in the MotoGP™ class for a French rider since Randy de Puniet at Catalunya in 2010.
- This is the best qualifying result in the premier class by a French rider at his home race since Christian Sarron was on pole for the 500cc Grand Prix at Paul Ricard in 1988. Sarron finished second in that race, which was the last time a French rider finished on a premier class podium at his home race.
- This is the first all-Yamaha front row since the opening race of 2008 at Qatar, when Jorge Lorenzo was on pole from James Toseland and Colin Edwards.
- Cal Crutchlow (LCR Honda), who heads the second row, has crashed at Le Mans for the last two years. He has a single podium finish at this circuit when he finished second in 2013.
- Marc Marquez has qualified in fifth place, which is the first time this year that he has failed to get on the front row. Marquez has not been on the podium at Le Mans since his win in 2014.
- The highest placed Ducati rider on the grid is Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati Team) in sixth position. Dovizioso’s third place finish in 2015 is the only podium for Ducati at Le Mans in the last four years.
- Heading the third row of the grid is Scott Redding (Octo Pramac Racing), who took his first Moto2™ victory at Le Mans in 2013.
- Pol Espargaro (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) starts from eighth place on the grid, which is the best qualifying result by KTM in their first year in the MotoGP™ class.
- In ninth place on the grid is Karel Abraham (Pull&Bear Aspar Team), which is his best result in a dry qualifying session since he qualified ninth for the Czech Grand Prix in 2012.
- Heading the fourth row is Bradley Smith (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing), which makes it two KTM riders in the top ten places on the grid.
- Loris Baz (Reale Avintia Racing) starts from 12th place on the grid, which makes it two French riders in the top twelve on the grid in the MotoGP™ class for the first time since the San Marino Grand Prix in 2008.