TALKING POINTS: "I began to believe I could win the race"

motogp.com

13 May 2025

Following a truly unforgettable trip to Le Mans, catch up on all the hottest talking points from Round 6 of 2025

"I’m very proud"

After securing his second MotoGP victory and becoming the first French MotoGP rider to win on home turf for 71 years, Zarco described how much this victory meant to him. The Frenchman also explained the moment when he realised victory was possible in front of a record-breaking Le Mans crowd.

"I’m very proud because I love motorcycle history. I know big names, and I’ve been watching old races because I've always had a lot of interest in it. Today, to write this line as a French rider, winning the French GP, it’s just magic. I always push myself, hoping that I can win races or be on the podium. I always try to find a way to improve myself, but today I made this choice for the wet tyres.

"When Jack crashed, I began to believe that I could win the race. I was scared when Marc switched to the rain tyres because at the beginning, he went faster than me. I think he also reached the limit of the rain tyres, and he could not push much more. My gap was big enough to control."

"I expected more tears" - Zarco reacts to historic win

The first premier class French GP winner from France in 71 years, the LCR Honda rider reacts to an incredible day

"I’m 48, I just wanted to live"

It was an incredible day for everyone connected with Zarco’s side of the garage, with his manager, Guillaume Valladeau, explaining the emotions that he faced watching his rider clinch an unbelievable home Grand Prix win.

"Winning this race here in front of the French people is an amazing day. I am so glad for the team, for Johann and also for the people working with him. It is a lot of work, a lot of investments during the season; it is a long season as well. I was feeling like I was going to die. I’m 48, I just wanted to live. I couldn’t even breathe or watch the race; I was just counting the laps."

"On that lap, I copied Alex"

Marc Marquez (Ducati Lenovo Team) crossed the line in second, claiming a very valuable 20 points - the response he would have been looking for after his crash at the Spanish GP. This means that the #93 leaves the weekend with a 22-point Championship advantage, and after the race, he explained his decision to start on the slick tyres.

"In those conditions, I was convinced of my decisions. This is the most important thing. But it’s true that on that sighting lap, I was not sure, I saw that Pecco went to the grid. Then I realised that it was a completely dry racetrack. Then on that lap, I copied Alex. I waited for him, and then he went in, so I went with him. Then the opposite, he copied me when I changed the slick. Only Fermin stayed out for one more lap, and it was too late, because he lost a lot of time on that lap. I know Alex. He knows me. We spoke before the race that it would be tricky conditions, but the race was super long."

"Everything went wrong today"

Unfortunately, it was a difficult weekend for Bagnaia, with a crash at Turn 3 causing the #63 to score his first 2025 Sprint DNF. Then, on Sunday, the Italian was knocked off at the same corner by Enea Bastianini (Red Bull KTM Tech3) and from there, he couldn't recover a points-paying place. A Grand Prix to forget for the double MotoGP World Champion.

"They were saying that if it started to rain, it would continue raining, so I was sure to start with rain [tyres] and continue riding. But nothing, then I crashed, and I cannot continue the race in the same. If I look at the gap between the riders, even with the crash, I was finishing in the top 5. But I needed to stop, because the gearbox lever was a bit stuck, so it was very difficult to change gears, and also, we were missing some parts, and I needed to stop.

"So I stopped, and then I stopped again, and I waited 15 seconds to restart the other bike, so everything went wrong today, everything went wrong this weekend. And I want to say that from the start of the season, we are just struggling. My feeling is very bad, because I'm not having any feedback from the bike."

"We hit the bottom" - Bagnaia reacts disappointing French GP

The Italian crashed out early in the Grand Prix, and collected zero points in his visit to Le Mans

"We have to stay calm"

Fermin Aldeguer (BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP) had an impressive weekend again, with the MotoGP rookie claiming his first Sprint podium on Saturday before the #54 mastered the mixed conditions on Sunday to earn his first Grand Prix podium.

"I have an advantage because I have the best bike on the grid, but it’s not easy to ride. The first race, I think, the setting that I had wasn’t perfect for my riding style. Race by race, we are working in a better way. I understand the bike better. I also understand the team better. My feedback is always better to say about the technical parts. After Austin, when I saw that I was fast and had the pace to stay in the top five, I came to the race with another mindset. But always with the goal clear. Because we are a rookie, we have to stay calm."

"You never know if it's going to rain"

While Zarco was celebrating, Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) was filled with disappointment after the #20 crashed out of contention at the final corner in the opening stages of the French GP. Despite the crash, the French GP polesitter remains positive after another weekend fighting at the front.

"In Le Mans, it's always like that. You never know if it's going to rain, if it's going to stop. But it was a light rain, and it was really little, so I pushed quite a lot in the beginning, and it was great, but when I made the long lap, I really made a great long lap, I was pushing quite good, but when I took Marc, I just lost it, and it was a little bit more wet. I was there for three laps, and every lap, there was one more guy crashing. So a shame, but I really enjoyed the weekend, I think we managed to have a great pace and lap times."

Quartararo salutes Zarco, stays upbeat despite tough home GP

The Yamaha rider started from pole but crashed out of his home GP, as he witnessed another French rider make history

"We cannot be happy with two crashes"

It was a tough Grand Prix for Alex Marquez, with the #73 losing valuable Championship points following two crashes - the latter of which ended his hopes of scoring points. The #73 remains second in the World Championship but now has a 22-point gap to bridge as Silverstone nears.

"We cannot be happy with two crashes and getting zero points, but it is like this. I think we did everything quite perfect. Today, it's true that the strategy from Zarco was better, to keep the rain [tyres], but it was too risky, I think, at the point where we are in the Championship. Because if it doesn't start raining, you don't get points."

"It's been difficult for everybody"

Bastianini described the Grand Prix as "crazy" after starting on slick tyres. However, all talk surrounded the opening lap drama, with the #23 involved in an incident at Turn 3 with Bagnaia, which later saw the Italian receive a Long Lap penalty for the incident that will need to be served at his next GP.

"Crazy race. It has been difficult for everybody, because the situation on the track was really on the limit. In the end, we made the decision to start with the slick tyres, because at that moment, I was able to use that tyre. I braked hard on the first corner, and Pecco braked early. We crashed, and committed that mistake, and the other riders also crashed."

Next stop: Silverstone! Another phenomenal circuit steeped in history.