Johann Zarco set the fastest time in the second free practice session at Le Mans, stamping his authority on home soil. The French rider clocked an impressive lap to lead the field, while Marc Márquez struggled and will have to fight through the qualifying repêchage.
The session was marked by several incidents, including crashes for Jorge Martín and Fermín Aldeguer, while Raúl Fernández’s Aprilia was seen emitting flames. Despite the drama, Zarco (35) was untouchable at the top of the timesheets.
Marc Márquez (33) endured a difficult outing, failing to break into the top positions just as he had in the first practice. The Ducati rider has not enjoyed the start to the championship he expected after dominating MotoGP last season.
Joining Márquez in the Q1 battle are Bastianini, Raúl Fernández, Miller, Marini (who was fastest in Practice 1), Quartararo, Morbidelli, Moreira, Toprak Razgatlioglu, Aldeguer, and Folger.
Directly advancing to Q2 are Zarco, Di Giannantonio, Bagnaia, Álex Márquez, Mir, Jorge Martín, Bezzecchi, Rins, Ogura, and Acosta. Álex Márquez, Mir, Jorge Martín, Rins, and Acosta secure their spots in Q2 after strong performances.
The Friday action sets up an intriguing qualifying day, with Zarco looking to convert his pace into a front-row start at the French Grand Prix.
