Le Mans MotoGP: Quartararo leads the way in chaotic FP3
Fabio Quartararo led a Yamaha 1-2 in a crash-strewn MotoGP French Grand Prix third practice, while a late fall for title rival Joan Mir dropped him into Q1.
The dry conditions in FP3 meant improvements on Friday afternoon’s best efforts were immediate, with Quartararo the first bike mover on the combined order as he leaped from 11th to third.
Petronas SRT teammate Franco Morbidelli improved to second, while Valentino Rossi on the works Yamaha moved up to sixth.
With just seven minutes of the session gone, Quartararo had bettered Jack Miller’s 1m34.356s from FP2 with a 1m33.779s and improved to a 1m33.400s a few moments later.
Yamaha took control of the top of the timesheets from this point, with Quartararo going even quicker with a 1m33.301s before Morbidelli edged ahead with a 1m33.279s.
Quartararo once again deposed his teammate with a sequence of session-best laps which culminated in a 1m32.974s.
The Frenchman returned to top spot with 12 minutes to go following another brief spell leading the standings by Morbidelli, with Quartararo lowering the pace to a 1m32.319s as the rest made their final bids for direct passage into Q2.
Quartararo’s lap stood as the benchmark through to the end of the session, while Tech3 KTM’s Miguel Oliveira ended up his nearest challenger 0.130 seconds with a last-gasp effort.
Morbidelli completed the top three ahead of Miller, who suffered a nasty off-throttle highside at the Garage Vert right-hander on an outlap in the closing stages.
Maverick Vinales rounded out the top five on the works Yamaha, with Cal Crutchlow bagging himself a place in Q2 on the LCR Honda in sixth.
A late improvement for Avintia’s Johann Zarco to seventh knocked KTM’s Brad Binder down into 11th, while Rossi was resigned to eighth after crashing at the Dunlop chicane late on.
The Yamaha rider headed Pol Espargaro on the KTM and the factory Ducati of Andrea Dovizioso as the final riders to bag a direct place in Q2.
Mir crashed his Suzuki at the second corner in the final two minutes when he lost the front end without any warning under braking, with late improvements for others shoving him into a volatile Q1 group in 12th.
He’ll join Ducati’s Danilo Petrucci and his Suzuki teammate Alex Rins, who lost the first 15 minutes of FP3 to a crash at the Dunlop chicane.
Francesco Bagnaia also missed out on a Q2 place on his Pramac Ducati, while Honda pair Alex Marquez (17th) and Stefan Bradl (21st) also suffered falls in FP3.
Previous article
Did a ‘useless’ Friday reveal the mindset of a MotoGP title contender?
Next article
Avintia refutes rumours of 2021 takeover by VR46
About this article
| Series | MotoGP |
| Event | French GP |
| Sub-event | FP3 |
| Drivers | Fabio Quartararo |
| Author | Lewis Duncan |
Repsol Honda Team - Pol Espargaró Q&A
Repsol Honda Team - Marc Marquez Q&A
Why Alex Marquez doesn't care about 'shutting up' MotoGP critics
Alex Marquez's form was one of MotoGP 2020's biggest surprises and, by firmly stepping out of his six-time world champion brother Marc's shadow, he proved a few people wrong. Not that he cares about this, as he tells Lewis Duncan
How Yamaha's new MotoGP era can unchain Vinales
After the electrifying start to his Yamaha MotoGP career in 2017, Maverick Vinales has struggled for consistency. Many anticipate that the arrival of Fabio Quartararo could spell disaster, but the departure of Valentino Rossi could be just the impetus he needs.
Does KTM really need 'super engine' for MotoGP title challenge?
Fears from rival MotoGP manufacturers that KTM would build a 'super engine' for 2021 have ultimately come to nothing with the revealation that the RC16 hasn't been radically changed over the winter. But does it really need that to win the title?
How Ducati's latest Aussie union can return it to MotoGP glory
Australians on Ducatis is an iconic partnership, the marque's last one yielding its sole MotoGP crown to date. But its latest Aussie union with the often underestimated Jack Miller can end this drought.
The "balls out" battle between MotoGP's true greats
Senna vs Prost is regularly cited as motorsport's greatest rivalry. But it can easily be argued Rainey vs Schwantz can stake that claim. That rivalry was in full swing during the 1991 500cc season, remembered fondly by both stars 30 years on...
The "warrior" MotoGP rookie KTM was right to back
The 2020 MotoGP campaign featured a standout pair of rookies, but one flew under the radar as he adjusted to a shock step-up armed with very little racing experience. However as his veteran team boss explains, the faith shown in him was not misplaced
Why Suzuki's Brivio replacement must come from within
With its charismatic leader Davide Brivio leaving for Formula 1, the Suzuki MotoGP squad he turned into a world championship-winning force in 2020 has a major recruitment headache that it needs to resolve carefully.
Why Alpine's latest signing could be its best hope of F1 glory
The return of Fernando Alonso to the renamed Alpine team is a sure sign of the team's ambition. But its latest appointment from MotoGP could be an even bigger coup as it seeks to end a barren run stretching back to Alonso's 2006 world title
