Le Mans MotoGP: Quartararo takes first pole since Jerez
Fabio Quartararo beat Jack Miller to MotoGP pole in a dramatic French Grand Prix qualifying, with Joan Mir only 14th after failing to get out of Q1.
Qualifying was delayed owing to an oil spill caused by Miguel Oliveira’s Tech 3 KTM expiring 13 minutes into FP4.
When Q2 finally got under way, Yamaha took charge of the top of the timesheets as they did in FP3 and FP4, with Catalunya poleman Franco Morbidelli setting the early pace with a 1m32.393s.
His Petronasstablemate Quartararo beat this just a moment later with a 1m31.679s, which he improved to a 1m31.665s on the following tour.
Pramac’s Francesco Bagnaia split the Yamaha’s on the provisional front row in second having come through Q1 alongside fellow Ducati rider Danilo Petrucci.
Quartararo’s 1m31.665s came under immense threat as the session ticked into its final two minutes, with Ducati’s Andrea Dovizioso jumping up to second before the injured Cal Crutchlow missed out by just 0.021 seconds.
Jack Miller toppled Quartararo’s time with a 1m31.537s on his final lap, but Quartararo was lighting up the timing screens on his last effort.
Under a tenth up as he entered the third sector, home hero Quartararo monstered the final split to produce a 1m31.315s to claim his first pole since the Andalusian GP in July by 0.222s.
Miller held onto second ahead of Petrucci, who secured his first front row start since the 2019 Italian GP weekend.
Crutchlow will head the second row on his LCR Honda despite still suffering with complications from surgery on his right arm in August, while Maverick Vinales on the Yamaha and Dovizioso line up alongside.
Bagnaia was shuffled back to seventh in the end ahead of Pol Espargaro’s KTM and Johann Zarco on the Avintia Ducati.
Valentino Rossi put in a charge for pole late on, but could only manage 10th on his Yamaha ahead of early pacesetter Morbidelli and Oliveira.
Mir’s difficult Saturday continued into qualifying, after a crash in FP3 left him stranded in Q1.
The Suzuki rider did hold a Q2 place in the closing stages of Q1, but his 1m32.187s wasn’t good enough to stop Pramac’s Bagnaia from demoting him, with LCR’s Takaaki Nakagami worsening the situation by jumping up to 13th.
Mir’s 14th is his worst qualifying of the year and he will be joined on the fifth row by Aprilia’s Aleix Espargaro, with the sister Suzuki of Alex Rins only 16th after suffering another crash in FP4.
A late crash for Brad Binder at the Musee left-hander stopped him advancing on 17th on the KTM, with Alex Marquez shuffled back to 18th on the Honda after an early stint in the top two.
Bradley Smith on the sister Aprilia, Tech 3’s Iker Lecuona, Honda’s Stefan Bradl and the Avintia Ducati of Tito Rabat complete the field.
Q2 results:
Cla | Rider | Bike | Time | Gap | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | | ![]() | Yamaha | 1'31.315 | |
2 | | ![]() | Ducati | 1'31.537 | 0.222 |
3 | | ![]() | Ducati | 1'31.674 | 0.359 |
4 | | ![]() | Honda | 1'31.686 | 0.371 |
5 | | ![]() | Yamaha | 1'31.719 | 0.404 |
6 | | ![]() | Ducati | 1'31.722 | 0.407 |
7 | | ![]() | Ducati | 1'31.752 | 0.437 |
8 | | ![]() | KTM | 1'31.795 | 0.480 |
9 | | ![]() | Ducati | 1'31.832 | 0.517 |
10 | | ![]() | Yamaha | 1'31.889 | 0.574 |
11 | | ![]() | Yamaha | 1'31.891 | 0.576 |
12 | | ![]() | KTM | 1'32.009 | 0.694 |
View full results |
Q1 results:
Cla | Rider | Bike | Time | Gap | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | | ![]() | Ducati | 1'31.952 | |
2 | | ![]() | Ducati | 1'32.054 | 0.102 |
3 | | ![]() | Honda | 1'32.179 | 0.227 |
4 | | ![]() | Suzuki | 1'32.187 | 0.235 |
5 | | ![]() | Aprilia | 1'32.539 | 0.587 |
6 | | ![]() | Suzuki | 1'32.757 | 0.805 |
7 | | ![]() | KTM | 1'32.766 | 0.814 |
8 | | ![]() | Honda | 1'32.774 | 0.822 |
9 | | ![]() | Aprilia | 1'32.833 | 0.881 |
10 | | ![]() | KTM | 1'32.859 | 0.907 |
11 | | ![]() | Honda | 1'32.861 | 0.909 |
12 | | ![]() | Ducati | 1'33.610 | 1.658 |
View full results |

Previous article
Avintia refutes rumours of 2021 takeover by VR46
Next article
Morbidelli fears "nightmare" race as Yamaha "useless" in pack

About this article
Series | MotoGP |
Event | French GP |
Sub-event | Q2 |
Author | Lewis Duncan |
Le Mans MotoGP: Quartararo takes first pole since Jerez
Trending
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