The French Grand Prix delivered another electrifying qualifying session, with Fabio Quartararo gifting Yamaha yet another sensational pole position. In a rematch of their Jerez duel, Quartararo and Marc Marquez engaged in a breathtaking battle for the top spot.
Marquez initially set a blistering pace, establishing a new record lap time of 1m29.442s. However, Quartararo, after switching to a new rear tire, unleashed an incredible final sector, shaving off four-tenths of a second and securing pole with a 1m29.324s lap. This marked the second consecutive track where the Yamaha M1 claimed the record lap, cementing its performance on both Jerez and Le Mans.
Alex Marquez followed close behind in third, while his Gresini teammate, Fermin Aldeguer, secured fourth before a post-qualifying crash. The session saw its share of drama, including a comical crash for Franco Morbidelli in the morning practice and a subsequent Q2 crash, relegating him to ninth.
Pecco Bagnaia struggled initially, languishing in 11th after the first run in Q2. Although he improved, he ultimately finished sixth, beaten to fifth by Maverick Vinales on the KTM. Raul Fernandez impressed with his best qualifying performance of the season, securing a 10th-place start. Johann Zarco's strong lap was invalidated due to track limits, leaving him in 11th.
Several other riders were closely bunched in the fight for Q2 positions, with Brad Binder, Alex Rins, and Joan Mir finishing 13th, 14th, and 15th respectively. Fabio Di Giannantonio faced early elimination, while Ai Ogura’s crash caused a red flag. Miguel Oliveira returned from injury and finished 21st.
The complete starting grid showcases the competitiveness of the field:
- Quartararo
- M. Marquez
- A. Marquez
- Aldeguer
- Vinales
- Bagnaia
- Bezzecchi
- Miller
- Morbidelli
- Fernandez
- Zarco
- Acosta
- Binder
- Rins
- Mir
- Marini
- Di Giannantonio
- Bastianini
- Ogura
- Oliveira
- Savadori
- Nakagami
The race promises to be an exciting spectacle, with Quartararo starting from pole and numerous other contenders poised to challenge for the podium. Will Quartararo continue his strong form and secure a victory? Only time will tell.
Jack Miller and his Pramac Racing team expressed confidence in Yamaha's improved performance, highlighting the benefits of the Jerez test and recent upgrades. Miller's strong pace suggests a potential challenge for the top spots in the race.
Fabio Quartararo himself expressed satisfaction with his performance, emphasizing the improved feeling compared to Jerez and highlighting his confidence in achieving a front-row start. He acknowledged the possibility of a podium finish but focused on the realistic goal of securing a front-row position.
