Ducati Prima Pramac Racing's Protuguese rider Jorge Martin competes during the French MotoGP Grand Prix sprint race at the Bugatti circuit in Le Mans, northwestern France, on May 11, 2024. Picture: JULIEN DE ROSA / AFP.
Championship leader Jorge Martin will start from pole position despite crashing in the final stages of qualifying for the French MotoGP on Saturday.
Ducati-Pramac rider Martin, who posted a lap record in practice on Friday, will also start in front of Italy’s two-time defending world champion Francesco Bagnaia for the sprint race later Saturday.
Spaniard Maverick Vinales will complete the first row on an Aprilia on the track in western France.
Martin crashed in the final three minutes of Q2 but Bagnaia, who trails the Spaniard by 17 points in the riders’ standings, failed to take advantage, falling himself a minute later.
Australian Jack Miller (KTM) and Spaniard Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia) also had minor falls.
Six-time world champion Marc Marquez had to go through Q1 and missed out on qualifying for Q2 where pole is at stake, and starts in 13th position, his worst result of the year.
Frenchman Fabio Quartararo of Yamaha starts eighth on his ‘home’ track behind Spanish teenager Pedro Acosta on a GasGas Tech3.
South African Brad Binder (KTM), seventh in the riders’ standings, finished 22nd and last in qualifiers.
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