SPAIN’S Jorge Lorenzo took a flag-to-flag victory at Le Mans in France on Sunday as former Championship leader Marc Marquez crashes out. 

Lorenzo started on pole position ahead of the 28-lap race and made the perfect start whilst Marquez wheelied off the line. The Yamah rider led through the first chicance with Andrea Dovizoso right behind.

Marquez was soon up to fourth as he charged through on Pol Espargaro. Valentino Rossi attmpted to follow suit, but found himself in the midst of Aleix Espargaro and Bradley Smith. 

As they crossed the finish line for the first time Lorenzo’s lead stood at half a second with Dovizioso and Andrea Iannone behind. Lap four saw Rossi improve his pace as he peeled half a second off his time with Marquez firmly in his sights. The pair weren’t the only ones closing up as Iannone made significant progress on his Ducati team-mate Dovizioso.

Iannone’s luck soon ran out as on lap seven he crashed out at Turn 8. This was shortly followed by LCR Honda’s Cal Crutchlow who suffered his fourth race crash of the year. MotoGP rookie Tito Rabat also came off on the same lap at Turn 6. 

Lap 13 saw Rossi slide past Marquez making it a three-way battle for second as Lorenzo continued to run away at the head of the race. Just a few corners later Rossi was up into second place and matching Lorenzo’s pace. 

A thrilling battle for second was brewing until lap 16 at Turn 7. Both Dovizioso and Marquez crashed at the same time. There was no contact between them, but the pair both lost the front in sync. Team Suzuki Ecstar’s Maverick Viñales was in running for his first podium position. 

The crashes continued, but after re-mounting Marquez was up into 13th place despite missing a large section of fairing. Lorenzo, 7.8 seconds clear with five laps to go, was having no such issues as he calmly ran his own race. With gaps of at least three seconds splitting the top three, each eased their pace to guarantee a finish in the clearly difficult conditions.

For the second time in 2016, Lorenzo crossed the line in first place after dominating the French GP. Over ten seconds separated Rossi and Lorenzo as the race came to an end. It was a day of celebration for both Suzuki and Viñales with the Spaniard taking his first podium finish in the premier class. Viñales’ podium is the first for Suzuki since the 2008 Czech GP. 

Marquez’ team-mate Dani Pedrosa was unable to close the gap and was forced to settle for fourth whilst Pol Espargaro finished fastest Independet Team rider again as he ended Tech 3’s home round in a credible fifth ahead of his older brother. 

Aleix Espargaro, Danilo Petrucci, Hector Barbera, Alvaro Bautista and Stefan Bradl completed the top ten with only 13 out of 21 riders actually finishing the race. 

The MotoGP World Championship now heads to Mugello – Rossi’s home round. 

Race results:

1. Jorge Lorenzo ESP Movistar Yamaha MotoGP 43:51.290 
2. Valentino Rossi ITA Movistar Yamaha MotoGP 44:01.944 (+10.654)
3. Maverick Viñales ESP Team Suzuki Ecstar 44:05.467 (+14.177)
4. Dani Pedrosa ESP Repsol Honda Team 44:10.009  (+18.719)
5. Pol Espargaro ESP Monster Yamaha Tech 3 44:16.221 (+24.931)
6. Aleix Espargaro ESP Team Suzuki Ecstar 44:24.211  (+32.921)
7. Danilo Petrucci ITA Octo Pramac Yakhnich 44:29.541  (+38.251)
8. Hector Barbera ESP Avintia Racing 44:29.794  (+38.504)
9. Alvaro Bautista ESP Factory Aprilia Gresini 44:39.826 (+48.536)
10. Stefan Bradl GER Factory Aprilia Gresini 44:45.792  (+54.502)
11. Eugene Laverty IRL Aspar MotoGP Team 44:53.967  (+1:02.677)
12. Loris Baz FRA Avintia Racing 44:58.948  (+1:07.658)
13. Marc Marquez ESP Repsol Honda Team +1 lap

DNF. Bradley Smith GBR Monster Yamaha Tech 3 
DNF. Jack Miller AUS Estrella Galicia 0,0 Marc VDS 
DNF. Andrea Dovizioso ITA Ducati Team 
DNF. Andrea Iannone ITA Ducati Team 
DNF. Tito Rabat ESP Estrella Galicia 0,0 Marc VDS 
DNF. Cal Crutchlow GBR LCR Honda
DNF. Yonny Hernandez COL Aspar MotoGP Team 
DNF. Scott Redding GBR Octo Pramac Yakhnich