Last lap drama as Vinales prevails

Maverick Vinsales (Movistar Yamaha) has returned to the winner's list in the 2017 MotoGP title after a thrilling race at Le Mans in France.

It all came down to a last lap battle between Vinales and his teammate Valentino Rossi, which ended when the Italian veteran crashed out with just a few corners to go.

Vinales was unaware that Rossi had crashed, which is why he set a new lap record on the final lap en route to a three-second win over rookie sensation Johann Zarco (Monster Yamaha Tech 3), with Dani Pedrosa (Repsol Honda) third after fighting his way through from 13th on the grid.

World champion Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda) was another to crash out, just before the mid-way point in the 28-lap race, while battered and bruised Aussie Jack Miller (EG 0,0 Marc VDS Honda) finshed in eighth after a massive crash on Saturday.

It was Vinales' third win of the season, as he returns to the championship lead on 85pts ahead of Pedrosa (68), Rossi (62), Marquez (58) and Zarco (55).

"Keeping up with Johann in the early laps of the race was hard, he was really fast and with the full tank we were not as strong as him," said Vinales. "He was exiting from the corners really good and really fast.

"Then his tyre started to drop a little bit and our tyre started to work good on the rear, and lap by lap I was feeling better. Until the end, in the last lap, I gave everything I had here in the French GP and, honestly, I'm so happy and so pleased.

"The team was working on an incredible level this weekend; I hope we can continue like that. For sure the tyres were working really well, so we hope we can work like this also in Mugello."

Meanwhile, Rossi was left to rue a missed opportunity.

"It was a great shame, because for my team it was the best weekend of the season, where I was more competitive on the track, also in the wet, but especially in the race," said Rossi. "For sure, for me this could have been the best result of the season. It was very difficult because the pace was always very high, but at the end I felt comfortable on the bike, I had a good feeling, so I tried to attack.

"Unfortunately, on the last lap I made a mistake at turn six and I fell back a little, so Maverick could overtake me. I knew I had another chance, because we were very close and I tried to remain there, because in sector four I was good.

"Sincerely, what happened during the crash, we don't understand. Usually you have to pay attention to the front, but I lost the rear when I crashed. Anyway, I made a mistake, and it's like this. It is a great shame to go back home with zero points."

Zarco's first podium in MotoGP was superb as he set a strong pace throughout, and Rossi was only able to pass him with a handful of laps remaining.

The last lap gift from Rossi saw Zarco finish in second, with Pedrosa another four seconds behind in third. The top 10 was completed by Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati Team), Cal Crutchlow (LCR Honda), Jorge Lorenzo (Ducati Team), Jonas Folger (Monster Yamaha Tech 3), Miller, Loris Baz (Reale Avintia Racing) and Andrea Iannone (Ecstar Suzuki).

“I was a little fortunate today with some other riders having problems but in racing you have to be in it at the finish to get the best result and that’s what we did," said Miller. "Considering my physical condition I think I rode a good race despite struggling to pick the bike up on corner exit. I’m happy to be back in the top 10 both in the race and the points but it’s only early in the season so there's still a lot of work to do.

"I had a good weekend going until my crash in FP4 so now I’ll go home and rest my body and get ready to come back stronger in Mugello.”

MotoGP results
1. Maverick Vinales, Movistar Yamaha, 43m29.793s
2. Johann Zarco, Monster Yamaha Tech 3, +3.314s
3. Dani Pedrosa, Repsol Honda, +7.717s

Australian
8, Jack Miller, EG 0,0 Marc VDS, +32.603s

Pole position: Vinales, 1m31.994s = 163.7km/h
Fastest lap and new record: Vinales, 1m32.309s = 163.2km/h

Championship top 3
Vinales 85 • Pedrosa 68 • Valentino Rossi 62

Moto2
Franco Morbidelli (EG 0,0 Marc VDS) scored another brilliant win, extending his championship lead to 20pts over third-placed finisher Tom Luthi (CarXpert Interwetten). Francesco Bagnaia (Sky Racing Team VR46) finished in second place.

“I am really happy because it was important to make a good race here after my bad Sunday in Jerez at the previous race," said Morbidelli. "I wasn’t planning to win; I just wanted to stay with Lüthi, Bagnaia and Álex (Marquez) because they had a strong pace in practice.

"But from the start I had confidence and trust in my bike and decided to push and go for the win so thanks to my team for all the work to allow me to do this.”

Alex Marquez (Estrella Galicia 0,0 Marc VDS) was fourth from Mattia Pasini (Italtrans Racing Team) and Dominique Aegerter (Kiefer Racing), while Lorenzo Baldassarri (Forward Racing Team) was a high profile crasher out of the top 10.

Australia's Remy Gardner (Tech 3 Racing) was 20th, and said: "This weekend was all about gaining confidence and finding the feeling again with the bike which we did with every lap. Throughout the weekend the team did a great job and I actually did better in qualifying than I thought we could.

"The race itself was tough and I got quite tired towards the end but I gave it everything and I am sure that in Mugello it will be an even more positive result. I had a small issue with some front end chatter which gave me some vibration entering the corners during the race, however, to finish the race inside the top 20 is confidence boosting so I am already looking forward to the next race."

Moto2 results
1. Franco Moribidelli, EG 0,0 Marc VDS, 42m17.557s
2. Francesco Bagnaia, Sky Racing Team VR46, +1.714s
3. Tom Luthi, CarXpert Interwetten, +5.837s

Australian
20. Remy Gardner, Tech 3 Racing, +48.794s

Pole position: Luthi, 1m36.548s = 156km/h
Fastest lap and new record: Morbidelli, 1m36.836s = 155.5km/h

Championship top 3
Morbidelli 100 • Luthi 80 • Alex Marquez 62

Moto3
Championship leader Joan Mir (Leopard Racing) took an imperious win in a race marred by drama, red-flagged and then restarted. Fellow Honda riders Aron Canet (Estrella Galicia 0,0) and Fabio Di Giannantonio (Del Conca Gresini Moto3) completed the podium,

Polesitter Jorge Martin (Del Conca Gresini Moto3) got a stunning launch in the original start before there was drama at the front with something down on track catching out almost half the field, creating a huge pile up into the gravel trap. The red flag came out and operation clean up began – with riders all given the ok and declared able to line up for the restart – and the grid headed back out for a shortened 16-lap race.

Romano Fenati (Marinelli Rivacold Snipers Honda) crashed out of the lead on lap eight.

Moto3 results
1. Joan Mir, Leopard Racing Honda, 27m37.830
2. Aron Canet, Estrella Galicia 0,0 Honda, +4.252s
3. Fabio Giannantonio, Del Conca Gresini Honda

Pole position: Jorge Martin, Del Conca Gresini, 1m42.813s = 146.5km/h
Fastest lap and new record: Mir, 1m42.485s = 147km/h

Championship top 3
Mir 99 • Romano Fenati 65 • Canet 63

Next round: Mugello, Italy, June 2-4