Updated Le Mans Practice Day: Bastianini, Fernández, and Foggia Lead Across Classes

Italian Enea Bastianini, riding for Ducati, led the way in MotoGP on the opening day at Le Mans, followed closely by Spanish rider Augusto Fernández on Kalex in Moto2 and Italian Dennis Foggia aboard Honda in Moto3. The Le Mans Circuit hosted a day full of tight lap times as the premier class looked to set the pace for the weekend. Marc Márquez, riding for Repsol Honda, faced a rough start, finishing outside the top ten as he tried to reconnect with strong form and consistency after recent struggles.

The French track record hovered at 1:31.148, a benchmark set in practice that signaled the fast pace on show. The day featured a mix of bold moves and moments of caution, with several riders pushing gravel traps and requiring quick recoveries. Franco Morbidelli produced a standout showing among the gravel-riders list, alongside notable incidents for Joan Mir, Álex Márquez, Jack Miller and Marco Bezzecchi, each of whom navigated moments off the tarmac during the session.

Two Italians traded places near the top of the standings in the early championship frame, with Alex Espargaró from Aprilia joining the discussion by claiming a podium-worthy effort in the same day. A Spanish pairing—Alex Rins on Suzuki—also posted competitive times, finishing a touch behind the front-runners and contributing to a tight overall pace.

[Consulta la clasificación del Mundial de MotoGP]

The pace surged again in FP2, with Pecco Bagnaia seizing the early top spot during the French GP proceedings. The Barcelona-born rider navigated a path that kept him among the leaders, while Suzuki rumor wheels remained in the background as Márquez attempted to turn momentum into a strong result, ultimately placing him in a position to challenge the leaders. Mir logged an eighth-place result, just ahead of Pol Espargaró and Jorge Martín, as the field tightened up late in the session.

The French World Cup leader Fabio Quartararo, racing for Yamaha, finished sixth, coming within half a second of the day’s fastest times. He continues fine-tuning his setup in pursuit of a breakthrough victory at Le Mans on Sunday for a French rider in the premier class, a moment eagerly anticipated by home fans.

Meanwhile, Márquez’s day was hampered by two notable falls. Although he showed resilience, his overall time was not where he wanted it to be. The Spaniard’s 15th place in the combined times suggested that Repsol Honda may need to recalibrate ahead of Saturday’s Q2 session, with Pol Espargaró positioned as a potential primary challenger for a strong result.

“ ” – @FabioDiggia49

Meanwhile, a different perspective from Le Mans highlighted the impression Márquez left as he saved a moment of suspense, sharing the frame with fans who followed the action closely. The official MotoGP post of the day captured the atmosphere with a nod to the ongoing drama at Le Mans.

— MotoGP™ (@MotoGP) May 13, 2022

Augusto Fernández and Foggia at the helm

In Moto3, Dennis Foggia on Honda secured the second-best position in the early standings, then delivered a strong performance at Le Mans. Across two sessions, the Italian showed speed and composure that helped him beat Spaniard Izan Guevara on GasGas by a clear margin and outpace his Honda teammate Tatsuki Suzuki by a comfortable gap. Foggia’s best time in the day was 1:41.680, a solid marker ahead of the field and a sign of things to come in the session’s later stages.

[Consulta el calendario del Mundial de MotoGP]

Spaniards Carlos Tatay (CFMoto) and Jaume Masià (KTM) closed the day just outside the podium, claiming fourth and fifth respectively as the day’s momentum continued to swing. The World Cup leader Sergio García Dols (GasGas) encountered a heavy setback in Turn 10 after an early afternoon crash, dropping him down the order and setting up a must-see scenario for Saturday if he hopes to avoid an early Q1 exit.

A strong showing for Pedro Acosta in Moto2 highlighted a promising session for the rookie class, with Acosta posting competitive lap times and finishing among the leaders. The Spaniard Augusto Fernández topped the Moto2 timesheets on the second practice run, breaking the category record at Le Mans with a 1:36.030. He led a tight pack that included Pedro Acosta in third overall on Friday and set the stage for an exciting showdown in the weekend’s races.

The Moto3 class also featured a dramatic battle, with Somkiat Chantra and the Madrid-born racer securing positions near the top as the day progressed. The session’s momentum swung as the morning and afternoon sessions saw a surge of fast laps by both seasoned riders and rising talents in the category, underscoring the depth of competition at Le Mans.

[Citation: MotoGP official results and session recaps]