MotoGP practice results as Johann Zarco sets the pace and Marc Marquez faces Q1 at French Grand Prix

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LCR Honda rider Johann Zarco enthralled his home fans at Le Mans on Friday as he set the pace in practice at the 2026 French Grand Prix, but Marc Marquez must go into Q1.

Zarco won the French GP in a crazy weather-affected race one year ago at Le Mans, in what was a historic result. The Cannes native is also one of the favourites to win the French GP in 2026, with heavy rain on the forecast for Sunday’s race, but he shone in the dry this Friday.

Only Zarco and VR46 rider Fabio Di Giannantonio produced lap times in the 1:29s during the timed pre-qualifying practice session at the French GP. In contrast, Ducati rider and reigning MotoGP champion Marquez finished the hour in P13 with a 0.464-second deficit to Zarco.

It is the first time in the 2026 MotoGP season that Marquez must go through Q1, and it was not a case of the Ducati GP26 struggling around Le Mans that left the Spaniard 0.175s shy of a top-10 spot in practice. Three riders using the Ducati GP26 finished inside the top four.

Johann Zarco books himself a spot in Q2 with the fastest time in practice at Le Mans… Will Marc Marquez manage to make it through Q1? 👀

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Johann Zarco sets the pace in practice at the 2026 MotoGP French Grand Prix

The field flocked out of the pit lane the moment that practice started on Friday afternoon at Le Mans, and Aprilia ace Marco Bezzecchi set the initial pace with a 1:31.841. Fortunes were not as positive for Jorge Martin, as the Aprilia rider crashed at Turn 9 inside the first minutes.

Martin crashed and remounted soon after KTM racer Pedro Acosta had eclipsed Bezzecchi’s early benchmark to set the pace with a 1:30.760. Ducati star Francesco Bagnaia also settled into the session to produce a quick lap time, after the Italian had finished FP1 down in P16.

Changes were also evident throughout the Ducati ranks, as factory rider Marc Marquez took to Le Mans initially using what appeared to be the GP25’s aero package. VR46 racer Fabio Di Giannantonio and Gresini’s Alex Marquez, in contrast, had Ducati’s new GP26 aero package.

Gresini star Fermin Aldeguer hit an early bump in his practice session, after the Spaniard lost the front of his Ducati GP25 through Le Mans’ Turn 2 and tried in vain to cling on to the bike through the chicane. Despite his efforts, the marshals took Aldeguer’s bike off the circuit.

Di Giannantonio took over as the pacesetter in practice at the 2026 French GP shortly before the half-hour mark, as the VR46 star recorded a 1:30.739 to eclipse Acosta’s earlier lap. The 27-year-old appeared to adapt well to the changes to his bike after he trialled them at Jerez.

Honda duo Joan Mir and Luca Marini also started to find more speed like the pair had shown in FP1. Even LCR rookie Diogo Moreira started to find his footing around Le Mans aboard the Honda RC213V during practice, having lingered close to the bottom of the order during FP1.

Trackhouse rider Raul Fernandez steadily built into the practice session aboard his Aprilia on Friday, but hit trouble with 26 minutes remaining on the clock when his bike caught fire. The Spaniard was quick to stop at a marshal’s point before darting back to the pits to swap bikes.

LCR stars Johann Zarco and Moreira were ultimately the first riders to trigger the time attack phase approaching the final 15 minutes of practice at the French GP. Zarco thrilled his home fans by jumping to the top of the timesheet with a 1:30.500 with his 16th lap of the session.

Zarco immediately pulled another 0.303s margin over the field with a 1:30.197, as Moreira also improved to P4 while their rivals largely watched on from the pits. The Frenchman’s lap lit the blue touchpaper, as Acosta et al started to reduce their times nearer to Zarco’s effort.

Even Yamaha rider Fabio Quartararo gave the home fans a degree of hope as the Nice native improved to P5, shortly before yellow flags interrupted the session after Acosta crashed his KTM RC16 at Turn 13. Acosta’s crash cost Bezzecchi a flying lap that had moved him into P5.

Acosta tried to force his KTM RC16 into the penultimate corner, despite his bike warning the Spaniard that he risked a crash as he looked to turn in. Once the yellow flags cleared and the Mazarron native hurried back to the pits, Mir moved atop the timesheet with a 1:30.092 lap.

Bagnaia continued to find speed on his Ducati after a difficult time in FP1 earlier on Friday, as well, before he climbed to the top with a 1:30.045. Quartararo also found more time to get back into the top 10, only for Yamaha teammate Alex Rins to shoot up the order into third.

Martin ultimately got himself into third inside the final three minutes, but Bezzecchi did not find time as easily as his Aprilia teammate and entered the penultimate laps down in P14. A quick finish also saw Gresini’s Marquez match Bagnaia, before Di Giannantonio moved top.

Le Mans erupted once more entering the final minute as Zarco again rose to the top of the order with a 1:29.907. Fortunes were very contrasting at Ducati at the end of the hour, as Bagnaia crashed at Turn 6 and the yellow flags cost Marc Marquez any chance to improve.

Full 2026 MotoGP French Grand Prix practice results at Le Mans