MotoGP series leader Fabio Quartararo topped the free practice three timesheets at Le Mans this morning and carries a 0.130s advantage over Miguel Oliveira into qualifying with Franco Morbidelli in third.
Quartararo set a 1’32.319, which is lap-record pace on 16°C track temperature, with KTM’s Oliveira putting in a 1’32.449 with his final effort. Morbidelli was 0.027s slower on the Petronas Yamaha in a session that saw many leading riders crash.
But while Quartararo was heading for P1, title rival Joan Mir was on his way to Q1 as a late but stylish crash at turn three saw him unable to remain in the top ten and he will have to fight it out for a place in Q2.
Jack Miller was another rider to go down at the end of the session, getting pinged over the highside on a cold tyre but he had set a 1'32.503 for fourth place previously.
Cal Crutchlow, whose operated arm is behaving like some concrete with some skin stretched thinly on it, bagged fifth place with his final lap and Johan Zarco was also another late improver, putting in a 1'32.631 with his last effort.
Valentino Rossi clung his M1 up the road as he got on the power to exit turn three but after he had secured seventh place with Monster Yamaha's team-mate Maverick Vinales one place behind.
Pol Espargaro bagged ninth on a 1'32.660 with Andrea Dovizioso claiming the last automatic Q2 spot.
Alex Rins, Pecco Bagnaia, Brad Binder, Taka Nakagami and Danilo Petrucci will all have to fight it out with Mir for one of the spots in Q2, so Q1 should be a belter.
