French MotoGP: Zarco finishes Friday on top after dry FP2

Johann Zarco lead a French 1-2 at the top of the timesheets in MotoGP FP2 ahead of his home race in the final practice session on Friday for the French Grand Prix at Le Mans, round five of the championship.

With the circuit now much drier than in the wet first practice the Pramac Ducati rider was able to pick up the pace. The addition of the softer compound tyre in the final minutes saw improvements all round - Zarco initially moved from sixth to second before his final flying lap pushed him to finish FP2 on top, with a 1m 31.747s lap - the best of the weekend so far.

The Yamahas had not featured in the top ten in the tricky FP1 conditions but handled the drying track with much more success.

 
Fabio Quartararo was able to tussle for the number one slot from the off and lead for much of the session, finishing just 0.095s behind his fellow Frenchman and showing he is coping with any discomfort from his arm pump operation between the last round and this, with it even withstanding a graceful slide into the gravel at turn three.

A Monster Energy Yamaha also filled third thanks to a strong last lap from Maverick Vinales, putting his earlier odd FP1 fall behind him.

Pol Espargaro was the best of the Honda riders after improving to fourth, just ahead of the Petronas Yamaha of Franco Morbidelli.

Late moves on the soft tyre saw Miguel Oliveira take the KTM up to sixth.

Jerez winner Jack Miller put an early fall in the session in the sea of gravel at Museum (Turn7) behind him to return to the track and claim seventh for Ducati.

With more rain forecast before FP3 tomorrow, Marc Marquez used the dry time wisely to push hard and ensure he was back inside the top ten, elevating himself and the factory Repsol Honda to eighth.

Ninth went to Valentino Rossi after his final flying laps saw the Italian safely into the provisional Q2 places automatically for the first time since the opening round in Qatar. 

Taka Nakagami, who was second early in the session dropping to tenth.

Alex Rins was the best of the Suzuki riders and will have to hope progress in possible in FP3 after finishing the session eleventh.

Turn three was busy for falls - Vinales was joined in crashing there by championship leader Francesco Bagnaia, who finished the session tweltfh and Aleix Espargaro, who came off twice at the Dunlop chicane. 

Joan Mir was the only other faller in the session. The Suzuki rider slipped off at turn eight completing a difficult day for the Spaniard, who had already experienced bike issues earlier in the day, forcing him to pull off track and limiting both his wet and dry track time. The 2020 MotoGP champion ended his day in 13th.