The Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP Team are gearing up for battle at the Le Mans circuit during this weekend's Michelin Grand Prix de France.
The French Grand Prix holds special significance for the team, as the fans will be rallying behind local hero Fabio Quartararo. Having had an ever so brief taste of a podium at the Spanish GP Sprint last weekend, El Diablo is fully motivated to push to the fullest again this weekend. The Frenchman stood on the Le Mans rostrum once before, having secured third place in 2021 with Yamaha. He is currently 12th in the championship standings and determined to climb up the rankings.
Following the overall positive one-day IRTA test in Jerez, held immediately after the Spanish GP, Álex Rins' goal for this weekend is to confirm some of his findings again at an altogether different type of circuit. Le Mans was a strong track for the Spaniard in the lower classes: he secured a third and two second places in the Moto3 class in 2012, 2013, and 2014 respectively as well as a victory in the Moto2 class in 2016. He is keen to score some MotoGP points on French soil this weekend. After four rounds, Rins holds 19th in the championship order.
The Le Mans circuit was built in 1965, just a few kilometres from the city of Le Mans. MotoGP made its first visit to the iconic French track in the late sixties, and it remained a fixture until 1996. After some safety modifications, the 4.2km-long circuit was added back to the calendar in 2000. Its layout of five left and nine right corners places the emphasis on late braking, hard acceleration, and rear-end traction, which makes for some great battles.
The Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP Team are gearing up for battle at the Le Mans circuit during this weekend's Michelin Grand Prix de France.
The French Grand Prix holds special significance for the team, as the fans will be rallying behind local hero Fabio Quartararo. Having had an ever so brief taste of a podium at the Spanish GP Sprint last weekend, El Diablo is fully motivated to push to the fullest again this weekend. The Frenchman stood on the Le Mans rostrum once before, having secured third place in 2021 with Yamaha. He is currently 12th in the championship standings and determined to climb up the rankings.
Following the overall positive one-day IRTA test in Jerez, held immediately after the Spanish GP, Álex Rins' goal for this weekend is to confirm some of his findings again at an altogether different type of circuit. Le Mans was a strong track for the Spaniard in the lower classes: he secured a third and two second places in the Moto3 class in 2012, 2013, and 2014 respectively as well as a victory in the Moto2 class in 2016. He is keen to score some MotoGP points on French soil this weekend. After four rounds, Rins holds 19th in the championship order.
The Le Mans circuit was built in 1965, just a few kilometres from the city of Le Mans. MotoGP made its first visit to the iconic French track in the late sixties, and it remained a fixture until 1996. After some safety modifications, the 4.2km-long circuit was added back to the calendar in 2000. Its layout of five left and nine right corners places the emphasis on late braking, hard acceleration, and rear-end traction, which makes for some great battles.