LE MANS, France -- Italian rider Danilo Petrucci captured a Le Mans victory in the French MotoGP for the first time Sunday, while Spaniard Alex Marquez finished second for his first podium in the absence of his illustrious older brother.
Spain’s Pol Espargaro finished third while championship leader Fabio Quartararo placed ninth, but the Frenchman extended his lead over Spaniard Joan Mir to 10 points.
Six-time world champion Marc Marquez, who had won the past two editions, is not competing against his sibling since fracturing his right arm in the season-opening race.
Number one at Le Mans! 🥇
— MotoGP™🏁 (@MotoGP) October 11, 2020
A magical moment for @Petrux9! 😎#FrenchGP 🇫🇷 pic.twitter.com/y3NKnEpsxx
The 24-year-old Alex started from 18th and the Honda rider made huge gains late on.
But he ran out of time and finished 1.27 seconds behind the Ducati of Petrucci, who mastered the soaking wet conditions well on a drenched Le Mans track for a second career win. Petrucci became the first Ducati rider to win at Le Mans.
Espargaro was 1.71 seconds behind for KTM.
Quartararo started from pole position for the third time this season, starting ahead of Ducati’s Jack Miller and Petrucci.
But after five laps Quartararo dropped down to 11th on a miserable day for Yamaha, which saw seven-time world champion Valentino Rossi crash on Lap 1 of 26.
🥇 @Petrux9 returns to winning ways as the title contenders struggle!@alexmarquez73 produces the race of his life to take 2nd from 18th on the grid! 👏@shark_helmets | #FrenchGP 🇫🇷 pic.twitter.com/DcEvEqOig9
— MotoGP™🏁 (@MotoGP) October 11, 2020
The Italian veteran was chasing a 200th career podium but his race ended on Turn 3 when he went down.
Fortunately for Quartararo, the Suzuki of Mir was even further back in 17th after starting from 14th.
With 10 laps remaining, Italian rider Andrea Dovizioso led from Petrucci and Miller in a Ducati 1-2-3.
Then Alex Rins made a big push and got into second place, but the Spaniard pushed his Suzuki too hard and went off his bike with seven laps remaining. His crash also caused Miller to fall, and the Australian was visibly angry when he got back to the team garage.
Dovizioso finished in fourth spot and Mir was 11th.
British riders Cal Crutchlow and Bradley Smith; Spaniard Tito Rabat and Italian Franco Morbidelli also crashed on a track that stayed slippery throughout.