Ferrari wins Race 2 at Le Mans and takes the 200th podium for the Gresini team

Ferrari wins Race 2 at Le Mans and takes the 200th podium for the Gresini team
Matteo Ferrari wins Race 2 of MotoE 2023 in the French GP at Le Mans
Matteo Ferrari wins Race 2 of the MotoE 2023 in the French GP at Le Mans (Photo: Gresini Racing)

Was there any better way to reach the Gresini Racing team's 2th podium in MotoGP, if not with a victory? Obviously not, and this is how this prestigious milestone arrived, thanks to Matteo Ferrari's first place in race XNUMX at Le Mans.

Race 2 of the MotoE of the French GP was won by Matteo Ferrari, who thus brought the Gresini Racing team to the 200th podium in the World Championship. The day didn't start in the best way: the number 11 rider had, in fact, crashed in race 1 while in first position. Ferrari's out left the track free for Jordi Torres, who was thus able to win the first race of the 2023 season of the MotoE, the first with World Championship status and with the new V21L electric Ducati.
The great desire for redemption made the difference in race 2, giving Ferrari that extra charge which allowed him to cross the finish line first, despite the penalty of a long lap.
These are the words of Matteo Ferrari with whom we spoke after the race.

First victory of 2023 for Matteo Ferrari and podium number 200 in the World Championship for the Gresini Racing team (photo: Gresini Racing)
First victory of 2023 for Matteo Ferrari and podium number 200 in the World Championship for the Gresini Racing team (photo: Gresini Racing)

Matteo Ferrari (Felo Gresini Racing rider)

“Saturday was an upside down, in the sense that in race 1, I made a mistake, and unfortunately, in addition to the crash, I also received a long lap penalty. The team worked really well between the two races, making me competitive in race 2. I gave everything I had, then this is the 200th podium for Gresini Racing, and it is even more special. The race went very well; I tried to push from the start even though, obviously, I had to try not to make any mistakes. I did the long lap perfectly, and in the end, I had enough to win.
The atmosphere at Le Mans was fantastic, with the grandstands always full, from morning to night, not only for the MotoGP but also for all the other classes. There were a thousand shows, a thousand concerts.
Apart from the victory, I'm happy with how I felt with the new Ducati V21L throughout the weekend. Apart from FP1 in which I didn't take any risks, from FP2 we were already fit, and I was always in front. We had found a good base during the Barcelona tests, and from there we started to make small improvements, session after session."

Matteo Ferrari leads in Race 2 of the MotoE 2023 in the French GP at Le Mans
Matteo Ferrari leads in Race 2 of the MotoE 2023 in the French GP at Le Mans (Photo: Gresini Racing)

“It has really been seen that our working method works and gives good results. In testing we focused on performance throughout the life of the tyres; in fact, in the race we saw that our advantage over our rivals was greater with used tyres. It will be important to maintain this advantage and also take it to the next tracks.
We didn't find any abnormal tire wear as some riders complained. We adopted a strategy not to stress the tires too much in the first laps in order to have a good performance throughout the race. The bike is very fast and wears out the tires a lot, you have to be good at managing them. Having the edge over your opponents at the end of the race is worth twice as much as in the first laps. I set the circuit record on lap six, a sign that the tires still had excellent performance.
In race 1 I was not good at managing myself, I could have waited another lap or two and I could have won like I did in race 2.
The crash was my mistake: I braked the same way as in the previous laps but I was on a wider line and I went right into a hole that's off the trajectory and so I ended up on the ground. It would have been better to finish the weekend with 50 points instead of 25, but we'll make up for it in the next races."

Matteo Ferrari, in the fifth season in MotoE with the Gresini Racing team
Matteo Ferrari, in the fifth season in MotoE with the Gresini Racing team (photo: Gresini Racing)

“From this first round I bring home the indication that we have a bit of a margin over our opponents, and this allows us to manage the races without taking unnecessary risks.
This is very important and comes from the work we have done during tests. With a new bike with various electronic controls, it was important to have a clear working method which allowed us to quickly find a good basic set-up. Despite this, there are still many areas of the bike to explore, we're certainly not at the limit. Here at Le Mans, in my opinion, 1:39 could have been done easily. Doing a few laps over the weekend, it's difficult to reach the limit. Last year we had a lot of historic data, but this year we're starting with very few references. Anyway, In just over two weeks, we will be at Mugello, as always it will be a great emotion.”

Alessio Finello, in the second season in MotoE with the Gresini Racing team (photo: Gresini Racing)

The round in France was also very positive for Alessio Finello. For the Italian rider, a ninth position in race 1 and an 11th place in race 2, just six-tenths off the top 10.

Alessio Finello (Felo Gresini Racing rider)

“I'm satisfied with today: it was a growing weekend, we improved session after session setting my best time in Race 2 where I rode with a good pace. We did P9 in race 1, but I made the real step in the second race, where I was able to overtake, impose my pace and catch up with the opponent in front of me. We just missed the top 10 by 6 cents, but we're there. I thank all the guys on the team who have done an impeccable job, and all the sponsors who always follow and support me. There will be fun at Mugello, it will be a great home race!”

The FELO Gresini MotoE team returns home with a victory, a pole position, a fastest lap and with the intention of repeating it in the next round, in a few weeks' time, at Mugello, for the Italian GP, ​​on 9 and 10 June.

A moment from Race 1 of the MotoE during the French GP

MotoE World Championship
The standings of the 2023 championship

A moment from Race 1 of the MotoE during the French GP

MotoE World Championship
The gallery of the French GP 2023

Photos: MotoGP and Gresini Racing

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