The MotoE returns on track in France, for the second round of the 2024 season. At Le Mans, Hector Garzò achieves the pole position with a new lap record ahead of Nicholas Spinelli and Eric Granado. Dramatic accident for Kevin Zannoni in Q1 who remains unharmed but had to give up Q2.
Hector Garzò in pole position in France with the MotoE 2024 – This weekend, the MotoE 2024 French GP, the second round of the electric MotoGP category, will be held in Le Mans. After two hotly contested sessions in the morning, Zaccone had achieved the best lap ahead of Garzò, Spinelli, Gutierrez, Torres, Pons, Granado and Tulovic. These riders went directly to Q1, while Matteo Ferrari and Mattia Casadei, the championship leader, had to compete in Q2.
The results of the Q1 of the MotoE French GP 2024
The qualifying session began with Q1, in which, surprisingly, participated both Matteo Ferrari (FELO Gresini MotoE) and Mattia Casadei (LCR E-Team).
The session was full of twists and dramatic moments. Casadei immediately left the pits to quickly set a good time and some riders immediately followed him to have the world champion as a reference. Casadei immediately set an excellent time in 1:40.347 but on the following lap Kevin Zannoni did better, setting a time of 1:40.091, a new record for the MotoE at Le Mans. Casadei continued to push to take first place and to have more margin on Mantovani, just 27 thousandths behind him.
If Casadei was fighting for the top positions, Matteo Ferrari, in great crisis, was last in the standings. Halfway through the session, the Gresini team rider returned to the pits due to a problem with his bike, but once back on track, Ferrari was unable to improve his time enough to enter in Q2. The Gresini team rider thus finished qualifying in 14th place on the grid.
When the game was over and Zannoni was destined to access Q2, the Aspar team rider was hit by the bike of Alessio Finello, who fell a few meters behind him entering turn 3. The accident was impressive but fortunately without physical consequences for Zannoni and Finello. Unfortunately, however, the MotoE of Zannoni was damaged in the impact so, despite the best lap, Zannoni was unable to participate in Q2.
Below are the MotoE Q1 times of the French GP at Le Mans:
| POS. | N. | Nat. | Rider | Team | Time | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 21 |  |
Kevin Zannoni | Openbank Aspar Team | 1'40.091 | |
| 2 | 40 | |
Mattia Casadei | LCR E-Team | 1'40.347 | 0,256 |
| 3 | 9 | |
Andrea Mantovani | Klint Forward Factory Team | 1'40.374 | 0,283 |
| 4 | 72 | |
Alessio Finello | Felo Gresini MotoE™ | 1'40.393 | 0,302 |
| 5 | 34 | |
Kevin Manfredi | Ongetta SIC58 Squadra Corse | 1'40.512 | 0,421 |
| 6 | 11 | |
Matteo Ferrari | Felo Gresini MotoE™ | 1'40.647 | 0,556 |
| 7 | 55 | |
Massimo Roccoli | Ongetta SIC58 Squadra Corse | 1'40.935 | 0,844 |
| 8 | 7 |  |
Chaz Davies | Aruba Cloud MotoE™ Racing Team | 1'41.642 | 1,551 |
| 9 | 6 |  |
Maria Herrera | Klint Forward Factory Team | 1'42.461 | 2,370 |
| 10 | 80 | |
Armando Pontone | Aruba Cloud MotoE™ Racing Team | 1'42.488 | 2,397 |
The results of Q2 and the starting grid of the French GP of MotoE 2024
Excluding Ferrari and Zannoni from the match, all the other top riders of the MotoE plus the rookie Oscar Gutierrez (Axxis-Msi), took to the track in Q2, to conquer the second pole position of 2024. Eric Granado recorded the first best lap immediately on the first lap, in 1:40.577. Granado improved by more than four tenths on the next lap, but Hector Garzò appeared behind him and lowered the best time to 1:40.103. The new Michelin tire for MotoE he hadn't given everything yet so the riders continued to push. Garzò was the only one to go under 1:40, setting a new record of 1:39.995 and taking his first pole position in MotoE. Behind him, Nicholas Spinelli was the best pursuer; the Tech3 E-Racing team driver arrived just 31 thousandths behind Garzò, thus guaranteeing second position for the two races on Saturday. Closing the front row of the French GP MotoE it was Eric Granado, who preceded Mattia Casadei by less than two tenths. Fifth the surprising rookie of MotoE 2024, Oscar Gutierrez, ahead of Jordi Torres, sixth.
Below are the Q2 times and the starting grid of MotoE for the 2024 French GP:
| POS. | N. | Nat. | Rider | Team | Time | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 4 | |
Hector Garzo | Dynavolt Intact GP MotoE™ | 1'39.995 | |
| 2 | 29 | |
Nicholas Spinelli | Tech3 E-Racing | 1'40.026 | 0,031 |
| 3 | 51 |  |
Eric Granado | LCR E-Team | 1'40.126 | 0,131 |
| 4 | 40 | |
Mattia Casadei | LCR E-Team | 1'40.195 | 0,200 |
| 5 | 99 | |
Oscar Gutierrez | Axxis-MSI | 1'40.301 | 0,306 |
| 6 | 81 | |
Jordi Torres | Openbank Aspar Team | 1'40.307 | 0,312 |
| 7 | 61 | |
Alessandro Zaccone | Tech3 E-Racing | 1'40.316 | 0,321 |
| 8 | 77 | |
Miquel Pons | Axxis-MSI | 1'40.600 | 0,605 |
| 9 | 3 |  |
Lukas Tulovic | Dynavolt Intact GP MotoE™ | 1'40.841 | 0,846 |
| 10 | 21 | |
Kevin Zannoni | Openbank Aspar Team | ||
| 11 | 9 | |
Andrea Mantovani | Klint Forward Factory Team | ||
| 12 | 72 | |
Alessio Finello | Felo Gresini MotoE™ | ||
| 13 | 34 | |
Kevin Manfredi | Ongetta SIC58 Squadra Corse | ||
| 14 | 11 | |
Matteo Ferrari | Felo Gresini MotoE™ | ||
| 15 | 55 | |
Massimo Roccoli | Ongetta SIC58 Squadra Corse | ||
| 16 | 7 | |
Chaz Davies | Aruba Cloud MotoE™ Racing Team | ||
| 17 | 6 | |
Maria Herrera | Klint Forward Factory Team | ||
| 18 | 80 | |
Armando Pontone | Aruba Cloud MotoE™ Racing Team |
MotoE World Championship 2024
The schedule of the 2024 MotoE French GP
MotoE World Championship
The standings of the MotoE 2024
Photos: MotoGP
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