MotoE returns to the track in France for the second round of the 2024 season. In the first of the two races on the Le Mans circuit, Nicholas Spinelli wins, thus giving the the second victory of 2024 to the Tech3 E-Racing team. Hector Garzò, author of the pole position, crashes.
Nicholas Spinelli wins race 1 of the 2024 MotoE French GP – This weekend, the MotoE 2024 French GP, the second round of the electric MotoGP category, will be held in Le Mans.
Thanks to the pole position achieved on Friday, Hector Garzò (Dynavolt IntactGP) starts at the head of the group. Nicholas Spinelli (Tech3 E-Racing) and the reigning World Champion, Mattia Casadei (LCR E-Team), also started very well, immediately placing themselves behind the Spanish rider. Problems at the start, however, for Chaz Davies, who remained stationary on the grid and managed to start after a few moments at the back of the group.
All the riders pass the first chicane, the riskiest point on the Le Mans track, without any problems.
In the first lap Spinelli and Casadei briefly fought each other but then followed Garzò, to prevent the Dynavolt IntactGP team rider from taking advantage of their fight. Behind the top three are Eric Granado (LCR E-Team), Alessandro Zaccone (Tech3 E-Racing) and Kevin Zannoni (Openbank Aspar Team), author of an excellent start from tenth position on the grid. On the other hand, Oscar Gutierrez got off to a bad start and was eighth at the end of the first lap.
The second lap begins and Spinelli immediately goes to attack Garzò at the first chicane. The French team's rider takes the lead, while Casadei takes advantage of the situation and also overtakes Garzò. Meanwhile, the group loses two riders, Miquel Pons (Axxis Msi) and Massimo Roccoli (Ongetta Sic58 Squdra Corse), who retired after a crash.
Spinelli begins the third lap by recording the fastest lap while behind him Garzò regains second position, overtaking Casadei. At the first chicane, Zaccone and Granado come into contact while overtaking; Zaccone gets the worst of it, falls, and retreats. The Brazilian also did not emerge unscathed from the clash and was overtaken by several riders, including Zannoni and Jordi Torres (Openbank Aspar Team), who thus became fourth and fifth.
Garzò pushes to close the gap with Spinelli, gets the fastest lap and the new track record, but upon entering turn 3 he loses the front and ends up in the gravel. The Spanish rider, second in the championship, had to retire, leaving second place in the race to Casadei. Zannoni, who started tenth, is virtually on the podium, but for the Aspar team rider it is not enough to catch up with the bad luck during Friday's qualifying.
Zannoni is the fastest on the track and has the World Champion, Mattia Casadei, in his sights. Meanwhile, Spinelli pushes in front to put a few tenths between him and his pursuers. With three laps to go, the Tech3 team rider's lead is just under half a second, but it is behind him that the most exciting part of the race takes place.
Zannoni is close to Casadei and goes decisively on the attack to gain second position. Casadei thinks differently and responds immediately, regaining the position he just lost. The two riders practically cover part of the lap side by side until turn 13, where Casadei takes the lead and starts the penultimate lap first. However, Zannoni still has the margin and attacks and overtakes Casadei at the first chicane. The rider of the Spanish team manages to gain a margin on Casadei but the race leader is now over a second away, too much for just one lap available. The fight now moves further back, between Casadei, Torres and Mantovani (Klint Forward Factory). Torres tries to overtake Casadei but the championship leader is not willing to give up the podium in the first Le Mans race and keeps the Spaniard behind him.
Nicholas Spinelli passes under the checkered flag, thus winning his second race of the season, Kevin Zannoni, with his first podium of 2024 and Mattia Casadei, with his tenth consecutive podium. Behind them arrive in order: Torres, Mantovani, Granado, Gutierrez, Ferrari, Finello, with Manfredi closing the Top 10.
In the standings, Casadei consolidates his leadership, reaching 57 points; Spinelli moves into second position with 50 points, ahead of Garzò, stuck at 40, and Zannoni, also with 40 points.
Race 16 starts at 10:2 pm.
The results of Race 1 of the MotoE 2024 French GP at Le Mans
| POS. | N. | Nat. | Rider | Team | Time | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 29 |  |
Nicholas Spinelli | Tech3 E-Racing | 13'25.693 | |
| 2 | 21 | |
Kevin Zannoni | Openbank Aspar Team | 13'27.046 | 1,353 |
| 3 | 40 | |
Mattia Casadei | LCR E-Team | 13'27.756 | 2,063 |
| 4 | 81 |  |
Jordi Torres | Openbank Aspar Team | 13'27.862 | 2,169 |
| 5 | 9 | |
Andrea Mantovani | Klint Forward Factory Team | 13'28.050 | 2,357 |
| 6 | 51 |  |
Eric Granado | LCR E-Team | 13'29.006 | 3,313 |
| 7 | 99 | |
Oscar Gutierrez | Axxis-MSI | 13'29.365 | 3,672 |
| 8 | 11 | |
Matteo Ferrari | Felo Gresini MotoE™ | 13'30.631 | 4,938 |
| 9 | 72 | |
Alessio Finello | Felo Gresini MotoE™ | 13'35.069 | 9,376 |
| 10 | 34 | |
Kevin Manfredi | Ongetta SIC58 Squadra Corse | 13'35.960 | 10,267 |
| 11 | 3 |  |
Lukas Tulovic | Dynavolt Intact GP MotoE™ | 13'43.124 | 17,431 |
| 12 | 80 | |
Armando Pontone | Aruba Cloud MotoE™ Racing Team | 13'46.685 | 20,992 |
| 13 | 7 |  |
Chaz Davies | Aruba Cloud MotoE™ Racing Team | 13'48.188 | 22,495 |
| 14 | 6 | |
Maria Herrera | Klint Forward Factory Team | 13'48.702 | 23,009 |
| 15 | 77 | |
Miquel Pons | Axxis-MSI | 14'44.570 | 1,000 |
| 16 | 4 | |
Hector Garzo | Dynavolt Intact GP MotoE™ | nc | 0,000 |
| 17 | 61 | |
Alessandro Zaccone | Tech3 E-Racing | nc | 0,000 |
| 18 | 55 | |
Massimo Roccoli | Ongetta SIC58 Squadra Corse | nc | 0,000 |
MotoE World Championship
The standings of the MotoE 2024
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Photos: MotoGP
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