MotoGP has just hosted the race of the season with an unimaginably chaotic French Grand Prix at Le Mans.
Johann Zarco won his second race and his first for the LCR team by gambling on strategy at his home race, sending them into raptures across the line.
It means that Honda have ended Ducati’s 22-race winning streak in style, winning by over 20 seconds from Marc Marquez.
Few expected Zarco to have a chance from where he was starting on the grid, but he capitalised on changeable conditions to win the Grand Prix of France – the first Frenchman to do so.
Zarco admitted he was ‘missing something’ in his quest to become a premier class champion, but his performances this season have earned him plaudits.
MotoGP fans were thrilled to hear Honda might sign Zarco for 2026 and beyond, and he’s pushed himself further into the conversation by winning a first race for two years at Le Mans.
MotoGP fans blame ‘nonsense’ Enea Bastianini for nearly crashing into Johann Zarco
In a repeat of the situation faced at the Grand Prix of Americas early in the season, riders came into the pits before the start of the race to swap bikes.
It forced a red flag due to more than 10 riders being in the pit lane, before even more of them changed their minds again and took double long-lap penalties.
Heading into turn one once the race had started, Enea Bastianini attempted an audacious move on Francesco Bagnaia, who crashed and ran into Joan Mir, who nearly knocked Zarco off.
Somehow, the Frenchman managed to stay on the straight and narrow through the gravel, prompting one fan on X (formerly known as Twitter) to say, “Bastianini being a nonsense again.”
Another individual was in agreement: “What a dumb dive,” while someone else questioned the stewards, “Just saw the first turn crash replay, no penalty for Bastianini?”
“Let’s see if you understand now that Bagnaia was thrown by Bastianini today,” responded another fan who was upset that the championship contender had been knocked off.
Not everyone had noticed that Zarco was nearly caught in the crossfire though, but one person explained the incident well, “Meanwhile, Bagnaia didn’t crash, but Bastianini knocked him off his feet. He took out Pecco, and the domino effect ended with Mir on the ground and Zarco off the track. Zarco, yes, the one leading the race… Crazy.”
“Bastianini, who has the worst race of his career and also ruins everyone else’s. Good job, man,” concluded one last fan.
Why Honda should snap at the opportunity to sign Johann Zarco for 2026
Signing Zarco would be the wisest move if Honda wants a new, but dependable rider for the future. He has proven how good he can be this year.
Without him, few would be aware of the potential that their bike now possesses. They are back on the top step of the podium because of him.
They could sign a Pedro Acosta or Toprak Razgatlioglu, but they will be more expensive and come with less experience than Zarco brings.
As a plug-and-play alternative to Luca Marini, it doesn’t get any better than the 34-year-old Frenchman who appears to be in the form of his life.
