Slicks and rain tires on the starting grid – Long-lap penalties and flag-to-flag changes – Which strategy each MotoGP rider chose at Le Mans
The start of the French Grand Prix was turbulent due to the onset of rain. Initially, all riders lined up on the grid with soft slicks. At the end of the warm-up lap, everyone turned into the pits to switch to their second bikes with rain tires.
If more than ten riders start from the pit lane, the entire start procedure is aborted and the quick restart procedure is applied.
With one exception, all riders left the pit lane on rain tires, but some returned to the pits at the end of the sighting lap to switch back to their second bikes with slicks.
The following riders switched from rain tires to slicks after the sighting lap:
93 Marc Marquez (Ducati)
Due to the recent rule change, they were allowed to take their original starting positions and then had to serve two long-lap penalties during the race.
Note: Bastianini received two additional long-lap penalties for exceeding the speed limit in the pit lane.
One rider opted for slicks for the quick restart from the start and lined up on the grid with bald tires without having to serve a long-lap penalty. That was Aprilia rider Lorenzo Savadori.
The following riders remained on rain tires for the start:
88 Miguel Oliveira (Pramac-Yamaha)
Of these riders with rain tires, three decided to switch to their second bikes with slicks after the first lap: Marini, Rins, and Bezzecchi.
Bagnaia also brought his damaged bike back to the pits after his accident and crash at the start in the Dunlop chicane and switched to his second bike with slicks.
All riders who were on the track with slicks in the early stages had to make the flag-to-flag change to their other bike with rain tires after a few laps. This meant that Marini, Rins, Bezzecchi, and Bagnaia made two pit stops during the race.
The following riders who started on rain tires did not make any pit stops: Zarco, Nakagami, Oliveira, and Miller, although Miller crashed on the sixth lap and Oliveira crashed later in the race on lap 19. Only four riders had opted for the right strategy.
