Wet and cold conditions, the track just 14°C and a brisk air temperature of 12°C, provided a gloomy welcome to the Le Mans circuit for Saturday's running. Both Marc Marquez and Jorge Lorenzo remained competitive, finishing second and seventh respectively.
Conditions remained equally treacherous in FP4 with Marquez suffering a harmless fall at Turn 9 early in the session. The reigning World Champion went on to set the fastest time of the session, completely unphased by the off, said a press statement.
Rain returned to the 4.2 km long Le Mans circuit the same moment as pit lane opened for Q2. A second fall of the day, this time at Turn 6, after setting his fastest lap could not stop Marquez taking pole position for the French GP, his third pole from five races. Marquez's 55th premier class pole draws him level with Valentino Rossi and just three behind Mick Doohan's record 58 premier class poles.
Saturday in France presented Jorge Lorenzo with new conditions to learn on the Honda RC213V. Lorenzo and his Repsol Honda Team crew were able to adapt well, getting faster with each lap and claiming eighth place on the grid for Sunday's race - his best grid position of the year. The result continues Lorenzo's steady improvements over the course of the French GP.
The May 20th 27-lap French Grand Prix will take place at 2 p.m. local time, the weather forecast remaining unpredictable. The race presents Honda with the first opportunity to seal their 300th premier class victory.