Yamaha’s triple MotoGP world champion Jorge Lorenzo won a crash-strewn French Grand Prix from pole position on Sunday to wrest the overall lead from fellow-Spaniard Marc Marquez after the Honda rider slid out.
Italian great Valentino Rossi clinched the Yamaha one-two, 10.654 seconds behind, with Spaniard Maverick Vinales tipped to replace Lorenzo next season taking his first top-flight podium finish on a Suzuki.
That third place at Le Mans’ Bugatti circuit was Suzuki’s first podium since Italian Loris Capirossi’s in the Czech Republic in 2008.
Lorenzo, who celebrated his 29th birthday earlier in the week and led from start to finish, now has 90 points from five races with Marquez on 85 after rejoining and finishing 13th.
Rossi, who started on the third row after winning the previous race in Spain, is third with 78 points.
Marquez slid off with Ducati’s Andrea Dovizioso on lap 16 while they were running third and fourth and as they slowed into turn seven without either making contact. The Spaniard rejoined, other falls allowing him to score three points as the last classified rider. Rossi had battled with Marquez and Dovizioso before settling into second.
