Johann Zarco ends Honda's MotoGP win drought with shock French GP victory at Le Mans

Johann Zarco brought Honda's long MotoGP victory drought to an end with a shock win in Sunday's French Grand Prix at Le Mans, handing LCR team owner Lucio Cecchinello a first triumph since Alex Rins stood on the top step at the Grand Prix of the Americas in April 2023.

Rins had taken that win in only his third race on the RC-V, and it remained Honda's most recent success until Zarco charged to victory in front of his home fans. The Spaniard fractured his leg at Mugello three rounds after his Austin triumph and completed just one more grand prix for LCR before joining Monster Yamaha, while Marc Marquez's exit at the end of the 2023 season left the factory squad without a win since Misano 2021.

Rins, who finished twelfth in a dry-wet race, took the changing of the guard in good humour. "I'm so angry!" he joked. "Johann took my last [Honda] victory record! It's all I can say!" He added with a grin: "No, I'm really so happy for Lucio. So happy for all the guys, all the mechanics."

Zarco admitted the significance of the result only sank in when Rins sought him out after the podium celebrations. "Rins came to me and said, 'You stole the last victory of Honda from me!'" the Frenchman revealed. "When he told me that, I was kind of proud because I didn't realise it straightaway."

The victory also ended a record-equalling run of 22 consecutive grand prix wins for Ducati, underlining the scale of Honda's achievement at Le Mans. LCR now holds the distinction of claiming the manufacturer's two most recent victories, following Rins' success in Texas.

Sources

• [Crash.net – Alex Rins jokes "I'm so angry!" as Zarco ends Honda win drought](https://www.crash.net/motogp/news/1070329/1/alex-rins-jokes-im-so-angry-zarco-ends-honda-motogp-win-drought)