2024 French Moto2, Le Mans - Friday Practice Results

Sergio Garcia set a new lap record in the second practice session to finish top on Friday at Le Mans after practice for the Moto3 French Grand Prix.

The MT Helmets - MSI rider enjoyed a solid start to his day, sixth after the first FP session. From there the Spaniard built on his performance. When circulating fifth, he produced a super clean lap to finish Friday with a new record lap of 1m 35.473s, which remained unbeaten for the remaining five minutes of track action.

• French MotoGP: Jorge Martin fastest in FP1 as Pedro Acosta shines again
• Marc Marquez reveals “strategy change” that led to Honda exit

That lap dethroned Alonso Lopez. The Folladore Speed Up rider had originally hit record pace in the first session and had already lowered his own best lap in the afternoon, only to finish 0.076s behind Garcia. Lopez slipped off, a front end fold at turn nine in the closing stages.

Jerez pole man and race winner, Fermin Aldeguer, was not far behind his teammate on his way to third, with a Boscoscuro 1-2-3 leading the standings on the first day in Le Mans.

Manuel Gonzalez was a contender to finish the day on top, briefly leading on his way to fourth for QJMotor Gresini.

Championship leader Joe Roberts was fifth - the American Racing rider topped the timesheets with ten minutes remaining then fell as he started his next lap, slowing his progress as he hit form.

Ai Ogura worked quietly and under the radar, chipping away at his time to sit sixth overnight on the second MT Helmets bike.

Barry Baltus followed Gonzalez around to help him rise to seventh for RW - Idrofoglia Racing GP, with Somkiat Chantra a close eighth for Idemitsu Honda Team Asia - all of the top 16 were within a second of the new record.

Aron Canet is limping around the paddock and using crutches after his Jerez fall, but pushed through the pain barrier for ninth for Fantic Racing, a big improvement on his first session.

Tony Arbolino completed the top ten after being one of the early pacesetters in both sessions for Elf Marc VDS.

Jeremy Alcoba was a solid eleventh for the Yamaha VR46 Master Camp Team, ahead of top rookie Senna Agius for Liqui Moly Husqvarna Intact GP, who made a leap in the afternoon for twelfth. Jaume Masia was the best of the Moto3 graduate rookies in 18th.

The remaining provisional Q2 slots went to Marcos Ramirez on the second American Racing motorcycle in 13th and Filip Salac, who held on to 14th for Marc VDS after an early tumble, with Zonta van den Goorbergh just missing out despite setting a personal best on his last lap.

Salac was not alone in having a crash which affected the chance to improve. Lopez and Roberts had done enough for a strong overnight place, however an early fall left Dennis Foggia 22nd.

The first rider to crash in the second session was Jake Dixon. The Brit had sat sixth after free practice. The fall from his CFMoto Inde Aspar seemed innocuous but took much of the second session to fix in the garage. When back on track the #96 only had time for a couple of flying laps, leaving him 20th.

There are several absences in Le Mans in the Moto2 class.

Dani Munoz (21st) makes his world championship debut to fill in for Bo Bendsneyder at the Pertamina Mandalike Gas Up Team.

Mario Aji is also absent at Idemitsu Honda Team Asia, as he recovers from arm pump surgery. He is not replaced by the team.

Celestino Vietti arrived in Le Mans, but did not pass his fitness test, he was declared unfit to continue after breaking his collarbone in the Jerez test.

Alex Escrig started the weekend and took part in free practice, but then withdrew with a shoulder injury.