Le Mans, France

The 2025 MotoGP calendar has been published at last, at least in its provisional form. The calendar contains 22 rounds, starting on March 2nd at Buriram in Thailand, and ending as usual at Valencia on November 16th.

The calendar looks a little different this year, in several different ways. Firstly, Qatar is now the fourth round, being held in mid April, rather than the first round. Argentina and Austin follow the season opener in Thailand, with MotoGP heading back to Europe after Qatar.

Jerez and Le Mans are in their traditional places, at the end of April and the middle of May respectively, before MotoGP heads to Silverstone, and a much earlier date for the British GP at the end of May. From the UK, the series heads back to Spain, to Aragon, again a much earlier race at the beginning of June. From Aragon, the series heads to Mugello in the middle of June, in a race that is back-to-back with Assen.

Read more about 2025 Provisional MotoGP Calendar: 22 Races, Kazakhstan, India Out, Hungary, Brno In
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If there is an image that sticks in the mind of Johann Zarco's time at KTM, it is of a bewildered and furious Frenchman captured during FP1 at Jerez in 2019, calling the 2019 RC16 "s***". Four rounds in, and the relationship between Zarco and the Austrian factory was already falling apart.

Seven rounds later, and with eight rounds left to go, the relationship was over. Johann Zarco asked to be released from his two-year contract early, hoping to part ways at the end of the year. It wouldn't even take that long. Three rounds later, KTM had replaced him with test rider Mika Kallio, and released Zarco from his contract. The Frenchman would step in for Takaaki Nakagami at LCR Honda for the last three rounds, before signing a deal with Ducati that would see him join the Avintia squad.

Read more about Older, Wiser, Calmer: Why Johann Zarco's Honda Move Is Nothing Like His Time At KTM
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The gods smiled on Le Mans this weekend. Three fantastic races, with podiums which all featured the undisputed fastest riders in each class, and all decided on the final lap. The threat of rain hung in the air, but did nothing more than that, so it remained dry. Nearly 120,000 fans were served up a delicious day of racing, and went home satisfied.

There is so much to talk about. The MotoGP race was an object lesson in how difficult the choice that Ducati faces over who to put on the second seat next to Pecco Bagnaia is. It was also a race where Pedro Acosta crashed out, yet still took another step toward greatness. And above all, it was the clearest possible proof that motorcycle racing really is the greatest sport on earth.

Late on Sunday night, here are a few things to consider after a spectacular day of racing.

The fastest man