Gibernau wins Le Mans MotoGP

Sete Gibernau passed early leader Carlos Checa and stayed clear of the drama behind him to take the French GP at Le Mans today, Sunday May 16.

Checa surprised many by out-qualifying Yamaha team-mate Valentino Rossi but proved his grid position was justified by leading the race from the start, and eventually finishing in second place.

Rossi, meanwhile, was unable to take third from Max Biaggi, finishing a close fourth.

It was not a good day for the Brits. Shane Byrne put himself with a hand injury, then Neil Hodgson crashed out on the opening lap in a three-bike incident which also saw John Hopkins and Norrick Abe retire. Lone hope Jeremy McWilliams was in 14th, but was judged to have made a jump start, requiring a ride through the pits before rejoining.

Early reports say that Hodgson has bruising around his ribs and a wound on his arm.

Le Mans results:

1) Gibernau. 2) Checa. 3) Biaggi. 4) Rossi. 5) Edwards. 6) Melandri. 7) Barros. 8) Bayliss. 9) Tamada. 10) Capirossi. 11) Hayden. 12) Roberts. 13) McWilliams. 14) Xaus. 15) Roberts. 16) Fabrizio. 17) Aoki.

DNF: Nakano. Burns. Hofmann. Abe. Hopkins. Hodgson.

250cc:

1) Pedrosa. 2) De Puniet. 3) Elias. 4) Aoyama. 5) De Angelis. 6) West. 7) Nieto. 8) Battaini. 9) Debon. 10) Olive. 11) Smrz. 12) Davies. 13) Faubel. 14) Matsudo. 15) Baldolini. 16) Heidolf. 17) Marchand. 18) Nigon. 19) Gemmel. 20) Lefort. 21) Sekiguchi. 22) Leblanc.

DNF: Porto. Vincent. Guintoli. Rous. Stigefelt. Rolfo. Poggiali. Bataille.

125cc:

1) Dovizioso. 2) Locatelli. 3) Lorenzo. 4) Giansanti. 5) Berbera. 6) Kallio. 7) Nieto. 8) Stoner. 9) Bautista. 10) Jenkner. 11) Borsoi. 12) Pasini. 13) Simon. 14) Pesek. 15) Corsi. 16) Talmacsi. 17) Pellino. 18) Robriguez. 19) Giusseppetti. 20) Lai. 21) Toth. 22) Gadea. 23) Manna. 24) Carchano. 25) Miralles. 26) Kallio. 27) Angeloni. 28) Schouten. 29) Gines. 30) Deschamps

DNF: Harms. Ui. Di Meglio. Masbou. Ballerini. Perugini. Simoncelli. Luthi.