French motorcycle Grand Prix explained

Race Title:	French Grand Prix
Series Long:	Grand Prix motorcycle racing
Venue:	Le Mans (1969–1970, 1976, 1979, 1983, 1985, 1987, 1989–1990, 1994–1995, 2000–present) Paul Ricard (1973, 1975, 1977, 1980–1981, 1984, 1986, 1988, 1991, 1996–1999) Magny-Cours (1992) Nogaro (1978, 1982) Clermont-Ferrand (1959–1964, 1966–1967, 1972, 1974) Rouen-Les-Essarts (1953, 1965) Reims-Gueux (1954–1955) Albi (1951)
First Race:	1951
Most Wins Rider:	Giacomo Agostini (7)
Most Wins Manufacturer:	Honda (52)

The French motorcycle Grand Prix is a motorcycling event that is part of the FIM Grand Prix motorcycle racing season.

The Grand Prix was held on different circuits in its history: on the Charade Circuit (Puy-de-Dôme) between 1959 and 1967, Le Mans circuit on numerous occasions since 1969, alternating with the Paul Ricard Circuit at Le Castellet, used it for the first time in 1973, the Circuit Paul Armagnac in Nogaro in 1978 and 1982 and the Circuit de Nevers Magny-Cours once in 1992. Since 2000 the race has been held at Le Mans on the Bugatti Circuit.

The event is due to take place at the Bugatti Circuit until at least 2026.^[1]

Official names and sponsors

• 1959–1960: Grand Prix de France de Vitesse (no official sponsor)
• 1962–1964, 1966–1967, 1972, 1974, 1978, 1983, 1985–1992, 1995–1996, 2009: Grand Prix de France (no official sponsor)^[2]
• 1970: Grand Prix de France Motocyclistes (no official sponsor)^[3]
• 1975–1977, 1980–1982, 1984, 1994, 1997–1999: Grand Prix de France Moto (no official sponsor)^[4]
• 2000–2001, 2003–2004: Grand Prix Polini de France (listed without a sponsor on the cover until 2001)^{[5] [6]}
• 2002: Polini Grand Prix de France (listed without a sponsor on the cover)
• 2005: Grand Prix Alice de France^[7]
• 2006–2008: Alice Grand Prix de France^[8]
• 2010–2016: Monster Energy Grand Prix de France^[9]
• 2017–2018: HJC Helmets Grand Prix de France^[10]
• 2019–2020: Shark Helmets Grand Prix de France^[11]
• 2021–2023: Shark Grand Prix de France^[12]
• 2024: Michelin Grand Prix de France

Winners of the French motorcycle Grand Prix

Multiple winners (riders)

Wins	Rider	Wins
		Category	Years won
7	Giacomo Agostini	500cc	1969, 1970, 1972, 1975
		350cc	1972, 1973, 1974
6	Jorge Lorenzo	MotoGP	2009, 2010, 2012, 2015, 2016
		250cc	2007
5	Ángel Nieto	125cc	1980, 1981, 1984
		80cc	1985
		50cc	1970
4	Phil Read	500cc	1974
		250cc	1964, 1965, 1972
	Freddie Spencer	500cc	1983, 1984, 1985
		250cc	1985
	Mick Doohan	500cc	1994, 1995, 1996, 1997
	Valentino Rossi	MotoGP	2002, 2005, 2008
		125cc	1997
	Dani Pedrosa	MotoGP	2013
		250cc	2004, 2005
		125cc	2003
	Thomas Lüthi	Moto2	2012, 2015
		125cc	2005, 2006
	Marc Márquez	MotoGP	2014, 2018, 2019
		Moto2	2011
3	Geoff Duke	500cc	1953, 1955
		350cc	1951
	John Surtees	500cc	1959, 1960
		350cc	1959
	Hugh Anderson	125cc	1963, 1965
		50cc	1964
	Kent Andersson	125cc	1973, 1974, 1975
	Barry Sheene	500cc	1976, 1977, 1979
	Eddie Lawson	500cc	1986, 1988, 1989
	Àlex Crivillé	500cc	1998, 1999, 2000
	Maverick Viñales	MotoGP	2017
		Moto3	2013
		125cc	2011
2	Pierre Monneret	500cc	1954
		350cc	1954
	Gary Hocking	500cc	1961
		350cc	1960
	Tom Phillis	250cc	1961
		125cc	1961
	Mike Hailwood	350cc	1966
		250cc	1966
	Bill Ivy	250cc	1967
		125cc	1967
	Jarno Saarinen	500cc	1973
		250cc	1973
	Johnny Cecotto	350cc	1975
		250cc	1975
	Walter Villa	350cc	1976
		250cc	1976
	Gregg Hansford	350cc	1978
		250cc	1978
	Pier Paolo Bianchi	125cc	1977, 1978
	Jon Ekerold	350cc	1980
		250cc	1977
	Kenny Roberts	500cc	1978, 1980
	Kork Ballington	250cc	1979, 1980
	Anton Mang	250cc	1981, 1984
	Jorge Martínez	125cc	1988, 1989
	Carlos Cardús	250cc	1989, 1990
	Ezio Gianola	125cc	1985, 1992
	Loris Reggiani	250cc	1991, 1992
	Wayne Rainey	500cc	1991, 1992
	Loris Capirossi	250cc	1994
		125cc	1991
	Tetsuya Harada	250cc	1997, 1998
	Tohru Ukawa	250cc	1999, 2000
	Max Biaggi	500cc	2001
		250cc	1996
	Sete Gibernau	MotoGP	2003, 2004
	Toni Elías	Moto2	2010
		250cc	2003
	Jack Miller	MotoGP	2021
		Moto3	2014
	Nicholas Spinelli	MotoE	2024 Race 1, 2024 Race 2

Multiple winners (manufacturers)

Wins	Manufacturer	Wins
		Category	Years won
52	Honda	MotoGP	2002, 2003, 2004, 2006, 2011, 2013, 2014, 2018, 2019
		500cc	1983, 1984, 1985, 1989, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000
		350cc	1966
		250cc	1961, 1962, 1966, 1985, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1994, 1995, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2004, 2005, 2006
		Moto3	2017, 2019
		125cc	1961, 1962, 1964, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1994, 1995, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006
		50cc	1965
40	Yamaha	MotoGP	2005, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2012, 2015, 2016, 2017
		500cc	1973, 1975, 1978, 1980, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1991, 1992, 2001
		350cc	1974, 1975, 1977, 1979, 1980
		250cc	1964, 1965, 1967, 1970, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1986
		125cc	1967, 1969, 1973, 1974, 1975
17	Aprilia	250cc	1991, 1992, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2002, 2003, 2007, 2008
		125cc	1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2002, 2007, 2009, 2011
12	MV Agusta	500cc	1959, 1960, 1961, 1969, 1970, 1972, 1974
		350cc	1959, 1960, 1972, 1973
		125cc	1955
11	Suzuki	500cc	1976, 1977, 1979, 1981, 1990, 2007
		125cc	1963, 1965, 1970
		50cc	1964, 1967
	Kalex	Moto2	2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023
9	Ducati	MotoGP	2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024
		MotoE	2023 Race 1, 2023 Race 2, 2024 Race 1, 2024 Race 2
8	KTM	Moto3	2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2018, 2020, 2022, 2023
7	Derbi	125cc	1988, 1989, 2000, 2008, 2010
		80cc	1985
		50cc	1970
6	Kawasaki	350cc	1978, 1982
		250cc	1978, 1979, 1980, 1981
	Gilera	500cc	1951, 1953, 1954, 1955
		250cc	2009
		125cc	2001
5	Kreidler	50cc	1962, 1963, 1969, 1976, 1979
4	Morbidelli	125cc	1972, 1977, 1982, 1983
	Garelli	125cc	1984, 1985, 1986, 1987
3	Moto Guzzi	350cc	1953, 1955
		250cc	1951
	Minarelli	125cc	1978, 1980, 1981
2	Harley-Davidson	350cc	1976
		250cc	1976
	Suter	Moto2	2011, 2012

By year

A pink background indicates an event that was not part of the Grand Prix motorcycle racing championship.

Year	Track	MotoE				Moto3	Moto2	MotoGP	Report
		Race 1		Race 2
		Rider	Manufacturer	Rider	Manufacturer	Rider	Manufacturer	Rider		Manufacturer	Rider	Manufacturer
2024	Le Mans	Nicholas Spinelli	Ducati	Nicholas Spinelli	Ducati	David Alonso	CFMoto	Sergio García	Boscoscuro	Jorge Martín	Ducati	Report
2023		Jordi Torres	Ducati	Matteo Ferrari	Ducati	Daniel Holgado	KTM	Tony Arbolino	Kalex	Marco Bezzecchi	Ducati	Report
2022		Mattia Casadei	Energica	Dominique Aegerter	Energica	Jaume Masià	KTM	Augusto Fernández	Kalex	Enea Bastianini	Ducati	Report
2021		Eric Granado	Energica	Sergio García	Gas Gas	Raúl Fernández	Kalex	Jack Miller	Ducati	Report
2020		Jordi Torres	Energica	Niki Tuuli		Celestino Vietti		Sam Lowes		Danilo Petrucci	Ducati	Report

Year	Track	Moto3		Moto2		MotoGP		Report
		Rider	Manufacturer	Rider	Manufacturer	Rider	Manufacturer
2019	Le Mans	John McPhee	Honda	Álex Márquez	Kalex	Marc Márquez	Honda	Report
2018		Albert Arenas	KTM	Francesco Bagnaia	Kalex	Marc Márquez	Honda	Report
2017		Joan Mir	Honda	Franco Morbidelli	Kalex	Maverick Viñales	Yamaha	Report
2016		Brad Binder	KTM	Álex Rins	Kalex	Jorge Lorenzo	Yamaha	Report
2015		Romano Fenati	KTM	Thomas Lüthi	Kalex	Jorge Lorenzo	Yamaha	Report
2014		Jack Miller	KTM	Mika Kallio	Kalex	Marc Márquez	Honda	Report
2013		Maverick Viñales	KTM	Scott Redding	Kalex	Dani Pedrosa	Honda	Report
2012		Louis Rossi	FTR Honda	Thomas Lüthi	Suter	Jorge Lorenzo	Yamaha	Report
Year	Track	125cc		Moto2		MotoGP		Report
		Rider	Manufacturer	Rider	Manufacturer	Rider	Manufacturer
2011	Le Mans	Maverick Viñales	Aprilia	Marc Márquez	Suter	Casey Stoner	Honda	Report
2010		Pol Espargaró	Derbi	Toni Elías	Moriwaki	Jorge Lorenzo	Yamaha	Report
Year	Track	125cc		250cc		MotoGP		Report
		Rider	Manufacturer	Rider	Manufacturer	Rider	Manufacturer
2009	Le Mans	Julián Simón	Aprilia	Marco Simoncelli	Gilera	Jorge Lorenzo	Yamaha	Report
2008		Mike Di Meglio	Derbi	Alex Debón	Aprilia	Valentino Rossi	Yamaha	Report
2007		Sergio Gadea	Aprilia	Jorge Lorenzo	Aprilia	Chris Vermeulen	Suzuki	Report
2006		Thomas Lüthi	Honda	Yuki Takahashi	Honda	Marco Melandri	Honda	Report
2005		Thomas Lüthi	Honda	Daniel Pedrosa	Honda	Valentino Rossi	Yamaha	Report
2004		Andrea Dovizioso	Honda	Daniel Pedrosa	Honda	Sete Gibernau	Honda	Report
2003		Daniel Pedrosa	Honda	Toni Elías	Aprilia	Sete Gibernau	Honda	Report
2002		Lucio Cecchinello	Aprilia	Fonsi Nieto	Aprilia	Valentino Rossi	Honda	Report
Year	Track	125cc		250cc		500cc		Report
		Rider	Manufacturer	Rider	Manufacturer	Rider	Manufacturer
2001	Le Mans	Manuel Poggiali	Gilera	Daijiro Kato	Honda	Max Biaggi	Yamaha	Report
2000		Youichi Ui	Derbi	Tohru Ukawa	Honda	Àlex Crivillé	Honda	Report
1999	Paul Ricard	Roberto Locatelli	Aprilia	Tohru Ukawa	Honda	Àlex Crivillé	Honda	Report
1998		Kazuto Sakata	Aprilia	Tetsuya Harada	Aprilia	Àlex Crivillé	Honda	Report
1997		Valentino Rossi	Aprilia	Tetsuya Harada	Aprilia	Mick Doohan	Honda	Report
1996		Stefano Perugini	Aprilia	Max Biaggi	Aprilia	Mick Doohan	Honda	Report
1995	Le Mans	Haruchika Aoki	Honda	Ralf Waldmann	Honda	Mick Doohan	Honda	Report
1994		Noboru Ueda	Honda	Loris Capirossi	Honda	Mick Doohan	Honda	Report
1992	Magny-Cours	Ezio Gianola	Honda	Loris Reggiani	Aprilia	Wayne Rainey	Yamaha	Report
1991	Paul Ricard	Loris Capirossi	Honda	Loris Reggiani	Aprilia	Wayne Rainey	Yamaha	Report
1990	Le Mans	Hans Spaan	Honda	Carlos Cardús	Honda	Kevin Schwantz	Suzuki	Report

Year	Track	80cc		125cc		250cc		500cc		Report
		Rider	Manufacturer	Rider	Manufacturer	Rider	Manufacturer	Rider	Manufacturer
1989	Le Mans			Jorge Martínez	Derbi	Carlos Cardús	Honda	Eddie Lawson	Honda	Report
1988	Paul Ricard			Jorge Martínez	Derbi	Jacques Cornu	Honda	Eddie Lawson	Yamaha	Report
1987	Le Mans			Fausto Gresini	Garelli	Reinhold Roth	Honda	Randy Mamola	Yamaha	Report
1986	Paul Ricard			Luca Cadalora	Garelli	Carlos Lavado	Yamaha	Eddie Lawson	Yamaha	Report
1985	Le Mans	Ángel Nieto	Derbi	Ezio Gianola	Garelli	Freddie Spencer	Honda	Freddie Spencer	Honda	Report
1984	Paul Ricard			Ángel Nieto	Garelli	Anton Mang	Yamaha	Freddie Spencer	Honda	Report
Year	Track	50cc		125cc		250cc		500cc		Report
		Rider	Manufacturer	Rider	Manufacturer	Rider	Manufacturer	Rider	Manufacturer
1983	Le Mans	Stefan Dörflinger	Krauser	Ricardo Tormo	Morbidelli MBA	Alan Carter	Yamaha	Freddie Spencer	Honda	Report

Year	Track	50cc		125cc		250cc		350cc		500cc		Report
		Rider	Manufacturer	Rider	Manufacturer	Rider	Manufacturer	Rider	Manufacturer	Rider	Manufacturer
1982	Nogaro			Jean-Claude Selini	Morbidelli MBA	Jean-Louis Tournadre	Yamaha	Jean-François Baldé	Kawasaki	Michel Frutschi	Sanvenero	Report
1981	Paul Ricard			Ángel Nieto	Minarelli	Anton Mang	Kawasaki			Marco Lucchinelli	Suzuki	Report
1980				Ángel Nieto	Minarelli	Kork Ballington	Kawasaki	Jon Ekerold	Yamaha	Kenny Roberts	Yamaha	Report
1979	Le Mans	Eugenio Lazzarini	Kreidler	Guy Bertin	Motobécane	Kork Ballington	Kawasaki	Patrick Fernandez	Yamaha	Barry Sheene	Suzuki	Report
1978	Nogaro			Pier Paolo Bianchi	Minarelli	Gregg Hansford	Kawasaki	Gregg Hansford	Kawasaki	Kenny Roberts	Yamaha	Report
1977	Paul Ricard			Pier Paolo Bianchi	Morbidelli	Jon Ekerold	Yamaha	Takazumi Katayama	Yamaha	Barry Sheene	Suzuki	Report
1976	Le Mans	Herbert Rittberger	Kreidler			Walter Villa	Harley-Davidson	Walter Villa	Harley-Davidson	Barry Sheene	Suzuki	Report
1975	Paul Ricard			Kent Andersson	Yamaha	Johnny Cecotto	Yamaha	Johnny Cecotto	Yamaha	Giacomo Agostini	Yamaha	Report
1974	Clermont-Ferrand	Henk van Kessel	Van Veen Kreidler	Kent Andersson	Yamaha			Giacomo Agostini	Yamaha	Phil Read	MV Agusta	Report
1973	Paul Ricard			Kent Andersson	Yamaha	Jarno Saarinen	Yamaha	Giacomo Agostini	MV Agusta	Jarno Saarinen	Yamaha	Report
1972	Clermont-Ferrand			Gilberto Parlotti	Morbidelli	Phil Read	Yamaha	Giacomo Agostini	MV Agusta	Giacomo Agostini	MV Agusta	Report
1970	Le Mans	Ángel Nieto	Derbi	Dieter Braun	Suzuki	Rodney Gould	Yamaha			Giacomo Agostini	MV Agusta	Report
1969		Aalt Toersen	Kreidler	Jean Auréal	Yamaha	Santiago Herrero	Ossa			Giacomo Agostini	MV Agusta	Report
1967	Clermont-Ferrand	Yoshimi Katayama	Suzuki	Bill Ivy	Yamaha	Bill Ivy	Yamaha					Report
1966						Mike Hailwood	Honda	Mike Hailwood	Honda			Report
1965	Rouen	Ralph Bryans	Honda	Hugh Anderson	Suzuki	Phil Read	Yamaha					Report
1964	Clermont-Ferrand	Hugh Anderson	Suzuki	Luigi Taveri	Honda	Phil Read	Yamaha					Report
1963		Hans-Georg Anscheidt	Kreidler	Hugh Anderson	Suzuki							Report
1962		Jan Huberts	Kreidler	Kunimitsu Takahashi	Honda	Jim Redman	Honda					Report
Year	Track			125cc		250cc		350cc		500cc		Report
		Rider	Manufacturer	Rider	Manufacturer	Rider	Manufacturer	Rider	Manufacturer	Rider	Manufacturer
1961	Clermont-Ferrand			Tom Phillis	Honda	Tom Phillis	Honda			Gary Hocking	MV Agusta	Report
1960								Gary Hocking	MV Agusta	John Surtees	MV Agusta	Report
1959								John Surtees	MV Agusta	John Surtees	MV Agusta	Report
1958	Pau							Jacques Collot		Jacques Collot		Report
1955	Reims			Carlo Ubbiali	MV Agusta			Duilio Agostini	Moto Guzzi	Geoff Duke	Gilera	Report
1954						Werner Haas	NSU	Pierre Monneret	AJS	Pierre Monneret	Gilera	Report
1953	Rouen							Fergus Anderson	Moto Guzzi	Geoff Duke	Gilera	Report

Year	Track	175cc		250cc		350cc		500cc		Report
		Rider	Manufacturer	Rider	Manufacturer	Rider	Manufacturer	Rider	Manufacturer
1952	Albi	Georges Burgraff		Fergus Anderson		Jack Brett		Jack Brett		Report
1951	Albi			Bruno Ruffo	Moto Guzzi	Geoff Duke	Norton	Alfredo Milani	Gilera	Report

Year	Track	175cc	250cc	350cc	500cc	Report
1949	Saint-Gaudens		Fergus Anderson	David Whitworth	Leslie Graham	Report
1939	Reims		Ewald Kluge	Heiner Fleischmann	John White	Report
1938			Ewald Kluge	Roger Loyer	Georges Cordey	Report
1937	Montlhéry	"Dickwell"	Roger Loyer	Ted Mellors	Ted Mellors	Report
1936	Saint-Gaudens	Henry Nougier	Georges Monneret	Ted Mellors	Ragnar Sunnqvist	Report
1935	Montlhéry	Jean Térigi	Ove Lambert-Meuller	Carl Bagenholm	René Milhoux	Report
1933	Dieppe	Eric Fernihough	Charlie Manders	Jimmie Simpson	Tim Hunt	Report
1932	Reims	Eric Fernihough	Leo Davenport	Jimmie Simpson	Stanley Woods	Report
1931	Montlhéry	Eric Fernihough	Graham Walker	Ernie Nott	Tim Hunt	Report
1930	Pau	Eric Fernihough	Ted Mellors	Freddie Hicks	Stanley Woods	Report
1929	Le Mans	Albert Sourdot	Syd Crabtree	Freddie Hicks	Charlie Dodson	Report
1928	Bordeaux	Marcel Jolly	Syd Crabtree		Stanley Woods	Report
1927	Saint-Gaudens	Albert Sourdot	Syd Crabtree	Frank Longman	Joe Craig	Report
1926	Strasbourg	Lucien Lemasson	Syd Crabtree	Jean Roland	Alec Bennett	Report
1925	Montlhéry	Albert Sourdot	Jean Roland	J. Stevens	Jimmie Simpson	Report
1924	Lyon	Albert Sourdot	Paul Meunier	Frank Longman	Alec Bennett	Report
1923	Tours		Geoff Davison	Frank Longman	Jim Whalley	Report
1922	Strasbourg		Geoff Davison	Erminio Visioli	Alec Bennett	Report
1921	Le Mans		"Vernisse"	Paul Meunier	Alec Bennett	Report
1920			Marcel Mourier	Kenelm Bartlett	Georges Jolly	Report

Notes and References

1. News: French GP held at Le Mans until 2026. 19 May 2018. MotoGP.com. Dorna Sports. 3 September 2022.
2. Web site: 1972 500cc Class (FIM Grand Prix World Championship) Programmes | The Motor Racing Programme Covers Project. www.progcovers.com.
3. Web site: 1970 500cc Class (FIM Grand Prix World Championship) Programmes | The Motor Racing Programme Covers Project. www.progcovers.com.
4. Web site: 1975 500cc Class (FIM Grand Prix World Championship) Programmes | The Motor Racing Programme Covers Project. www.progcovers.com.
5. Web site: 2000 500cc Class (FIM Grand Prix World Championship) Programmes | The Motor Racing Programme Covers Project. www.progcovers.com.
6. Web site: 2003 MotoGP Class (FIM Grand Prix World Championship) Programmes | The Motor Racing Programme Covers Project. www.progcovers.com.
7. Web site: 2005 MotoGP Class (FIM Grand Prix World Championship) Programmes | The Motor Racing Programme Covers Project. www.progcovers.com.
8. Web site: 2006 MotoGP Class (FIM Grand Prix World Championship) Programmes | The Motor Racing Programme Covers Project. www.progcovers.com.
9. Web site: 2011 MotoGP Class (FIM Grand Prix World Championship) Programmes | The Motor Racing Programme Covers Project. www.progcovers.com.
10. Web site: 2017 MotoGP Class (FIM Grand Prix World Championship) Programmes | The Motor Racing Programme Covers Project. www.progcovers.com.
11. Web site: 2019 MotoGP Class (FIM Grand Prix World Championship) Programmes | The Motor Racing Programme Covers Project. www.progcovers.com.
12. Web site: 2021 MotoGP Class (FIM Grand Prix World Championship) Programmes | The Motor Racing Programme Covers Project. www.progcovers.com.