MotoGP Grand Prix of France 2015: Race Schedule, Live Stream and Top Riders
Valentino Rossi holds a 15-point lead in the World Championship standings after four races of the 2015 MotoGP season.
The action moves to Le Mans this weekend for the French Grand Prix where the legendary Italian will look to add to his three previous wins at the circuit.
Rossi's Movistar Yamaha team-mate Jorge Lorenzo took a commanding victory in Jerez last time out, while defending world champion Marc Marquez managed second despite an injured little finger.
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Read on for the full race schedule for this weekend's action in France, as well as live streaming information and a look at the top riders.
| Date | Time (BST/ET) | Event |
| Friday, May 15 | 8:55 a.m. - 9:40 a.m./3:55 a.m. - 4:40 a.m. | Free Practice 1 |
| Friday, May 15 | 1:05 p.m. - 1:50 p.m./8:05 a.m. - 8:50 a.m. | Free Practice 2 |
| Saturday, May 16 | 8:55 a.m. - 9:40 a.m./3:55 a.m. - 4:40 a.m. | Free Practice 3 |
| Saturday, May 16 | 12:30 p.m. - 1 p.m./8:30 a.m. - 9 a.m. | Free Practice 4 |
| Saturday, May 16 | 1:10 p.m. - 1:25 p.m./9:10 a.m. - 9:25 a.m. | Qualifying 1 |
| Saturday, May 16 | 1:35 p.m. - 1:50 p.m./9:35 a.m. - 9:50 a.m. | Qualifying 2 |
| Sunday, May 17 | 1 p.m./9 a.m. | Race |
Available live on BT Sport 2 (UK) and Fox Sports 1 (US), with live streaming via BT Sport Player and Fox Sports Go
Jorge Lorenzo
Lorenzo's win in Spain last time out was dominant, and it was something of a return to form for the 28-year-old.
Though he won two races in last season's campaign, he finished 99 points back from a dominant Marquez in the final standings and was relatively inconsistent.
However, Lorenzo is a two-time world champion—in 2010 and 2012—and the Yamaha rider showed last time out he still has what it takes to dominate the field, per BT Sport MotoGP:
The Spaniard will have terrific momentum heading to Le Mans and he should be confident of putting in another fine performance.
Lorenzo has taken three victories in France in MotoGP, two of them coming in his victorious World Championship seasons.
Currently 20 points back from standings-leader Rossi, Lorenzo will hope to close the gap further with a fine race performance on Sunday.
Qualifying will be key again, Lorenzo's pole position in Spain was very important as it allowed him a free run at the first corner.
While looking ahead, Lorenzo will also have an eye to the rear, as defending champion Marquez sits just six points back in fourth in the riders' standings.
Marc Marquez
The ludicrously talented Marquez has had something of an inconsistent start to the 2015 season, winning in Texas, but crashing in Argentina and finishing fifth in Qatar's curtain-raiser.
The 22-year-old's second place last time out saw him return to the podium, but he will wish to repeat his 2014 result at Le Mans this weekend by coming out on top.
Compared to his 10 consecutive race wins at the start of the 2014 season, Marquez has had a bad time of it this year.
But he is still very much in the hunt for a third consecutive World Championship, as he sits only 26 points back from Rossi, and there is still a long way to go.
Furthermore, Marquez says he will be better equipped to perform to his best this weekend having further recovered from surgery on a fractured left little finger that hampered him last time out, per Crash.net:
"Since Jerez we've been able to rest and now I'm feeling much stronger for this weekend. I visited Dr. Mir for a check-up and my finger is definitely improving and healing well. I haven't trained much this past week in order to give my finger a chance to restore back to 100 per cent, which was our main goal. I like the Le Mans track, the weather is always changeable but last year it was really good and I took my first win in the MotoGP class, so let's hope it's the nice for us again this year.
"
Every rider in the paddock will fear a resurgent Marquez, and if he can win in France on Sunday, he will send out a distinct message.
Marquez simply has to chip away at the lead of those currently ahead of him in the championship standings—Ducati's Andrea Dovizioso sits second between Rossi and Lorenzo.
If he can gradually move up to the top of the standings, it will be very difficult to snatch the advantage back from him. As Marquez showed last season, he knows how to lead from the front, all he has to do now is get to the head of the pack.
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