MotoGP World Championship Standings after Round 4, Le Mans

1. Dani Pedrosa     Repsol Honda Team     83     
2. Marc Marquez     Repsol Honda Team     77
3. Jorge Lorenzo     Factory Yamaha Racing     66
4. Cal Crutchlow     Monster Yamaha Tech 3     55
5. Valentino Rossi     Factory Yamaha Racing     47
6. Andrea Dovizioso     Ducati Team     39
7. Alvaro Bautista     Go&Fun Honda Gresini     38 
8. Nicky Hayden     Ducati Team     35
9. Aleix Espargaro     Power Electronics Aspar     20
10. Andrea Iannone     Energy T.I. Pramac Racing     18
11. Stefan Bradl     LCR Honda     17
12. Bradley Smith     Monster Yamaha Tech 3     17
13. Michele Pirro      Ducati Test Team     13
14. Ben Spies     Ignite Pramac Racing     9
15. Hector Barbera     Avintia Blusens     7
16. Randy De Puniet     Power Electronics Aspar     6
17. Danilo Petrucci      Came IodaRacing      4
18. Michael Laverty      Paul Bird Motorsport    3
19. Yonny Hernandez     Paul Bird Motorsport     3
20. Karel Abraham      Cardion AB Motoracing            1
21. Colin Edwards      NGM Mobile Forward Racing      1
22. Hiroshi Aoyama     Avintia Blusens     1

DANI Pedrosa today (19 May) took his second win in succession in typically difficult wet conditions at Le Mans for the French round of the MotoGP World Championship. He crossed the line with a comfortable lead of almost five seconds from Britain’s Cal Crutchlow, who put in his best ever MotoGP performance despite carrying a fractured tibia from a nasty accident in qualifying.

It was Ducati rider Andrea Dovizioso who appeared to have the early pace, leading off the line at the only circuit where Ducati has had consistent success in recent years. For much of the race he would swap positions with Pedrosa for the lead, but ultimately as the track dried the Italian could do nothing to hold off the ever-improving Crutchlow, and hard charging 20 year-old Spanish wonder-boy Marc Marquez.

It looked to be a harsh return to reality for Marquez after a fairy tale opening to his maiden MotoGP campaign. The Honda rider slipped down the order in the opening laps and really struggled to find grip and speed in the wet conditions. As the track dried, however, he found his rhythm, and was by far the fastest man on-track in the last few laps, closing down first Hayden – who also had a strong ride on the factory Ducati, and then finally Dovizioso who put in a great performance but once again couldn’t maintain podium-winning pace for a full race distance.

It was a day to forget for the Factory Yamaha team, as reigning MotoGP world champion Jorge Lorenzo faded dramatically after briefly running in second position, ultimately crossing the line in seventh, while Valentino Rossi crashed out of fourth place on lap 17, but re-joined to pick up just four championship points in 12th.

If Crutchlow’s superb second place wasn’t enough for British fans – Scott Redding also took his best ever result in Moto2 today, winning his first race in the class as all of his main championship rivals crashed out. He now leads the Moto2 standings by 24 points.

MotoGP race results from Le Mans, France

1. Dani Pedrosa ESP Repsol Honda Team (RC213V) 49m 17.707s 
2. Cal Crutchlow GBR Monster Yamaha Tech 3 (YZR-M1) +4.863

3. Marc Marquez ESP Repsol Honda Team (RC213V) +6.949
4. Andrea Dovizioso ITA Ducati Team (GP13) +10.087
5. Nicky Hayden USA Ducati Team (GP13) +18.471
6. Alvaro Bautista ESP Go&Fun Honda Gresini (RC213V) +23.561
7. Jorge Lorenzo ESP Yamaha Factory Racing (YZR-M1) +27.961
8. Michele Pirro ITA Energy T.I. Pramac Racing (GP13) +40.775
9. Bradley Smith GBR Monster Yamaha Tech 3 (YZR-M1) +41.407
10. Stefan Bradl GER LCR Honda MotoGP (RC213V) +1:00.995
11. Andrea Iannone ITA Energy T.I. Pramac Racing (GP13) +1:05.110
12. Valentino Rossi ITA Yamaha Factory Racing (YZR-M1) +1:16.368
13. Aleix Espargaro ESP Power Electronics Aspar (ART CRT) +1:24.200
14. Danilo Petrucci ITA Came IodaRacing Project (Suter-BMW CRT) +1:25.726
15. Karel Abraham CZE Cardion AB Motoracing (ART CRT) +1:32.111
16. Colin Edwards USA NGM Forward Racing (FTR-Kawasaki CRT) +1:40.602
17. Michael Laverty GBR Paul Bird Motorsport (PBM-ART CRT) +1 Lap 
18. Hector Barbera ESP Avintia Blusens (FTR-Kawasaki CRT) +1 Lap 
19. Hiroshi Aoyama JPN Avintia Blusens (FTR-Kawasaki CRT) +1 Lap 

DNF:
Yonny Hernandez COL Paul Bird Motorsport (ART CRT) +8 Laps
Randy De Puniet FRA Power Electronics Aspar (ART CRT) +13 Laps
Lukas Pesek CZE Came IodaRacing Project (Suter-BMW CRT) +13 Laps
Claudio Corti ITA NGM Forward Racing (FTR-Kawasaki CRT) +21 Laps
Bryan Staring AUS Go&Fun Honda Gresini (FTR-Honda CRT) +27 Laps

AN 800cc version of MV Agusta's F3 675 will be on sale early 2014.

MV have stated that the project is well under way, with development models undergoing final testing.

The inline-three cylinder engine for the new model already exists in the Brutale and Rivale and it's thought the new 800cc F3 will use the same chassis as the current F3, keeping development time for this new model to a minimum.

The 140bhp superbike will be aimed squarely at Ducati's 848 and Suzuki's GSX-R750. Although by the time it's launched, Ducati may have already replaced the 848 with a new Panigale-style middleweight sportsbike.

The new F3 800 is expected to use the firm's MVICS electronics package and also come with ride-by-wire, ABS and power modes.

The firm's F3 675 costs £9,999, so expect don't expect much change from £11,000.

Never as pretty as an RC30 but still a stunning piece of kit. It's Friday and that's my excuse for posting a few pictures of this beefy classic.

If you want more, click here to read our feature: Bike Icon: Yamaha FZR750R OW-01.