The China Mail - Martin surges to MotoGP sprint win as Marquez breaks foot at Le Mans

Martin started eighth on the grid but raced through the pack heading into the first corner and then pulled away to win.

"I love this track," said Martin, who won both the sprint and the main race at Le Mans on his way to the 2024 world title.

Behind him, reigning world champion Marquez endured a nightmare day that ended in a violent crash on his factory Ducati. It left him with a broken right foot that will require surgery.

Marquez started on the front row but had slipped to seventh before losing control with less than two laps of the 13-lap race to go.

He put his left foot on the ground to try to regain his balance but was flipped over the handlebars in the opposite direction, sliding along the ground as his disintegrating Ducati cartwheeled just past him.

Ducati issued a statement after the race saying that an X-ray showed "a fracture of the fifth metatarsal in his right foot" and that Marquez, who is a distant fifth in the standings, would miss Sunday's main race and at least one more.

"He will fly to Madrid this evening to undergo surgery in the coming days. He will not participate in the Catalan Grand Prix next week," said the Ducati statement.

Martin started from eighth on the grid but jumped to first early on his Aprilia.

"I struggled a bit in qualifying but I knew my potential," he said.

"I put all my determination into the start. I found myself ahead at the second corner and I pushed like I'm used to alone, and boom! boom! boom!" he added, punching the air three times.

In balmy, sunny conditions, Martin finished a comfortable 1.107 seconds ahead of Francesco Bagnaia on the second factory Ducati.

"I'm happy," said the Italian. "We are stilling missing something compared to Aprilia. I hope tomorrow we will have good weather because we can make a good result."

The other Aprilia, ridden by Marco Bezzecchi, was third 2.786sec back.

The Italian remained at the top of the riders' standings, with his lead cut to six points over team-mate Martin.

Pedro Acosta, on a KTM, is third, 36 points off the pace.

"I'm very happy," said Bezzecchi. "I wasn't feeling very good. Happy to get this result. Always fighting."

Spaniard Acosta was fourth with Frenchman Fabio Quartararo fifth for Yamaha.

The weekend's racing continues with Sunday's main race when rain is forecast.

A.Zhang--ThChM