Spinelli takes top honours in Race 1 as Garzo and Zaccone slide out
The Italian was back on the top step of the podium for the third time in four races ahead of Zannoni and Casadei.
The FIM Enel MotoE™ World Championship treated the French fans to an incredible Race 1 with Nicholas Spinelli (Tech3 E-Racing) pulling off an unbelievable performance at the Michelin® Grand Prix de France. The Italian continues to add to his win tally, taking victory by over one second from Kevin Zannoni (Openbank Aspar Team) who stormed from 10th on the grid. Behind, Mattia Casadei (LCR E-Team) claimed third for his tenth consecutive podium and a new record run.
Once the lights went out Hector Garzo (Dynavolt Intact GP MotoE™) shot off into the race lead from pole position. It was a tense first lap with moves made at every opportunity. Garzo led from Spinelli in what would be the start of things to come.
The nail-biting action at the front kicked off on lap two as Spinelli launched up the inside. Garzo soon battled back until the key moment of the race unfolded on Lap 4. Garzo would surge to inside in a daring Turn 1 move before Spinelli then fought back into the Dunlop Chicane, only for Garzo to tuck the front at that very chicane and extinguish his victory hopes.
Once at the front, Spinelli began to put the hammer down as he began to create a gap between himself and podium contenders Casadei and Zannoni. The battle for second was truly on with Casadei and Zannoni going head-to-head and swapping position a total of five times, making contact along the way too. Their battling only then brought the riders behind into the mix for the closing laps.
The action wasn’t only at the front, but also behind. Eric Granado (LCR E-Team) and Alessandro Zaccone (Tech3 E-Racing) went toe-to-toe with contact between the two ultimately ending with the latter crashing out at Turn 4 – no further action was taken.
At the front Spinelli demonstrated his superior pace and as he entered the final lap had managed to build up a gap of just over one second. Behind, Zannoni managed to hold on from Casadei as the pair crossed the line second and third.
Jordi Torres (Openbank Aspar Team) took fourth despite last lap contact with Casadei while attempting to pinch third. Andrea Mantovani (KLINT Forward Factory Team) rounded out the top five, with Granado, Oscar Gutierrez (Axxis-MSI), the Felo Gresini MotoE™ duo of Matteo Ferrari and Alessio Finello behind, as Kevin Manfredi (Ongetta SIC58 Squadra Corse) completed the top 10.
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