Marc Marquez's win in Spain last time out means he sits atop of a tightly grouped first four in the MotoGP riders' standings ahead of the French Grand Prix.

Just nine points separate the world champion, Alex Rins, Andrea Dovizioso and Valentino Rossi after the first four races of the 2019 season, but it is Jorge Lorenzo who has the most formidable record in France.

He and other Spanish riders have dominated at the Le Mans circuit in recent years, with Marquez coming out on top in 2018.

Rossi, meanwhile, is looking to set a new record in qualifying. Here, we take a look at all that and more thanks to Opta data.


 
5 - No rider has won the French Grand Prix more often than Lorenzo's five victories in 500cc/MotoGP.

2 - However, Lorenzo has not reached the podium in either of his past two races at Le Mans; if he fails to reach the podium this time it will be his worst such run at the circuit in the top category.

9 - Spanish riders have won nine of the past 10 French Grands Prix in MotoGP, including each of the past seven in a row.

13 - No rider has more podiums at Le Mans in 500cc/MotoGP than Rossi with 13, more than double the next best rider – Lorenzo with six. Rossi has reached the podium in 13 of his 19 appearances in the top category at this circuit.

5 - Rossi could set a record for most MotoGP pole positions at Le Mans in the top category. He currently has four, level with Dani Pedrosa.

1 - Johann Zarco secured pole position in last season's French Grand Prix. That was the first by a French rider in the top category since Christian Sarron in 1988.

20 - Frenchman Fabio Quartararo secured his first pole position in the recent Spanish GP, aged 20 years and 14 days, becoming the youngest rider to claim a MotoGP pole. That surpassed Marquez's record set at the Grand Prix of the Americas in 2013 (20 years and 62 days).

47 - Marquez has 46 wins in his MotoGP career and is just one win away from equalling Lorenzo for the most victories by a Spanish rider in the top category.

7 - Rins recorded his seventh MotoGP podium for Suzuki in the last Grand Prix, equalling Chris Vermeulen as the rider with the most podiums for Suzuki in the top category. He has five podiums in his past eight races.

67 - The 67 points picked up by Dovizioso so far this season is his best haul at this stage of the campaign in his MotoGP career.