Ajo Motorsport´s Mike di Meglio was the home winner of a race of two halves in the opening action of the Alice Grand Prix de France, taking 125cc victory after rain forced a late restart.

The wet weather specialist became the first French rider to triumph in the category at Le Mans since Guy Bertin in 1979, and also snatched the lead of the World Championship.

The race had been promising a frantic finish even without the return to the starting grid, with a ten-rider group awaiting a final push. However, the appearance of rain on the twelfth lap was to further bunch together the lower cylinder category pack.

On the fifteenth lap, and with wildcard and regular riders hitting the asphalt, the decision was taken to show the red flag and bring the riders into the pits. A reduced `second race´ of five laps was hastily devised to minimalise the run-on effect of the delay, with the positions as of lap fourteen deciding the grid placings.

`Poleman´ Joan Olive started badly, and leading runs from Esteve Rabat and Gabor Talmacsi were ended by almost immediate crashes. That left Di Meglio ale to work his magic and take a memorable victory.

Second place went to Polaris World´s Bradley Smith, who had experienced the most active of races. Starting from the front row, the Briton had dropped down to nineteenth and recuperated places up to ninth in the first race, before leading after the restart and taking his second podium of the year.

Nico Terol completed the podium spots, ahead of Belson Derbi´s Pol Espargaro, Shanghai racewinner Andrea Iannone and member of the early race-leading pack, Stefan Bradl. Previous series leader Simone Corsi and 2007 World Champion Talmacsi were thirteenth and fourteenth, respectively.

© DORNA / CAPSIS International