Sam Lowes (EG 0,0 Marc VDS) has earned his first top step on the podium in four years to reignite his title tilt after a devastating crash from compatriot Jake Dixon (Petronas Sprinta Racing) handed the Briton victory at the Moto2™ SHARK Helmets Grand Prix of France.

The British pair dominated the race from the early stages in unusual conditions in Le Mans as they separated themselves from the rest of the field, while Remy Gardner (Onexox TKKR SAG Team) and Marco Bezzecchi (SKY Racing Team VR46) also claimed podium finishes.

Before the race even began, the weather conditions were causing plenty of headaches across the grid as a wet race was declared, with tyre selection posing a dilemma. A dry line was seen throughout the track after heavy rainfall earlier in the afternoon while looming grey clouds also cast further doubt into the minds of the riders and their teams.

Eventually, the entire grid decided to use the slick selection despite the Wet Race declaration, but that wasn’t the end of the pre-race drama as poleman Joe Roberts (Tennor American Racing) seeing his bike removed from the grid with just minutes to go to lights out.

It delayed him going out on the Warm Up lap which cost him his P1 as he had to deal with a pit lane start.

With the race finally underway, it was Gardner who took the holeshot coming out of Turn 1, with Xavi Vierge (Petronas Sprinta Racing) behind him in second and Jorge Martin (Red Bull KTM Ajo) completing a shortlived Top 3. Lowes dropped back to P5 initially before mounting his assault on the lead with consecutive inside lines on Bezzecchi and Martin moving him into second.

At the front, Vierge and Gardner were dueling it out for the lead which allowed the Brit to move into the front of the pack by the end of Lap 2.

Championship rivals Luca Marini (SKY Racing Team VR46) and Enea Bastianini (Italtrans Racing Team) failed to take advantage of good grid positions and they both dropped out of the Top 10. With the Italians further back the field it meant that Lowes had a great opportunity to pull himself back into contention for the Moto2™ title.

However, he had to maintain his focus as Dixon shot up through the field from P8 to keep his compatriot company at the front, as they began to open up a considerable gap to the rest of the field.

Turn 10 claimed to victims inside the first five laps, as Jorge Martin’s recent rotten luck continued as he went out in a nasty looking crash, while Vierge was the next to go on the following lap after highsiding at the same corner.

With five down, Lowes and Dixon opened up a 3.3 gap to 3rd, and it was looking like we were going to have a first British one-two on the podium in the intermediate class since 1975.

At this point, Lowes was leading but handed the initiative to Dixon on Lap 6 after his front brake locked going into Turn 8, causing a puff of smoke to arise and putting nearly three seconds between them.