Highlights from a weekend full of motor sport drama: Lorenzo’s spectacular MotoGP crash that wiped out four riders; close racing and final-hour disaster at Le Mans; a nail-biting World Rallycross final and an unexpected WRC result

MotoGP

Circuit de Catalunya, Spain

It’s clear that the editor struggled to fit all of the Catalan Grand Prix action in to a six-minute highlights package that darts from one dramatic moment to the next.

The turning point is undoubtedly Jorge Lorenzo’s front-wheel lock-up, which sent him sliding into Viñales, Dovizioso and Rossi, eliminating the challenge to leader Márquez, who disappeared into the distance. 

Related content

• 2019 MotoGP Catalan GP: Lorenzo ‘would’ve loved to have crashed alone’
• 2019 Le Mans 24 Hours race report

Le Mans 24 Hours

Circuit de la Sarthe, France

Toyota take a 1-2 victory after 24 hours of racing at Le Mans, but the result doesn’t tell the story of wheel-to-wheel racing in the GTE classes, the privateer LMP1 teams fighting hard for a podium place, and the final-hour drama that left one set of Toyota drivers in despair.

We’ve chosen highlights from key sections of the race. Note that the videos, from the race’s official channel, do not have commentary

Start

Watch the Toyotas begin to establish a commanding lead, and the action starts to hot up between the GTE cars.

Night

The darkness brings cooler conditions for faster racing, but collisions and errors mean that not all cars make it through until morning.

Morning

As tiredness sets in, time is running out to make up places; the fight in GTE-Pro remains intense, although it’s a battle that Corvette Racing won’t see the end of.

Finish

It’s disaster for the fastest No7 Toyota, which pits with a slow puncture. But a faulty sensor pinpoints the wrong tyre, so the car is sent out with the faulty tyre still on. A further pit-stop drops the deserved winners into second place and the No8 car takes the win.

World Rally Championship

Rally Italia Sardegna

Ott Tänak was on course for a third consecutive WRC win, and a strong lead in the drivers’ championship when a steering issue struck on the final Power Stage, leaving him trailing in more than 2min behind Andreas Mikkelsen, the stage winner.

It meant that Tänak dropped to fifth in the overall standings, a minute and a half behind rally-winner Dani Sordo. It was still enough to leave Tänak leading the championship by four points.

World Rallycross

Hell, Norway

Each of the six drivers in the weekend’s World Rallycross Final were in a position to win at some point in the exhilarating race. Kevin Abbring initially looked strong at the start, then Liam Doran looked set for a certain first victory when a misfire sent him to the back to the field.

Anton Marklund capitalised on the British driver’s misfortune and crossed the finish line first, but the drama wasn’t over. He was subsequently disqualified for a front bumper technical infringement. Second-placed Kevin Hansen received a penalty for contact, so it was Niclas Grönholm – third across the line – who was declared the winner.