As MotoGP heads to Round 5 at the Le Mans Bugatti Circuit, here’s a look back at last year’s race weekend. Above, the iconic round tower and front straight that has seen so much racing history.

La Belle France isn’t all art museums and gourmet restaurants, and the Circuit de la Sarthe is pretty serious about keeping those who have been hitting the Beaujolais and Kronenbourg 1664 for several days off the tarmac.

The Bugatti circuit, where MotoGP races, is a bit smaller than the 24-hour layout. Just a bit.

At the Thursday press conference, Valentino Rossi and Marc Marquez were all giggles as usual.

Even this early in the season the Moto3 championship was shaping up to be a cracker, with Alex Marquez one of the main characters.

Jack Miller was the other star of the Moto3 drama.

Defending MotoGP champ Marc Marquez had carried his 2013 momentum into the 2014 season.

Continues on the next page (Dovi, Bautista, Nieto, Espargaros):