Faultless Morbidelli earns phenomenal MotorLand victory

A second win of the season brings the Italian right into title contention as Mir extends his Championship lead

Faultless Franco Morbidelli (Petronas Yamaha SRT) didn’t put a foot wrong on a formidable Sunday afternoon to claim his second victory of 2020 at the Gran Premio Liqui Moly de Teruel. It was a classy and faultless ride from the Italian as he leads Team Suzuki Ecstar’s Alex Rins over the line by two seconds, with Joan Mir (Team Suzuki Ecstar) picking up another P3 at MotorLand to extend his Championship lead in yet another dramatic premier class race.

And that drama began right from the off on Lap 1. Polesitter Takaaki Nakagami (LCR Honda Idemitsu) got the launch he would have been hoping for and led into Turn 1, just holding off fellow front row starters Morbidelli and Rins. At Turn 2, both Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) and Jack Miller (Pramac Racing) tumbled into the gravel after the South African tagged the back the Australian. Then, at Turn 5, race leader Nakagami made his first big mistake of the season. The Japanese rider lost the front and was down, sliding out of the race in heartbreaking fashion – no dream podium or victory today for Nakagami.

This left Morbidelli leading, closely followed by Rins as Mir made a glorious start from P12, the Spaniard was P5 on the opening lap and ahead of Fabio Quartararo (Petronas Yamaha SRT), who was struggling on the opening laps. The Frenchman has chosen a medium rear tyre, was he just taking his time to get the temperature into the rear? Johann Zarco (Esponsorama Racing) was up to P3 as the Frenchman was holding off Maverick Viñales (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) and Mir, with Quartararo slipping into the clutches of Cal Crutchlow (LCR Honda Castrol) and Alex Marquez (Repsol Honda Team).

Soon, Marquez was past Quartararo and the Aragon GP podium finisher set the fastest lap of the race on Lap 4, with the reigning Moto2™ World Champion latching onto the back of Mir. Up front, Morbidelli set a 1:48.089 to take the race lap record at MotorLand, himself and Rins were now a second up the road from third place Zarco on Lap 6. On said lap, Mir made his move on Viñales at Turn 12 and the Championship leader was up to P4. Marquez wasted no time in getting past Viñales too, a classy move at Turn 15 came Marquez’ way and now the Spanish duo had their sights firmly set on Zarco.

Seventh place Quartararo was nowhere near the pace of his race leading teammate, who was also on the medium Michelin rear. Pol Espargaro (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing), Crutchlow, Miguel Oliveira (Red Bull KTM Tech3), Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing Team Gresini), Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati Team) and Iker Lecuona (Red Bull KTM Tech3) were all line astern behind El Diablo. On Lap 8, Morbidelli and Rins were now 1.7 seconds ahead of third place Zarco. Mir and Marquez had taken a second out of Viñales in just a couple of laps but the two could see Morbidelli and Rins clearing off into the distance.

Lap 9 then and the gap between Rins and Zarco was still hovering around the 1.7 second mark. No way through so far for Mir and Marquez who were shadowing by far the fastest Ducati on track, but with 15 to go, there was a long way to go. 10 laps in and Quartararo was now down to P8 as Pol Espargaro diced up the inside at Turn 1, Viñales was just a few tenths ahead as both Quartararo and Viñales were struggling in the opening exchanges. Oliveira was then climbing all over the back of Quartararo but the latter was strong on the brakes at the end of the back straight.

Further up the road, Mir pounced on Zarco at Turn 4. The gap between the top two and Mir stood at 2.2 seconds, 12 and a half laps for Mir to hunt down his teammate and Morbidelli. Marquez then didn’t take long to follow through as he took that incredible inside line round the double left hander at the end of the lap, but Zarco fought back at Turn 1. Marquez was back underneath the Ducati at Turn 4 but the small squabble cost Marquez time, with Mir currently making no indent into the leaders.

Morbidelli was holding off Rins well, but his teammate had an almighty scrap on his hands in P8. Oliveira briefly got through on Quartararo but the Yamaha was back under the Portuguese star at Turn 1. Crutchlow and Dovizioso were waiting to pick up any pieces, with Pol Espargaro now ahead of Viñales with 11 to go. This was incredibly tense and every single point and position counted, as another Honda crashed out. Alex Marquez fell victim to Turn 2, rider ok but that was a second consecutive podium at MotorLand out the window for Marquez. Nakagami and Marquez, the only two riders to finish every race, were out.

At the front, Morbidelli’s lead over Rins was 0.6 seconds. Mir was 2.6 seconds behind with nine laps to go, Zarco was now P4 with Pol Espargaro fifth. Viñales and Quartararo were sixth and seventh heading into the closing stages, with Quartararo still fending off Oliveira. Less than a second behind Quartararo, Dovizioso was lurking. Oliveira then made his move and it stuck on Lap 15, with Dovizioso now right behind Quartararo – incredible scenes!