Mugello explodes as Bagnaia takes home victory with Ducati

Sunday at the Gran Premio d’Italia Oakley is a day that Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) will keep fondly in his memory, as the Italian did the double in Mugello – from pole – and extended his Championship advantage from one single point to a very healthy 21.

Jorge Martin (Prima Pramac Racing) kept the Italian honest from start to finish but didn’t quite have enough to topple the number 1 as he was forced to settle for second, although only a second back. The battle for third raged on all race long, finally seeing Johann Zarco (Prima Pramac Racing) fly through the field to take P3 and deny Luca Marini (Mooney VR46 Racing Team) a home podium.

Untouchable. Impeccable.

Tensions were high on the grid as the sun shone over Mugello for one of the most iconic Grands Prix on the calendar, and it was Jack Miller (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) who took the holeshot into Turn 1 but Bagnaia came out of the gates determined to deliver on home soil, the Italian pushing his way back to the front at the next apex. He then began to stretch a lead as the chasing pack was swapping paintwork on the opening lap.Bagnaia crossed the line for the first line 0.4s ahead of the special liveried Prima Pramac machine of Martin, who had made his way past Miller, and the Australian was under attack from a queue of riders led by Marini and Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team).

The front two began to break away as Bagnaia attempted to stretch out the field, with Martin clinging onto the coattails of Pecco as chaos started to unfold behind in the battle for third.

With 21 laps to go, Alex Marquez (Gresini Racing MotoGP™) had a wild rush into Turn 1, seemingly unable to drop anchor and threading through the group. Both he and Miller were sent wide, allowing Marini and Marquez to bully their way through into third and fourth, and Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) was right in the mix too.

The race settled down as the laps began to tick away and it was Bagnaia leading with a consistent 0.4s gap over Martin who keeping himself in victory contention. 1.5s back a battle for the podium was brewing nicely with Marini sat in P3 with the Marquez brothers glued to his rear wheel.

As ever, Marc Marquez was on the absolute limit of his Honda machine until the Spaniard ran wide at the final turn and crashed out on the dirty part of the tarmac with 17 laps remaining.

This spread the field out a little bit as Marini had a bit of breathing space over Alex Marquez in 4th with Johann Zarco threatening the podium fight in 5th.

Bagnaia continued to tick the laps away as he put down a solid pace unmatched by the rest of the field. The Italian controlled the race beautifully from the front keeping Martin at arm’s length until the chequered flag.

The Spaniard kept Bagnaia on his toes until the chequered flag, pushing him every step of the way. Martin didn’t quite have enough for victory but brought home an important P2.

Fortune favours the brave in the fight for an Italian GP podium

The podium fight was well and truly on with 11 laps to go as Alex Marquez rode up alongside Marini into Turn 1, pulling off the perfect block pass to demote the Italian down to P4 with Zarco also waiting to pounce.

Pressure tells as Alex Marquez crashes out of P3 

The Gresini rider was under immense pressure from Luca Marini for the final podium place, and crashed out of contention at Turn 2