Florence [Italy], June 3 (ANI): After a brilliant performance on Saturday, Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) stormed to a triumphant victory at Mugello - completing a perfect weekend. The #1 took the maximum points available at every opportunity this weekend - adding 37 points to his tally. Straight off the line, Bagnaia charged from fifth to first by turn two, while Jorge Martin (Prima Pramac Racing) spent the race trying to match Bagnaia's brilliant pace before an epic last lap move from Enea Bastianini (Ducati Lenovo Team) demoted the Spaniard to third.
With Martin rounding out the podium it drops his Championship advantage to 18 points leaving Italy. Meanwhile, behind the #89 at the line, and not by much was Marc Marquez (Gresini Racing MotoGP), who narrowly missed out on a podium finish after starting in third - spending the majority of the Italian Grand Prix in the podium places.
As the light went out, it was a dash to San Donato, with Martin holding the lead briefly before Bagnaia instantly pounced on the entry to Turn 2. It was a dream start from the #1 with the Italian leading the Italian Grand Prix on a Ducati. Also launching strong on the opening lap was teammate Bastianini, who jumped to third on the last lap.
The first big move of the race came from Marc Marquez, passing Bastianini on the inside at San Donato before running wide and putting himself back towards Acosta. However, the rookie soon made his first mistake after running wide at the final corner and losing time to the #93.
At the front, Bagnaia put down the gauntlet early as the race leader set the fastest lap of the Grand Prix in an effort to stretch out the field. However, further back this pace would soon spell disaster for Joan Mir (Repsol Honda Team), who crashed at Turn 1. Things soon went from bad to worse for the Japanese manufacturer with Takaaki Nakagami (IDEMITSU Honda LCR), hitting the deck at Correntaio.
Further back there was a Ducati vs Aprilia battle for sixth, with Franco Morbidelli (Prima Pramac Racing) fending off Maverick Vinales (Aprilia Racing) in a close battle for crucial points. However, Vinales would soon drop back as Fabio Di Giannantonio (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team) began to claw his way through the field.
Martin was slowly chipping away at Bagnaia's lead before the #1 responded with the laps ticking down as consistency proved to be key at Mugello with Bagnaia spending over 10 laps in the 1:46 bracket.
On Bastianini's tailpipes for multiple laps was Marc Marquez, who continued to look for a way through on the Beast. Marquez soon found a way through on lap 18 - instantly stretching an advantage over Bastianini. With the #93 now in the podium positions all attention turned to if he could catch Martin.
However, Bastianini felt he deserved the right to respond slowly closing the gap with four laps remaining. Eventually, the Italian made the move stick on the penultimate lap after a brave pass on the entry to Scarperia.
Meanwhile, Martin closed the gap significantly on lap 21, with three-tenths separating the top two riders in the world, heading onto the penultimate lap. This would not last long as the #1 reacted with a magnificent lap allowing Bagnaia to charge to complete a dream victory.
Behind the battle for second was not over yet, with Bastianini pulling off an unbelievable attack at the final corner to complete the Italian dream for Ducati at Mugello - crossing the line in second. Martin crossed the line in third, taking 16 crucial points after scoring zero points on Saturday.
Marc Marquez was fourth, finishing ahead of rookie Acosta, who continues to impress, showing great maturity in just his seventh weekend in the MotoGP™ class. Morbidelli ended what was an excellent result, finishing ahead of Di Giannantonio, and not by much after Di Giannantonio had great late race pace - charging hard from P14 on the grid.
Further back, Vinales took the honours as the top Aprilia at Mugello, losing time to Morbidelli and Di Giannantonio in the closing stages of the Grand Prix. Top Gun was ahead of Alex Marquez (Gresini Racing MotoGP™), crossing the line to take ninth, as Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) rounded out the top 10 - the only factory KTM inside the points. Meanwhile, Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing), Raul Fernandez (Trackhouse Racing), Marco Bezzecchi (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team), Miguel Oliveira (Trackhouse Racing), and Alex Rins (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™ Team) took the final point scoring positions.
There is now a short break before more action returns at the Motul TT Assen, in three weeks at one of the most iconic venues on the calendar, where races have been won and lost at the final chicane. Join us then where the world's most exciting sport returns as the Championship begins to heat up.
As MotoGP heads to the Netherlands at the end of the month, Indian fans can catch the action from the Tour de France, SGP and NASCAR live on Eurosport. (ANI)
