Qualifying
Quali had Fabio Quartararo on pole at his home race with his teammate Maverick Vinales P2 and Jack Miller P3.
The Race
Jack Miller pulled away at the start, evidently using his launch control on the Ducati, despite concerns that turn one was too close to the start grid, Maverick Vinales was P2 and Fabio Quartararo P3on the first of 27 laps. On this first lap PolEspargaropushed FrancoMorbidelliwith the Petronas riding digging into the gravel and then falling. By lap 2 Vinales had pushed past Miller to take the lead with Fabio close,but by his previous admission not liking the conditions, but by lap 4 he was leading when the rain started. There was some frenetic activity in the pits as the wet bikes were readied, Miller took an excursion in the kitty litter but stayed upright to survive.
First in for their wet bikes were Marc Marquez and Fabio Quartararo, side by side in pit lane until Marc peeled off into an early pit slot, and exited quicker than anyone, a very slick bike change. During the chaos Joan Mir slipped out, not to recover, as pit lane went manic with bikes, mechanics and riders all over the place. Once things had settled it was Marc Marquez in the lead with AlexRins, until he slid out, leaving Fabio Quartararo second and Miller third. Soon we learned that Miller andBagnaiahad to carry out two long lap penalties each for speeding in the pit lane.
With 20 laps to go Marc Marquez crashed out from the lead, having had a 1.9 second gap over second placed Quartararo, Marquez managed to restart but it left Fabio P1 and Miller P2 but still to take his long lap penalties. Sixteen laps to go and having taken his two long laps Jack Miller slipped past Fabio to take the lead, with TakaakiNakagamiin third. During the bike swap Fabio had gone to Vinales’s bike and had to run to his own, so for that he received a long lap penalty, which he took immediately and did not lose a place.
Fourteen laps to go and AlexRinshad his second crash, but this time he was out. Miller was still leadingQuartararo with now Johann Zarco in third. Nine laps to go and Marc Marquez had his second crash of the race and this time it was terminal for the Honda as it took a hard knock into the gravel.
Six laps to go and Johann Zarco went past Fabio Quartararo, which was inevitable as Zarco had the pace on Fabio and was pulling in Miller too.
The Result
However, over the line, it was Jack Miller Ducati Lenovo Team, P1, Johann ZarcoPramacRacing,P2 and Fabio Quartararo, Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP, P3. Fabio has previously disliked the wet conditions but still ran a good race to take 3rd and hold his number one position in the Championship by just one point over Francesco Bagnaia.
Mugello should be sunny! See you there.
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Author: Martin Northern
Founder of Bike Directory
