Gran Premio d’Italia Oakley
FIM MotoGP World Championship
Autodromo del Mugello, Italy
June 3, 2018
Race Results (all on Michelin tires):
1. Jorge Lorenzo, Spain (Ducati), 23 laps, 41:43.230
2. Andrea Dovizioso, Italy (Ducati), -6.370 seconds
3. Valentino Rossi, Italy (Yamaha), -6.629
4. Andrea Iannone, Italy (Suzuki), -7.885
5. Alex Rins, Spain (Suzuki), -7.907
6. Cal Crutchlow, UK (Honda), -9.120
7. Danilo Petrucci, Italy (Ducati), -10.898
8. Maverick Vinales, Spain (Yamaha), -11.060
9. Alvaro Bautista, Spain (Ducati), -11.154
10. Johann Zarco, France (Yamaha), -17.644
11. Pol Espargaro, Spain (KTM), -20.256
12. Hafizh Syahrin, Malaysia (Yamaha), -22.435
13. Tito Rabat, Spain (Ducati), -22.464
14. Bradley Smith, UK (KTM), -22.495
15. Franco Morbidelli, Italy (Honda), -26.644
16. Marc Marquez, Spain (Honda), -39.311, crash
17. Xavier Simeon, Belgium (Ducati), -61.211
18. Takaaki Nakagami, Japan (Honda), -5 laps, crash, pitted
19. Aleix Espargaro, Spain (Aprilia), -4 laps, DNF, retired
20. Jack Miller, Australia (Ducati), -22 laps, DNF, crash
21. Thomas Luthi, Switzerland (Honda), -22 laps, DNF, crash
22. Dani Pedrosa, Spain (Honda), -23 laps, DNF, crash
23. Karel Abraham, Czech Republic (Ducati), -23 laps, DNF, crash
24. Scott Redding, UK (Aprilia), -23 laps, DNF, crash
World Championship Point Standings (after 6 of 19 races):
1. Marquez, 95 points
2. Rossi, 72
3. Vinales, 67
4. Dovizioso, 66
5. Zarco, 64
6. Petrucci, 63
7. Iannone, 60
8. Crutchlow, 56
9. Miller, 49
10. Lorenzo, 41
11. Rins, 33
12. Pedrosa, 29
13. Rabat, 27
14. Pol Espargaro, 23
15. Bautista, 19
16. TIE, Syahrin/Morbidelli, 17
18. Aleix Espargaro, 13
19. Nakagami, 10
20. Smith, 7
21. Mika Kallio, 6
22. Redding, 5
23. Abraham, 1
24. TIE, Luthi/Simeon, 0
More, from a press release issued by Monster Yamaha Tech3:
Monster Yamaha Tech3 pair secures important points in tough Italian GP
With a determined effort Johann Zarco was battling hard during 23 hot laps in Mugello today in order to bring home a solid top 10 result. The fast Frenchman came off the line well and immediately found himself inside a hard fighting second group. With a resolute ride he ensures six valuable points in the World Championship, before he is setting his sights on to the next round, which takes place at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya in 12 days’ time.
His Monster Yamaha Tech3 teammate Hafizh Syahrin displayed a very strong performance again. The Malaysian got out the best from himself and delivered some amazing duels while snatching the top rookie spot. With a pass in the last lap he clinched 12th and with it four points, which bring him back to the top of the current Rookie of the Year standings, equal on points with Franco Morbidelli.
Johann Zarco
Position: 10th – Championship: 5th – Points: 64
“Overall, Mugello has been difficult. All the weekend, especially from Saturday we were struggling a lot and also in the race, I was not able to find a really good feeling. Anyway, I finished the race and tried to take home as many points as possible. I have the feeling, that we didn’t work perfectly this weekend and I just aim to forget this round. The next GP is Barcelona, where we did a great job during the test, so I want to gain my usual good sensations back, because it was not normal to struggle like that here and simply not being able to ride the bike comfortably. I was fighting in every corner and this gave me a hard time. I’m disappointed and just look forward to find my smile again.”
Hafizh Syahrin
Position: 12th – Championship: 16th – Points: 17
“That was a tough race in very hot conditions. Thank you very much to the team. I’m very happy, because in the beginning of the race I was struggling a bit to find the grip, as after the Moto2 race it was different to FP3 and FP4. I tried to push a lot and have to admit, that I was surprised that the KTM was so fast and therefore, it was difficult to pass them on the straight. I was losing time on the straight and tried to push in the corners and on the brake. This race, I felt that I used all my energy while trying to get close and trying to be in front of Morbidelli. In the end, I wanted to pass Rabat as I was full motivated to make a good race here. It was not easy, but I made it in the last corner. I’ll try to continue to work hard on my body and hope to have even more power for the next race.”
Hervé PONCHARAL
Team Manager
“What a MotoGP race! They gave us an incredible show, but at the same time it was difficult for Monster Yamaha Tech3. Anyway, all through the weekend we knew that it’s going to be a tough race and, in the end, it was like this. I think Johann did the best he could, salvaged some important points in the championship to remain in contact with the top, only eight points from second, so everything is still possible. It was very important to score here after the big disappointment of Le Mans but it is also for sure disappointing to have never been in a position, where we could fight for a top 5, so we have to try to come out of it with a positive feeling. The Barcelona test was very, very good, so we go there full of optimism. We saw that from one race to another, the change of results is unbelievable, like Lorenzo, who was almost nowhere from the beginning of the year and then got this dominant win here. I want to congratulate him for this. So, it’s a very open season and difficult to understand, which gives us some good hopes that we can turn our fortunes in the next races and be back at least in the top 5. The other side of the garage is a much more positive and a much happier team, because I think Hafizh did an amazing weekend. He was fast every day and never gave up. As usual, he kept his head down and climbed up to 12thposition, one more time best rookie of the race, plus he got his top spot in the rookie championship back. We are very proud of him. The pass he did on Rabat was very impressive, especially as we know how much down on speed we were to the Ducati and he’s been really riding with his head and his heart. I’d like to congratulate him and the whole #55 team, because he is doing it outside of the media attention, but we are working, progressing and Hafizh is becoming a very strong MotoGP rider. We just can’t wait for the next race!”
More, from a press release issued by Angel Nieto Team:
BAUTISTA RETURNS TO THE TOP 10 IN ITALY
Ángel Nieto Team rider finishes ninth in Mugello, less than five seconds off second place
The sixth round of the MotoGP World Championship had some popular results for Italian fans, as Ducati took a one-two finish and Valentino Rossi rounded off the Mugello podium. Jorge Lorenzo shook off all his rivals and maintained his strong pace to cross the line with a more than six second lead from teammate Andrea Dovizioso. The Italian slowed his pace on the last three laps and was three tenths of a second ahead of Rossi in the fight for second position. World Championship leader Marc Márquez crashed out on the fifth lap and, although he remounted, he was unable to place higher than sixteenth.
Álvaro Bautista and the Angel Nieto Team returned to the Top 10 at the sixth round of the MotoGP World Championship, for the first time since their eighth place at Jerez. This time the Spaniard finished ninth, just 11 seconds off the race winner and less than five seconds behind second place. Bautista followed Maverick Viñales in the first half of the race, and with his compatriot was able to reach the group that fought for third position.
Teammate Karel Abraham could not complete the first lap of the Italian Grand Prix, crashing at the last corner of the circuit. The Czech rider, who was still not feeling fully fit, believed he was able to fight for points but his crash prevented him from doing so.
9th Álvaro Bautista: “I’m happy because the gap to the first and second placed riders was the lowest of the season so far. We had a pretty hard race. I tried to give one hundred percent all the time, and when I saw on the first few laps that Maverick Viñales was close to me, in front of me, I thought about sticking with him – because in the second half of the race he would be very consistent and fast. We fought our way back, catching the podium group little by little and there were a couple of occasions in which I tried to pass to Viñales, but I almost fell on one of them. Now it’s time to focus on improving on Saturdays, in qualifying, because starting from higher up is easier.”
Karel Abraham (DNF): “It’s been a tough weekend for me. I feel still sick and not fully fit. I think we were more than capable of scoring points today but we had a very small crash on the last corner. I lost the rear end, but I was not pushing too hard, nor was I leaning in at an excessive angle. Maybe it was a touch by Redding on my wheel and that’s why I went down at the same point as him. We will analyse the data to find out what happened.”
More, from a press release issued by Aprilia Gresini Racing:
THE TYRE STOPS A NICE COMEBACK BY ALEIX ESPARGARÓ
SCOTT REDDING INVOLVED IN A CRASH IN THE EARLY STAGES OF THE GP OF ITALY
With a good performance, Aleix Espargaró was making up for a difficult weekend that was characterised by ups and downs. After battling with the best all the way through FP3 on Saturday, Espargaró had ended up in the last spots on the starting grid, forced to ride in the qualifiers astride the second bike. Once again positive in the warm up session, finishing with the ninth best time, Aleix started from the 21st spot on the grid. He gradually moved up to 12th place, standing out with a good race pace and giving the impression that he would be able to move even farther up in the rankings. But 3 laps from the end, a total and abrupt deterioration of rear tyre performance forced him to retire.
At the end of the first lap, Scott Redding was involved in Karel Abraham’s accident, also ending up in the gravel. Fortunately, he suffered no consequence after the bad fall, but it obviously ended the race for him.
ALEIX ESPARGARO’
“I knew from the start that it would be a hard race, but I started well and immediately recovered some positions. Around the tenth lap, I began to feel that the rear tyre wasn’t working right. I had very little grip and I risked crashing a couple of times going into corners with the throttle closed. Lap after lap, things got worse until they were bad enough to force me to box. What happened was very strange. We’ll analyse the tyre to figure out the source of the problem. This was an important weekend where, unlike other occasions, we were never able to be competitive. I am still convinced that the potential of the RS-GP is not what we have seen so far. Rather than forget this weekend, we need to study the data well to find what didn’t work right during these three days.”
SCOTT REDDING
“The weekend ended in the worst possible way. On the last turn of the first lap, Abraham crashed out. His bike hit me and took me down. I was thrown from the bike rather violently, so much that I had the wind knocked out of me when I hit the ground. I have a few other bruises too and hopefully there won’t be any lasting consequences.”
ROMANO ALBESIANO – APRILIA RACING MANAGER
“This was not an easy weekend. The layout of this track, with a lot of fast chicanes, highlighted one of the areas where we know the RS-GP needs to improve, namely going into turns without touching the brakes or the throttle. Despite this, and also considering a start from the back of the grid due to an episode that occurred in practice, we were just outside the top ten with Aleix. Unfortunately, we were stopped by a problem with the rear tyre, which we will analyse now. It’s a pity. So far various problems have happened to us, so I hope that we’ll be able to reverse the trend as soon as possible.”
FAUSTO GRESINI – TEAM MANAGER
“Aleix rode a more than respectable race, with a pace that was not far off that of the leaders, but he was forced to stop because of a tyre problem Even a race placement would have been a just reward for the entire team that had to tackle a difficult weekend, but instead we had a double zero in the end that is really disappointing to us because it is undeserved, given the fact that Scott also ended up involved in an accident by no fault of his own.”
More, from a press release issued by Reale Avintia Racing:
Rabat conquers two points in a thrilling Italian Grand Prix
MotoGP GP of Italy – Mugello
Reale Avintia Racing rider Tito Rabat rode his 200th Grand Prix in the motorcycle world championship today at Mugello, and to celebrate this milestone, he conquered two points despite his injury. The left arm of the Spanish rider was still in pain after the heavy crash suffered at the Barcelona test last week, but Rabat grit his teeth and completed the gruelling 23-lap-race to cross the finish line in 13th position. Under normal circumstances, this position wouldn’t have been a dream result for Rabat, but to finish such a difficult race, which saw seven crashes and five riders not being classified, was an achievement in itself. Even though the arm injury continued to bother him throughout the race, Rabat’s main problem was the rise in asphalt temperatures, which caused a sudden drop in front tyre performance. Now, Rabat is only concentrating on his recovery in order to be fully fit for his home race at Montmeló in two weeks, where we wants to make his comeback within the Top Ten of the MotoGP category.
Xavier Simeon also hung in and finished a long and tough race, but wasn’t happy with his final position. The Belgian rider had a very good start, but ran into problems with his rear tyre early on in the race. The “rookie” of Reale Avintia Racing managed to bring his bike home in 17th position, which is his best result since his debut in the MotoGP class at the season-opening race in Qatar. Obviously, Simeon wants to finish higher up and to put up a fight with his rivals. In Barcelona, where he completed quite a promising test, he hopes to be able to show his true potential.
Tito Rabat | P13
“First and foremost, I am happy that I scored two points here, when it would have been easy to stay at home after my crash at Barcelona. However, after doing so well in qualifying yesterday, I sincerely hoped to finish higher up. But in the race, the front tyre felt as if I was skating on ice. The track conditions had changed dramatically and with the rise in temperatures, we all suffered a lot. I struggled to adapt to these conditions. I rode with the handbrake on, so to speak, and we finished the race 22 seconds behind the winner. Now I am thinking of the next race at Montmeló, my home Grand Prix, where I hope to be able to fight for positions within the front group of riders again.”
Xavier Simeon | P17
“I started very well and I made up four positions, but after four or five laps, the problems with my rear tyre began. The rear end would step out every time I cut the gas and I was close to crashing on four or five occasions. Apart from that, I concentrated on trying to keep the pace, but the race was tough and felt especially long, because I was riding by myself for most of the time. The warm-up session this morning was positive and we made some changes that helped me to ride more comfortably in the race. But I am not satisfied. I want to fight higher up in the field, so we have to continue to work.”
More, from a press release issued by Repsol Honda:
Marquez crashes while in Italian GP podium battle, Pedrosa out on first lap
Today’s Italian GP was a tough race for the Repsol Honda Team. Marc Marquez got off well from the second row, completed the first lap in third position, and moved up to second two laps later.
Unfortunately, while chasing eventual race winner Jorge Lorenzo on lap 5, the Championship leader lost the front in turn 10, and although he almost saved it, he ultimately slid into the gravel and fell off. He bravely re-joined the race in penultimate position and finished in 16th place.
Dani Pedrosa was aiming to obtain the best result possible after starting from near the back of the grid, but he crashed on the first lap, unintentionally taking down fellow Honda rider Takaaki Nakagami.
Marc Marquez 93
16TH
“We’ve been struggling the whole weekend to be perfectly comfortable with these particular spec tyres, but I wasn’t suffering that much in the race today. Instead, the front folded quite unexpectedly, as I wasn’t pushing that hard, and I crashed, though I almost saved it! When I re-joined the race, our pace wasn’t bad at all, despite the bike being a bit damaged, so that’s okay. Furthermore, we still have a 23-point advantage in the rankings, and this is also very positive; last year at this point we were 37 points back. Today also demonstrates what I’ve been saying for a while: things this year are pretty tight, the season is long, and anything can happen. That said, we’ll keep working as usual at Montmelò, where we’ll go back to the usual tyre spec, and we’ll try and come back strong.”
Dani Pedrosa 26
DNF
“It was a very difficult weekend, as we’ve had many problems getting a good feeling here at Mugello. Only in this morning’s warm-up were we able to find a setup that gave me better confidence. Unfortunately, I was starting very far back on the grid, and that often increases the risks. I was aiming to recover some ground at the start, and I did pass some riders but found myself parallel to Nakagami when unfortunately I slightly touched Bautista’s rear tyre and crashed, taking “Taka” out. I’m really sorry for that. It’s also a shame I didn’t have the chance to see how the setup changes worked or how many positions I would be able to recover in the race, but we’ll try to improve in the next race.”
More, from a press release issued by Team Suzuki ECSTAR:
TOP 5 FOR BOTH RIDERS IN EXCITING ITALIAN GP
Andrea Iannone: 4th (+7.885)
Alex Rins: 5th (+7.907)
• Andrea Iannone in podium fight until final laps.
• Alex Rins running great race pace despite Saturday struggles.
• Team Suzuki ECSTAR complete exhilarating race with both riders in the Top 5.
Sunday morning in Mugello is always surrounded by a buzz of excitement, and today was no different. As the riders headed out for the 15-minute warm-up session, Andrea Iannone proved again just how comfortable and quick he could be on his home track. Alex Rins, after suffering a shoulder injury on Saturday, used the session to get back into his rhythm.
Both riders opted to line up on the grid with the medium-soft tyre combination. And with temperatures of 29c and a crowd of over 90,000 people, the atmosphere was extremely hot. As the lights went out the Team SUZUKI ECSTAR riders made good starts and slotted into 4th and 6th on the first lap. The opening moments of the race saw high attrition and the riders tried to focus on settling into a strong rhythm. Both Andrea Iannone and Alex Rins had good pace and were able to stay with the competitive leading group. After a crash from Marquez, Iannone held 3rd place for many laps before becoming embroiled in an intense fight with Rossi and Petrucci. With 11 laps to go Iannone began to struggle a little with tyre wear and he took a few “breather” laps. Meanwhile, Alex Rins moved into 4th place. The Team SUZUKI ECSTAR pair then kept themselves in the Top 5 fight until the closing laps, where a determined Iannone gave his all to try for a podium finish at his home race. As the chequered flag came out, Iannone crossed the line 4th with Rins a close 5th.
Ken Kawauchi – Technical Manager
“It was a good race and a good fight for the podium. With Andrea we maybe expected a bit more because he was very fast all weekend in all the sessions, so it was a pity we couldn’t get the podium. But Alex struggled a lot with pain in his shoulder this morning so we are surprised with his good performance. I’m very happy about today and the results for both riders was good. We hope to challenge for the podium in Catalunya.”
Davide Brivio – Team Manager
“We are happy about today’s race, we were in the main fight throughout the race and then fighting for the podium at the end. Staying close to the top is what we have to do, fighting with the others and taking opportunities when they come. So we want to thank and congratulate Andrea and Alex for their performances today. Andrea probably wanted more as we are in Mugello, and he tried very, very hard. Alex had pain after yesterday’s crash, but I like how he responded to this set-back; he kept his head down and kept pushing anyway. So I’m really happy for both riders. This type of race allows both us and the riders to learn more and improve, and we go to Barcelona next which is Alex’s home race and a good track.”
Andrea Iannone
“I tried my best, but for sure I had hoped to finish this race on the podium. In any case, we struggled with the rear tyre because the track was really hot so we lost out on acceleration, especially on the straight. So it’s very difficult to make up the lost time in the corners. But anyway, I’m really happy about the race, I pushed a lot from the beginning, but half way through I reduced my pace to allow the tyres to recover a bit. I knew the last part of the race would be really important and I tried my best at the end, 4th is a good result and we hope to improve in some areas so we can be consistently at the top.”
Alex Rins
“I’m really happy because I didn’t expect this result, yesterday I had a very bad crash and I hit my shoulder and lost strength. During the race I also struggled with it but I tried to keep my focus and think about the race and not about my shoulder, and I’m really happy with this 5th position. I took a lot of experience from this race, I managed it well with the high temperatures and the lack of grip on the front. I think we gave our best, we worked really well together with the team. Tomorrow I’ll have some more checks at the hospital and then try to recover for the Montmelo Grand Prix.”
More, from a press release issued by Alma Pramac Racing:
Gran Premio d’Italia – The Race
#ItalianGP Race. Petrux fights for the podium despite the clash with Marquez . Jack’s race finishes after 2 laps.
The Gran Premio d’Italia ended with Alma Pramac Racing confirming its third position in the MotoGP team classification. Danilo Petrucci finished seventh after fighting for the podium. Jack crashed on lap 2.
Petrux started off strong and turned 3rd at the first corner but Marquez pushed him off the track with a very aggressive maneuver. At the end of the first lap Danilo was in ninth position and began to push hard with an incisive race pace. On lap 13 Petrux made a masterpiece overtaking Valentino Rossi and Andrea Iannone for the third place. The rider from Terni tried to defend his podium but the effort of recovery after contact caused by Marquez did not allow him to have a competitive rear tire in the last laps.
Jack Miller went very fast all weekend. The start of the Australian rider was positive but the crash on the second lap did not allow him to fight for a result that could be very interesting.
P7 Danilo Petrucci
“I’m very sorry for the way things went. I started off very well from the second row but Marquez pushed me out of the circuit. If I have to be honest I’m very angry because we worked very well during the week end. I had to push hard to recover”.
DNF Jack Miller
“I’m very disappointed. The feeling was always very positive throughout the weekend and I think we made the right choice with the medium rear tyre. I think I could have competed well but that didn’t happen this time. I have learnt a lesson. It will be different in Barcelona”.
More, from a press release issued by Movistar Yamaha:
ROSSI REWARDS PASSIONATE FANS WITH THIRD PLACE ON ITALIAN HOME SOIL
Movistar Yamaha MotoGP’s Valentino Rossi had the Autrodromo del Mugello turned into a sea of yellow as he grabbed third place in a hard-fought race. Maverick Viñales had a more challenging experience at the Gran Premio d’Italia Oakley but still secured eighth position.
Scarperia (Italy), 3rd June 2018
The crowds had the Autrodromo del Mugello covered in yellow smoke even before the start of the Gran Premio d‘Italia Oakley, and Movistar Yamaha MotoGP‘s Valentino Rossi gave them various reasons to keep celebrating all the way until the end of the day. Not only did the 39-year-old come out on top in a five-rider battle for third, he also claimed second place in the championship standings. Maverick Viñales struggled to match the pace at the start of the race but rode a strong second half to secure eighth position.
Rossi had a good start from pole and took second place after the first corners, behind Jorge Lorenzo. Shadowed by Marc Marquez, the front men tried to make a break for it. Marquez overtook the local hero on lap 3 but crashed out two laps later. This allowed the Doctor to resume his charge towards the race leader, but it wasn‘t without interruptions.
As the Italian went wide with 16 laps to go, compatriots Andrea Dovizioso and Andrea Iannone passed through and also Danilo Petrucci and Alex Rins joined the fight. The number 46 rider soon found himself in fifth place, but he wasn‘t out for the count. He regained his position ahead of Iannone and tried to claw his way back past Petrucci, whilst fending off Rins. Though he had to allow the Spaniard through with nine laps to go, he cleverly followed the young rider and seized two overtake opportunities on lap 17 and 18 to snatch third. Iannone tried to steal the podium position away from him, launching various attacks in turn 1, but the fans‘ favourite held firm and crossed the line in third place, 6.629s from first. Thanks to today‘s results Rossi became the first rider to score over 5000 Grand Prix championship points (he has collected 5005 points in total).
Viñales didn‘t get off to a good start from the third place of the grid and was swamped going into the first corner. Riding with the harder tyre spec that takes longer to warm up, he fell further back and completed the first lap in 11th place. As the tyres started to warm, the the youngster began to stalk fellow Yamaha rider Johann Zarco. A personal best time on lap 9 put him in a perfect position to pass the Frenchman at the start of lap 10.
From that point on, the Movistar Yamaha MotoGP man had a lonely ride, trying to close a nearly four-second gap to the rider in front of him. As the race went on, Viñales‘ confidence grew. He kept his laps inside the 1‘48s and with five laps to go he tagged onto the back of the fight for third place, at the time led by his teammate. The Spaniard was looking threatening, but having used up his tyres, he was not able to gain any further positions. He took the chequered flag in eighth place, 11.060s behind the leader.
Rossi‘s podium finish moves him up to second position in the championship standings with 72 points, 5 points ahead of teammate Viñales, who dropped down to third. These results keep Yamaha in second place in the Constructor Championship, decreasing the margin to first to 22 points, while the Movistar Yamaha MotoGP Team reclaimed first position in the team standings and now have a 15-point gap to the second team.
MotoGP will be back in action in two weeks’ time at Viñales‘ home Grand Prix, the Gran Premi Monster Energy de Catalunya, held at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya from June 15th – 17th.
MASSIMO MEREGALLI
TEAM DIRECTOR
Today the tyre choice played a big part in the outcome of the Italian GP. We had to start the race with the harder spec because of the expected tyre degradation, but we knew this wouldn‘t be the option that provided the riders with the most grip. The tyre decisions didn‘t pay off until the latter part of the race. Nevertheless, Valentino managed his tyres well, whilst at the same time doing a great job staying within podium contention. This allowed him to make his move when the harder tyres gave him the edge over his rivals and secure an important second consecutive third place. Maverick had a difficult start to the race. He suffered from a lack of grip and was pushed down the order. Once the harder tyres started working, he was posting consistent 1‘48s and he was able to close the gap to the front group, but by then there wasn‘t enough tyre left for him to challenge the riders in front. Though it wasn’t the perfect weekend we set out for, we can still be satisfied that we decreased the gap to our rivals in the riders‘ and constructors‘ championship and reclaimed first place in the team standings. We will continue to work hard at the next GP to pile on the pressure.
VALENTINO ROSSI
It was a very tough race because we had to start with the harder front tyre, which we knew wouldn‘t provide a lot of grip, so the race was very difficult. I tried not to make any mistakes, which was hard, and I also tried not to lose contact with the podium contenders. In my group the guys were riding on the softer tyre, so I hoped I would have a little bit more grip than them at the end. In fact, it was exactly like this, so I‘m very happy, because the podium was the target for me. It remained difficult to secure it until the very last lap, because Iannone didn‘t give up, but at the end it‘s a great feeling here in Mugello.
MAVERICK VIÑALES
The race wasn‘t as I expected it would be after FP4. In the warm up I got a different feeling from the bike than during the race. I lost the front almost in every corner in the first laps. That was a shame, because after that I was one of the faster riders on the track after lap 10. Finally, I destroyed the front tyre and I couldn‘t be on the podium, but I tried my best, like always.
More, from a press release issued by Dorna:
Lorenzo’s land: Mugello hosts the return of a king
A first imperious win for Ducati in a 1-2 for the team sees the five-time World Champion reign in Italy, with Rossi completing the rostrum
Jorge Lorenzo (Ducati Team) has taken his first win in red as he led a 1-2 for the Ducati Team at Mugello, uncatchable and untouchable to cross the line over six seconds clear for his first victory since Valencia 2016 – and his seventh Italian GP win. Andrea Dovizioso made it double podium glory for the Borgo Panigale factory as he took second, fending off a late charge from polesitter and crowd favourite Valentino Rossi (Movistar Yamaha MotoGP). The ‘Doctor’’s podium finish was another history maker in a milestone day at Mugello as the rider from Tavullia became the first to get more than 5000 premier class points, meanwhile Championship leader and reigning Champion Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team), crashed and remounted but failed to score.
Lorenzo took the holeshot as Marquez shot through from the second row to blast into Turn 1 fighting for second, but Rossi held onto it until the reigning Champion then struck a lap later into San Donato, tucking in behind Lorenzo followed by Rossi, Andrea Iannone (Team Suzuki Ecstar) and Dovizioso.
The number 99 was keeping the pace hot at the front and the first bolt of drama suddenly then hit just behind, as Marquez slid out into the gravel at Turn 10 – able to remount, but points looking like a pipe dream. That left Rossi trailing Lorenzo, as Dovi struck to take third from Iannone. The Italian then picked his way past another compatriot as he sliced past Rossi soon after, then left with only his teammate ahead of him. Rossi then went wide into Turn 1, letting Iannone past.
Meanwhile, Danilo Petrucci (Alma Pramac Racing) – after getting blocked wide by Marquez at the start – was on a charge back, up to fight and on Rossi’s tail with 16 to go. As Iannone began to suffer and the ‘Doctor’ too, ‘Petrux’ pouced and move through – but it was soon a five-rider fight for the podium as Cal Crutchlow (LCR Honda Castrol) joined the battle.
At the front, however, the story was red. Dovizioso had been holding the gap at just over a second, but Lorenzo just kept pulling the pin. Lap after lap, the ‘Spartan’ got the hammer down and simply pulled away into the distance – six seconds clear over the line, collapsing on the tank to take in the emotions.
As the laps ticked down, Rossi and Iannone had emerged at the head of the group fighting for third, with a fantastic battle between the two home heroes before the rider from Tavullia was able to escape. He was then even able to hone in on Dovizioso on the final lap but it wasn’t quite enough, taking third to take his premier class points total over 5000 as the grandstands erupted in yellow smoke.
Iannone took fourth just 0.022 ahead of his teammate Alex Rins, with Crutchlow able to get the better of Petrucci to take P6 from the initial hard charger. Maverick Viñales dropped back from his front row start to take eighth but was on Petrucci’s tail by the flag, and both had Alvaro Bautista (Angel Nieto Team) for close company as the number 19 took his second top ten of the year in P9. Johann Zarco (Monster Yamaha Tech 3) completed the top ten after a more difficult weekend.
There were a number of high-profile crashers including Jack Miller (Alma Pramac Racing), ending his run of eight consecutive top tens, and Dani Pedrosa (Repsol Honda Team), who went down in a tangle with Takaaki Nakagami (LCR Honda Idemitsu) at Turn 2 near the start.
Pol Espargaro (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing), meanwhile, turned around a difficult weekend to take P11, ahead of another impressive performance from Hafizh Syahrin, who was top rookie for Monster Yamaha Tech 3 in P12. Marquez crossed the line in P16, taking no points home from Mugello.
From a difficult weekend behind enemy lines in Italy, Marquez still leads the title fight as MotoGP™ returns onto his home turf. Next is the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya – where Lorenzo, Pedrosa and Rossi have some very good memories, and Dovizioso won last year.
Oliveira wins spectacular Moto2™ race at Mugello
The Portuguese rider closes the Championship lead to Bagnaia, with Baldassarri and Mir on the podium
Miguel Oliveira (Red Bull KTM Ajo) took both his and KTM’s first win of the season in the Moto2™ race at the Gran Premio d’Italia Oakley to close the Championship lead to just 13 points behind Francesco Bagnaia (SKY Racing Team VR46), who crossed the line fourth. Lorenzo Baldassarri (Pons HP40) fought ferociously to get a home Grand Prix win but finished second, with rookie Joan Mir (EG 0,0 Marc VDS) brilliantly taking his second consecutive podium in third.
Oliveira made a fantastic start, coming from P11 on the grid to make up six places going into the first corner as initial race leader Marcel Schroetter (Dynavolt Intact GP) crashed at Turn 2. The Portuguese rider climbed his way up to third by the end of the first lap, then hit the front on lap three, with Bagnaia, Mattia Pasini (Italtrans Racing Team), Alex Marquez (EG 0,0 Marc VDS), Mir, Romano Fenati (Marinelli Snipers Team) and Baldassarri chasing behind.
The Jerez winner then started to carve his way forward, passing Marquez into Turn 1 and taking the second EG 0,0 Marc VDS bike of Mir soon after. By this point, Oliveira was keeping tabs on leader Pasini, before the Italian tucked the front into Turn 1 – heartbreak for the pole sitter. This was the start of the battle between the number 44 and number 7, interchanging positions lap by lap, with the gap to Bagnaia and Mir stretching to over a second by lap 15.
It looked like it would be a two-horse race to the checkered flag between the two, however the ‘Jaws’ music then started to sound. With Baldassarri and Oliveira chopping and changing, Bagnaia and Mir smelt blood and the battle for the win soon became a four-way fight with three laps to go.
Going into a fantastic final lap, Baldassarri had a slight buffer. However, the 21-year-old then had a huge moment on the exit of Turn 5 pushing for an illustrious second home win, which allowed Oliveira to close in and pass the Italian into Turn 6. Bagnaia was third before running slightly wide at Savelli, allowing Mir to move into the final podium position. Despite Baldassarri’s best efforts, the KTM rider held firm and took the checkered flag, with rookie Mir fending off Championship leader Bagnaia.
Marquez couldn’t keep tabs with the leading quartet, the Spaniard finishing P5. Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Ajo) had a great ride, finishing sixth after starting from 19th on the grid, 2.448 back from Marquez. Luca Marini (SKY Racing Team VR46) had a strong ride at his home Grand Prix, finishing P7, with fellow Italian Andrea Locatelli (Italtrans Racing Team) getting his best result of the season in eighth.
Starting from P12, Xavi Vierge (Dynavolt Intact GP) grabbed at top ten place in ninth, as Simone Corsi (Tasca Racing Scuderia Moto2) recorded his best finish of the year on his 250th Grand Prix start. Fabio Quartararo (MB Conveyors – Speed Up Racing) was P11 as he continues his good form. with Dominique Aegerter (Kiefer Racing) scoring a solid P12 on his injury return and Iker Lecuona (Swiss Innovative Investors) picking up a solid 13th.
It was a great afternoon for the NTS RW Racing GP team at Mugello. Joe Roberts crossed the line P14 to take his first points of the season, with teammate Steven Odendaal just 0.019 behind him to take the final point scoring position for the new chassis manufacturer.
Sam Lowes (Swiss Innovative Investors), Danny Kent (MB Conveyors – Speed Up Racing), Jorge Navarro (Federal Oil Gresini Moto2) and Jules Danilo (Nashi Argan SAG Team) crashed – riders ok. It was hard luck for Fenati at his home Grand Prix, he retired from the race after battling with the top six. Hector Barbera (Pons HP40) then made contact with Tetsuta Nagashima (Idemitsu Honda Team Asia) at Turn 3, with both riders crashing out.
A thrilling race at Mugello sees the Championship close right up as the intermediate class head to the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya…will the battle be just as close there?
Martin beats Bezzecchi and ‘Diggia’ in Italy
A stunning drag to the line sees the Spaniard emerge victorious in enemy territory
Jorge Martin (Del Conca Gresini Moto3) has taken a stunning win at the Autodromo del Mugello to claw back some momentum in the title fight after two consecutive DNFs, taking the flag by thousandths ahead of home heroes Marco Bezzecchi (Redox Prüstel GP) and Fabio Di Giannantonio (Del Conca Gresini Moto3) in a classic three-way photo finish. The fifth closest podium of all time in the class didn’t disappoint, and it leaves Bezzecchi just three points ahead of Martin at the top of the Championship, with ‘Diggia’ only five points further in arrears. It also means KTM are just a single point ahead of Honda in the constructors Championship as Moto3™ stays as close as ever.
Under sunny Tuscan skies, Martin took the holeshot with a dream start from pole, putting some daylight between him and the chasing pack even into San Donato for the first time. But it was an equally ideal start for Championship leader Bezzecchi, who pounced from the second row to slot into second. Martin immediately got his head down and was already trying to pull away, but Bezzecchi and Di Giannantonio, who also had a great start. were able to hunt him down – thus beginning a stunning three-way fight for the win that would go down to the wire.
Bezzecchi would blast through on the straight, and then the two Del Conca Gresini Moto3 machines would be able to pull away in the first two sectors – with a concertina of tantalising stakes seeing the three bikes stuck back together by the time they tucked in over the main straight. The number 12 of Bezzecchi looked to have been just starting to lose out to the Honda duo ahead over the last few laps, however, before the KTM’s legs on the straight propelled him back into touch. Much closer as the last lap dawned, the Italian then blasted past into San Donato but headed wide – with Martin leading ‘Diggia’ back past and the trio remaining in that order down to that all-important final corner.
After testing out the slipstream throughout the race, the three entered Bucine in line with Martin aiming to get the best exit and stay ahead, Di Giannantonio hoping to slipstream his teammate before the line and Bezzecchi back in touch to try and attack both. And Martin was the man whose plan worked to perfection and the three thundered towards the flag – ahead by just 0.019 to head the three-way photo finish. Bezzecchi just pipped ‘Diggia’ for second, with just 0.024 splitting the two Italians in the fifth closest podium finish in the history of the lightweight class.
It was a huge group battle for fourth that Enea Bastianini (Leopard Racing) emerged in the lead of for some time, before it began to split into smaller groups and Gabriel Rodrigo (RBA BOE Skull Rider), Andrea Migno (Angel Nieto Team) and Tony Arbolino (Marinelli Snipers Team) caught the Leopard machine. Battling throughout the latter stages, it was Rodrigo who took P4 over the line – a tenth ahead of Migno, with 0.082 back to Bastianini and just 0.029 to Arbolino in P7.
Lorenzo Dalla Porta (Leopard Racing) crossed the line in eighth at the head of an Italian trio, with Niccolo Antonelli (SIC58 Squadra Corse) and impressive wildcard Manuel Pagliani (Leopard Junior Team) completing the top ten. Aron Canet (Estrella Galicia 0,0) had an expensive day in the title fight in P11, ahead of John McPhee (CIP – Green Power) and a much improved finish for Darryn Binder (Red Bull KTM Ajo) in 13th. Le Mans winner Albert Arenas (Angel Nieto Team) took P14, with the points completed by Marcos Ramirez (Bester Capital Dubai).
With Mugello serving another classic, it’s now up to the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya to try and do the same in two weeks. Tune in from the 15th to 17th June for the next Moto3™ spectacular.
More, from a press release issued by LCR Honda Idemitsu:
Unlucky Nakagami re-joines and finishes the race at Mugello
LCR Honda Idemitsu rider Takaaki Nakagami finished in 18thposition at the Italian Grand Prix at Mugello after an unfortunate early crash. Starting from the sixth row, the Japanese talent was clipped by Dani Pedrosa on the opening lap and went down. Although he managed to restart, Nakagami was always a long way behind the rest of the field, but still managed to complete the race.
The 26-year-old explained that he wanted to get back out after his fall having completed less than a lap at the iconic Italian venue. Although disappointed with the result, Nakagami managed to gain more valuable MotoGP race experience and is now hoping for a positive outcome at the next round in Barcelona.
#30 Takaaki Nakagami– 18th
“I’m very disappointed about the race after what happened at the start on turn two. I understand that Dani (Pedrosa) lost control and hit into my rear tyre, it was a very unlucky crash. I took some time, but I restarted again. I went back to the box and discussed things with the team. They said no, but I couldn’t finish like that after two corners and so I restarted again.
“The bike was ok, the handlebars were a little bit broken but I tried my best just to finish the race. Ok, I finished in last position, but this is racing. My pace during the race was quite good and I’m looking forward and am positive about Montmelo now. I want to say thanks to the team and the fans for all their help this weekend.”
More, from a press release issued by KTM:
ESPARGARO AGAIN CLOSE TO TOP TEN AT MUGELLO AS OLIVEIRA TAKES FIRST MOTO2 WIN OF THE YEAR
RACE 6th Rd. MotoGP 2018 – Autodromo del Mugello (ITA)
The Gran Premio D’Italia Oakley saw Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Pol Espargaro register another positive 11th position finish for the sixth round of 2018 MotoGP as Miguel Oliveira celebrated a fantastic Moto2 victory around the hot and fast Italian layout plus Italian championship leader Marco Bezzecchi second in Moto3.
MotoGP
Track temperatures reached almost fifty degrees at the Autodromo de Mugello that was bursting to the fence seams with fans and MotoGP ‘tifosi’ keen for the latest episode of the FIM World Championship. Pol Espargaro and Bradley Smith launched from the fifth and sixth rows of the grid with their KTM RC16s and settled into a tussle for the final slot of the top ten. Smith, using a softer tyre choice, set the early running but could not dislodge Espargaro who assumed control in the second half of the 23 lap chase.
The Spaniard crossed the finish line to classify 11th for the third Grand Prix in a row and for the fourth time this season. His time distance from winner Jorge Lorenzo was slashed by more than half compared to the debut at the same venue twelve months ago. Smith took part in a frantic chase to the line and lost 12th place by six-hundredths of a second; the Brit was 14th.
Espargaro: “Overall I think we struggled a bit this weekend and we were a second away from the rhythm of the top group. We had a better race than some others and 11th position is not bad at all and has become ‘our’ position in the last races; I don’t think we did a bad job today but we need to ask for more and we’ll see how we can improve. Hopefully Barcelona will be a bit easier and more fun for us because it looks like we were cruising here and we didn’t get the chance to fight with the others. I was adjusting my throttle in the first laps and changing the maps to avoid spinning. In Barcelona I think we can get something else, and it will be interesting with the new asphalt that might have more grip. It will be similar to here with the sun and the heat so it will be physical.”
Smith: “I loved that race; 22/23 laps in the mix. I pretty much turned myself inside-out to stay in that group for tenth in the first part of the race but then told myself to be smart and to learn something as we went along. It was nice when we were just two KTMs but then Aleix (Espargaro) joined us and upset the rhythm a little bit and he was super-strong in some areas and weak in others. The front tyre pressure went up more than expected and that affected us in areas. (Tito) Rabat dive-bombed me with two laps to go and put me super-wide and (Hafizh) Syahrin was able to get by. I was trying to attack on the last lap and we all came across the line in the same tenth of a second. It was frustrating not to be twelfth – that should have been the minimum today – but to be there fighting with all those guys is more than I expected going into the race. It meant we extracted the best from the bike and gave everything we could.”
Mike Leitner (Team Manager): “The weekend started in a difficult way for us, especially because the other teams had tested here when we preferred to use Jerez. We had a lot of pressure in the first sessions to find a setting that allowed a good race pace for the guys. Last year we were fifty seconds away from the winner and this time it was down to twenty and just fourteen to the podium. You don’t get 11th as a present; you have to fight for that. Bradley was also in the points. We are happy and we know we need to keep pushing to close this gap more and more.”
Moto2
A fantastic Moto2 race between four riders was decided through the final corners of the last lap and Red Bull KTM Ajo’s Miguel Oliveira emerged triumphant for his first victory of 2018. The Portuguese made two clever overtaking moves, the second negotiating Arrabbiata 1, to reach the flag first (after starting from 11th on the grid) and as leader of a group separated by just half a second. #44 remains second in the championship standings and just 12 points behind Francesco Bagnaia. Brad Binder pushed hard to reach 6th place with his KTM Moto2 bike.
Oliveira: “Starting from so far back on the grid, I knew I had to make a good start. I pushed my hardest on the first lap and, shortly after, I was already up into third. Pasini was very strong and very fast, but I saw that I had a chance to win the race and, simply, I decided to go for it. Baldassarri also had a great pace, and I fought with him until the last lap. It was a very fun and spectacular battle. I am very happy to have taken this victory that we had been chasing since the beginning of the season. I have to thank the team because they worked really hard, and from FP3 to qualifying we had to change the bike almost completely; in the end, it worked out very well.”
Aki Ajo (Team Manager Moto2): “It’s been incredible. This victory means a lot to us after a difficult weekend and, in general, after a period of two-three races with difficulties. We have never given up, we have never lost hope, and we knew that better times would come around. This is a very important victory and we are very happy about it. Not only has it been an important race because of Miguel (Oliveira) winning; this has been a key day, in terms of results, for the whole team. Brad (Binder) also had a very good race, coming from far back and finishing sixth.”
Moto3
Redux PruestelGPs’ Marco Bezzecchi collected his fourth podium trophy of the year on the KTM RC250 GP after a three-way dispute for Moto3 honours at Mugello. The Italian ducked out of the slipstream to pass Fabio Di Giannantonio and just missed out on a home Grand Prix win by 0.019 of a second to Jorge Martin.
MotoGP will pause for a week before drifting across to northern Spain and the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya for the Gran Premi de Catalunya and round seven of nineteen.
Next Race: June 17, 2018 – Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya
More, from a press release issued by Michelin:
MICHELIN POWERS LORENZO TO AN EMPHATIC VICTORY
Michelin saw its MotoGP™ tyres used to perfect effect by Jorge Lorenzo (Ducati Team) as he powered off the line to an untouched victory at the Gran Premio d’Italia from Mugello in Italy today.
Starting for second on the grid, Lorenzo got the holeshot on his Ducati fitted with a MICHELIN Power Slick medium front tyre, paired with a soft rear, and never relinquished first place as he extended his lead as the race wore on. He crossed the line over six seconds clear of his nearest rival, as he recorded his first victory on a Ducati, all at the Italian marque’s home Grand Prix in front of the cheering ‘Ducatisti’.
Michelin had introduced a fourth front tyre for this weekend to give the riders a more complete range of options. This hard compound asymmetric tyre was the one used in last year’s race to give Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati Team) victory and it very nearly repeated the feat for the Italian as he followed Lorenzo home to take second place and give Ducati not only its first one-two at Mugello, but also for the first time in Italy. Third place went to local hero Valentino Rossi (Movistar Yamaha MotoGP), the hugely partisan crowd had come to see if he could repeat his superb performance in qualifying, when he produced a stunning circulation of the 5,245m circuit to record a time of 1’46.208 and set a new outright lap record, Rossi couldn’t quite take the top-step on the podium today, but the sea of yellow that invaded the track certainly showed its approval.
The fourth front choice of tyre meant Michelin had seven options of rubber at Mugello, with four front and three rears being available to all riders. Six of these seven tyres were in action in today’s race, with just the soft front being the only one not used. This is another example of the choice Michelin gives to all riders to enable them to get the optimum performance from their respective machines. Michelin also witnessed its tyres produce the fastest ever recorded speed in MotoGP, as Dovizioso set a new high of 356.5Km/h in today’s race.
A huge crowd of 90,310 filled the Tuscan hillsides which surround the track and baked in glorious sunshine, which led to the track heating up to its highest temperature of the weekend as the surface reached 47°C, giving the asphalt less grip than at any time during the weekend and making tyre choice an added challenge for all. The spectators were treated to some fantastic racing throughout the field, as a Team ECSTAR SUZUKI battle saw Andrea Iannone take the spoils from Alex Rins, as they finished fourth and fifth respectively, Cal Crutchlow (LCR Honda) was sixth and took the honour of First Independent Rider and seventh was another local favourite Danilo Petrucci (Alma Pramac Racing) on a Ducati resplendent in a Lamborghini livery that was used as a special design for this race. Maverick Viñales (Movistar Yamaha MotoGP) just edged out a hard-charging Alvaro Bautista (Angel Nieto Team) for eighth, with Johann Zarco (Monster Yamaha Tech 3) coming home tenth to secure his position at the top of the Independent Riders’ Championship. Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda) made a mistake on lap-five and crashed out, he remounted and managed to finish 16th and although he was out of the points he retains his championship lead.
Michelin will now head to Catalunya in Spain and the seventh round of this year’s enthralling championship, as MotoGP descends on Barcelona for the next stage of the 2018 season on Sunday 17th June.
Jorge Lorenzo – Ducati Team:
“To win here in Ducati’s home Grand Prix is a dream come true and it has come after a year-and-a-half of hard work and some suffering, but a lot of belief, so finally I can say that I am happy. We managed the tyres very well, because the front tyre was tricky as the track conditions were so difficult. I had to change my riding style and this is now a good experience for the future as it will help me to try to manage the race a bit better.”
Piero Taramasso – Michelin Motorsport Two-Wheel Manager:
“Today was very difficult for the riders to manage they tyres, as the track changed a lot from the last two days and it was very slippery this afternoon, so they had to contend with that and the complexities of Mugello as well. Set-up is so important here and that is the key to a strong race, so tyre choice was very important. We again saw most of the range we brought here used and the different front we added for this weekend was used on two of the top-three bikes, so we feel we were justified to add it to the range, as it gave the riders an extra option. Over the weekend we were delighted to see Valentino break the outright lap-record and all the practice, qualifying and warm-up sessions had better fastest times than the same sessions last year, we also had the fastest speed recorded at MotoGP set on our tyres today, these are really important factors for us as it shows complete performance. I want to congratulate Jorge on his victory, I am Italian so I know how important it is for Ducati to win here and his strategy in today’s race was excellent. We now move to Barcelona where we have recently had a very positive test, so we hope to continue with the success we have so far experienced this season.”
More, from a press release issued by Ducati Corse:
Splendid 1-2 victory for the Ducati Team at Mugello: Jorge Lorenzo dominates the Italian GP and Andrea Dovizioso finishes second to complete a day of triumph for the Italian manufacturer
The Ducati Team pulled off a fantastic 1-2 win at the Autodromo del Mugello today, with its riders finishing first and second. Jorge Lorenzo, who got a perfect start from the front row, dominated the Italian Grand Prix from the first to the last lap, thus scoring his first win on a Ducati. Second place went to Andrea Dovizioso, who started from the third row. The Italian crossed the line at the end of the opening lap in fifth place and then got close to Lorenzo on lap 7, but he was unable to attack his team-mate and on the last lap had to defend the runner-up slot from Rossi, who was third at the chequered flag.
Thanks to this result, Dovizioso has moved up into fourth place in the standings with 66 points, while Lorenzo now lies in tenth with 41 points.
The MotoGP World Championship will be back in action again in two weeks’ time at Montmeló, on the outskirts of Barcelona, for the Catalan GP scheduled for 15th to 17th June.
Jorge Lorenzo (Ducati Team #99) – 1st
“I am very happy! Yesterday I said that winning at Mugello with Ducati was a dream for me and today this dream came true. It’s one of the most special wins of my entire career, probably on the same level as my first win in 125 in 2003 and in MotoGP in 2008. I’m really thrilled about it and pleased for the team, because it was fantastic to score this victory on Ducati’s home track after a very challenging weekend. This morning I realized that we could do it and, even though I was worried about the performance of the tyres, I decided to push right from the start, in my usual style, and everything went perfectly. I couldn’t ask for anything more and we will have to celebrate this win in a big way. I haven’t managed to win a race for a long time and I did it my way. I’ve been through some difficult moments but I’ve always believed I could do it, I could see that every time we were closer and closer and in the end we did it!”
Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati Team #04) – 2nd
“To tell the truth I expected more than a second place today, but in the end we found that the conditions were hotter in the race than yesterday and so we had a few doubts about the choice of front tyre. Rossi and I made a cautionary selection, opting to fit the harder tyre, but unfortunately it didn’t work well. Valentino almost crashed a couple of times in front of me and when I tried to push to catch Jorge, I wasn’t fast enough in corner entry and as a result through the corners as well. In addition I used up the rear tyre and at the end of the race I also had to manage this problem. In any case we scored a good second place and reduced the gap to Marquez in the standings. I want to congratulate Jorge, who did a superb race and was very good and precise in managing the tyres to perfection.”
Claudio Domenicali (CEO of Ducati Motor Holding)
“I’m very happy for Jorge’s victory because he is an extraordinary guy who until today had never really been able to demonstrate his great talent on a Ducati. Today we saw the real Lorenzo: the guys in the team were very good at finding an ideal combination and he knew how to interpret it for the best. Jorge ran a great race in his own style, one of those in which no one stands a chance. I’m also pleased about Andrea’s second place, because with this fantastic 1-2 win at Mugello we have scored our best-ever result on the Tuscany track. Our two factory bikes ahead of everybody is just reward for all the work of everyone in the factory and in Ducati Corse, and in general of the whole of Ducati which is making an extraordinary effort to grow even further, and I think that this great day is also payback for more difficult races like the last two GPs.”
Luigi Dall’Igna (Ducati Corse General Manager)
“Above all, I want to offer my heartfelt thanks to everyone who works in Ducati Corse and who with their efforts have contributed to the extraordinary success of Jorge and Andrea here at Mugello. I would like to have them all here with us, to be able to give them a big hug and share this incredible result with them.”
More, from a press release issued by LCR Honda Castrol:
Crutchlow claims sixth position at Mugello
LCR Honda CASTROL rider Cal Crutchlow showed his battling qualities to take sixth place at the Italian Grand Prix on Sunday. Having started from eighth position on the grid at Mugello, the Briton showed great patience and determination to secure an impressive result despite ongoing issues with the front grip of his Honda.
Crutchlow acknowledged after the race that he had considered pushing for a podium finish at one stage. However, he recognised the need to manage his aggression in order to finish the race and secure a respectable points haul. The 32-year-old declared himself satisfied with the result and is now looking for another positive performance at the next round in Barcelona.
#35 Cal Crutchlow – 6th
(41’52″350)
“Today was a more positive result than we expected given the situation with the front grip of the bike. It was really difficult for me to pass. At one stage in the race I thought there was potential for a podium, but trying to overtake would have been a massive risk because of the front of the bike.
“Overall we managed the situation very well, whereas some other didn’t. Now we look forward to Barcelona. The team did a good job this weekend, we managed to come away with a top-six result at Mugello so we have to be pleased.”