MotoGP™: Lorenzo (Ducati/Michelin) steals Mugello show

The Gran Premio d'Italia Oakley, round six of the 2018 MotoGPTM World Championship, was won by Jorge Lorenzo (Ducati Team/Michelin) who notched up his first win for Ducati. Team-mate Andrea Dovizioso made it a one-two finish for the brand on home soil, while Valentino Rossi (Movistar Yamaha MotoGP/Michelin) was third over the line.

After qualifying second on the grid, Lorenzo leapt ahead at lights-out before producing a commanding performance that saw him lead all the way to the chequered flag to beat Dovizioso by 6.3 seconds.

The Majorca native – who chose a combination of medium and soft MICHELIN Power Slicks front and rear for the Italian clash – consolidated his early lead with a series of consistently quick times that ultimately earned him his 45th premier class victory, his first in the colours of Ducati.

Despite qualifying seventh, Dovizioso appeared in second spot on Lap 7, although he never looked like threatening his team-mate’s domination.

Rossi followed up his pole-winning form in qualifying (1m46.208s) by becoming the first MotoGPTM rider to clock up 5,000 points in motorcycle racing’s topflight category. Cheered on by the usual huge numbers of local fans, the Italian was forced to defend his footing on the podium in the closing stages from Andrea Iannone (Team Suzuki Ecstar) who ended up fourth. With his bike sitting on hard asymmetric MICHELIN Power Slicks at the front and softs at the rear, Rossi admitted at the finish that the race had been tough but that he had made the right tyre choice.

Alex Rins (Team Suzuki Ecstar) and best-placed independent team rider Cal Crutchlow (LCR Honda) were fifth and sixth, while Danilo Petrucci (Alma Pramac Racing), Maverick Viñales (Movistar Yamaha MotoGP), Alvaro Bautista (Angel Nieto Team) and Johann Zarco (Monster Yamaha Tech3) rounded out the afternoon’s top 10.

Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) crossed the line in 16th place after a falling from second position on Lap 5.

Six of the seven Michelin tyre specifications on-hand in Italy were used, including the option of an additional asymmetric hard front MICHELIN Power Slick which was acclaimed by Dovizioso, Valentino Rossi and two other riders.

Marquez continues to top the provisional championship standings on 95 points, ahead of Rossi (72) and Viñales (67).

Next round: Gran Premi Monster Energy de Catalunya (June 15-17).