MotoGP

 

An intriguing duel between Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) and Jorge Lorenzo (Movistar Yamaha MotoGP) saw the former come out on top at Mugello, with Valentino Rossi (Movistar Yamaha MotoGP) joining them on the podium at his 300th Grand Prix.

The two Spaniards put on a great show in front of the Italian crowd, battling for the lead for several laps, only for Marquez to clinch a sixth successive victory in 2014 by 0.121s on the final lap.

At his 300th race the yellow sea of fans were willing Rossi to capitalise on any mistake from the front two, and although The Doctor had to settle for third by just under three seconds it was still a great ride for him from 10th on the grid.

Earlier in the day the only other rider to have reached 300 Grands Prix, Rossi’s friend Loris Capirossi, had ridden an emotional tribute lap for the late Marco Simoncelli – now a MotoGP™ Legend – on a Honda Gresini bike.

With Dani Pedrosa (Repsol Honda Team) and impressive rookie Pol Espargaro (Monster Yamaha Tech3) the next two across the finishing line after Rossi – albeit more than 10 seconds back – there were four Spaniards in the top five.

Behind them Italians Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati Team) and Andrea Iannone (Pramac Racing) also got great support from the crowd en route to sixth and seventh respectively, with Iannone making a brilliant start and leading in the early stages having started second on the grid.

The top ten was completed by Alvaro Bautista (GO&FUN Honda Gresini), Aleix Espargaro (NGM Forward Racing) and Yonny Hernandez (Energy T.I. Pramac Racing).

Hector Barbera (Avintia Racing) and Michel Fabrizio (Octo IodaRacing Team) both retired from the race with technical problems.

Bradley Smith (Monster Yamaha Tech3) crashed out on lap 4, but walked away unharmed. Shortly afterwards Cal Crutchlow (Ducati Team) and Stefan Bradl (LCR Honda MotoGP) went down, with the german being hit by the Englishman’s bike as it slid across the track, with both riders fortunately avoided injury.

 

Moto2

 

Tito Rabat (Marc VDS Racing Team) got his tactics just right at Mugello, winning the Gran Premio d’Italia TIM Moto2™ race by 0.248s from Luis Salom (Pons HP 40), with Jonas Folger (AGR Team) crossing the line third.

Rabat produced his best lap of the race on his penultimate circulation having come from third position at two-thirds race distance, to overtake his less experienced rivals. The championship leader extended his standings lead to 22 points with his third victory of 2014, further underlining his World title credentials.

Rookies Salom and Folger both produced excellent rides, each leading the race before Rabat took control.

An intriguing battle for fourth place in the final stages saw Simone Corsi (NGM Forward Racing) outpace Dominique Aegerter (Technomag carXpert) by just 0.007s, with Mika Kallio (Marc VDS Racing Team) finishing just behind that pair.

Johann Zarco (AirAsia Caterham Moto Racing), Sam Lowes (Speed Up), Maverick Viñales (Pons HP 40) and Franco Morbidelli (Italtrans Racing Team) all featured in the top ten.

Josh Herrin (AirAsia Caterham Moto Racing) crashed out early on, Mattia Pasini (NGM Forward Racing) also slid out mid race, with Thomas Luthi (Interwetten Paddock Moto2) another non-finisher due to an incident which also involved Takaaki Nakagami (IDEMITSU Honda Team Asia) – though the Japanese rider stayed upright to eventually finish 16th.

 

Moto3

 

Another fantastic Moto3™ race concluded with victory for Romano Fenati (SKY Racing Team VR46) at the Gran Premio d’Italia TIM, with Isaac Viñales (Calvo Team) and Alex Rins (Estrella Galicia 0,0) joining him on the podium.

The talented Italian teenager held his nerve to win his home race whilst sporting a special red, white and green Italian livery, clinching maximum points by just 0.01s from Viñales, who himself beat Rins by virtue of a faster best lap as they crossed the line together.

A last lap crash between championship leader Jack Miller (Red Bull KTM Ajo), Alex Marquez (Estrella Galicia 0,0) and Enea Bastianini (Junior Team Go&FUN Moto3) saw them all miss out on the points, with Miller therefore seeing his standings advantage cut to just five points.

The top five also featured Miguel Oliveira (Mahindra Racing) and Niklas Ajo (Avant Tecno Husqvarna Ajo), as they both crossed the line within 0.3s of race winner Fenati.

Going into the final laps, before Miller, Marquez and Bastianini crashed out, there were 13 riders split by just 1.5s, with Alexis Masbou (Ongetta-Rivacold), Alessandro Tonucci (CIP Mahindra), Juanfran Guevara (Mapfre Aspar Team Moto3), Brad Binder (Ambrogio Racing) and Karel Hanika (Red Bull KTM Ajo) eventually completing the top ten.

Hafiq Azmi, John McPhee and Niccolo Antonelli all crashed out, with Jakub Kornfeil getting tangled up in Antonelli’s accident and later retiring due to a technical problem. Francesco Bagnaia also pulled off with a technical issue midrace, whilst Bryan Schouten finished 21st after starting from pit lane due to problems on the line.

Efren Vazquez recovered well to finish 12th after jump starting and having to ride through pit lane as a penalty.

Source: motogp.com