#ItalianGP MotoGP Race: Dovizioso for the third Italian victory of the day!

Since 1976, the Mugello track has hosted the elite of the Grands Prix in Italy. A Yamaha land if we judge by the track record which has awarded ten victories to the Iwata manufacturer. Five of them were the work of Valentino Rossi (2004-2008), the others being attributed to Jorge Lorenzo (2011, 2012, 2013, 2015 and 2016). Honda has distinguished itself four times on this track. In 2002 and 2003 with Valentino Rossi, in 2010 with Dani Pedrosa and in 2014 with Marc Márquez. Ducati has only one success. With a Viñales in pole position and a Rossi at his side, the brand with tuning forks seemed able to continue its good series in Tuscany.  

Certainly, but the competition had no intention of letting this statistical logic take its course. Despite a night disrupted by food poisoning, Dovizioso was inhabited by the intention of succeeding Casey Stoner on the Ducati shelves, the Australian being the only winner in red there. It was in 2009. As for the Hondas, the ambition was at least identical. The Italian public, finally, asked only one thing: that the series of Spanish winners end. The last seven editions of the Italian Grand Prix have in fact been won by Iberian drivers. But the last two races of the day Moto3 et Moto2 by two pilots from the academy struck by the VR46…

Enough to give ideas to those you know... Before moving on to hostilities, here is an overview:

#ItalianGP Mugello MotoGP	2016	2017
FP1	1'54.199 Yonny Hernandez	1'47.394 Andrea Dovizioso
FP2	1'47.696 Andrea Iannone	1'47.365 Cal Crutchlow
FP3	1'46.991 Andrea Iannone	1'46.543 Valentino Rossi
FP4	1'47.284 Andrea Iannone	1'47.690 Johann Zarco
Q1	1'46.886 Scott Redding	1'47.058 Johann Zarco
Q2	1'46.504 Valentino Rossi	1'46.575 Maverick Vinales
Warm up	1'47.295 Maverick Vinales	1'47.345 Maverick Vinales
Course	Lorenzo, Marquez, Iannone (See here)
All time lap record	1'46.489 Andrea Iannone 2015

 

With overcast weather, but hardly threatening, the track was heated to around 40°, less than during qualifying the day before, which was brought to 50°. The choice of tires had to be determined based on this. A decision particularly looked at from the side of Tech3 with a Johann zarco ensuring that the software was playable. Unlike the vast majority of his peers. One of whom, who died too soon, was looking at it from above...

The two leading Yamahas took a couple of hard and Dovizioso a medium duo also taken by Lorenzo. Marquez was equipped in full medium and Pedrosa hard front and medium rear. As for Johann zarco, he took a soft front and hard rear. The Frenchman was the only one in soft before.

The release of the wild animals was controlled by Valentino Rossi at the first turn ahead Vinales and an explosive Lorenzo who pointed ahead Dovizioso et Petrucci. A supercharged Por Fuera took control of the race at the start of the second lap.

Red responded but had to lose again in the straight before embarking on the third lap. Dovizioso it was getting hot and the best time in the race went to Iannone. Petrucci made a manly inside Marquez. In short, everyone had just unplugged but Alex Espargaro learned that he had stolen the start.

In the fourth round, Vinales took the lead in front Dovi et Rossi Redding was the fastest on the track. zarco was ninth in front Pedrosa, Marquez defended his sixth place in front of a Iannone found. Lorenzo was fifth behind a Petrucci hungry.

With 15 laps to go, a quartet broke away from the rest of the pack to attempt a breakaway. Vinales led in front Dovi, Red et Petrucci while Marquez tried to hang on to this infernal train. Lorenzo gradually let go, seventh behind Baptist and right in front zarco who himself was careful not to Iannone. Pedrosa closed the top 10.

Two rounds later, they Baptist et zarco who sounded the charge, respectively settling the accounts of Marquez and Lorenzo. The four leading men were just over three seconds behind these pursuers.

The moment to begin the last ten laps was that chosen by Dovizioso to take control of the race Vinales. The latter let slip more than seven tenths in a few turns, awakening the desires of Red but also Petrucci who was passing the Doctor. It became clear that the Pramac driver was going to play his card to the fullest, with his hard and medium tires. With eight laps to go, Petrux moved into second position. A show watched from the stands by Espargaro Pol who brought his KTM back to the box with its electronics gone. Brother Aleix did the same with the Aprilia.

The last five laps were tackled with two Italian riders on two transalpine Ducatis as leaders. Petrucci seemed more comfortable than Dovizioso and could not let go of the pressure with the two Yamahas on his heels, led by Vinales. The latter made the effort to clear the way for a successful pursuit at DesmoDovi before the checkered flag. A strategy which bore fruit, but the hardest part remained to be done: to fill the gap of one second on the official Ducati.

But the challenge will be too great, especially in the face of a Dovizioso who threw his last forces into battle. The Ducati official dedicated his employer to his home while Pedrosa et Crutchlow were hanging on for the count. Vinales was second to a Petrucci ecstatic third. Red was content with fourth place.

Baptist completed the top 5 ahead Marquez who controlled zarco seventh. Lorenzo is eighth with the other GP17 and saves a little honor by avoiding being passed by Pirro. Iannone closes the top 10 at Rabat who held the shock. Baz is eighteenth.

#ItalianGP MotoGP Race: Ranking

1. Andrea Dovizioso ITA Ducati Team (Desmosedici GP17) 41m 32.126s
2. Maverick Vinales ESP Movistar Yamaha MotoGP (YZR-M1) 41m 33.407s
3. Danilo Petrucci ITA Octo Pramac Racing (Desmosedici GP17) 41m 34.460s
4. Valentino Rossi ITA Movistar Yamaha MotoGP (YZR-M1) 41m 35.811s
5. Alvaro Bautista ESP Pull&Bear Aspar Team (Desmosedici GP16) 41m 37.928s
6. Marc Marquez ESP Repsol Honda Team (RC213V) 41m 38.011s
7. Johann zarco ENG Monster Yamaha Tech 3 (YZR-M1)* 41m 45.331s
8. Jorge Lorenzo ESP Ducati Team (Desmosedici GP17) 41m 46.519s
9. Michele Pirro ITA Ducati Team (Desmosedici GP17) 41m 47.006s
10. Andrea Iannone ITA Team Suzuki Ecstar (GSX-RR) 41m 47.628s
11. Tito Rabat ESP Estrella Galicia 0,0 Marc VDS (RC213V) 41m 54.130s
12. Scott Redding GBR Octo Pramac Racing (Desmosedici GP16) 41m 57.078s
13. Jonas Folger GER Monster Yamaha Tech 3 (YZR-M1)* 42m 0.286s
14. Hector Barbera ESP Reale Avintia Racing (Desmosedici GP16) 42m 2.802s
15. Jack Miller AUS Estrella Galicia 0,0 Marc VDS (RC213V) 42m 2.905s
16. Karel Abraham CZE Pull&Bear Aspar Team (Desmosedici GP15) 42m 14.432s
17. Sylvain Guintoli FRA Team Suzuki Ecstar (GSX-RR) 42m 18.420s
18. Loris Baz FRA Reale Avintia Racing (Desmosedici GP15) 42m 22.857s
19. Sam Lowes GBR Factory Aprilia Gresini (RS-GP)* 42m 22.866s
20. Bradley Smith GBR Red Bull KTM Factory Racing (RC16) 42m 23.023s
Cal Crutchlow GBR LCR Honda (RC213V) DNF
Dani Pedrosa ESP Repsol Honda Team (RC213V) DNF
Alex Espargaro ESP Factory Aprilia Gresini (RS-GP) DNF
Espargaro Pol ESP Red Bull KTM Factory Racing (RC16) DNF