Andrea Dovizioso overcame illness to claim a home victory for rider and team at the Italian Grand Prix in Mugello. Championship leader Maverick Viñales was second. Pramac’s Danilo Petrucci finished third.
Dovizioso slipped to fifth at the start but worked his way forwards. He took the lead from Viñales mid-distance. From there he was never headed and took his third career win, and first in dry conditions, at Mugello.
Viñales finished a second adrift of Dovizioso. The Yamaha driver extended his title lead in the process, while Petrucci starred for Pramac to beat Valentino Rossi to the final podium spot.
Rossi made the best start from the front row of the grid to take the lead from team-mate Viñales, but both were overhauled by Jorge Lorenzo, who surged forwards from seventh.
Lorenzo and Rossi traded positions up front across the opening couple of laps, before the Ducati rider slipped back, allowing Yamaha to run 1-2.
Viñales passed Rossi for the lead into Scarperia, as the Yamaha riders, Dovizioso and Petrucci, who leapt forwards from ninth position, broke clear of the rest of the pack.
Dovizioso remained glued to the rear of Viñales’ M1 and made his move along the pit straight mid-distance, while Petrucci passed Rossi for third into Bucine.
Andrea Dovizioso overcame illness to claim a home victory for rider and team at the Italian Grand Prix in Mugello , ahead of championship leader Maverick Viñales, with Pramac’s Danilo Petrucci third
Petrucci repeated the move on Viñales the next time around. He was aided by the youngster running slightly wide. Their scrap enabling Dovizioso to extend his advantage.
Viñales reclaimed second spot with four laps left but was unable to close down Dovizioso. It was Ducati’s first victory at Mugello since 2009.
Viñales and Petrucci completed the podium places. Rossi, riding injured after his training crash 10 days ago, finished at the rear of the quartet. Aspar’s Álvaro Bautista prevailed over reigning World Champion Marc Márquez for fifth position as the Honda riders struggled for pace.
Márquez’s Honda team-mate, Dani Pedrosa, and Cal Crutchlow ran outside of the top 10 but neither scored, as Pedrosa slid into the Briton on the final lap, eliminating both.
Johann Zarco muscled his way through to seventh spot. While Lorenzo was unable to sustain his starring early run as he regressed to eighth.
Michele Pirro fronted the second row of the grid. But he plummeted down the order on the opening lap, ultimately coming home ninth, as Suzuki’s Andrea Iannone completed the top 10.
Karel Abraham finished in 16th, in front of Suzuki stand-in rider Sylvain Guintoli. While Loris Baz beat Sam Lowes and Bradley Smith to the line for 18th, the trio separated by a tenth of a second.
The last-lap collision between Pedrosa and Crutchlow was the only major incident of note in the race. Neither Espargaró brother reached the chequered flag.
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