Mattia Pasini overtook two riders in two corners to claim a magnificent final lap victory in the Italian Grand Prix at Mugello, his first in Moto2. The Italtrans rider defeated Thomas Luthi and Alex Marquez in the last lap shootout with championship leader Franco Morbidelli a strangely subdued fourth.
Having won four of the opening five races, Morbidelli was carrying the hopes of the capacity crowd and although he outdragged Marquez into San Donato, that would be the only time Franco figured in the fight for the lead. Pasini wrestled the advantage away on lap one and as the no.54 upped the pace, only Marquez and Luthi were capable of staying with him.
The pattern was soon set as Marquez would regularly slipstream his way into the lead at San Donato, only for Pasini to fight back through the sweeping bends of Casanova Savelli, but Luthi was keeping a watching brief at the back of the group. With a lap to go, the Swiss rider pulled off a terrific double move into turn one with Pasini shuffled back to third but the long-time leader refused to settle for third.
Yet again, the left-hander of Savelli saw him slice past Marquez and if that wasn’t enough, Mattia dived straight up the inside of Luthi into Arrabbiata for the lead, a lead he would maintain on the sprint out of the final corner. Marquez had to make do with third while Morbidelli trailed home in a lonely fourth ahead of KTM’s Miguel Oliveira.
Luca Marini added to the Italian feel-good factor with sixth after holding off Dominique Aegerter while Simone Corsi claimed eighth for Speed Up ahead of rookie duo Jorge Navarro and Brad Binder, the latter impressing greatly on his return from injury.
Moto2 Gran Premio d’Italia Oakley – Race Result
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