Jorge Lorenzo claimed his first Grand Prix victory for Ducati in spectacular fashion with a lights-to-flag win at Mugello. The Spaniard produced a performance reminiscent of his glorious title-winning years, leading every lap as Ducati secured a dominant 1-2 finish. Andrea Dovizioso’s second place boosted his title hopes on a day Marc Marquez failed to score after a mid-race crash.
The 90,000 strong home crowd had eyes only for polesitter Valentino Rossi but the Yamaha rider was immediately outdragged on the approach to San Donato by Lorenzo, falling to second. The home favourite was relegated to third on lap three by the aggressive Marquez but the championship leader suffered his first mid-race crash of the season, losing the front end of his Honda at Scarperia and falling out of point-scoring contention.
Rossi regained second as a result but any hopes of an Italian winner looked to be resting on the shoulders of Dovizioso who scythed past his compatriot at Savelli on lap seven. Andrea was a second adrift of his team-mate in the lead and with Lorenzo displaying his classic consistency of years gone by, the gap only grew as the race drew to a close.
In the end, Jorge finished six seconds clear of Dovizioso with Rossi holding off the Suzukis of Andrea Iannone and Alex Rins to claim third. Cal Crutchlow took sixth on the leading Honda ahead of Danilo Petrucci while Maverick Vinales paid the price for yet another disastrous start, only managing eighth ahead if Alvaro Bautista and Johann Zarco.
Marquez did continue after his early tumble but the attrition rate wasn’t enough to lift him into the points, the reigning champion winding up sixteenth.
2018 Gran Premio d’Italia Oakley: (Race Result)
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