Miguel Oliveira claimed his and KTM’s first victory of the 2018 Moto2 season after a thrilling last lap battle with Lorenzo Baldassarri at Mugello. The Portuguese rider won a gripping four-way fight for the lead, enabling him to close the gap on championship leader Francesco Bagnaia, who could only manage fourth, to 13 points.
The dramatic finish to the Grand Prix was matched by an eventful start as Marcel Schrotter stormed into the lead at San Donato, only to crash out at the very next corner. Polesitter Mattia Pasini regained the advantage as a result but he too would tumble, losing the front end of his Kalex with eight laps remaining as he sought to make a decisive break.
Oliveira, despite starting eleventh on the grid, was now the new leader but a bold move by Baldassarri saw him hit the front three laps from home. With victory in sight though, a wild moment on the exit of Borgo San Lorenzo opened the door for Oliveira to edge past, earning him a lead he would maintain through the rest of the final lap.
Despite appearing to have the superior late race pace, Bagnaia was relegated to fourth on the final lap by the sensational Joan Mir, the rookie taking his second consecutive rostrum. Alex Marquez was fifth on the sister Marc VDS Kalex while Brad Binder took the second Red Bull KTM to sixth from nineteenth on the grid. Luca Marini was seventh ahead of Andrea Locatelli and Xavi Vierge while Simone Corsi completed the top ten.
Moto2 Gran Premio d’Italia Oakley: (Result)
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