MotoGP Italy: Mugello hattrick win for Maestro Bagnaia

Ducati couldn’t have asked for a better result at its home grand prix in Mugello as Francesco Bagnaia and Enea Bastianini locked 1-2 while Pramac’s Jorge Martin clinched the third podium position. Effectively, Ducati dominated the top four, as Marc Marquez from Gresini settled for fourth place. This victory allows Bagnaia to reduce Martin’s lead in the rider’s championship to 18 points.

MotoGP Italy: Masterclass performance by Bagnaia

Pecco Bagnaia experienced a stellar start, mirroring his Sprint performance, as his Ducati motorcycle catapulted him from P5 to P1 by Turn 2. The defending champion, composed and focused, swung wide on the left and surpassed the riders ahead. Navigating Turn 1 with precision, Bagnaia then accelerated, leading the group from Lap 1 through Turn 2, all the way to the finish line.

Unfazed by Martin, he maintained a solid lead; each time the Pramac rider clocked a fast lap, Bagnaia would counter and hold him off. On lap 13, Martin narrowed the gap to half a second, yet the hometown favourite firmly held onto his lead. Ducati and Bagnaia demonstrated their supremacy, setting the standard for the grid with a commanding performance at Mugello.

MotoGP Italy: Bastianini’s blitzkrieg secures second place

If Pecco was the Pied Piper of Mugello, then Enea Bastianini was a force to be reckoned with on the track. The second Ducati rider has been under pressure since the season’s start, with rumours suggesting his replacement in 2025. Despite the distractions, the Italian demonstrated his skill and determination as the fastest rider on the circuit. Like his teammate, Bastianini had an explosive start, catapulting from fifth to third, trailing the pole-sitter Martin, who fell to second.

One can never get too comfortable when a certain Marc Marquez is breathing down your neck and as expected the six-time MotoGP world champion made his move on Lap 3 and overtook the factory Ducati rider. Unfortunately for the Gresini rider, he went wide allowing the Italian to snatch back third. This also gave Tech 3’s Pedro Acosta a whiff of opportunity as he attacked Marquez for fourth, but the veteran rider slammed the door shut and took back his place.

Just when we thought that the Gresini motorcycle was struggling for pace, with only six laps left, Marquez managed to overtake Bastianini without any fuss. The Ducati rider kept his cool and continued to preserve the tyres for a late charge. On the second lap, Bastianini’s patience paid off as he squeezed past Marquez giving him no room for a counter. In full beast mode, Bastianini began to reel in Martin, and in a dramatic twist on the final corner of the last lap, he surged past the Pramac rider, securing a Ducati one-two finish.

MotoGP Italy: The rest of the pack

The race began with promising displays of speed and agility, suggesting a fierce battle between Pedro Acosta and Marquez. However, after the Gresini rider secured fourth place, the Tech 3 rider experienced an uneventful race. Acosta clinched fifth place with ease, facing no challenge from Pramac’s Franco Morbidelli, and continued to be the top-performing KTM rider at Mugello. This is the reason why he will be joining the KTM factory team next year. While Morbidelli may not have encountered much excitement, he achieved his best result with Pramac, contributing significant points to the team’s tally.

The race proved disappointing for Aprilia’s Maverick Vinales, who, despite starting second, finished in eighth place, trailing behind VR46’s Fabio Di Giannantonio, a consistent point-scorer currently ranked ninth in the riders’ championship. Gresini’s Alex Marquez claimed the last point, finishing just ahead of KTM’s Brad Binder, who completed the top ten.

Honda’s nightmare continued as Joan Mir and Takaaki Nakagami crashed out while Johan Zarco and Luca Marini finished 19th and 20th.