MISANO ADRIATICO, Italy – Ducati's Francesco Bagnaia won his home San Marino
MotoGP with a dominant display from pole at Misano on Sunday.
The Italian, who only celebrated his debut win in the
premier category last weekend in Aragon, came under intense pressure from
championship leader Fabio Quartararo in the closing laps.
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But he had enough left in the tank to hold off the Yamaha's
French rider.
Despite missing out on adding to his five wins this term
Quartararo, 22, still had plenty to smile about.
With four races left, his lead remains a solid one at 48
points over Bagnaia whose red-hot form is ensuring there is nothing at all
processional about Quartararo's attempt to become the first ever French
MotoGP
world champion.
Defending champion Joan Mir is 67 points adrift in third.
"When I saw Fabio lost time in the early laps coming
at me over the last 10 laps it was really hard, but I gave it everything,"
said Bagnaia.
"I found it difficult enough to get my first MotoGP
win and now I've won two in a row, I'm so happy."
Quartararo said: "It was so hard, I lost time in the
early laps. I was pushing at my limit, I wanted the win."
He added: "It's the first time I've been so happy with
second place – not because of the gap in the championship, but because I gave
it my all."
It was a 19th podium in MotoGP for Quatararo, the most by a
French rider.
"Not bad for a Frenchman! It's good, but I don't want
to stop there. I am proud of this step but it's only the start. I want to go a
lot further."
Joining the top pair on his first ever podium was Enea
Bastianini who arguably produced the standout performance of this 14th
round of the campaign.
Starting 12th on the grid he stormed through the field with
some serious lap times to take third for Ducati's satellite Avintia stable.
Bagnaia, seeking to follow up last weekend's breakthrough
win in the premier class, jumped off from a pole position acquired in style 24
hours earlier with a track record.
His Ducati teammate Jack Miller followed him through turn
one.
Quartararo was in a battle for third with Jorge Martin
until Martin's Ducati satellite bike went from underneath him.
With Bagnaia looking bulletproof up front Miller lost
chunks of time going wide on turn 13 with over half the race completed.
Quartararo seized second spot away from Miller shortly
after, the gap under three seconds and 14 laps to go.
At the 10 laps to go marker Quartararo had chiselled away
at Bagnaia's lead to under two seconds.
Quartararo had said on the grid at the start "I feel
good today" and he would need to be at his best as he set about hunting
down his Sunday afternoon prey kitted out in Ducati red.
The stage was set for a thrilling final five laps of the
famous Misano circuit with Bagnaia ultimately holding his nerve just as he had
done last week when holding off six-time world champion Marc Marquez.
The 23,000 fans in attendance may have been disappointed to
witness motorcycling legend Valentino Rossi's slow march to retirement continue
with another lowly finish in 17th.
But they couldn't quibble over the heavily
Italian-flavoured result.
The crowd had double cause to celebrate after another
homegrown rider, Dennis Foggia, took the Moto3 honours to climb to second in the
standings, 42 points behind Spain's Pedro Acosta.
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