Whilst the battle raged on in the Italian heat at the front of the MotoGP™ field, Takaaki Nakagami (LCR Honda IDEMITSU) scorched to his best ever premier class result, with a fifth position at the Gran Premio D’Italia Oakley. In a race which saw him charge ahead of Cal Crutchlow (LCR Honda CASTROL), Nakagami was able to get his first top five of his premier class career, whilst making it the first top five for a Japanese rider in MotoGP™ since Katsuyuki Nakasuga’s podium in Valencia, 2012.
Importante 2a posición en uno de los circuitos más difíciles para nosotros! 🥈
Important 2nd position in a difficult circuit for us! Congrats Danilo Petrucci for your first win!
#ItalianGP
“Danilo was fast, he was able to stay at the front and do the same lap times as me and Marc,” began the two-time MotoGP™ runner-up. “I didn’t put myself in a bad position; I was managing the tyre, I didn’t push too hard and I did the right overtakes in the right moment. But, unfortunately, that corner (Turn 1) happened. I had to pick up the bike very quick and that’s the reason I also lost a position to Marc, so that is the negative part of the race.”
Not at all; Petrucci came back fitter, leaner, meaner and hungrier in 2017, and his results rewarded him with the extreme weight loss he underwent in the Winter months. Four podiums and being robbed of a victory on two occasions, Petrucci was now making waves in the GP paddock. ‘Petrux’ had a mixed end of 2017 but it was his best yet, with 124 points and eighth in the final standings – most notably and most importantly, just one place behind his factory Ducati counterpart and five-time Champion, Jorge Lorenzo – also, with more podiums.
By now, Marquez was down in fifth and at the front of the field, Danilo Petrucci and Alex Rins started to press hard. The leading group consisted of nine riders, with Crutchlow, Takaaki Nakagami (LCR Honda IDEMITSU), Francesco Bagnaia (Pramac Racing), Fabio Quartararo (Petronas Yamaha SRT) and Maverick Viñales (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP). Soon though, the group began to fragment, with Francesco Bagnaia crashing out with 12 to go at the final corner, as his Italian GP hopes went up in smoke.
However, Schrötter replied straight back with a move of his own, only for Marini to get the job done at the following corner. Whilst out front, the scrap for third place had allowed Lüthi and Marquez to open up a comfort buffer of just under a second. With nine laps completed, Marquez made his move for victory by tucking in behind Lüthi down the start finish straight, popping out of the slipstream and executing the perfect Mugello move into Turn 1, San Donato.
As the final lap unfolded, it was an incredible spectacle, as Tony Arbolino lead for the majority of it before a pass at Correntaio from Dalla Porta looked like it would go the way of the Leopard Racing rider – who had a strong top end advantage over his competitors. With a great slingshot out of the final corner, Arbolino slipstreamed Dalla Porta perfectly, the pack weaving across the track all the while to try and halt the slipstream. However, Arbolino had got it right and beat Dalla Porta to the line by a just 0.029s. Jaume Masia was third, whilst Antonelli and Denis Foggia (SKY Racing Team VR46) completed the top five – Foggia having a relatively quiet race, but nonetheless securing good points.
The final Warm Up session of the morning, MotoGP™ took to the track one last time before the lights turn to green and the race gets underway. Marc Marquez put in an impressive run through the session, ending on top. It was a strong session from rookie Joan Mir too, as the Spaniard put in a time just 0.089s behind his compatriot. ‘Desmo Dovi’ was back in the top three, signaling that he is still in with a shout of victory – something that hasn’t been achieved from ninth on the grid at Mugello in the premier class. Mir’s teammate – Alex Rins – was fourth despite running through gravel in the early stages, whilst Fabio Quartararo (Petronas Yamaha SRT) completed the top five.
With an exciting 21-lap encounter in prospect, the all-important Moto2™ Warm Up was the last chance for nerves to settle ahead of the Gran Premio D’Italia Oakley. With special liveries and helmets out in full force, Italian riders featured prominently in Warm Up. It was Moto2™ class rookie Enea Bastianini who secured top spot ahead of his home Grand Prix, with Augusto Fernandez and Tetsuta Nagashima in behind. Luca Marini (SKY Racing Team VR46) and Sam Lowes (Federal Oil Gresini Moto2) completing the top five.
With perfect weather over the Tuscan hills, a sun-soaked Mugello saw the Moto3™ class take to the circuit for their Warm Up session ahead of the race. Gabriel Rodrigo’s final lap saw him secure top spot ahead of the race, with Raul Fernandez also slotting in a late lap to end second. Pole-sitter Tony Arbolino (VNE Snipers) was a solid third, with teammate Romano Fenati and French GP winner John McPhee completing the top five. It was a dramatic session for Sergio Garcia (Estrella Galicia 0,0), who suffered a big highside on the exit of Turn 3 – rider OK.
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