Jorge Lorenzo imperious at Mugello

Spaniard Jorge Lorenzo powered to his first MotoGP win in Ducati colours at Mugello in Italy on June 3, with his teammate Andrea Dovizioso finishing in second place ahead of polesitter Valentino Rossi (Movistar Yamaha).

Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda) and Aussie Jack Miler (Alma Pramac Ducati) both crashed, but the former was able to continue and finished out of the points in 16th position.

Mugello was all about the resurgent Lorenzo, though, as he led from the start and crossed the finish line with six seconds to spare after an incredible sequence of consistent laps in the 1:48 bracket which was just too much for his opposition.

It was his first victory since he won the season-ending race at Valencia in 2016 – his last ride with Yamaha before defecting to Ducati.

“I am very happy! I said that winning at Mugello with Ducati was a dream for me and today this dream came true,” said Lorenzo. “It’s one of the most special wins of my entire career, probably on the same level as my first win in 125 in 2003 and in MotoGP in 2008.

“I’m really thrilled about it and pleased for the team, because it was fantastic to score this victory on Ducati’s home track after a very challenging weekend.

“This morning I realised that we could do it and, even though I was worried about the performance of the tyres, I decided to push right from the start, in my usual style, and everything went perfectly. I couldn’t ask for anything more and we will have to celebrate this win in a big way.

“I haven’t managed to win a race for a long time and I did it my way. I’ve been through some difficult moments but I’ve always believed I could do it, I could see that every time we were closer and closer and in the end we did it.”

Meanwhile, Dovizioso fended off a late charge from Rossi, as the latter became the first rider to score more than 5000 premier class points.

Andrea Iannone (Suzuki Ecstar) took fourth, just 0.022 seconds ahead of his teammate Alex Rins, with Cal Crutchlow (LCR Honda) able to get the better of Danilo Petrucci (Alma Pramac Ducati) to take sixth from the initial hard charger.

Maverick Viñales (Movistar Yamaha) dropped back from his front row start to take eighth but was on Petrucci’s tail by the flag, and both had Alvaro Bautista (Angel Nieto Ducati) for close company as the number 19 took his second top 10 of the year in ninth. Johann Zarco (Monster Yamaha Tech 3) completed the top 10 after a more difficult weekend.

FULL RESULTS HERE

Other than Marquez and Miller, others to crash included Dani Pedrosa (Repsol Honda) and Takaaki Nakagami (LCR Honda Idemitsu) who came together on lap one.

Marquez remains on 95pts, but Rossi (72) has now moved up to second at the expense of Vinales (67). Dovizioso is next on 66pts from Zarco (64). Miller is ninth on 49pts, ahead of Lorenzo (41).