Morbidelli celebrates MotoGP Misano miracle

Franco Morbidelli (Petronas SRT Yamaha) became the fourth first-time winner of the 2020 MotoGP World Championship when he crossed the line in Misano ahead of Pecco Bagnaia (Pramac Ducati) and Joan Mir (Ecstar Suzuki), only the sixth time in premier-class history four riders have celebrated maiden wins in a single season.

It very much looked like Valentino Rossi (Monster Yamaha) would join his two VR46 Academy riders on the podium, which would have been the veteran’s 200th podium, but was pick-pocketed by a brave and fair move by Mir on the last lap.

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With Morbidelli’s side of the garage in full celebration, it was a different story on the other side after Fabio Quartararo suffered not one, but two crashes during the race, and losing the championship lead in the process. Andrea Dovizioso, who crossed the line over 10 seconds behind Morbidelli in seventh place, ended race day as the championship leader, six points clear of the Frenchman.

Alex Rins (Ecstar Suzuki) showed superior pace in the latter stages of the race as he reeled in Rossi, dragging his teammate with him, but a mistake saw him run wide which opened the door for Mir to go on and finish what Rins started. Maverick Vinales (Monster Yamaha) showed so much speed through out the weekend, obliterating the lap record and snatching pole position, but, like so often, couldn’t put it together on race day. He finished sixth.

Aussie Jack Miller (Pramac Ducati) looked to be in podium contention for the first half of the race before his soft rear tyre had other ideas. Despite crossing the line in ninth, he was promoted to eighth after Taka Nakagami (LCR Honda) was demoted one place for exceeding track limits on the final lap. Pol Espargaro (Red Bull KTM) was the top finishing KTM in 10th.

Just 23 point now separate the top nine riders in the points chase, Dovi (76) leads Quartararo (70), Miller (64), Mir (60) and Vinales (58).

While Sam Lowes (EG Marc VDS) broke the lap record to take pole position in the Moto2 Grand Prix, a penalty for causing a crash last time out in Styria meant he had to start from pit lane. That elevated Remy Gardner (ONEXOX TKKR SAG) to pole position, but a highside in warm-up ruled the Aussie out of the race and promoted Luca Marini (Sky Racing Team VR46) to the top spot.

And while Marini would go on to win, it wasn’t without a thrilling battle with teammate Marco Bezzechi thanks to a false neutral which lost the eight-tenths of a second advantage Marini gained early on.

While the teammates scrapped it out for the win, Enea Bastianini closed on the pair, forcing Bezzechi to fend off the Italtrans Racing Team rider in the latter stages. Xavie Vierge (Petronas Sprinta Racing) and Augusto Fernandez (EG Marc VDS) rounded out the top five.

John McPhee (Petronas Sprinta Racing) picked up his first win of the 2020 Moto3 season, ahead of Ai Ogura (Honda Team Asia) and Tatsuki Suzuki (SIC58 Squadra Corse). Class rookie Jeremy Alcoba (Gresini) had his best finish of the season in fourth, ahead of teammate Gabriel Rodrigo.

Albert Arenas (Pull&Bear Aspar), despite being one one of six crashes in Misano, still leads the points tally on 106, just five points clear of Ogura (101). McPhee’s win elevates him to third (92) from Suzuki (75) and Tony Arbolino (70).

Reigning MotoE World Cup champ Matteo Ferrari (Gresini MotoE) took his first win of the season from Xavier Simeon (LCR E-Team) and Dominique Aegerter (Dynavolt Intact GP) in the seven-lap race in Misano.

Aussie Josh Hook had a race to forget after he couldn’t get his Octo Pramac MotoE machine stopped after passing a rider into Turn 8, being forced to run the bike into the gravel. He rejoined the race and finished last, over 36 seconds behind Ferrari.

The paddock stays put in Misano for the next round this weekend.