Franco Morbidelli toasts maiden MotoGP succcess at Misano

Italian Franco Morbidelli became the fifth different winner of an amazing season and the fourth first-time race winner in 2020 following on from Fabio Quartararo, who crashed out twice in the race and lost his lead in the championship, Brad Binder and Miguel Oliveira.

The Petronas Yamaha rider was in a class of his own leading from the lights at his home race into Turn 1 from Valentino Rossi.

Rossi, who only lives a short distance from Misano, moved into the lead on the opening lap but it was brief as Morbidelli struck back almost immediately and was never headed again through the 27-lap race.

By the flag the 2017 Moto2 world champion had over two seconds to spare over Francesco Bagnaia on the Pramac Ducati.

The 23 year-old was having his first race back after breaking his leg at Brno five weeks ago and came through from eighth on lap one to second with seven laps to go and began to pull away from Rossi and the Suzuki’s of Alex Rins and Joan Mir.

With three laps remaining Bagnaia was struggling with tyre wear allowing Rossi and the two Suzukis to close the gap, but Rins challenge was over as his tyres were shot two laps from the flag leaving Rossi and Mir to sort out the final podium place as Bagnaia had eased away again to secure second.

On the final lap with Rossi’s two protégés Morbidelli and Bagnaia finishing first and second, the master lost out to Mir who went inside at Turn 10 for the final podium place.

An emotional Morbidelli - who only four weeks ago was involved in a horrific crash at the Red Bull Ring - said: “It feels great but I am speechless. It was a perfect weekend for me and I want to thank all the people who have worked with me and believed in me throughout my career which has been short and sweet.

“Seven years ago I was here racing in the Italian championship and now I am here winning a MotoGP race. I’m just a satellite guy who rides a satellite bike and I don’t have to think too much about the championship.

“Because of many reasons I just try to have fun and face this championship race by race. One week you can be on the podium and one week you can be on the ground full of pain, hoping that you didn’t destroy your body but we have to keep working like this and not stressing too much.”

Scotland’s John McPhee had a sensational win at Misano in the Moto3 race for the Petronas Honda team to close the gap at the top of the championship to just 14 points behind Albert Arenas, after the Spaniard crashed out on the penultimate lap at Turn 3.

McPhee started from 17th on the grid but after a great start had hauled himself into 11th by the end of the opening lap of 23.

The Scot dug deep and picked off the riders in front to eventually join the leaders with eight laps to go.

Going onto the last lap it was anyone’s race but at the line McPhee held off Ai Ogura and Tatsuki Suzuki for a brilliant win.

“I’m over the moon,” said McPhee. “I totally let the team down in qualifying having a crash right at the start. I wanted to make it up to them today.

“I managed to keep calm on the first lap and made my way through and to pull it off on the last couple of laps, I’m so delighted.”

In the Moto2 it was victory for Luca Marini and Sky Racing Team VR46 with his team mate Marco Bezzecchi second.

Marc VDS rider Sam Lowes set provisional pole for the race and was outstanding coming back from a pit-lane penalty start, for the crash he caused at the last round in Styria, to finish eighth.