MOTOGP: Jorge Lorenzo takes win at Mugello

It was his first win in red as he led a 1-2 for the Ducati Team at Mugello, crossing the line over six seconds clear of team-mate Andrea Dovizioso for his first victory since Valencia 2016 - and his seventh Italian GP win.

Dovizioso made it double podium glory for the Borgo Panigale factory as he took second, fending off a late charge from polesitter and crowd favourite Valentino Rossi on the Movistar Yamaha. The Doctor’s podium finish was another history maker in a milestone day at Mugello as the rider from Tavullia became the first to get more than 5000 premier class points, meanwhile Championship leader and reigning Champion Marc Marquez crashed out on lap five and although he remounted his Repsol Honda he finished outside the points in 16th at the flag.

When the lights went out Lorenzo shot into the lead as Marquez fought through from the second row to blast into turn one second, but Rossi fought back and held second until the reigning Champion then struck a lap later into San Donato, tucking in behind Lorenzo followed by Rossi, Suzuki’s Andrea Iannone and Dovizioso.

When Marquez crashed out on the fifth lap Lorenzo was still dictating the race from the front from Rossi with Dovizioso taking third from Iannone. The Italian then picked his way past another compatriot as he sliced past Rossi soon after, to make it a Ducati one-two at the front.

With the Ducati’s out front the battle for the final podium place was hotting up with Rossi, Danilo Petrucci on the Pramac Ducati, Andrea Iannone, Alex Rins and British star Cal Crutchlow all chasing third.

As the race entered the closing stages though it was clear that Rossi had his sights set on third and pulled away from Iannone and was able to close in on Dovizioso on the final lap but it wasn’t quite enough with the nine times world champion taking third to take his premier class points total over 5000 as the grandstands erupted in yellow smoke.

Iannone took fourth just 0.022 ahead of his teammate Alex Rins, with Crutchlow able to get the better of Petrucci to take sixth.

“To win here in Ducati’s home Grand Prix is a dream come true and it has come after a year-and-a-half of hard work and some suffering, but a lot of belief, so finally I can say that I am happy,” said Lorenzo

“I decided to push right from the start, in my usual style and everything went perfectly. I haven’t managed to win a race for a long time and I did it my way.”

Marquez still leads the championship on 95 points with Rossi second on 72 points as the championship moves to the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, June 17th.