
MotoGP: Morbidelli Clinches Maiden Win in Misano as Quartararo Crashes
Franco Morbidelli clinched his maiden MotoGP victory in Misano and became the fifth different winner of the season.
The Italian took the win in commanding fashion, but the fight for the remaining podium spots raved on until the final lap. Francesco Bagnaia prevailed to take his first rostrum in second while Joan Mir secured third.
Fabio Quartararo crashed out of the race and surrendered the championship lead to Andrea Dovizioso who now sits six points ahead of the Frenchman. Jack Miller is in third, ten points adrift of the top.

Franco Morbidelli (Petronas Yamaha SRT) took the holeshot from second on the grid and led into Turn 1 from Valentino Rossi (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP). Maverick Viñales (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) had a poor getaway from pole and dropped to third while Fabio Quartararo (Petronas Yamaha SRT) lined up in fifth behind Jack Miller (Pramac Racing).
Miller swiftly made his way into third on the opening lap and started to hunt down Morbidelli and Rossi who had already started to break away at the front. The #46 had several looks at the lead and was particularly strong going into Quercia, but Morbidelli managed to hold on to his position.
Miller tried everything to close the gap and start an assault for the lead, but the two Italians kept him at bay. Behind them, Viñales had his hands full with Quartararo, who was lining up a move on his marque colleague, as well as the Suzuki Ecstar machines of Alex Rins and Joan Mir who had closed in on the two Yamahas.
Francesco Bagnaia (Pramac Racing), however, was the man on the move. Having struggled on the opening laps, the Ducati rider had lost ground in P8 and a large gap had opened to the front riders. With seven laps gone though, Bagnaia had found his rhythm and was flying towards the lead.
Quartararo picked up Viñales for fourth at Carro on Lap 7, but the day turned into a disaster for him a lap later. The Frenchman lost the front going into Rio and had to pick his Yamaha out of the gravel – any chance for a top result was gone and Quartararo lost the championship lead to Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati Team) in the virtual table standings. Though he initially rejoined the track, his race was over for good when he crashed again in the latter stages.
Viñales was another Yamaha in trouble and struggled heavily to hold on to P4. The Spaniard was the only rider that opted to run the hard rear tyre, a decision that came back to bite him when he failed to make the compound work under race conditions.

Viñales fell victim to Rins on Lap 9 and was left under attack from Mir and Bagnaia. The Suzuki ran wide through the chicane going into Lap 10, allowing Bagnaia through who subsequently made his way past Viñales. Matters got worse for the Yamaha rider when he also got swallowed by Mir, meaning he lost three positions over the course of two laps.
Out front, Morbidelli had stretched a half a second gap out with 11 laps gone and Rossi now looked like he had nothing to offer against his academy rider. Miller had fallen into the clutches of Rins and Bagnaia who were both running at a faster pace and were just waiting for an opportunity to pounce.
Morbidelli had the hammer down and left the opposition for dust, but the field bunched up behind him. Rins made his move on Miller going into Lap 14 swiftly followed by Bagnaia and the duo started to hunt down Rossi. The Australian looked in serious trouble and was left without a chance against Mir who swept past him only a few laps later.
Rins and Bagnaia had caught up with Rossi on Lap 19 and a close fight emerged. Bagnaia dived down the Suzuki’s inside at Curvone and now had Rossi firmly in his sight, taking him for second on Lap 21.
Miller had fallen off a cliff and was soon running with Viñales who gradually found his rhythm. The Spaniard moved past with ease with six laps to go and Miller now found himself in the clutches of Dovizioso who had been running in a lonely eighth place.
Further ahead, a determined Rins had several looks at Rossi and the punches exchanged between the duo allowed Mir to close in on them. Bagnaia had failed to make a breakaway and the four riders were closely contesting the podium spots.
Unfazed by the paint being swapped behind him, Morbidelli was on course for his first-ever MotoGP victory. The Italian took the chequered flag with a commanding advantage of more than two second and secured an emphatic win on home turf.
Bagnaia managed to just hang on to his position and clinched an impressive maiden podium finish in runner-up spot at his return from injury. Mir meanwhile produced a final lap to remember, first sweeping past his teammate Rins down the start/finish straight before claiming the last rostrum finish from Rossi at Curvone.

The Doctor narrowly missed out on his 200th podium but kept Rins behind him to finish fourth. Viñales had got to terms with his tyres and machine in the late stages of the race, but it was way too late for the Yamaha rider and he crossed the line in sixth.
Dovizioso took Miller on the penultimate lap and took the chequered flag in seventh. Despite the mediocre result, the Ducati rider ends the day as championship leader, profitting from Quatararo’s premature exit.
Miller also lost out to Takaaki Nakagami (LCR Honda Idemitsu) on the final lap but was classed in eighth due to a penalty being awarded to the Japanese rider. Pol Espargaro (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) led a close KTM trio over the line for positions 10 to 12 ahead of Miguel Oliveira (Red Bull KTM Tech 3) and Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) respectively.
Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing Team Gresini) finished 13th from of Iker Lecuona (Red Bull KTM Tech 3) and Johann Zarco (Esponsorama Racing) who secured the final point on offer in 15th. Danilo Petrucci (Ducati Team) completed the race just off the points ranks from the Repsol Hondas of Alex Marquez and Stefan Bradl while Bradley Smith (Aprilia Racing Team Gresini) rounded out the field. Tito Rabat (Esponsorama Racing) joined Quartararo among the non-finishers.