MotoGP Monday – Ducati take the spoils at home
Entering the last 10 laps, local rider Andrea Dovizioso, on his Ducati took over the lead from Vinalez
Mason Meyer
Italy, a Motorbike mecca, hosted this past weekend’s round of the MotoGP championship at the famous Mugello circuit.
The circuit is home to not only a few riders, including the famous Valentino Rossi, but also the home track of the Ducati team, and they were gunning for a good weekend.
As the lights went out it was a mad scramble off the line and to the delight of around 90 000 fans, their hometown hero, Valentino Rossi, took the lead into turn one.
What followed after that can only be described as a good old tussle between the top riders, with the lead exchanging hands on a regular basis. The race was open to anybody within contention.
Entering the last 10 laps, local rider Andrea Dovizioso, on his Ducati took over the lead from Vinalez and managed to hold on for his first win of 2017 on home soil.
He was followed over the line by Vinalez with Daniel Petrucci coming in third, rounding off a double podium finish for the Ducati team.
Petrucci later said “I would have sold my house for this podium” expressing how much it meant to him.
Rossi finished in fourth, Marquez in sixth and Lorenzo in eight.
He probably felt a bit out of place as his team-mate took the win.
Maverick Vinalez is starting to create a bit of a lead at the top of the Championship standings as he has a 26-point gap over Dovizioso.
Rossi is a further 4 points adrift.
The Championship battle now moves to Spain for the 7th round on June 11.
South African Tracker:
Daryn Binder took a well-earned fourth place in Moto3.
