Marco Bezzecchi clinched victory at the Italian Grand Prix in Mugello, delivering his first win since the Austin race in March and widening his lead in the MotoGP championship.
Aprilia dominates while Ducati regains ground
The Aprilia pair locked the top two spots as Bezzecchi out‑maneuvered teammate Jorge Martin early, taking the lead by the end of the opening lap through Borgo San Lorenzo. Martin, who had briefly surged ahead in the sprint, settled into third before being passed by Ducati’s Francesco Bagnaia on lap two. Bagnaia’s third‑place finish gave Ducati a modest points haul on a circuit where the Italian marque has traditionally excelled.
Mid‑race moves and late‑stage pressure
Bezzecchi conserved his tyres, maintaining a steady gap to Bagnaia until lap 14, when a faster final sector and a 6 km/h advantage in the speed trap allowed him to break away. Two laps later, Martin reclaimed second, leaving the factory Ducati to fight for pace in the closing stages. Japanese rider Ai Ogura closed rapidly, challenging Bezzecchi at the final corner but ran wide, permitting Bagnaia to secure the podium. Behind them, Fabio Di Giannantonio recovered from a poor start to finish fifth, while Marc Marquez’s defensive riding hampered both Pedro Acosta and the aforementioned contenders, delaying their progress.
Race results summary
- 1 – Marco Bezzecchi (Aprilia) – 40:57.347
- 2 – Jorge Martin (Aprilia) – +3.559
- 3 – Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati) – +5.098
- 4 – Ai Ogura (Aprilia) – +5.132
- 5 – Fabio Di Giannantonio (Ducati) – +5.453
- 6 – Pedro Acosta (KTM) – +7.467
- 7 – Marc Marquez (Ducati) – +10.762
- 8 – Raul Fernandez (Aprilia) – +13.380
The finishing order solidified Bezzecchi’s championship lead, while the Aprilia team’s 1‑2 result highlighted their resurgence. Ducati, despite a lower‑than‑expected start, salvaged valuable points through Bagnaia’s podium, setting the stage for a tightly contested remainder of the season.
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