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Jorge Martin never put a foot wrong as he led from start to finish to seal victory in the MotoGP Sprint race at Misano.
The Pramac Ducati rider shattered the lap record at the Marco Simoncelli Circuit in San Marino in qualifying to clinch his first pole of the season and Martin made it count, maximising his chance and closing the title deficit to battle-scarred Francesco Bagnaia by five points to 45 at Round 12.
Marco Bezzecchi, riding with a left hand injury after he was caught up in a pile-up last weekend at Catalunya, finished as the runner-up on the VR46 Ducati, 1.445s behind Martin, while Lenovo Ducati’s Bagnaia held off KTM test rider and San Marino wildcard Dani Pedrosa for the final place on the podium.
It was a magnificent ride by 37-year-old Pedrosa, who fended off a late charge by Brad Binder on the Red Bull KTM for fourth.
Spaniard Martin made a perfect start to take the lead off the line as Bagnaia passed Bezzecchi for second.
Martin and Bagnaia began to open a slight gap almost straight away over Bezzecchi, with Pedrosa fourth.
Repsol Honda’s Marc Marquez was eighth after the opening lap.
South African Binder gained two places on the second lap as he passed Catalunya double winner Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing) and Luca Marini (VR46 Ducati) to take sixth in one swoop.
At the front, Bagnaia drifted wide and lost second place to Bezzecchi.
Martin was now six tenths up on Bezzecchi on the third lap with Bagnaia 1.6s further back after his mistake.
Bezzecchi began to close the gap to Martin but ran wide at the final corner on Lap 4, costing him a few tenths. Bagnaia was detached in third with Pedrosa still fourth ahead of Aprilia’s Maverick Viñales and Binder.
Binder then dived underneath Viñales in an aggressive overtake but ran wide and remained sixth.
However, the KTM rider passed Viñales on the sixth lap and set his sights on catching Pedrosa in fourth.
By the seventh of 13 laps, Martin was 0.649s ahead of Bezzecchi, who in turn had 2.3s in hand over Bagnaia.
Martin increased his cushion to 1.193 over Bezzecchi with three laps to go, but all eyes were now on the battle for second between Bagnaia and Pedrosa, who had closed in on the factory Ducati rider.
Binder could also sense the chance of a podium and began to catch Pedrosa and Bagnaia on the penultimate lap.
At the beginning of the final lap, Pedrosa had a look on the inside of Bagnaia into Turn 1 but was unable to make it through on the brakes.
Binder was also lining up a pass on Pedrosa but the veteran had the upper hand and was able to hold on to fourth, with Bagnaia for third.
It was a gritty performance by world champion Bagnaia, who was passed fit to compete in his home Grand Prix after he was left feeling the worse for wear following a massive highside at Catalunya last Sunday.
The Italian, nursing a knee injury, was clearly in some discomfort at the conclusion of the race and will face a tougher time in Sunday’s longer distance Grand Prix.
Viñales closed out the top six ahead of Marini and Aleix Espargaro, with Gresini Ducati’s Alex Marquez and factory Honda rider Marc Marquez completing the top 10.
Fabio Quartararo completed the race in 13th on the Monster Energy Yamaha with team-mate Franco Morbidelli, who received a Long Lap Penalty for exceeding the track limits, in 16th.
Jack Miller was 17th on the Red Bull KTM.
Honda’s struggles continued, with HRC test rider Stefan Bradl finishing 20th, Takaaki Nakagami (LCR Honda) 22nd and Joan Mir (Repsol Honda) 23rd.
Mir received a record three Long Lap Penalties for exceeding the track limits, undertaking one of these in the race.
Bradl, Pol Espargaro and Johann Zarco also received Long Lap Penalties for the same breach.
Ducati test rider Michele Pirro was 21st in his wildcard appearance.
