Moto2 Misano: Bagnaia blasts ahead for San Marino win
Francesco Bagnaia maintained his perfect win from pole ratio as he looked untouchable in the Moto2 San Marino Grand Prix.
The Sky Racing Team VR46 Kalex rider had contact from the start lights to the first corner from Marcel Schrotter but soon pulled away and remained untouchable as he lead over the line by more than three seconds.
The win increases the Italian’s lead over Miguel Oliveira in the championship, with the difference now eight points between the pair.
The Red Bull KTM rider again showed impressive late race pace to catch and pass Mattia Pasini who was second at the time but by then Bagnaia was clear and away.
Marcel Schrotter came through with the Portuguese rider and gave him a big battle in the closing stages, but his final lunge saw him run wide leaving the Dynavolt Intact GP rider third, but still with much to celebrate as it marks the German’s first podium in his 151st race start.
Pasini was pushed back to fourth for Italtrans, with Joan Mir crossing the line in fifth after having to give back a position for running outside the track limits. The EG 0,0 Marc VDS rider was once again the top rookie on race day.
Lorenzo Baldassarri recovered from a difficult qualifying, he crashed twice on his way to 13th on the grid but secured sixth when it mattered for Pons HP40.
Fabio Quartararo survived a few scares but stayed aboard his Speed Up machine to cross the line in seventh.
Brad Binder(Red Bull KTM Ajo) was close behind in eighth while Jorge Navarro had looked to have found improvements before he too received his instruction to drop back after running off track too often, dropping instead from a clear fifth to ninth for Gresini.
Xavi Vierge did enough to complete the top ten for Dynavolt Intact GP.
Simone Corsi cut through the field after qualifying down in 21st to climb to eleventh at the close of the race for Tasca Racing, while Remy Gardner charged his way up to twelfth for Tech 3.
The remaining points went to Dominique Aegerter (Keifer Racing) in 13th, Andrea Locatell (Italtrans) in 14th and Jesko Raffin who claimed 15th for SAG Team in his replacement ride, standing in for Alejandro Medina - a great run after having to start from pit lane.
Alex Marquez was taken out on lap one after being hit by Augusto Fernandez who had attempted a late lunge past his fellow countryman which left them both out of contention.
Danny Kent made it to the third lap before becoming turn four’s latest victim.
Luca Marini was forced out of the race with a mechanical issue, smoke was pouring out of the rear of his Sky bike as he went through turn 14 with 16 laps remaining at the time.
Two laps later Sam Lowes found himself out of the race after the front folded on him while trying to pass Remy Gardner. Tetsuta Nagashima and wildcard Sheridan Morais also failed to finish.
Outside the points Stefano Manzi and Romano Fenati took their track war too far- Manzi almost took Fenati out with both running wide- the Italian then lost his head, reaching over and hitting Manzi’s brake which [edit] saw the Marinelli Snipers man shown the black flag for irresponsible riding.
