European MotoGP, Valencia Ricardo Tormo - Race Results
Mir takes his first MotoGP race victory and puts one hand on the 2020 title in the European GP at Valencia.
Mir took the lead when Suzuki team-mate Rins ran slightly wide with 10 laps remaining, edging out a safe advantage as KTM's Espargaro completed the podium.
A nightmare race for Yamaha saw Quartararo - who began the race closest to Mir in the championship - fall in tandem with Aprilia's Espargaro (no contact) at Turn 8 on the opening lap, rejoining a distant last.
Mir takes his first MotoGP race victory and puts one hand on the 2020 title in the European GP at Valencia.
Mir took the lead when Suzuki team-mate Rins ran slightly wide with 10 laps remaining, edging out a safe advantage as KTM's Espargaro completed the podium.
A nightmare race for Yamaha saw Quartararo - who began the race closest to Mir in the championship - fall in tandem with Aprilia's Espargaro (no contact) at Turn 8 on the opening lap, rejoining a distant last.
Petronas Yamaha team-mate Morbidelli then couldn't make an impact on the hard rear tyre, Vinales remained out of contention following his pit lane start and Rossi's M1 broke down on the Italian's return to race action after missing both Aragon rounds due to covid.
Heartbreaking scenes to watch!
— MotoGP (@MotoGP) November 8, 2020
Don't give up @FabioQ20! It's not over until the final flag! #EuropeanGP pic.twitter.com/qnsAJwwyBM
All of which meant Mir, who came into the race with a 14-point lead over Quartararo, now has a 37-point advantage over both Rins and Quartararo.
CLICK HERE for the new world championship standings.
Mir now has an excellent chance of wrapping up the title at Valencia next weekend, when he will need a 26-point lead at the end of the race.
Binder had a long lap penalty to serve in the race for a collision with Miller at Aragon, while Aprilia's Espargaro had been demoted from sixth on the grid to ninth for failing to respect blue flags in Qualifying 2.
Tech3 KTM's Iker Lecuona was forced to withdraw from the event and self-isolate after a positive Covid test for his brother and assistant.
Bradley Smith, standing in for Andrea Iannone, has been replaced by fellow Aprilia test rider Lorenzo Savadori for the remaining events.
HRC test rider Bradl is again replacing injured reigning world champion Marc Marquez.
The second Valencia round takes place next weekend.
CLICK HERE for live updates…
| European MotoGP, Valencia - Race Results | ||||
| Pos | Rider | Nat | Team | Time/Diff |
| 1 | Joan Mir | SPA | Suzuki Ecstar (GSX-RR) | 41m 37.297s |
| 2 | Alex Rins | SPA | Suzuki Ecstar (GSX-RR) | +0.651s |
| 3 | Pol Espargaro | SPA | Red Bull KTM (RC16) | +1.203s |
| 4 | Takaaki Nakagami | JPN | LCR Honda (RC213V) | +2.194s |
| 5 | Miguel Oliveira | POR | Red Bull KTM Tech3 (RC16) | +8.046s |
| 6 | Jack Miller | AUS | Pramac Ducati (GP20) | +8.755s |
| 7 | Brad Binder | RSA | Red Bull KTM (RC16)* | +10.137s |
| 8 | Andrea Dovizioso | ITA | Ducati Team (GP20) | +10.801s |
| 9 | Johann Zarco | FRA | Reale Avintia (GP19) | +11.550s |
| 10 | Danilo Petrucci | ITA | Ducati Team (GP20) | +16.803s |
| 11 | Franco Morbidelli | ITA | Petronas Yamaha (YZR-M1) | +17.617s |
| 12 | Stefan Bradl | GER | Repsol Honda (RC213V) | +24.350s |
| 13 | Maverick Viñales | SPA | Monster Yamaha (YZR-M1) | +25.403s |
| 14 | Fabio Quartararo | FRA | Petronas Yamaha (YZR-M1) | +39.639s |
| Lorenzo Savadori | ITA | Aprilia Gresini (RS-GP) | DNF | |
| Alex Marquez | SPA | Repsol Honda (RC213V)* | DNF | |
| Tito Rabat | SPA | Reale Avintia (GP19) | DNF | |
| Francesco Bagnaia | ITA | Pramac Ducati (GP20) | DNF | |
| Cal Crutchlow | GBR | LCR Honda (RC213V) | DNF | |
| Valentino Rossi | ITA | Monster Yamaha (YZR-M1) | DNF | |
| Aleix Espargaro | SPA | Aprilia Gresini (RS-GP) | DNF | |
* Rookie.
Official Valencia MotoGP records:
Best lap:
Marc Marquez SPA Honda1m 31.116s (2019)
Fastest race lap:
Jorge Lorenzo SPA Yamaha1m 29.401s (2016)
Peter has been in the paddock for 20 years and has seen Valentino Rossi come and go. He is at the forefront of the Suzuki exit story and Marc Marquez’s injury issues.
